1. Reasons why you shouldn't miss the Sam Son Festival 2025?
The Sam Son Festival has become one of the prominent large-scale cultural and tourism events in the Central region, a place that converges spiritual values, art, along with increasingly innovative entertainment elements. Not only does it kick off the summer tourist season, the festival also demonstrates the blend of long-standing tradition and the application of modern performance technology. Each activity of the Sam Son Festival exudes the unique imprint of the Thanh Hoa coastal region, from the solemn blessing ritual to the captivating light show.
Sam Son Festival is lively, attracting many tourists. (Source: Villa FLC)
For local people, Sam Son Festival contributes to economic development, while also being a bridge connecting generations in protecting and preserving cultural heritage. The festival helps spread the image of Sam Son city and Thanh Hoa province everywhere, attracting the interest of many tourists each year. Spiritual festivals such as the fish-worshiping festival and the Doc Cuoc Temple Festival have been maintained through many generations, creating the unique cultural value of this coastal region.
2025 marks a milestone in elevating the event with a large-scale organization, the art program themed "Aspiration to Shine" promises many new experiences. Investment in sound and lighting systems is emphasized, gathering the participation of many renowned artists, making Sam Son Festival a national-scale cultural event in 2025.
2. Unique traditional festivals in Sam Son
2.1. Sam Son Sea Festival 2025: "Aspiration to Shine"
On the evening of April 26, 2025, Sam Son Sea Square in Trung Son ward was the venue for the opening ceremony of the Sam Son Festival with the presence of tens of thousands of local people and tourists. The event was organized by the Thanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee in coordination with Sun Group Corporation on a provincial scale, along with a live television broadcast on Thanh Hoa Radio and Television Station.
The art program was divided into 3 chapters: "Brilliant Heritage Land", "Essence of Vietnamese Land and Sky" and "Aspiration to Shine", with many special performances. Artists performed songs honoring the homeland, expressing pride in Thanh land. A special highlight was the combination of music, dance, and modern technology performances such as water music systems, LED lighting, and fireworks, contributing to building the image of Sam Son as modern, dynamic, and integrated.
Festival 'Aspire to Shine' 2025 takes place in Sam Son. (Source: Tourism - Sports & Culture)
2.2. Blessing Festival at Doc Cuoc Temple
On March 15, 2025 (the 16th day of the 2nd lunar month), the Sam Son festival continues with the Blessing Festival at Doc Cuoc Temple, one of the most sacred and well-known relics. The festival is an occasion for locals and tourists to participate together in long-standing traditional rituals.
The rituals include a sedan chair procession, sacrificial offerings at the temple, and a thanksgiving ceremony to God Doc Cuoc – the deity considered the protector of the coastal residents, praying for stable fishing grounds and safe voyages for seafarers. The entire ritual retains its ancient traditions, reflecting the humanitarian spirit and the depth of the community's spiritual life.
Beyond its blessing significance, the festival also serves as an occasion for community bonding, helping the youth better understand the spirit of the sea and the traditions of their ancestors. Additionally, folk games and artistic performances create a lively and attractive atmosphere for participants and visitors.
2.3. Fishing Prayer Festival
The Fishing Prayer ritual before the start of the fishing season is an indispensable part of the Sam Son festival, demonstrating respect for the traditional occupation and commemorating General Kim Cuong, the deity worshipped in this coastal area. The festival aims to pray for favorable weather, calm seas, and abundant catches of shrimp and fish.
Cau Ngu Festival in Sam Son. (Source: Vietnam Hoi Nhap)
The ceremony part is solemnly organized with rituals of parading golden palanquins, parading Long Chau boats along the coast of Ngu Loc commune to the festival area. Here, offerings are presented to the deities Tam Bao Phat, Tu Vi Thanh Nuong, Dong Hai Dai Vuong, Ne Son Ton Than, Nam Hai Dai Tuong Quan to thank the gods for favorable rain and wind, peaceful sky and sea, abundant fish, good harvests, and a prosperous and happy life. Next are rituals such as: procession, sacrifice, reading of congratulatory texts, drum performance, incense offering…
The festival part is organized lively, joyfully, and healthily with performances such as: luu thuy music performance, lion dance, chau van ritual singing, drum performance, Chinese chess competition, squid fishing competition, sports exchange...
