Traditional festival

Traditional festivals are cultural activities reflecting the spiritual life of each ethnic group. Therefore, these festivals prove very attractive to many tourists. Through festivals, the visitors can learn more about the customs and habits of the local people here.

There are 18 ethnic groups living in Dien Bien province where the cultural traditions are displayed through festivals.

Dien Bien Phuvictory Anniversary

Dien Bien Phu Victory Anniversary which is held on May 7 annually is the most important festival of Dien Bien province. This festival bears not only national but also international meaning.

On this day, thousands of visitors come here to view a glorious place, to think and learn more about the national history.

The Dien Bien Phu victory Anniversary begins with a meeting to review famous pages of national history. Following the meeting are the activities that make the atmosphere of festival more jubilant and exciting

Ban Phu Citadel Festival

Ban Phu Citadel Festival is a big festival held every year to worship the great devotion of the leader Hoang Cong Chat and his soldiers in the resistance war to protect Muong Then – Dien Bien from the occupation of Phe enemy.

The festival is held from the 24 to 25 of the second month of lunar year in Ban Phu. At the festival, there are such activities as rituals, local made food and drinks, singing, dancing, etc.

Bamboo Shoot Sprouting Festival

Bam Boo Shoot Sprouting is a popular festival of many ethnic groups such as Mang, Khang, Xinh Mun, La Hu, Kho Mu, Phu La, etc. in the North of Vietnam.

The festival is held at the beginning of the rainy season when bamboo shoots sprout. According to the local’s concept, it is the time to start the farming in a year. It is held with a hope to get bumper crops and express their gratefulness to God.

Cong ethnic group’s village worshipping festival

In the third month of lunar year, all villages in Dien Bien hold the worshipping rituals before the seed-sowing season. On this day, the local people set gates and avoid signs on the way to villages so that nobody is allowed to come in. All families do the worshipping rituals on their farming land. They pray for bumper crops and nothing can do harm to their crop.

La Hu ethnic group’s new rice festival

La Hu ethnics often do new rice ritual in the tenth or the eleventh month of the lunar year. The special thing in this festival is that La Hu ethnics do not pick up vegetables or cut down trees and plants for 3 days in order to pray for them growing well all the year round. In addition, La Hu ethnics perform their folk dance with drums.

Han Khuong festival

Han Khuong is a traditionally cultural activity of Thai ethnic group. The festival is usually held right after harvesting the crops in the eleventh month of the lunar year.

The festival is often held on a large plot of land in the village. The young boys and girls set up a wooden floor, about 1.5 meter high, surrounded by a piece of wide-meshed bamboo lattice, and an entrance. They sing and talk together until midnight. The next day, they continue enjoying themselves.

Han Khuong festival held by the girls is a party to court their partners before getting married. So, Han Khuong has left numbers of lovely experiences and remarks of a period of time of ebullient youth.

Bauhinia flower festival

In the second month of every lunar year, when it is warmer and bauhinia flowers start to blossom so many that all mountains and forests in the North West is covered with white, Thai ethnics begin bauhinia flowers festival.

On this occasion, Thai ethnic girls and boys have opportunity to meet and talk together. The boy picks up the most beautiful flowers to put in his love’s hair. The girl is so shy and hides herself under the bauhinia branches.

The festival of bauhinia flower is not only a festival of love and happiness but also an occasion for Thai ethnic people to pray for their crops, to express their respect to their grandparents and parents. It is a chance for young people to get closer to each other through pieces of music