Lam Kinh Festival 2025: A journey to the sacred land of Thanh Hoa

1. Lam Kinh Festival – Returning to the history of the Hau Le dynasty

Located in Lam Son commune (former Tho Xuan district), Thanh Hoa province, the Lam Kinh historical site welcomes thousands of visitors each year to attend the Lam Kinh Festival . The festival takes place on the 21st – 22nd of the 8th lunar month, coinciding with the death anniversary of King Le Thai To. This is a sacred time, when the ancient space is filled with incense smoke and festival drums.

Lam Kinh Festival becomes a cultural rendezvous attracting visitors from all four directions (Collected photo)

Lam Kinh Festival carries profound meaning in commemorating the great contributions of King Le Loi and his contemporaries. From the great Lam Son uprising in 1418 to the establishment of a dynasty that lasted for centuries, each relic, each story deeply engraves the nation's spirit of "drinking water remembering its source". The solemn ceremonies not only honor the merits of ancestors but also remind today's generation of precious historical lessons.

It is no surprise that Lam Kinh Festival has become a cultural rendezvous attracting visitors from all four directions. This attraction stems from the festival being a perfect combination of historical value, spiritual culture, and unique tourism experience. The solemn atmosphere of the ceremonies combined with vibrant cultural activities has created a special event, where every visitor can find something meaningful for themselves.

2. Origin & Historical Imprint of Lam Kinh Festival

Lam Kinh Festival is associated with the Lam Kinh Historical Site in the Lam Son area – a place deeply imprinted with the mark of the Later Le Dynasty. In 1433, after King Le Thai To passed away and was buried here, Lam Kinh became a sacred center. From then on, palaces and temples were successively built, creating an architectural complex closely linked to the nation's historical flow.

Lam Kinh Historical Site is the ancient capital in Thanh Hoa (Collected photo)

Spanning nearly 600 years of history, Lam Kinh Festival has become a priceless intangible cultural heritage of the nation. Important milestones such as the 606th anniversary of the Lam Son Uprising (2024), the 596th anniversary of King Le's coronation, or the 591st anniversary of the death of National Hero Le Loi are all solemnly celebrated here. Each year, the festival reaffirms its special position in the spiritual life of the people of Thanh Hoa and the whole country.

The fixed schedule on the 21st-22nd of the 8th lunar month annually has become a highlight in the cultural calendar of Thanh Hoa. On this occasion, tens of thousands of people and tourists from all over flock to Lam Kinh, making it the most crowded gathering point of the year. The stability in the organization time helps tourists easily plan their itineraries, while also creating a beautiful tradition of community celebration.

3. Rituals & Lam Kinh Festival Space

3.1. The Ceremony

The most solemn ritual takes place at the Dragon Courtyard and the Main Palace of Lam Kinh – the former center of power of the Later Le Dynasty. The main ceremony begins early in the morning with incense offering rituals, followed by the procession of the palanquins of King Le Thai To and Trung Tuc Vuong Le Lai around the historical site. Incense smoke spreads in the ancient space, blending with the temple bells to create a solemn atmosphere.

The ceremonies took place with solemn rituals (Photo collection)

The Lam Kinh Historical Site Management Board presides over important sacrificial ceremonies at the temples, the Thai Mieu, and the royal tombs. Each location has its own distinct rituals, reflecting ancient court traditions. At the Thai Mieu, the ancestor worship ceremony is conducted with full traditional offerings, while at the kings' tombs, incense offering rituals are performed according to ancient procedures.

3.2. Festival Part

If the ceremonial part is solemn with standard traditional rituals, the festival part opens up a vivid and colorful picture. This is where heroic historical events are recreated, such as the Lung Nhai Oath Festival, Le Lai saving the king, the liberation of Dong Quan citadel, the coronation ceremony of King Le Thai To, and the resounding Lam Son spirit.

The festival atmosphere becomes even more attractive with folk games deeply imbued with the soul of Thanh Hoa province, such as Xuan Pha game, Chieng game, Sanh Ngo game, or thrilling martial arts and wrestling matches. The sounds of Dong Anh folk songs and Song Ma folk songs echo, combined with exhibitions of ancient artifacts from the Le dynasty, making the space more ancient and reminiscent of a glorious historical era.

Not only that, the Lam Kinh Festival is also an opportunity to promote tourism potential, introduce local specialty products, and host nights of romantic exchanges with traditional opera (cheo), music, and modern-traditional fusion performances. All blend together to make the peaceful Lam Kinh land suddenly vibrant and full of life during the festival season.

