Vietnam Events: September 2026 Events

September 2026 Vietnam: a guide to cities and events

September is the month when the country's main event, for the first time in many years, is held outside of Da Nang. On September 5, Nha Trang will host the Miss World 2026 final , the 73rd Miss World pageant with contestants from 111 countries. Meanwhile, the country is coming off its five-day holiday for Independence Day, Hoi An is preparing for the four-day Mid-Autumn Festival, and the north begins the golden rice season—two weeks that half of Vietnam's photographers take vacation for.

And one more date that won't make it onto any travel poster, but is relevant to everyone living here with documents: on September 11, Vietnam will switch to apostilles . Details are in the practical section at the end.

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📍 Nha Trang

The main thing in September

🔥🔥🔥 September 5 – Miss World 2026 final

The 73rd Miss World pageant is taking place in Vietnam, and the final evening was held in Nha Trang. The venue is 2 Tháng 4 Square, right on the waterfront. 111 countries are participating in the competition, and the current titleholder, Suchata Chuangsri from Thailand, is handing over her crown to her successor.

The competition's second major show, Dances of the World "Hello Vietnam, Hello World," took place on the evening of September 2 at the same venue. Organizers gave away free tickets for both evenings: 3,000 seats per venue, two locations across the city, for a total of 6,000 tickets for each evening. The giveaway began on August 27 and ran until sold out—by the time tickets are published, they will likely be gone.

💡 Important: Even without a ticket, the square and embankment will be packed with screens, fan zones, crowds, and roadblocks. If you're traveling to Nha Trang from September 1st to 6th without any interest in the competition, be prepared for the city center to operate as a major event: traffic jams on Tran Phu, full restaurants, and inflated prices for seaside hotels.

Sea and beach

The first half of September in Nha Trang is still summery: the water temperature is around 28°C, the sea is calm, and there's plenty of sun. Rain arrives towards the end of the month and really kicks in in October–November. This means September 1–15 is the last decent beach window of the year.

Is it worth going to Nha Trang in September?
Yes, and this is a rare occasion when we say this without reservation. The Miss World final plus the last few weeks of clear sea water—a combination like this hasn't happened in Nha Trang for a long time. The only caveat is that we should have booked it back in August.

📍 Da Nang

The main thing in September

August 30–September 6: World Cup Pickleball 2026

In just two years, Da Nang has become the pickleball capital of Vietnam, and in September, it's literally visible on the courts. Competitions are held at several venues across the city, with admission to most sessions free or at a nominal fee.

Early September – International SUP Festival on the Han River

Swims and demonstrations right down the river, from both banks. The morning format is conveniently viewed from the Bach Dang embankment. The city will announce the exact dates closer to the event.

September 2 – "Dances of Champa" at the Cham Sculpture Museum

One evening of Cham dances at the museum on 2/9 Street. A small event, but perfect for those who've already been to My Son and want to continue the theme.

📍 Cham Sculpture Museum, st. 2/9, no. 2

Until September 15th – the exhibition “Chronicles of the City of Da Nang”

Urban history in graphics and photography, Museum of Fine Arts. Free, quiet, air-conditioned—perfect for a rainy day.

📍 Da Nang Museum of Fine Arts, 78 Le Duan

The Blue Dragon Charity Run runs throughout September.

A walking tour along the beaches of Bac My An and My Khe to benefit a foundation that supports children in difficult circumstances. Dates are being confirmed with the organizers.

Friday, Saturday, Sunday - Show on the Dragon Bridge

Fire and Water at 21:00 PM, as usual. In September, the show is sometimes canceled due to wind and rain—check the forecast before driving across the city.

Late September – Early October: Pickleball PPA Tour Asia – Vietnam Cup 2026

The second pickleball tournament of the month, this time with an international tour. Tien Son Sports Palace and Tuen Son Sports Village.

Is it worth going to Da Nang in September?
Until mid-month, yes. The water is still warm, there are noticeably fewer tourists than in July, and accommodation prices drop. After September 15–20, the weather becomes a lottery: the rainy and typhoon season begins on the Central Coast. Da Nang is still lovely at this time, but planning a trip "for the beach" is already risky.

📍 Hoi An

The main thing in September

🔥 September 23–26 — Mid-Autumn Festival "Binh Ngo 2026"

The main cultural event of the month in Central Vietnam and probably the best way to experience authentic Vietnamese Trung Thu, not the souvenir version. Four days in all three districts of Hoi An: a Thien Cau dance competition (the local "heavenly dog"—a Hoi An variation of the lion dance), Lan Sa Rong performances, traditional festive trays, lantern processions, and courtyard programs.

📍 Hoi An, Hoi An Dong, Hoi An Tay districts

September 24 – Lantern Festival

In September, the monthly lantern night (the 14th day of the lunar month) falls precisely during the Mid-Autumn Festival. This means the Old Quarter turns off its lights on the very evening the city is already celebrating—a coincidence that happens only once a year.

