Discover the Kate Festival: Cham Culture in Ninh Thuan

The Kate Festival of the Cham people in Ninh Thuan is among Vietnam's most energetic and distinctive cultural events. Celebrated yearly around the seventh lunar month, the festival gives the Cham community a chance to celebrate their ancestors and deities as well as to cover the land of Ninh Thuan with the vivid colors of traditional clothing, the energetic sounds of folk music, and holy spiritual ceremonies.

Come explore with us the Kate traditional Festival, a trip into the unique and lasting Cham people's culture.

Cultural site of Kate Festival

Just 7 kilometers west of Phan Rang-Thap Cham City in Ninh Thuan Province, on Doi Trau Hill, sits the unique national monument, the Po Klong Garai Tower.

It designed to pay tribute to the Cham King Po Klong Garai (1151–1205), who governed Panduranga (present-day Ninh Thuan), the tower complex was built in the 13th century. Three towers make up the site include the Fire God Tower in the south, with a boat-shaped roof, the Gate Tower in the east, and the main tower where King Po Klong Garai is revered.

Ceremonial procession at the ancient Po Sah Inu tower

Featuring figures like God Shiva and the holy cow Nandin, these towers, enclosed by a perpendicular wall, showcase amazing architectural, structural, and relief sculptural artistic value. The Prime Minister in Vietnam named Po Klong Garai a special national relic in 2016.

Besides, at Po Klong Garai and two adjacent towers, Po Rome and Po Inu Nagar, all in Ninh Thuan Province, the Cham people conduct their most important annual ceremony, the Kate Festival Vietnam. It usually falls in September or October, the festival is celebrated on the last day of the sixth month and the first day of the Cham calendar.

So, it attracts many people to see the vivid cultural traditions, the Kate Festival will take place on October 1 and 2 this year.

Read more: Top 10 Traditional Festivals In Vietnam That You Must Experience 2025

Celebrate Cham Culture at the Kate Festival

The Cham people plan Kate Festival, sometimes known as Mbang Kate, for three days at the start of October. Three Champa Towers (Po Nagar, Po Klong Garai, Po Rome) host this event in a sizable area.

The celebrations serve mostly to honor their heroes, Po Klong Garai and Po Rome, as well as family losses. Furthermore, the celebration allows the residents to unwind and socialize and wish one another future fortune.   

Pilgrims and festival-goers ascending the steps to Po Sah Inu tower

Among the most significant and large occasions the Cham people in Vietnam experience is this one. So, it is a great chance for the guests to discover the beauty of the Cham civilization, from buildings to clothes, tools and ancient melodies used to honor their rulers in the past. 

Every tower hosts a Kate celebration starting at the same time on the same day; the following day, villages and families start their ceremonies. Using a shaman, the people call their ancestors and gods throughout the process; subsequently, they beg for health and wealth.

The real celebrations start following the ceremonies including various events like Ginang Drum and Saranai Flute or the traditional dance of Cham girls, which combines traditional music and dance.

Procession with participants dressed in colorful attire, carrying offerings at the Kate festival

 

Read more: Public Holidays in Vietnam

Top things to do at Kate Festival

Watch traditional Cham rituals

You will get the opportunity to see unusual ceremonies carried out by local shamans, who call upon ancestors and gods to bestow blessings and tranquility, during the festival. Showing the great spiritual link the Cham people have with their beliefs and legacy, this is a significant aspect of the celebration.

Cham dancers performing a traditional dance in vibrant costumes at the Kate festival

Take in presentations of the Saranai flute and Ginang drum.

The Kate Festival depends much on traditional Cham music. Many ceremonies and activities accompany the strong beats of the Ginang drum and the melodies of the Saranai flute, therefore enhancing the energetic environment.

See the traditional Cham dance

See the elegant dances Cham females do, which mix symbolic gestures with traditional motions. Complementing music, the dance is among the most visually appealing events of the festival since it highlights the beauty of Cham cultural expression.

View Cham's cultural displays

Many locations exhibit Cham arts, crafts, and traditional attire throughout the celebration. Through its objects, utensils, and fabrics, which mirror Cham people's way of life and customs, you can discover more about Cham culture.

Cham musician playing a traditional drum as part of the Kate festival celebrations

Try classic Cham food

The festival is the ideal occasion to sample traditional Cham cuisine made for ceremonies and presents. From rice cakes to regional specialties, these foods let you taste Cham culture and are central to the celebrations.

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Join processions and make offerings

Join in or view the vibrant processions that define the Kate Festival. To commemorate their gods and ancestors, people bring gifts of fruits, flowers, and other symbolic objects.

You can consider renting a car in Nha Trang with Vietnam Budget Car Rental will help you to conveniently tour the Kate Festival. Our car rental service provides reasonably priced, flexible choices that let you fully enjoy the festival free from public transpotition. 

Accessing the main festival sites, including the Cham towers of Po Klong Garai and Po Rome, as well as rural towns where community celebrations still take place is simple with a private rental. Renting a car also gives one the option to visit the nearby Ninh Thuan area, tourist attractions and traditional Cham villages.