TL;DR: Nghinh Ông Lại Sơn Festival, also called Nghinh Ông Hòn Sơn or Nghinh Ông Kiên Hải, is a traditional festival of fishermen in the Kiên Hải coastal area, held annually on the 15th and 16th days of the 10th lunar month at Lăng Ông Nam Hải on Hòn Sơn Island (Lại Sơn), Kiên Hải special zone, An Giang province. In 2026, these two days fall on November 23 and 24 on the solar calendar. The festival stems from the whale worship custom, honoring the whale as Nam Hải Đại Tuong Quan, through which fishermen express gratitude and pray for favorable weather and safe fishing seasons. This is a folk belief practice, not an activity asserting supernatural efficacy.
What is Nghinh Ông Lại Sơn Festival and when does it take place?
Nghinh Ông Lại Sơn Festival, also called Nghinh Ông Hòn Sơn or Nghinh Ông Kiên Hải, is a traditional festival of fishermen in the Kiên Hải coastal area, held annually over two days, the 15th and 16th of the 10th lunar month, at Lăng Ông Nam Hải on Hòn Sơn Island, in Kiên Hải special zone, An Giang province (formerly Kiên Hải district, Kiên Giang province). In 2026, these two days fall on November 23 and 24 on the solar calendar.
According to Mr. Trương Văn Được, Deputy Head of the Management Board of the Lăng Ông Nam Hải Historical and Cultural Relic, the festival originates from the totem worship custom and belief of fishermen and has become an indispensable part of the spiritual and cultural life of Kiên Hải coastal residents for more than 100 years. Previously, on the full moon of the 10th lunar month, fishermen came to Lang Ong to give thanks after a year of safe and favorable fishing and to pray for a new season with smooth sailing. Gradually, this custom became a festival and has been maintained since the 1990s.
Why do Kiên Hải fishermen worship the whale?
In fishermen's folk belief, the whale is considered a sacred creature, honored as Nam Hải Đại Tuong Quan, a deity who protects seafarers, especially when they face big waves, strong winds, or sudden danger. The festival is therefore an occasion for fishermen to express gratitude to Nam Hải Đại Tuong Quan and to send wishes for favorable weather and a peaceful, complete fishing season.
It should be clearly distinguished: this is a folk belief practice, described as a cultural practice of the fishermen community. This article does not assert the supernatural efficacy of the worship, nor does it deny that belief. What can be objectively noted is that the festival plays an important role in spiritual life and is an occasion for the fishermen community to gather, share, and bond.
What does Nghinh Ông Lại Sơn Festival include?
The festival consists of two main parts: the ritual part and the festive part.
Ritual part
The ritual part includes the main Nam Hải deity welcoming ceremony, along with other ceremonies such as inviting deities, praying for peace, praying for the deceased, and troop review. The festival also includes the ritual of welcoming the Thần Hoàng and Bà Cố Chủ spirit tablets. Residents of Kiên Hải special zone perform the deity welcoming ceremony at Lang Ong.
Festive part
The festive part features many cultural, artistic, and sports activities. In the 2025 festival with the theme "Kiên Hải Special Zone - Aspiration to Reach Far," the festive part included: an opening art program welcoming the festival; the Lại Sơn island running race "For a Green Hòn Sơn" of An Giang province in 2025; football and badminton tournaments; exhibitions of documentary images about the sea, islands, and scenic landscapes of Kiên Hải linked to a golden bell ringing contest; activities serving residents with book reading and book displays; spaces for displaying, introducing, and promoting tourism; promotion of OCOP products, typical rural industrial products, and distinctive products of the province and special zone; along with food stalls.
Summary table of basic information
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Common name | Nghinh Ông Lại Sơn Festival |
| Other names | Nghinh Ông Hòn Sơn, Nghinh Ông Kiên Hải |
| Time | 15th and 16th days of the 10th lunar month annually |
| Solar calendar date in 2026 | November 23 and 24 |
| Location | Lăng Ông Nam Hải, Hòn Sơn Island (Lại Sơn), Kiên Hải special zone |
| Current administrative unit | Kiên Hải special zone, An Giang province (formerly Kiên Hải district, Kiên Giang province) |
| Object of worship | Nam Hải Đại Tuong Quan (the whale) |
| Belief basis | Fishermen's totem worship custom |
| Structure | Ritual part and festive part |
| Period of maintained organization | From the 1990s to present |
Notable points in the festival
The whale procession ritual at sea
The Nam Hải deity welcoming ceremony is the central ritual of the ritual part. This is the whale procession activity at sea, expressing reverence for Nam Hải Đại Tuong Quan. This ritual is tied to the characteristics of coastal residents, whose living space is closely connected to the sea.
