Come for the festivities, stay for the culture
Sometimes we’re just itching to go on a holiday, but we can’t decide when or where to go. That’s when we create a global calendar and start planning a trip around festivals, big events and celebrations. Attending a festival overseas is a great way to experience the local culture and traditions up close, with the locals themselves.
And who says the most happening festivals are in Europe or the US? If you’re on a budget, Asia and Oceania are popping with lively celebrations. For every Coachella and Oktoberfest, we have a Wonderfruit and Tokyo Ramen Show to keep us grooving and salivating. So pull up your own global calendar and get ready to mark these dates down!
Photo: Hoi An Food Tour
2. Tết Trung Thu (Mid-Autumn Festival)
Where: Vietnam
When: 24 September 2018
We love our little red dot, but let’s face it; Singapore’s mid-Autumn festivities can’t hold a candle to the ones overseas. Vietnam, in particular, puts up magnificent celebrations for Mid-Autumn festival, also known as “Tết Trung Thu.” The Vietnamese have their own legends associated with the festival that are quite distinct from the Chinese ones, but the emphasis on family bonding and childhood joy is just as strong. Glorious lantern festivals, lion dances, and mooncakes can be found all across Vietnam during the big day. Want to enjoy the celebrations in one of Vietnam’s most ancient towns? Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage town, holds a lantern festival every month, but the streets will get even more vibrant come 24 September. Gather along the Thu Bon River to see the lit candles and floating lotus-shaped lanterns.
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