Ghost Festival 2025
Date: September 6, 2025 (Saturday)
Country: Vietnam Public Holidays
Description
The Ghost Festival in Vietnam is a time for people to remember and respect those who have died. It is about kindness, duty to family, and thinking about life and afterlife in a calm way.
This festival takes place during the seventh month of the lunar calendar. The middle of that month, the fifteenth day, is the most important moment when people focus their thoughts on ancestors and those without families.
The holiday is meaningful because it connects people with their family history. It helps younger generations learn about elders and past events. It also reminds everyone of moral values like gratitude and care for others.
For many Vietnamese, the Ghost Festival strengthens community bonds. It is a shared time to reflect on loss and to support one another emotionally. The festival links everyday life with cultural and spiritual memory.
Traditions
Families clean and decorate ancestral altars and graves. They prepare plates of food like sticky rice, fruit, boiled chicken, and sweet cakes to leave as offerings for wandering spirits and ancestors.
People burn votive paper and paper models of money and goods. Temples hold chanting and sutra recitations. Monks lead ceremonies while families light incense and candles.
On rivers and lakes people set floating lanterns or small boats with candles to guide spirits. Some families visit temples to give alms to monks and release fish or birds as acts of mercy.
Children join in by helping arrange food, lighting incense with adults, and watching performances of folk music or lantern parades in the neighborhood.
Travel Tips
Many shops, banks, and government offices may close or have shorter hours. Temples, riverbanks, and ferries get crowded in the evening. Book transport and accommodation ahead, carry cash, and expect traffic delays around dusk and night.
Enjoy safely by staying with guided groups or well lit areas, keeping a respectful distance from ceremonies, and asking before taking photos. Support local vendors, try special foods from open stalls, and follow signs and police directions to make your visit smooth and meaningful.