Community participation
Local residents come together at Lăng Ông Nam Hải to clean and prepare everything so the festival takes place solemnly and safely. Mr. Nguyễn Văn Hải, residing in Bãi Nhà A hamlet, Kiên Hải special zone, said: "This is the heart of the people for the Nghinh Ông festival, praying for favorable weather, especially for fishermen's sea trips to be safe and favorable."
Mr. Tô Hoàng Oanh, residing in Bãi Bấc hamlet, with more than 40 years tied to fishing, shared: "We people of the sea always revere the whale. When the festival comes, everyone joins hands and contributes to organizing it thoughtfully, with the wish that people have enough food, happiness, favorable weather, and especially that fishermen's sea trips are safe, favorable, and catch plenty of fish and shrimp."
Charity activities
At the festival, people are served free vegetarian dishes, vegetarian banh xeo, and drinks. These are charitable deeds expressing the spirit of solidarity and mutual affection among people from all regions of the Fatherland.
Decoration and festival atmosphere
Along the roads around Lại Sơn Island, banners and slogans promoting the Nghinh Ông festival are displayed, creating a lively atmosphere. Not only local residents, but many visitors from elsewhere also come to Lại Sơn Island to join the festival.
How do visitors and the community receive the festival?
Ms. Nguyễn Hải Yến, a visitor from Cần Thơ City, said she had been to Hòn Sơn many times but this was her first visit during the Nghinh Ông festival. She shared: "It was truly a fortunate coincidence that my family could directly experience the very unique traditional festival atmosphere of the local people." She also suggested that local authorities should research organizing more distinctive tourism activities on the island such as climbing Ma Thiên Lãnh mountain, organizing a running race around the island, and linking tours from Hòn Tre to Hòn Sơn to Nam Du during the festival.
According to Mr. Chau Hung Ky, Chairman of the People's Committee of Kiên Hải special zone, the Nghinh Ông festival not only carries belief and cultural value but is also an event that attracts a large number of visitors to the Kiên Hải sea area. This is an occasion for people to learn more about the life and culture of coastal fishermen, and also an opportunity to promote the distinctive cultural and tourism products of the locality.
Organization work and conservation orientation
The special zone has prepared facilities for festival activities. The venue is arranged spaciously and conveniently for travel. The locality coordinates with provincial departments and agencies to develop plans ensuring security, order, traffic safety; fire prevention and fighting; hygiene and food safety, helping residents and visitors feel secure participating in activities throughout the festival.
In the coming time, Kiên Hải special zone will continue implementing synchronized solutions to preserve, maintain, and promote the traditional cultural values of Nghinh Ông Lại Sơn Festival, linked to the development of island culture and tourism. This includes continuing to preserve, restore, and properly practice traditional festival rituals, ensuring solemnity and conformity with customs, expressing reverence for Nam Hải Đại Tuong Quan. At the same time, improving the quality of the festive part to create a vibrant atmosphere and attract a large number of people and visitors to Lại Sơn to join and experience the festival.
What does Nghinh Ông Lại Sơn Festival mean to the community?
In terms of belief, the festival is an occasion for fishermen to express gratitude to Nam Hải Đại Tuong Quan and to send wishes for a peaceful fishing season. In cultural terms, it is an indispensable part of the spiritual and cultural life of Kiên Hải coastal residents. In social terms, the festival is an occasion for the community to gather, share, meet, and interact. In economic terms, the festival is an important cultural and tourism event, a unique highlight, and an opportunity to promote the image and exploit the tourism development potential of Kiên Hải special zone.
With potential and advantages in natural landscapes for tourism development and strengths in the economy of fishing and aquaculture, in recent years tourism has gradually developed according to the orientation of being one of the four breakthrough stages of the resolution of the Party Congress of Kiên Hải special zone.
Things to note when learning about the festival
First, Nghinh Ông Lại Sơn Festival is one of many Nghinh Ông festivals in Vietnam's coastal areas. Each locality has its own time, location, and rituals. This article only presents the festival in Lại Sơn, Kiên Hải special zone, according to available sources.
Second, the information about organization time in this article is based on the 2025 festival seasons and annual organization orientation. The specific time of each year may change depending on the lunar calendar and local plans.
Third, this is a folk belief practice that currently exists. Learning about the festival should be placed in the cultural context of the fishermen community, avoiding imposing an outside perspective.
Fourth, regarding place names, Hòn Sơn Island is also called Lại Sơn. The current administrative unit is Kiên Hải special zone, An Giang province, after administrative unit rearrangement. Previously, this area belonged to Kiên Hải district, Kiên Giang province. When looking up information, readers may encounter both ways of naming.