📍 Old Quarter, Bach Dang Quay
🕕 From 18:30 PM to midnight

September 25 - Tet Trung Thu himself

The full moon of the 8th lunar month is Friday. Technically, it's not a public holiday—Vietnamese people work and celebrate in the evening. Schools, companies, and residential areas across the country organize their own programs, children are brought out with lanterns, and boxes of bán chung thu are given to colleagues and partners two weeks in advance.

💡 If you have a business here: giving a box of mooncakes to a partner or landlord in September isn't a polite gesture, but rather a standard business etiquette. They're given before the holiday, not after. A decent set costs 300,000–800,000 VND, with premium ones starting at 1,5 million.

September 27 is World Tourism Day

Hoi An celebrates it with a special program. This typically includes free or discounted admission to some Old Quarter attractions and street performances—the city publishes details a week in advance.

Until September 2nd - Hoi An Creative Week and the show "Memories of Hoi An" in the version of "Nón Cờ"

If you're reading this early in the month, both events are still ongoing. Creativity Week is taking place at Song Hoai Square and the An Hoi Sculpture Garden, while a revamped version of the show is taking place on Memory Island.

If you are here for 2-3 days in late September:

• 23 September: The opening of the festival, the Thien Cau dance competition, is the most "local" part of the program.
• 24 September: Lantern Festival, arrive at 18:30 PM, before the main wave of tourists
• 25 September: Trung Thu itself - evening with processions and lanterns, the densest crowd

Is it worth going to Hoi An in September?
Yes—if you're aiming for the 23rd–26th and booking your accommodation now. On other dates, Hoi An in September is quiet and relatively empty, which is also an option: the Old Quarter looks completely different without the July crowds.

📍 Hanoi

The main thing in September

September 2 – Fireworks at five sites, 81 years of independence

Fifteen minutes, from 21:00 PM to 21:15 PM, from five locations simultaneously. Two of them are near Hoan Kiem Lake (near the former Hanoi Moi editorial office and the Central Post Office), the other three are spread throughout the city: Coconut Island in Thong Nhat Park, the Formula 1 track at My Dinh Sports Complex, and Lac Long Quan Square in Tay Ho.

The best places to watch are from the West Lake embankments or Thong Nhat Park—there's simply more space there. The area around Hoan Kiem will be densely populated.

Until September 2 - a program in historical places

Hoa Lo Prison is opening a themed exhibition to commemorate the anniversary of the August Revolution and Independence Day, while the Hanoi Teo Theatre and the Thang Long Ensemble are performing at Ba Kieu Temple. The Temple of Literature and Ngoc Son are also hosting an expanded program.

The entire second half of the month is Hanoi autumn

This is what the Vietnamese come to Hanoi for right now. The heat subsides, the humidity drops, and the evenings become dry and cool. Plus, it's the season for koma—young green rice sold from hand to hand in lotus leaves. You can find it at almost any market in the Old Quarter.

Is it worth visiting Hanoi in September?
Yes, it's one of the two best months of the year for the north (the other is October). And when combined with the rice terraces, Hanoi becomes not a destination, but a starting point.

📍 Sapa, Mukang Chai, Hoang Shufi

The main thing in September

🌾 From September 10th until the end of the month is the golden rice season

Rice on the terraces ripens in waves from the northwest: first the Sapa area, then Mukang Chai and the Tu Le Valley, and lastly Hoang Shu Phy. The peak usually occurs in the second and third weeks of September and lasts for about two weeks. There's little point in leaving before the 10th: the fields are still green.

📌 Regarding the names of the provinces: after the 2025 administrative reform, Mù Càng Chai and Thu Lê belong to Lào Cai Province (the former Yên Bài became part of it), and Hoàng Chú Phi belongs to Tuyên Quang Province (formerly Ha Giang). Old guides and half of the travel websites still use "Yên Bài" and "Ha Giang," which creates confusion when booking transportation.

Paragliding Festival "Flight over the Golden Season"

The opening ceremony took place on August 30th at Khao Fa Pass, and flights will continue into September. Flights depart from the summit of the pass and fly over the Thu Le and Lim Mong valleys. A tandem seat must be booked in advance—slots are almost always full during peak season.

Sapa Autumn Festival

It opened on August 23 and runs throughout September, featuring cultural, sports, and tourism programs, mountain fairs, and ethnic performances. The main venue is San Kuan in the center of Sapa.

Is it worth going north in September?
If you live in Vietnam and haven't yet seen the golden rice terraces, this is the month worth taking four days to fly to Hanoi. From Da Nang, it's a compact itinerary: a flight, an overnight bus or car to Mu Cang Chai, two days on the island, and then back.

📍 Ho Chi Minh City

The main thing in September

September 2 – fireworks at seven sites

From 21:00 PM to 21:15 PM: Three locations with high-altitude fireworks displays in conjunction with low-altitude fireworks, and four with low-altitude fireworks only. The largest is at the entrance to the Saigon Tunnel: a thousand high-altitude fireworks, two hundred low-altitude fireworks, and several dozen spectacular displays.

The Vung Tau area, which is now part of Ho Chi Minh City, has two of its own: Thap Tam Thang Square and Sun World Water Park.

City program

The fireworks display will be accompanied by concerts, exhibitions, and sporting events in the central districts. City authorities will announce specific details several days in advance.

