Where to Celebrate Vietnam’s National Day (2nd September) in Hoi An

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September 2, known in Vietnamese as Ngày Quốc Khánh (Vietnam’s National Day), is Vietnam’s most important national holiday. It marks the day in 1945 when President Hồ Chí Minh declared independence at Ba Đình Square in Hanoi. As many locals take the opportunity to travel during the holiday period, popular destinations across Vietnam often become busier than usual. Hoi An is no exception, but unlike Hanoi, which hosts the grand parades, its relaxed pace and well-preserved Ancient Town create a more laid-back atmosphere, making it an ideal place to enjoy the holiday.
Follow this guide to explore the best things to do in Hoi An during the National Day holiday.

How Many Days Off Are There For The National Day Holiday In 2026?

Vietnam’s National Day (Ngày Quốc Khánh) falls on September 2 every year and is one of the country’s most significant public holidays. It marks the anniversary of Vietnam’s Declaration of Independence in 1945, a defining moment in the nation’s history. In 2026, the holiday marks 81 years of independence, and public sector employees receive a five-day break running from 29 August to 2 September. Across the country, the day is observed with flag displays, patriotic decorations, cultural performances, and fireworks in major cities. For travellers visiting during this period, it offers a rare chance to experience Vietnam at its most festive and culturally expressive.

 

national day in hoi an

A colourful street in Hoi An Ancient Town on the National Day

 

Things To Know Before Visiting Hoi An On National Day

A little preparation goes a long way during a national holiday. Four points are worth knowing before arrival.

  • Some businesses may close. September 2 is a public holiday, so certain local shops, eateries, and family-run businesses may close or operate shorter hours. Tourist areas, especially the Ancient Town, will still have restaurants, cafés, and stalls open.
  • Expect heavier footfall. Hoi An is usually busier than normal during National Day, particularly with domestic travellers making use of the long weekend. In 2026, the holiday extends across five consecutive days for many workers, so demand rises sharply. Booking resorts 1 to 2 months in advance is advisable; families should reserve even earlier to secure connecting rooms or preferred room categories.
  • Reserve workshops early. Hoi An is known for cultural workshops such as lantern-making, cooking classes, and craft experiences. These can be fully booked near the holiday, so reserving ahead is recommended.
  • Keep plans flexible. Longer waits, busier streets, and a slower travel pace are all part of the holiday rhythm. Building buffer time between activities keeps the day enjoyable rather than rushed.

Things to Do in Hoi An on National Day (2nd September)

The largest celebrations take place in Hanoi, but Hoi An’s atmosphere on September 2 is distinctly its own: patriotic and festive, yet grounded in the town’s slower, cultural pace. The activities below range from free street experiences to reserved performances and quiet retreats.

Walk the Festively Decorated Streets of the Ancient Town

  • Address: Hoi An Ancient Town, along Tran Phu, Le Loi, and Nguyen Thai Hoc Streets, Minh An Ward, Hoi An
  • Time: All day; best from 6:00 AM to 9:00 AM for the morning atmosphere, or 5:30 PM to 9:00 PM for the evening lights
  • Price: The street atmosphere is free; an Ancient Town entrance ticket (120,000 VND, roughly 5 USD) is required for ticketed heritage sites

On September 2, the Ancient Town streets are adorned with red-and-yellow flags, patriotic banners, and floral displays, creating a visibly different scene from any other day of the year. Tran Phu, Le Loi, and Nguyen Thai Hoc are best explored in the morning before crowds build, or in the early evening when the lanterns and holiday lighting come on together.  Key landmarks along the route include the Japanese Covered Bridge (Cầu Nhật Bản), the old Assembly Halls built by Chinese merchant communities, and the riverfront along the Hoài River. The festive atmosphere itself costs nothing to experience, which makes this the natural starting point for any National Day itinerary in Hoi An.

 

things to do in hoi an on national day

Walk the festively decorated streets of the Ancient Town

 

Float a Lantern on the Thu Bon River

  • Address: Bach Dang Street riverside, alongside the Hoai River, Hoi An Ancient Town
  • Time: 5:30 PM to 10:00 PM daily; lanterns are most visible between 6:30 PM and 9:00 PM
  • Price: Paper lanterns cost 5,000 to 10,000 VND (roughly 0.20 to 0.40 USD) each; optional river cruises typically cost 100,000 to 200,000 VND per person

The Thu Bon River is the most evocative backdrop in Hoi An for any special evening, and National Day makes it more resonant: the town’s red-and-yellow decorations reflect on the water alongside candlelit paper lanterns. Lanterns are sold along the riverbank and at the night market, and can be lowered onto the water from the bank or released during a short boat ride past the illuminated ancient town.  The experience is quietly sensory. Candlelight drifts across the dark water, traditional music carries from the nearby streets, and the blend of patriotic and spiritual atmosphere gives the evening a weight that an ordinary night in Hoi An does not carry. Arriving before 6:30 PM helps secure a spot along the busiest stretches of Bach Dang Street.

