Are you in Hanoi and would want to learn about some cultural event? You can consider the Lim Festival held in Bac Ninh Province. From Hanoi, it's a quick drive and a fantastic chance to learn about Vietnamese culture.
Overview of Lim Festival
- Location: Tien Du District, Bac Ninh Province
- Ticket price: Free
Every year around 20 kilometers from Hanoi, Tien Du District, Bac Ninh Province hosts the Lim Festival. Usually scheduled in February, the Lim Festival is an annual celebration observed in Bac Ninh Province, Vietnam, on the 13th day of the first lunar month.
After 300 years of existence, Lim Festival has become among the most well-known traditional festivals in Bac Ninh.
Local singing and dancing events, especially Quan Ho's are claimed to have started this celebration. Others believe that a Mandarin named Nguyen Dinh Dien restored several temples, pagodas, and celebrations in Bac Ninh, including the Lim Festival, thereby turning it into the provincial festival in the 18th century.
Gate of Lim festival
Originally scheduled yearly in the 8th lunar month, the Lim Festival began as a local communal festival eventually moving to the first lunar month.
On this day, Tien Du District gets alive with several cultural events as the festival starts. On the 13th, the primary celebration day, residents promenade Lim Hill offering incense at Lim Pagoda, dedicated to Nguyen Dinh Dien, wearing vibrant traditional clothing.
Additionally, several notable rituals are conducted during the festival, such as Co Lung Temple, Hong Van Tomb, Do Nguyen Thuy Tomb, and various ancestor temples.
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Traditional processions
The Lim Festival starts with a vibrant procession headed by local citizens sporting traditional Vietnamese clothing. The procession is said to respect local gods and ancestors.
The participants bring ceremonial flags, offerings, and old symbols to the gathering, therefore imbuing it with holy energy. The parade winds throughout the streets attracting throngs ready to observe and participate in the celebration of customs.
Lim festival 2024
Folk games and competitions
Well-known games including human chess, tug-of- war, cockfighting, and bamboo swings. Besides, you don't miss the weaving competition, where Quan Ho will be singing while you can see the residents create.
Quan Ho folk singing performances
Visiting Lim Festival would let you discover that the celebration revolves mostly around Quan Ho folk singing. UNESCO has identified this age-old duet singing form as an Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Usually, the presentations take place inside communal buildings, near the waterways, or on Lim Hill. Singing lyrical songs about love, nature, and life, performers dress in traditional costumes during the occasion.
Quan Ho folk singers performing on a dragon boat at Lim Festival in Bac Ninh
Local cuisine and souvenirs
Make sure not to miss the local food booths at Lim Festival. There are various traditional delicacies as well as Pho Cuon (rolling noodles) and Banh Gai, black sticky rice cake. Along with other handcrafts, bamboo flutes, and Quan Ho-themed artworks, there are lots of souvenir stands.
Beautiful traditional costumes
People commonly wear traditional four-part dresses called Ao Tu Than with Non Quai Thao, the wide-brimmed traditional hat. The vibrant clothing reflect the cultural legacy of the Bac Ninh area and look great.
Traditional costumes at Lim festival
How to travel to Lim festival in Bac Ninh from Hanoi?
Hanoi to Lim Festival by motorbike
If you like a picturesque route, motorcycling is a great option. From Hanoi to Bac Ninh, the path is straightforward mostly following National Highway 1A. Traffic dictates whether the trip takes 45 minutes to an hour. The journey will be enjoyable if you love picturesque countryside vistas along the route.
Private car from Hanoi to Lim Festival
Renting a car in Hanoi is the fastest way to reach Lim Festival. You can journey directly from Hanoi to Tien Du, Bac Ninh, in about an hour.
You can easily rent a car through Vietnam Budget Car Rental, and you can choose between self drive or rent a car with driver. With a private car, you have the arrange to set your schedule, make stops along the way, and carry more luggage.
4 seat car from Hanoi to Lim Festival
Taxi from Hanoi to Lim Festival
Another choice is taxi transfer from Hanoi to Lim Festival. Several respectable cab firms in Hanoi provide direct pickup and drop-off services to the Lim Festival. This alternative offers a laid-back travel, which lets you enjoy the ride free from route concerns even if it is more costly than riding a bus.
Bus from Hanoi to Lim Festival
Getting to Lim Festival by public bus is the ideal approach for budget travellers. From Long Bien Bus Station or Gia Lam Bus Station in Hanoi, take Bus No. 54 or Bus No. 204. Traffic determines how long the bus travel takes, between one and one and half hours. Although it may be slower than other choices, this one saves money.
Make sure your itinerary includes the Lim Festival in Bac Ninh if you are traveling in 2025. Along with having fun, you will learn about Vietnamese cultural legacy. It's the ideal approach to give your trip to Vietnam significance.
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