Long Tong Festival — a spring ritual that opens the farming year
The name says it all. “Long Tong” — sometimes written as Lung Tung or Ooc Tong depending on the dialect and region — means “going down to the field” in the Tay language. All three names refer to the same festival; the differences are purely a matter of spelling and local pronunciation.
The festival is celebrated primarily by the Tay, the largest ethnic minority group in Vietnam with around 1.6 million people, and to a lesser extent by the Nung, another closely related highland group. Both communities have lived in the mountainous north for centuries, and their culture is deeply tied to rice farming and the rhythms of the agricultural year. In 2013, the Vietnamese government recognized the Long Tong Festival as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage — a reflection of how central it is to highland culture.
At its core, the festival marks the beginning of a new farming season. Communities gather in the fields to thank the gods of agriculture, soil, and nature for the past year, pray for good weather and a strong harvest ahead, and come together as a village after the quieter winter months. It is a real community event, not a performance — one that has been repeated in these highlands for as long as the first Tay villages existed.
When is the Long Tong Festival?
The Long Tong Festival takes place in the first lunar month, which falls in January or February in the Western calendar. It always comes in the weeks just after Tet — think of it as the highland communities stepping out of the New Year holiday and into the new farming season.
The exact date depends on the province and village. Most celebrations fall between the 4th and 10th day of the first lunar month, though some locations hold it as late as the 25th. In Quang Binh district in Ha Giang, for example, the festival is traditionally held on the 8th day; in Bac Kan it typically runs the 9th to 11th day. Across all locations, the festival usually lasts one to three days.
Because the lunar calendar shifts each year, the Western calendar date changes too. Here are the approximate windows to expect for the coming years, based on the 4th–10th day of the first lunar month:
- 2027: February 9–15
- 2028: January 29 – February 4
- 2029: February 16–22
Keep in mind these are approximate. Different villages within the same province may celebrate on different days. Always confirm the exact date and location with a local guesthouse or tour operator before you travel.
Where can you see the Long Tong Festival?
The Long Tong Festival is not tied to one place. It is celebrated across a wide belt of northern mountainous provinces wherever Tay and Nung communities live — which means dozens of villages across multiple provinces hold their own version of the festival, often on different days within the same window.
Ha Giang
For most foreign travelers, Ha Giang is the most natural place to catch the festival. Two locations are well documented. The first is in Quang Binh district, where the festival takes place in Chi hamlet, Xuan Giang commune — a setting that has actively developed community tourism around the event in recent years. The second is in Vi Xuyen district, around Dao Duc commune and Lang Nung hamlet, near Sung Khanh Pagoda, about 9 km from Ha Giang city. Both are accessible for travelers already on the Ha Giang Loop.
Tuyen Quang
Chiem Hoa district in Tuyen Quang hosts one of the largest and most established Long Tong celebrations in the country. The festival here runs annually on the 8th day of the first lunar month and draws significant crowds. It was the Long Tong Festival in Tuyen Quang that was specifically named a National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2013.
Worth noting: Ha Giang province was administratively merged into Tuyen Quang in 2025, so some sources now list Ha Giang locations under Tuyen Quang — do not let that confuse you when searching for information.
Bac Kan
Bac Kan holds the festival in more than 500 villages across the province, making it one of the most widespread celebrations anywhere. For travelers, the area around Ba Be Lake is the most practical entry point — Ba Be National Park is already a popular destination, and catching the Long Tong Festival nearby is a natural add-on.
Other provinces
The festival also takes place in Lang Son, Cao Bang, Lao Cai, Thai Nguyen, and Yen Bai — any province with a significant Tay or Nung population. Practical details for specific villages in these provinces are harder to verify in advance, so if you are planning around one of these areas, local advice closer to the date is the most reliable approach.
What to see and do at the Long Tong Festival
The festival divides naturally into two parts: a ritual ceremony and a festive celebration. The ceremony comes first and carries the real weight of the day — the games and music that follow are a release of that energy. Here is what each part looks like in practice.
