Hoi An full-moon lantern nights

Dates are the 14th day of each lunar month, calculated by us for Vietnamese time and cross-checked against published calendars; an independent travel website gives the same date, 22 November, for November 2026 and notes that some other sites wrongly give 24 November. There is no leap month in 2027.

From early evening the old town takes on its lantern-night form. According to the Vietnam Airlines travel guide, electric lighting is switched off by about 20:00, especially around the Hoai River and the Japanese Covered Bridge, leaving the streets to paper lanterns. Visitors float small flower lanterns on the river, there are folk performances including bai choi, a call-and-response singing game, and vehicle traffic is restricted.

Roads into the old town close to vehicles at around 18:00, so arrive on foot or by bicycle and early. Lanterns for the river are sold for roughly VND 50,000 to 200,000, and bargaining is normal. The riverbanks near the bridges are the most crowded places on the night; side streets a few blocks away are much quieter.

Hoi An is rainy from September to January, and the UK Foreign Office notes seasonal flooding in central Vietnam in October and November. The old town is built on the river, and in a heavy flood the water rises into the streets. In those months the lantern night may be called off at short notice; one travel website notes that November is the peak flood-risk month and that the November 2026 night could be cancelled.

From February to August the town is dry and warm to hot. The February to April nights are the most comfortable; June to August nights are hot but dependable.

• Travellers who dislike dense crowds on narrow riverside streets.
• Anyone who cannot walk some distance: vehicles are kept out of the centre in the evening.
• People who need a fixed date in the flood months and cannot afford a cancelled evening.