4. Unmissable Experiences When Attending the Festival

Automatic commentary technology via QR-Code has created a completely new experience for visitors to the Lam Kinh historical site. By simply scanning the codes placed at various locations within the site, visitors can listen to commentaries in Vietnamese and English about the history of formation, unique architecture, and cultural significance of each structure. This system is particularly useful during crowded festival days when guides can hardly serve all groups of visitors well.

Many tourists come to participate in the Lam Kinh Festival (Collected photo)

The most beautiful photo spots in the Lam Kinh historical site fascinate tourists. Bach Bridge with its ancient architecture spanning a clear stream, Ngoc Well with its cool water all year round, or the vast Dragon Courtyard with its intricately carved stone pillars are all ideal backgrounds. The lush green lim forest surrounding the historical site creates a poetic scene, especially beautiful on mild autumn sunny days.

The exchange space at the Lam Kinh Festival offers an opportunity to immerse yourself in the unique cultural life of Thanh Hoa people. Visitors can join folk games with local children, enjoy traditional dishes, or simply sit and listen to interesting historical stories. These sincere moments of exchange are what create the special attraction of the festival.

5. Combine your itinerary with nearby attractions to Lam Kinh Festival

The Lam Kinh historical site, with its unique historical imprints of the Le dynasty, is worthy of being the main destination in your exploration of the Lam Kinh Festival. The Lam Kinh Main Palace with its ancient imperial architecture, the vast Dragon Courtyard where important ceremonies took place, and the grand mausoleums of the Le kings all hold invaluable cultural and historical significance. The ancient lim forest surrounding the site creates a cool, serene space like a vibrant natural museum.

Your exploration journey can be extended to Ho Citadel in Tay Do commune (former Vinh Loc district), about 35 km from Lam Kinh. This World Heritage site, with its unique stone architecture in Vietnam, will provide further insight into the Ho dynasty's history. The route between the two sites passes through vast rice fields and peaceful countryside, offering an interesting experience of rural Thanh Hoa.

Visitors can relax on the beautiful, famous Northern beach (Collected photo)

Sam Son Beach, only about 64 km from Lam Kinh, is an ideal destination to end your journey exploring the Lam Kinh Festival. After sacred moments at the historical site, visitors can relax on the beautiful, famous Northern beach. Swimming, enjoying fresh seafood, and admiring the sunset over the sea will be wonderful experiences to balance spiritual culture and resort tourism.

6. Tips for visiting the Lam Kinh Festival

Preparing neat and polite attire is essential when participating in the Lam Kinh Festival. Due to the solemn nature of the ceremonies, visitors should wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and avoid revealing or overly colorful clothing. Especially in the worship areas and tombs, dressing modestly shows respect for the nation's traditions and beliefs.

Important notes when traveling to Lam Kinh Festival (Collected photos)

Security and weather are two factors that require special attention. During the days of the Lam Kinh Festival, the large number of tourists can cause crowding, so personal belongings should be carefully protected and travel in groups to avoid getting lost. The weather in September-October in Thanh Hoa can have sudden rain showers; bringing raincoats and umbrellas will make the journey more convenient. Protecting the heritage landscape is also very important - do not litter, do not write on walls, and do not move artifacts without permission.

To maintain solemnity, visitors should limit noise, avoid loud laughter in the祭祀 (te le) and tomb areas. Do not eat, drink, or smoke within the temple grounds and avoid using phones during ceremonies. Visitors should also comply with the photography and videography regulations of the Management Board to protect the sacred space of the heritage site.

When visiting Thanh Hoa, besides the Lam Kinh Festival, tourists should not miss the experience at Sam Son, which offers a vibrant atmosphere and many attractive entertainment activities. Sam Son Beach Square is spacious and has become a bustling meeting point for locals and tourists every evening. Here, a water music show combined with brilliant lights creates a spectacular performance, while surrounding it are numerous cafes, ice cream shops, and snack stalls ideal for families with young children.

Nearby, Sun World Sam Son offers a rich world of entertainment with a modern water park, thrilling game areas, and a dedicated children's entertainment zone, perfect for families wanting to fully enjoy a vibrant day of relaxation.

The Lam Kinh Festival is not only a spiritual event of commemoration but also a bridge connecting a glorious past with a fresh present. In every ritual, every wisp of incense smoke, and the resounding sound of festival drums, visitors are transported back to the golden pages of the Later Le dynasty, where the spirit of "drinking water, remembering its source" is deeply ingrained and widely spread. It is not only an occasion to honor the merits of ancestors but also to evoke national pride and awaken historical memory in every Vietnamese person.