1. The opening procession
In some locations the day begins before sunrise with a procession from the village to the fields, led by elders carrying offerings and accompanied by gongs and drums. It is a quiet, atmospheric way to start — the highland cold, the early light, the whole community moving together. Not every village does this, but where it happens, it sets the tone for everything that follows.
2. The ritual ceremony
The ceremony is the heart of the festival and typically begins between 6 and 8 am. A shaman — chosen for his knowledge of Tay customs and traditions — recites prayers in the Tay dialect, inviting the gods to the ceremony and asking for their blessing. The prayers are addressed to the God of Agriculture, the God of the Soil, the Mountain God, and other spirits that the Tay believe protect the land and the community.
The altar holds offerings assembled by families across the village: five-colored sticky rice representing heaven and earth, a boiled chicken, grilled fish, rice wine, fruits, and traditional cakes. Each element carries meaning. Village leaders and elders stand together during the prayers; the mood is solemn and sincere. This is not a performance — it is a real act of gratitude and prayer that these communities have carried out for generations.
3. The first plowing ceremony
After the offerings, the festival moves to the fields for one of its most visually striking moments. A man chosen by the village — respected for his character, known for his farming skill, and considered to have a happy family — leads a buffalo to plow the first furrows of the new year. In Tay belief, straight furrows mean a good harvest ahead. The selection of this person is itself an honor, and the whole community watches. It is a quiet ritual compared to what comes after, but it captures the agricultural soul of the festival better than anything else.
4. Nem Con — the ball-throwing game
This is the moment that draws the biggest crowd and the most noise. Nem Con is a game where participants throw a colorful cloth ball — the “con” — through a ring fixed to the top of a tall bamboo pole. The ring represents heaven, earth, and humanity. Getting the ball through the ring is believed to bring good luck and a strong harvest to the entire village for the year ahead. If the cloth wrapping on the ball tears on impact, it is considered an especially good omen.
The shaman opens the game by throwing the first con from the offering tray. From there it becomes a lively competition. The ball itself is carefully made — wrapped in colorful fabric with tassels — and the pole stands high enough that most throws fall short. Visitors are usually welcome to try. It is the kind of game that is harder than it looks and more fun than expected.
5. Traditional folk games
Once Nem Con gets going, the festival opens up into a wider celebration. Tug-of-war, stick pushing, stilt walking, spinning tops, and plowing competitions all appear depending on the location. These games are energetic and easy to follow without speaking the language. Locals of all ages join in, and outsiders are rarely left standing on the sidelines for long.
6. Then singing and Tinh guitar
Music runs through the entire festival. Then singing — a traditional Tay form of spiritual folk song — is performed during the ritual parts of the day. In the festive portion, Tinh guitar music and traditional dances take over. Historically, the festival was also one of the main occasions for young men and women to meet, and much of that interaction happened through song — call-and-response singing between groups, full of coded meaning. That tradition still exists in some villages, though it is less central than it once was.
7. Festival food
The offerings from the altar become part of a communal meal shared after the ceremony. Five-colored sticky rice is the most iconic dish — the different colors each carry symbolic meaning tied to the natural world. Also look for khau sli (sticky rice cakes), black sticky rice, smoked sausages, and rice wine passed between villagers. Food at the Long Tong Festival is simple, rooted in local ingredients, and eaten together in the fields — which is exactly the point.
Practical tips for visiting the Long Tong Festival
The Long Tong Festival varies by location, date, and village custom. A little preparation goes a long way. These tips cover everything you need to plan a visit that is both smooth and respectful.
Confirm the exact date and location before you go
The festival date shifts each year with the lunar calendar, and different villages within the same province often celebrate on different days. There is no fixed national schedule you can look up a year in advance and rely on. The most reliable approach is to check with a local guesthouse, homestay, or tour operator in the area you plan to visit — ideally a few weeks before you travel. They will know which villages are celebrating, on which day, and how accessible the location is for visitors.