Is it worth visiting Ho Chi Minh City in September?
Only if you have business there or are visiting specifically on September 1st or 2nd. September is the heart of the rainy season: showers every afternoon, high humidity, and temperatures of 32°C. The showers are short and predictable, but the streets are stagnate afterwards.

📍 Hue and Michonne

The main thing in September

September 2 - "Colors of Heritage" and "Michonne's Echo"

The Independence Day program at the My Son temple complex includes music, dancing, and work with Champa heritage. It's a one-day event, so if you're in Da Nang or Hoi An, it's a good reason to visit.

📍 My Son Temple Complex

Hue: Evening Programs at the Citadel

The night route through the Imperial City, with its illuminations and live performances, operates year-round. In September, its main advantage is the cool evenings and the almost complete absence of queues.

Is it worth visiting Hue in September?
Be careful. Hue is the rainiest major city in Vietnam, and its rainy season begins now, intensifying by October–November. A day or two combined with Da Nang is fine. A week-long trip on its own is a bad idea.

📍 Phu Quoc

The main thing in September

Every evening, two fireworks displays in Sunset City

Sunset Town offers two daily high-altitude fireworks displays, timed to coincide with the show: "Symphony of the Sea" at 19:45 PM and "Kiss of the Sea" at 21:00 PM. It's the only place in Vietnam where fireworks are scheduled rather than an event.

On September 2, after “Kiss of the Sea,” a separate five-minute fireworks display is added, with the national flag projected onto a water screen.

💡 Buy tickets only on the official website or in the Sun World app—Phu Quoc is full of ticket scalpers selling non-existent seats.

Is it worth going to Phu Quoc in September?
In terms of prices, yes, accommodation is 50% to 50% cheaper. In terms of the sea, no: it's the rainy season, the water is murky, there are waves, and visibility underwater is near zero. The island's west coast in September is all about sunsets and fireworks, not snorkeling.

📍 Dalat

The main thing in September

There are no major festivals in September—Dalat lives at its own pace. Daytime temperatures are 23°C, nighttime temperatures are 14–15°C, with sunny mornings and afternoon rain almost on schedule.

Strawberry and tea season continues, and farm tours are available. It's best to plan your trekking for the first half of the day.

Is it worth going to Dalat in September?
Yes, if you need a break from the heat and humidity of the coast. While Ho Chi Minh City is 32°C and raining, Dalat is cool, the cafes are half-empty, and accommodation prices are lower than in high season.

🗓 September 2026 Events Calendar

⚙️ What this means for you: September practice

Government agencies will remain closed until September 3.

This year, the Independence Day holiday was extended over five days : from Saturday, August 29, through Wednesday, September 2. Civil servants were given two days off as prescribed by law (September 1 and 2), but Monday, August 31, was moved up, and they worked it on Saturday, August 22.

In practice, this means that immigration departments, tax offices, notaries, and most administrative centers will only reopen on Thursday, September 3. If you had to extend your visa, apply for a residence permit, or pick up documents during these days, the deadlines will shift, and the first few days after the holidays are traditionally the busiest. Private companies may have chosen a different schedule (September 2 and 3); please check with the specific organization.

September 11: Vietnam switches to apostille

The most important change of the month for anyone living here with documents. On September 11, 2026, the 1961 Hague Convention will enter into force for Vietnam, along with Regulation 293/2026/NĐ-CP.

What's changing is that instead of a two-stage consular legalization process (first by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the issuing country, then by the embassy of the receiving country), a single apostille stamp from the authorized body of the issuing country is sufficient.

An apostille confirms the authenticity of the signature and seal, but not the document's content, and does not waive the translation requirement . If your country is not a party to the convention, the previous consular legalization scheme remains the only viable option.

Typhoon season on the Central Coast

September marks the beginning of a period that lasts until November for Da Nang, Hoi An, and Hue. This doesn't mean it will rain all month long—most September days remain sunny. However, the likelihood of a storm warning during the week of your trip becomes real for the first time this summer.

What to do practically:

• 🟣 Book accommodations with free cancellation, rather than non-refundable rates
• 🟣 Check the forecast on the National Center for Hydrometeorological Forecasting website (nchmf.gov.vn), not in your phone app—local storm warnings are issued there.
• 🟣 Don't plan trips to Kulao Cham, Li Son, and other islands on a specific date: ferries are cancelled without warning during rough seas.
• 🟣 If you're riding a motorcycle, make sure your third-party liability insurance is up to date during the rainy season.

September 5th marks the beginning of the school year

The traditional date for ceremonial assemblies across the country. The practical effect is morning traffic jams near schools and noticeably heavier weekday traffic starting in the first week of September. If you're used to summer roads, allow an extra 10-15 minutes.

📌 Editor's note: The official list of Da Nang events lists the International Lantern Festival twice: in the description as a September event, and in the summary table as December 3–6. We're sticking with the December date as the later and more detailed one, but are keeping an eye on any updates. The organizers will announce dates for the SUP festival, the Blue Dragon Run, and the World Tourism Day program closer to the event. This article is being updated.