2.4. Intangible cultural values preserved through the Sam Son festival
The Sam Son festival shows the interaction between folk beliefs and local religions, creating a diverse and colorful cultural picture. Traditional rituals are perfectly preserved, helping to safeguard the precious heritage of the land, spreading the characteristic 'soul of the sea' values of Thanh Hoa.
The Sam Son Festival shows the interaction between folk beliefs and local religion. (Source: Bao Cong Ly Newspaper)
Each festival season, traditional values such as rituals, singing and dancing, folk games, processions, and fish-praying ceremonies are vividly recreated, becoming a bond connecting the past and the present. Teaching the younger generation not only helps maintain the local cultural identity but also contributes to preserving the essence of national heritage. This continuity creates the enduring vitality of the festival, while also becoming an attractive highlight for tourists who love cultural values with traditional depth.
3. Combining entertainment during the Sam Son Festival 2025
3.1. Suggested itinerary for enjoying the festival and experiencing Sam Son beach tourism
Sam Son Sea Square is the focal point of the Sam Son Festival, an ideal place for check-ins and creating memories with its modern water music and lighting system. Live art programs and a series of outdoor events held continuously throughout the festival season create a consistently vibrant atmosphere.
Besides attending the Sam Son Festival, visitors can also enjoy the sea with its vast waves and experience sunbathing on the pristine white sand. Walking streets, night markets, seaside eateries, and novel photo spots will also cater to the diverse needs of all visitors.
A 3-day, 2-night trip can begin with swimming, taking photos at Sam Son Sea Square, participating in street costume performances, and evening art programs. The next day is for exploring Sun World Sam Son, enjoying the carnival, entertainment games, local specialties, and street art performances. The last day is for visiting the seafood market, shopping for gifts, and concluding the journey of exploring Sam Son full of experiences.
3.2. Combining experiences at other interesting places near Sam Son
Sam Son City boasts many specialty seafood dishes from Thanh Hoa, integrated with entertainment services, modern restaurants, cafes, and beach bars. Therefore, visitors can easily combine festival experiences with relaxation and culinary exploration within the same itinerary.
When traveling during this time, don't forget to visit spiritual sites such as Doc Cuoc Temple, Co Tien Temple, Ba Trieu Temple, along with the nearby historical relic system. The combination of spiritual elements and modern entertainment will make the holiday more colorful and deeply meaningful.
3.3. Other unique cultural and entertainment activities in Sam Son in 2025
The Sea Square, walking streets, and Sam Son night market are ideal places for check-ins, suitable for young people and families. Every evening, visitors can enjoy the festival atmosphere with music programs, street art, and light performances, creating a novel holiday experience.
Strolling and visiting the Sam Son beach square. (Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper)
To enjoy memorable moments at the Sam Son festival, you should pay attention to the timing of key events. Usually, major events are concentrated in the evenings and on weekends, creating the most vibrant festival atmosphere of the year.
4. Tips and notes when attending the Sam Son festival 2025
When attending the Sam Son festival, prioritizing comfortable clothing and flat shoes will help you move easily between outdoor events. You should also prepare a light jacket, hat, and sunglasses to protect yourself from the sun by the sea. A well-planned itinerary will help complete the trip with both festival enjoyment and sea exploration activities.
For spiritual festivals such as the Den Doc Cuoc festival or the fish-worshiping festival, visitors need to maintain a serious attitude, choose polite attire, and follow the rules at sacred sites. Respecting local culture will make the experience more memorable and meaningful.
When participating in spiritual festivals, maintain a serious and polite attitude. (Source: Business and Investment Magazine)
To get beautiful photos during the Sam Son festival, you should arrive early at crowded locations, choose angles that suit the water music backdrop and stage lighting. Avoid jostling, maintain environmental hygiene, contribute to preserving traditional values, blend civilly into the festival atmosphere, and leave a good impression on the local people.
The Sam Son festival in 2025 is a special blend of tradition and modern flair, offering enough experiences to make the trip memorable. Don't miss the opportunity to explore and share this exciting journey in this vibrant coastal city!