Go with a local guide
The ritual ceremony is conducted in the Tay dialect. Without someone to translate and explain, you will be watching without understanding — and understanding is most of what makes this festival worth visiting. A good local guide explains what the offerings mean, why the shaman is doing what he is doing, and what the community is actually praying for. A guide also helps you navigate the social side: knowing when to step back, when it is appropriate to join in, and how to ask permission for things like photographs. For a festival rooted this deeply in local belief and tradition, a guide is not optional — it genuinely changes the experience.
Tip: Visit the Long Tong Festival with Local Vietnam
Local Vietnam operates its own lodge in Ha Giang and works with local guides on the ground, making it the ideal base for visiting the festival in the region. Ha Giang tours cover transport, accommodation, and guided access to the festival — and for other northern provinces, the team can arrange that too.
Arrive early
The ritual ceremony starts between 6 and 8 am, and it is the most meaningful part of the day. Arriving after 9 am means you have already missed it. Plan to be at the festival site before the ceremony begins — which usually means leaving your accommodation in the dark. The folk games and music run through the afternoon and are worth staying for, but the ceremony at dawn is what sets the Long Tong Festival apart from a generic village fair.
Dress modestly and ask before photographing
The first part of the festival is a spiritual ceremony, not a show. Dress respectfully — cover your shoulders and knees. Avoid loud colors or anything that draws attention to yourself during the ritual. When it comes to photography, always ask first. Most people are happy to be photographed, especially during the games and the festive portion of the day, but pointing a camera at someone during a prayer or ritual without asking is not appropriate. A simple gesture and a smile go a long way.
Understand what kind of event you are attending
The Tay are the largest ethnic minority group in Vietnam, with around 1.6 million people spread across the northern highlands. They have farmed these mountains for centuries, and the Long Tong Festival is one of the most important events in their annual calendar — not a cultural performance staged for tourists, but a real community gathering with genuine religious meaning. Visitors are welcome, but the festival exists for the community first. Keeping that in mind shapes how you move through the day, how loudly you talk during the ceremony, and how much space you give people during the rituals.
Getting to the festival locations
Ha Giang is the easiest base for most foreign travelers. Buses from Hanoi take around 7–8 hours, and the city is a natural starting point for the Ha Giang Loop. From Ha Giang city, the festival sites in Vi Xuyen district are about 9 km away; locations in Quang Binh district require more travel. Chiem Hoa in Tuyen Quang is a similar distance from Hanoi and reachable by bus. Ba Be Lake in Bac Kan is about 4–5 hours from Hanoi by road. For all locations, renting a motorbike or hiring a private driver gives you the most flexibility — specific festival villages are rarely on a public bus route, and the timing of the ceremony means you need to leave early.
Entry and cost
The festival is free to attend. Budget separately for transport to the location, a local guide, and food at the festival itself. Accommodation in the area during festival season books up faster than usual — plan ahead if you are traveling around the main dates.
More ethnic minority festivals in northern Vietnam
The Long Tong Festival is one of many traditional celebrations held by ethnic minority communities across northern Vietnam throughout the year. If your travel dates do not align, or if you simply want to explore more of highland culture, there are plenty of other festivals worth planning around.
- Gau Tao Festival — a Hmong spring celebration involving music, games, and courtship rituals, held in the hills of Ha Giang and Lao Cai
- Tet Nhay (Dao New Year) — the Red Dao community’s most important ritual festival, centered on ancestor worship and ceremonial dance
- Khau Vai Love Market — a unique annual gathering in Ha Giang where old loves reunite, rooted in a centuries-old legend
- Lo Lo Spring Festival — a visually striking celebration of the Lo Lo ethnic group near Lung Cu in Ha Giang, marking the end of winter
- Ban Flower Festival — a Tay and Thai spring festival in the northwest highlands celebrating the blooming of ban (bauhinia) flowers
- Longji Terraced Fields Harvest Festival — celebrated by Zhuang and Yao communities, marking the rice harvest season in the highlands
For a full overview of when and where to catch ethnic minority festivals across northern Vietnam, check our complete ethnic minority festival calendar — the most practical guide to planning a trip around highland culture.
