Hung Kings Temple Festival

The Giỗ Tổ Hùng Vương - the Commemoration of the Hùng Kings - is one of Vietnam’s most significant national observances, falling on the 10th day of the third lunar month each year. In 2027, this falls on Sunday, 13 April, which is also a public holiday: Vietnamese businesses and government offices across the country close in recognition of the kings said to have founded the first Vietnamese state nearly 4,000 years ago.

The festival’s heart is the Hùng Kings Temple complex (Đền Hùng) in Phú Thọ province, 80 km northwest of Hanoi in the low hills above the Red River basin. The complex sits on Nghĩa Lĩnh Mountain and comprises four separate temple compounds connected by stone-paved paths through forested slopes - an atmospheric site at any time of year, but transformed during festival week.

Historical and Cultural Significance

The Hùng Kings are the semi-mythological founding figures of the Vietnamese nation - specifically, the 18 kings of the Hồng Bàng Dynasty said to have ruled the kingdom of Văn Lang from around 2879 BCE. Vietnamese tradition traces the entire population’s ancestry back to Lạc Long Quân (the Dragon Lord) and Âu Cơ (a mountain fairy), whose union produced a sac of 100 eggs from which the first Vietnamese people hatched. The Hùng Kings are their descendants.

Whether historical figures, composite legends, or myth, the Hùng Kings carry genuine cultural weight. President Hồ Chí Minh’s declaration - “The Hùng Kings have the merit of building our country; we must keep it together” - is quoted at virtually every commemoration. In 2012, UNESCO recognised Giỗ Tổ Hùng Vương and its associated Xoan singing tradition as intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

What Happens at the Festival

The main ceremonial events are concentrated on the 10th day of the lunar month (13 April 2027), but pilgrims begin arriving from the 8th day onward and activities continue through the 11th.

The incense ceremony at Thượng Temple (the highest of the four compounds) is the central ritual: provincial and national officials process up the stone steps, dress in traditional robes, and offer incense, flowers, and ritual food to the Hùng Kings. This is a state ceremony - formal, measured, deeply serious. Ordinary visitors and pilgrims follow immediately after, forming queues that move steadily through the morning hours.

Xoan singing performances take place on the lower slopes of the mountain. Hát xoan is an ancient form of ritual singing unique to Phú Thọ province - performed in four guilds, each associated with a particular village - and is considered one of Vietnam’s oldest surviving musical forms. The performances are sung in call-and-response format and staged outdoors under a simple thatched canopy.

Folk games and traditional sports run throughout the week at the festival grounds at the mountain’s base: bamboo swinging, human chess (cờ người), tug-of-war, cock-fighting, wrestling (đấu vật), and decorative rice-cake making competitions. These are accessible to visitors and no ticket is required to watch or participate in most.

Processions from surrounding districts arrive at the temple complex on the festival day itself, each carrying offerings of bánh chưng (glutinous rice cakes), fruit, and incense. The procession from Việt Trì city - the provincial capital, 10 km from the temple - is the largest, with hundreds of participants in traditional dress.

Getting There

From Hanoi (80 km):

• Bus: Take a bus from Mỹ Đình or Giáp Bát bus stations to Việt Trì (approximately 2 hours, 70,000–100,000 VND). From Việt Trì, take a local xe ôm (motorbike taxi) or taxi 10 km to the Đền Hùng entrance (around 100,000–150,000 VND).
• Private car/taxi: 1.5–2 hours from central Hanoi. Arrange through your hotel for a return fare of approximately 700,000–1,000,000 VND for the day.
• Organised day tours: Several Hanoi-based tour operators offer full-day Đền Hùng tours on the festival dates, typically 400,000–600,000 VND per person including transport and a guide.

Admission

Entry to the Hùng Kings Temple complex costs approximately 20,000 VND per person (as of 2026 - confirm current rates at the entrance). The site covers around 10 hectares with 3 main temples and several ancillary shrines. Comfortable walking shoes are essential: the paths climb steadily through forest to the highest temple.

Practical Notes

• April is the beginning of Hanoi’s hot season - average 28–30°C. Carry water and start the climb to Thượng Temple early in the morning before the full heat
• The festival draws enormous crowds on the 10th day - expect significant queuing at the incense offering. Arriving on the 8th or 9th day offers a similar experience with far fewer people
• Dress respectfully: shoulders and knees covered for temple entry
• The site has limited food vendors inside - the main festival food market is at the entrance area. Try bánh chưng, xôi gấc (red sticky rice), and thịt trâu (water buffalo meat) from the stalls
• Photography is permitted throughout, but be respectful during the formal incense ceremony