Experience a Bài Chòi Performance

  • Address: An Hoi Sculpture Garden, Hoi An
  • Opening hours: Every evening, starting around 7:00 PM
  • Price: Participation costs around 20,000 to 25,000 VND per card per session

Bài Chòi is a traditional Vietnamese folk art, part singing game and part storytelling, recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2017. Attending a session on National Day carries particular weight: the songs often draw on themes of homeland, resilience, and community, themes that resonate deeply on September 2. Beyond Bài Chòi itself, the Hoi An Traditional Art Performance Theatre hosts regular folk programmes, including ethnic instrumental ensembles, Quang Nam folk music, and traditional dance. Attending a live performance is one of the most culturally authentic activities available in Hoi An, and it becomes especially meaningful on a day when Vietnamese heritage stands front and centre.

 

join bai chai performance in hoi an

Experience a Bài Chòi performance

 

Explore Tra Que Vegetable Village

Located approximately 3 km from the Ancient Town, Tra Que is a traditional organic farming village that has supplied herbs and vegetables to Hoi An’s kitchens for centuries, using seaweed from the nearby lagoon as a natural fertiliser. On September 2, visiting a working village like Tra Que connects travellers with the quieter, rural side of Vietnamese life, the kind of everyday continuity that National Day partly honours.  Visitors can join hands-on farming activities such as planting, watering, and harvesting, followed by a farm-to-table cooking class using the village’s own produce. The experience is best in the early morning, when farmers are most active, and the heat of early September remains manageable.

Explore Vietnamese Heritage at Hoi An Museum

National Day is one of the most meaningful occasions to step inside a heritage museum. Hoi An’s Museum of History and Culture houses over 212 artefacts relating to the Sa Huynh, Champa, and Vietnamese cultures that shaped this region across two millennia. The museum occupies a restored 17th-century Ong Pagoda building, itself a piece of living heritage with architecture dating to the same era as the Ancient Town’s trading-port period. On September 2, some cultural institutions in the Quang Nam area may offer free admission or special programming, so checking locally on the day can be worthwhile. As a quiet, air-conditioned stop, the museum also suits the midday heat of early September well.

Reset with Wellness at Wafaifo Resort Hoi An

National Day is a long weekend for many Vietnamese and regional travellers, and Hoi An’s gentle pace makes it an ideal occasion to pair cultural exploration with intentional rest. Wafaifo Resort Hoi An is the only resort in Central Vietnam to offer Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), a recovery treatment that involves breathing oxygen in a pressurised environment to increase oxygen delivery to tissues. It is commonly used by athletes, recovery travellers, and wellness seekers.  For travellers who find that long-weekend travel leaves them more tired than refreshed, the Float Tank offers a deeply relaxing sensory-deprivation experience in body-temperature water enriched with Epsom salt. Sessions are available in 15, 30, or 60-minute durations, allowing guests to unwind in a zero-gravity environment with reduced external light, sound and physical sensation. Both treatments are available to in-house guests within the resort’s calm, design-forward wellness space rather than a clinical setting. This section is for informational purposes only and does not replace professional medical advice.

 

relax at wellness by wafaifo hoi an

Reset with Wellness at Wafaifo Resort Hoi An

 

Dine on Hoi An Specialty Food

Evenings on September 2 carry a festive warmth. Restaurants and street stalls stay open late, the streets are more animated than usual, and Central Vietnamese food feels particularly fitting to the occasion. Three dishes anchor the local table: Cao Lầu, Hoi An’s signature noodle dish traditionally made with water drawn from a specific local well; Mì Quảng, a turmeric noodle dish from Quang Nam; and White Rose dumplings (Bánh Bao Vạc), delicate shrimp dumplings shaped by hand. All three are deeply rooted in Quang Nam culinary heritage.  For a more elevated dining experience on the holiday, Xua & Nay at Wafaifo Resort Hoi An is the only restaurant in the region equipped with a Josper charcoal-wood grill, serving contemporary interpretations of Central Vietnamese dishes built on local produce.

Where to Stay in Hoi An on National Day?

This National Day long weekend, Wafaifo Resort Hoi An offers more than accommodation. It offers a base to move through the celebration at your own pace, with every comfort already in place in return. Located 1.2 km from Hoi An Ancient Town via Ly Thuong Kiet Street, the resort sits close enough for morning flag-lined walks and evening lantern releases, yet far enough for genuine quiet.

  • 134 rooms and suites with modern amenities, soundproofing, complimentary WiFi, in-room tea and coffee, and a curated pillow menu.
  • Up to 6 on-site F&B outlets, including Xua & Nay, home to Central Vietnam’s only Josper charcoal-wood grill.
  • A 25 x 6-metre temperature-controlled saltwater outdoor pool and a kids’ pool. The water stays cool and comfortable even at the height of summer.
  • The only resort in Central Vietnam offering Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) alongside a full spa menu with Kerstin Florian facials, signature treatments, and massages.
  • A private cinema for guests, seating a maximum of 8.

Spend Vietnam’s National Day at Wafaifo Resort Hoi An, where cultural celebration meets genuine rest. Book your stay and experience September 2 as it should be felt: slowly, meaningfully, and in comfort.