Buzz
Tay Nguyen, a land steeped in the breath of vast mountains and forests, has left many travelers in awe with its majestic natural scenery. Moreover, the rich cultural tapestry of Central Highlands festivals deeply touches the hearts of participants, leaving an enduring impact. If you plan to visit this sun-and-wind-kissed highland, take note of the festival details below.
Most Famous Central Highlands Festivals
As the homeland of various ethnic communities, the Central Highlands always hosts unique and impressive festivals. Mytour will list some notable names for you:
1 - The Highlands Gong Festival
There's probably no need to elaborate much on this renowned Tay Nguyen festival. This festival encapsulates and honors the precious traditional values of the mountainous people through the ages. The space of The Highlands Gong, Tay Nguyen, is also recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity for the richness it brings to the cultural legacy.
The Highlands Gong Festival is vibrant and lively. Photo: ST
During this festival season, visitors to Tay Nguyen immerse themselves in the lively and sometimes serene atmosphere filled with the resounding melodies. These are the tunes produced by the gongs played by the locals themselves. Moreover, you get to listen to the songs and dances of the young men and women around the blazing bonfire on the plateau.
Details about the Highlands Gong Festival
- Time: The festival is organized at different times each year; this year, the exact time has not yet been determined.
- Location: The festival will rotate among the 5 provinces of Tay Nguyen: Dak Lak, Lam Dong, Kontum, Dak Nong, and Gia Lai.
2 - Elephant Racing Festival in Tay Nguyen
This is one of the most captivating and attractive Tay Nguyen festivals in Ban Don with numerous outstanding entertainment activities. Some notable performances include ceremonies for the health of elephants, riverbank ceremonies, buffalo fighting festivals (or buffalo feasts), elephant racing, elephant soccer, elephants swimming across the Serepok River, ceremonies for the new rice crop celebration, cultural and culinary competitions of various ethnic groups, and rice pounding competitions. Particularly, the elephant racing festival and buffalo fighting festival are highly favored by domestic and international tourists for their vibrant and lively competitive atmosphere.
The locals cheer enthusiastically in the spirited competitive atmosphere. Photo: ST
Details about the Elephant Racing Festival in Tay Nguyen
-
Time: The festival is held annually in March and lasts for 3 days.
-
Location: The festival takes place in Ban Don, Krông Na commune, Buon Don district, Dak Lak province.
3 - Celebration of New Rice (New Rice Festival)
A unique Tay Nguyen festival you must experience when visiting during spring is the New Rice Festival (also known as Summer Tet). The mountainous people organize this festival to express gratitude to the divine spirits, the heavens, and the earth for a bountiful harvest of rice.
During the festival days, people across the villages celebrate joyfully, indulging in feasts. Imagine immersing yourself in night-long singing, savoring mountainous specialties like bamboo rice, grilled chicken, hot crispy pork, and aromatic dishes, accompanied by a warm cup of traditional rice wine in the misty night.
Celebrating the new rice harvest, expressing gratitude to the divine spirits, and wishing for prosperity in the new year. Photo: ST
Details about the New Rice Celebration
- Time: The festival usually falls at the end of the lunar year, when people have finished harvesting rice (around late November to January of the following year in the solar calendar).
- Location: The festival takes place in various hamlets throughout the Tay Nguyen region.
4 - Tay Nguyen Coffee Festival
One of the remarkable Tay Nguyen festivals you shouldn't miss is the Tay Nguyen Coffee Festival. It's one of the largest festivals in this region. If you're a coffee lover, especially a fan of the rich flavor of Vietnamese coffee, then this is the perfect festival for you. The festival features many exciting activities such as music performances, coffee exhibition fairs, street markets, farmer skill competitions, coffee and book fairs, awaiting your exploration when traveling to Buon Ma Thuot.
Vibrant and cheerful parade. Photo: ST
Details about the Tay Nguyen Coffee Festival
- Time: The festival typically takes place in March every year.
- Location: Buon Ma Thuot City, Dak Lak Province
5 - Ritual of Ancestor Remembrance
This is a Tay Nguyen festival with ancient traditions imbued with spiritual and unique beliefs. The local ethnic communities believe that when a person passes away, they do not go to the other world but return to the earthly realm by entering the bodies of young children. Therefore, people perform the Ritual of Ancestor Remembrance to bid farewell to the soul and guide it back to the ancestral spirits.
A festival exclusive to certain mountainous ethnic groups. Photo: ST
The festival is usually held at burial houses adorned with exquisite wood sculptures depicting everyday life, ensuring that the departed find peace and detachment from the earthly realm. After the festival concludes, people refrain from visiting these places to fully sever the connection between the soul and the mortal world.
Details about the Ritual of Ancestor Remembrance
- Time: The Bahnar ethnic group organizes the ritual in September - October lunar calendar annually, while the Jrai ethnic group typically holds it around January - February lunar calendar.
- Location: The festival takes place in the majority of villages inhabited by the Bahnar and Jrai ethnic groups.
>> Quickly book cheap flights to Buon Ma Thuot
6 - Festival of Gratitude to Parents
This is a traditional festival of the Bana and Jrai people, expressing filial piety and gratitude to parents. Married children choose an auspicious day, bring offerings like buffalo, cow, pig, chicken, etc., back home, and organize a ceremony to express gratitude for their parents' contribution to their birth and upbringing. Afterward, everyone gathers for a festive feast over two days. The festival is celebrated at both the parents' and in-laws' homes.
Festival of Gratitude to Parents on both sides of the family. Photo: ST
Details about the Festival of Gratitude to Parents
- Time: Following the New Rice Celebration
- Location: In the Bahnar and Jrai communities in Kon Tum.
Every Tay Nguyen festival carries distinctive characteristics and meanings, each deeply rooted in ethnic traditions. When traveling to Tay Nguyen, try to plan your itinerary to participate in all these festivals. You can call the hotline Mytour if you have any questions or to book a tour to explore the Tay Nguyen region.
