Top 5 Most Unique Festivals in Vietnam Held at the End of May 2017

This annual event in Mộc Châu, launched in 2014, has become a major attraction for investors and tourists alike, drawing large crowds to the Mộc Châu National Tourism Area. This year, the Plum Harvest Festival will take place on May 27, 2017, in Nà Ka area, Pa Khen 1 village, Mộc Châu Town. The festival will feature 9 key activities, including:

• Fruit picking competition, fruit display, and tasting with 6 teams.
• A quiz on Mộc Châu's plums and knowledge sharing.
• Honoring exemplary plum farmers.
• Ethnic sports activities and traditional games (tug-of-war, egg-carrying dragon, and crossbow shooting for tourists).
• Camping competition.
• Exhibition and showcase of Mộc Châu plums.
• Tourism activities and fruit-picking experiences.
• Cultural exchanges and music performances.
• Traditional food stalls.

If you find yourself in Mộc Châu during this period, don’t miss the chance to take part in this fascinating and fun-filled festival. Wander through the lush plum valleys, with branches weighed down by ripe, red plums. Experience what it’s like to be an ethnic youth, picking plums yourself, tasting them fresh from the tree, and even taking some home as souvenirs. It’s sure to be a delightful experience.

At the end of May, the Da Nang Fireworks Festival is taking place. 2017 marks the first year the International Fireworks Festival (DIFF 2017) is being held in Da Nang, lasting nearly two months from April 30 to June 24. Alongside the stunning fireworks displays, 24 exciting supporting programs have been organized to attract visitors to Da Nang during the festival, including:

• Street Music performances from 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM on Saturdays (April 22, May 13, May 27, June 10, and June 24) at the park opposite Han Market on Bach Dang Street.
• Art Installations from 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM on weekends during the last week of April, May, and June along Tran Hung Dao Street, north of the Han River Bridge.
• Community Cultural Space from May 19 to June 4 at East Sea Park on Pham Van Dong Street.
• Street Festival Exchanges every Friday evening from May 5 to June 23 in the major streets of downtown Da Nang.
• The "Five Elements" Culinary Festival from April 20 to June 30 along the west bank of the Han River, north of Nguyen Van Troi Bridge.
• The International Lifeguard Competition on May 2 at East Sea Park.
• The Opening of the 2017 Beach Tourism Season from April 27 to May 3 at East Sea Park.
• Da Nang - A Summer Destination events from June 15 to June 21 and June 22 to June 28 at East Sea Park.
• Additionally, weekly performances of Vietnamese revolutionary songs and popular international hits performed with brass instruments (trumpets) and drums, as well as traditional art performances, will take place every Sunday from 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM at the Northern Park, east side of the Han River Bridge, Tran Hung Dao Street.

With the festival running until the end of June, visitors will have ample opportunity to experience and discover the best of Da Nang, one of Vietnam's most livable cities.

The Southern Vietnam Cuisine Festival is an annual event held at Dam Sen Cultural Park, designed to showcase the delicious dishes from the central and southern regions of Vietnam, including the Central Highlands. This year, the festival will take place from May 24 to May 28, 2017, offering visitors an incredible culinary journey with a wide array of dishes representing the distinct flavors from different parts of the country. Highlights of the event include:

• “Saigon Past and Present” Street Food

This is the standout feature of this year's festival, offering two themes: "Back to Childhood" and "Modern Integration." Visitors will be able to indulge in a variety of local snacks such as sweet soups, grilled rice paper, and cotton candy, evoking the flavors of old Saigon. The festival also features international cuisine that reflects the dynamic lifestyle of Ho Chi Minh City.

• “Don Ca Tai Tu” Cultural and Art Space

This space is managed by 10 art troupes from the City’s Don Ca Tai Tu Club, offering visitors a taste of traditional music and performances. It is complemented by folk games and magic shows, creating an unforgettable experience.

• Recreating the Clean Agricultural Market

The festival also features a recreation of a clean agricultural market, showcasing products from rural areas like fresh vegetables, gourds, bananas, bitter melons, free-range pigs, chickens, and ducks. Visitors can also enjoy Cham ethnic cultural performances. The festival also includes various competitions such as the "Delicious Southern Dishes" contest between different units, the "Fruit Carving Competition" featuring artists from across the country, and the "Best Booth Design" contest. These activities add to the festival’s charm and attract more visitors. Ticket Prices:

• Food tickets: 250,000 VND per ticket (includes admission, food worth 250,000 VND, and a 50% discount for those purchasing a full Dam Sen package). If you purchase a food ticket before 4:00 PM on May 23, you will receive a free Dam Sen entrance ticket.
• Special offers: From May 24 to May 28, 2017, visitors purchasing a children’s package ticket will receive a 20,000 VND gift voucher.

Binh Duong is well known for being home to a variety of delicious and unique fruits. The Lai Thieu - Cau Ngang Fruit Festival 2017 is a must-see event for anyone looking to explore and taste the wide range of fruits from the Lai Thieu area and neighboring regions. The festival will officially open on the evening of May 23, 2017 and run until May 30, 2017 at the Cau Ngang area, Hung Dinh Ward, Lai Thieu, Thuân An City. This is a fantastic opportunity for visitors to discover and learn about different fruit regions, particularly Lai Thieu in Binh Duong, which is famous for various fruit trees such as mangosteen, guava, durian, jackfruit, grapefruit, strawberries, lychee, rambutan, and more. In addition, there will be a variety of delicious dishes and specialties from Binh Duong and southern provinces, as well as beverage stalls offering drinks like peach tea, lychee tea, milk tea, and various types of noodle dishes including fermented fish noodle soup, crab noodle soup, beef noodle soup, Thai noodles, fish noodles, and beef meatball noodles. The festival will also feature many consumer goods at discounted prices. In the evenings, enjoy live music performances by famous singers, ensuring a relaxing and delightful experience for all visitors.

The 16th Cho Lach Ben Tre Fruit Festival 2017 is scheduled to take place from May 27 to May 31, 2017. The main venue will be the Cho Lach District Cultural and Sports Center. The festival will feature a variety of activities to showcase local fruits, seedlings, and ornamental plants from traditional craft villages. Highlights of this year's festival include:

• A ceremony to honor the agricultural god
• A fruit tasting contest, bonsai styling and design competitions, and bonsai exhibitions
• Scientific seminars on three key topics:
  • Value chains in fruit production and consumption,
  • Improving the quality of Ben Tre’s specialty fruits,
  • Solutions for fruit production under saline drought conditions.

In addition, the Cho Lach Ben Tre Fruit Festival 2017 will feature:

• A marketplace for seedlings, ornamental plants, and food stalls,
• Exhibitions showcasing unique products from local towns, ornamental plants, and rare species,
• Traditional art chicken fighting games.

Visitors will also have the opportunity to tour local craft villages, orchards, historical landmarks, and enjoy trade fairs with nightly cultural performances. This festival is sure to be an excellent opportunity for guests to explore the people and exceptional fruit varieties of Ben Tre, the land of coconut trees.