What to Expect in Cau Bong Festival Hoi An?

Cau Bong Festival is a traditional festival in Hoi An during Tet (Lunar New Year). It’s held on the 7th day of the first lunar month by residents in Tra Que Vegetable Village. This is a 300-year-old organic farming community recently honored as a 2024 UN Best Tourism Village. It is famous for its unique traditional techniques, where farmers use seaweed from the local lagoon as fertilizer to produce over 40 types of fragrant, chemical-free herbs that define the authentic flavors of Hoi An’s cuisine. See more information and details

In Vietnamese culture, the 7th day of the first lunar month marks the end of the Lunar New Year (Tet), when people lower the New Year tree (cay neu in Vietnamese). People in Tra Que Vegetable Village choose this day to organize the Cau Bong Festival to pray for good weather, good harvest, prosperity, and peacefulness for their community on the new year.

In addition to ceremonies, there is a competition of making Tam huu (fresh rolls, meaning ‘three friends’) between local families. It is a signature rustic wrap from Tra Que Village that symbolizes the harmony between the sky, the earth, and the water. This delicate appetizer features a trio of local ingredients—sweet river shrimp, savory boiled pork, and fragrant Tra Que basil—all tied together with a blanched scallion ribbon instead of rice paper. When dipped into a tangy garlic-chili fish sauce, it offers a refreshing burst of flavor that perfectly showcases the farm-to-table spirit of Hoi An’s culinary heritage. Today, in cooking classes, visitors have the chance to learn how to make Tam huu rolls from local chefs.