The "Golden Rice Season in Ban May" festival is part of the Sapa Autumn Festival 2024 series. The festival takes place at Sun World Fansipan Legend from August 17 to September 1, aiming to recreate the traditional rituals and activities of Lao Cai's ethnic groups during the golden harvest.
The festival re-enacts traditional rituals and activities of the ethnic groups in Lao Cai during the golden harvest. It becomes a gathering place for the H'Mong from Sapa and Dien Bien, Xa Pho, Tay, Giay, Red Dao, Thai, and Ha Nhi people. All come together to celebrate the rice harvest, providing visitors with authentic cultural experiences.
During this period, Ban May will be adorned with the golden hues of ripe rice, corn, and straw. Each weekend, special events featuring the local ethnic groups' traditions will be held, including traditional rituals, cultural activities, and folk games from the Northwest.
On August 17-18, the festival will kick off with the Kho Gia Gia - the largest and oldest harvest festival of the Black Ha Nhi ethnic group, held before the harvest season. Visitors will witness the solemn ritual performed by the Black Ha Nhi to honor their agricultural gods, forest spirits, water deities, earth spirits, and gods of love.
From August 24-25, the Then Kin Pang festival will take place. At Then Kin Pang, visitors will witness a spiritual performance blending music, dance, and drama, featuring traditional instruments, contributing to the unique cultural ambiance of the White Thai people.
In addition to seeking a bountiful harvest, Then Kin Pang is also a time for couples to express their feelings through joyful songs and dances. The local Thai cuisine promises to offer a complete experience.
If Kho Gia Gia and Then Kin Pang are recognized as National Intangible Cultural Heritage, the New Rice Festival holds special significance for the ethnic minorities in Ban May. On the National Day of September 2, during August 31 and September 1, visitors can experience an "early Tet." Ethnic groups in Ban May will go to the fields early in the morning to bring golden rice home and labor achievements and sacrificial offerings to deities and ancestors.
Throughout the month-long festival, the village will be filled with activities like making round cakes, producing green sticky rice, and cooking colorful sticky rice. Visitors can join the locals in celebrating the golden harvest and tasting homemade dishes while participating in traditional games such as stick pushing, single-rope walking, and swing riding.
Additionally, just a 5-minute walk from Ban May, visitors can reach the Fansipan cable car station and continue exploring the "Roof of Indochina." Autumn is the perfect time to visit Sapa for the golden rice fields and the vibrant colors of the 2024 buckwheat flower festival.
👉 Read more: 7 Amazing Places to Catch Stunning Rice Fields in Vietnam!
If the weather is favorable, visitors may also enjoy the view of fluffy white clouds at an altitude of 3,142 meters.
Especially, during the September 2nd festival, visitors should not miss the flag-raising ceremony at the highest flagpole in the country.
After exploring, visitors are encouraged to return to Ban May in the evening to enjoy local specialties prepared by the ethnic people. Prices here are approximately 250,000 VND for children and 300,000 VND for adults.
The organizers of the "Golden Rice Season in Ban May" festival say it is not only an opportunity for locals to celebrate traditional cultural values but also a chance for visitors to explore and learn more about the highland lifestyle, customs, and cuisine.
In addition to the "Golden Rice Season in Ban May," you can also participate in a series of events during the 2024 Sapa Autumn Festival themed "Sapa Golden Season," which will be held during the National Day in Vietnam on September 2. This festival promises a range of exciting and impressive activities that are expected to attract a large number of visitors. Save the information below:
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