Hoi An Lantern Night: Dates, Hours, Where to Watch and What If It Rains

What is lantern night and when does it happen?

It is a monthly evening in Hoi An's old town. According to the Hoi An World Heritage Conservation Centre, bright electric light and bustle give way to candles and lanterns, and the streets get quieter. The Centre calls the event "Hoi An Old Town Night" (Đêm phố cổ) and sets it on the 14th day of the lunar month. The programme includes family and traditional music groups, poetry reading, chess, folk games, bài chòi and folk-singing lessons. Little lanterns with a light are floated on the water.

How do you work out the date?

The date follows the lunar calendar, so it moves around on the Gregorian calendar every month. Open a lunar calendar and find day 14 of the lunar month: that is the evening. For 2026, based on Vietnam Tourism (updated 14 September 2026), the nights are as follows.

Sources disagree: some sites give 24 November instead of the 22nd, and Vietnam Tourism itself says an earlier version of its text was off by a day or two. A day or two before travel, check the date against a lunar calendar and the Heritage Centre's notice.

What time does lantern night start?

Lanterns are lit around 6 pm and the crowds stay until 9–10 pm. Vietnam Tourism says 6–9 pm, MIA.vn says 6–10 pm, and the city's 2023 plan gives the evening programme as 6:00–9:30 pm. Times differ by source, so arrive by 5 pm: by sunset the spots by the water are taken.

Is it free to watch?

Walking around and watching the lights needs no ticket. Vietnam Tourism says there is no separate ticket for lantern night, although some parts of the old town admit only holders of the regular ticket; see our guide "The Hoi An old town combined ticket". Concerts and street games are free, according to MIA.vn. The small paid item is a lantern for the water; we do not quote the price, so ask the seller before you buy.

Where should you watch?

The most people gather on the Hoai riverbank between the Japanese Bridge and the An Hoi Bridge, where lanterns are floated and boats gather. If the crowd is too much, go to the side streets of the old town or the other bank. Traffic is kept out of the area in those hours (motorbikes, according to Vietnam Tourism), so walk in or leave your bike outside the zone. We did not check boats, boat tickets or prices.

What if it rains or floods?

Rain usually does not cancel the evening, but high water can. Vietnam Tourism puts the flood peak in October–November, rates November "very high" risk, and says in its November 2026 piece that the festival may be cancelled at short notice if the Thu Bồn river rises sharply. We found no single official rule on cancellation. In the rainy season do not book a trip "just for one night": keep a spare evening, and on the day check the Heritage Centre's notices and the forecast in the morning. For when it rains in Hoi An and what to do in a flood, see our guide "Hoi An weather by month and floods".

What about Tet and other special days?

At Tet the Heritage Centre can pause evening programmes: in 2026 the night market and the pedestrian street were closed on 14–19 February and ticket sales paused on 16–19 February. The first full moon of the year, Nguyên Tiêu (Tết Nguyên Tiêu), fell on 2 March 2026 according to Vietnam Tourism; the Centre has a separate page with that day's programme. For such days, look for the Centre's notice a few days ahead.

Where can you see the old town by day?

The old town's houses and assembly halls are in the Hoi An sights section. For what to see inside the old town itself, read "Hoi An: what to see in the old town". To get here from Da Nang, see "From Da Nang to Hoi An"; for getting around, see Transport rental and Transfers.

FAQ

When is lantern night in Hoi An? Every month on the 14th day of the lunar calendar. In 2026 the nearest evenings are 22 November and 22 December (Vietnam Tourism); check the date against a lunar calendar.

What time does lantern night start? Lanterns are lit around 6 pm and the crowds stay until 9–10 pm. Arrive by 5 pm to get a spot by the water.

Is Hoi An lantern night free? Walking and watching the lights is free, and there is no separate ticket for the evening (Vietnam Tourism). Some parts of the old town need the regular ticket.

Where should I watch lantern night? On the Hoai riverbank between the Japanese Bridge and the An Hoi Bridge. If it is crowded, move to the side streets.

Can I ride a motorbike to lantern night? No, traffic is kept out of the centre in those hours. Leave the bike at the edge of the zone and walk.

Is lantern night cancelled because of floods? It can be, if the Thu Bồn river rises sharply, most often in October–November. There is no single rule: on the morning of the evening check the Heritage Centre's notices and the forecast.

Is it the same as the "Festival of Light & Heritage"? No: the 2026 Festival of Light & Heritage is a separate event running over several months. Lantern night happens every month.

Which city does Hoi An belong to now? Since 1 July 2025 it has been three wards of Da Nang city: Hội An, Hội An Đông and Hội An Tây (Resolution 1659/NQ-UBTVQH15).

Sources and checks

What the old-town night is and the 14th lunar day — Hoi An World Heritage Conservation Centre (08.07.2025). 2026 dates, hours, floods and traffic — Vietnam Tourism: when to visit Hoi An (updated 14.09.2026) and the lantern festival in November 2026. Where to watch and what is free — MIA.vn (05.08.2026). Start time in the city plan — Báo Văn Hóa (03.04.2023, an old document, check hours before you go). Lanterns on the river — Vietnam Airlines. Tet 2026 break — Báo Văn Hóa (08.02.2026). Hoi An's wards — Resolution 1659/NQ-UBTVQH15, article 1. We could not settle the date disagreement (22 or 24 November) ourselves: the Heritage Centre has no official 2026 calendar that we found. No prices: they change. Text updated 23.10.2026.