Quest Music Festival brought together people from all reaches of the globe for a weekend of pure bliss. From taking a dip in the lake during the day to dancing the night away under the stars, the festival had a little bit of fun for everyone. Over the course of three lovely days, everything from flower crowns to international friendships was made at this beautiful festival in North Vietnam.
Gorgeous Grounds
The sight of the festival was absolutely stunning. The area was about 45 minutes outside of the busy city of Hanoi and surrounded by a lake on three sides with a mountainous jungle in the background. During the day everyone swam, rafted and played on the bamboo structure that was floating in it. When they weren’t in the water or on the dance floor, everyone could be found lounging and taking in the views. All throughout the festival, there were chill zones with swings, hammocks, tire swings, and unique artwork to look at.
Camping Made Easy
A camping festival comes with its own set of planning and preparation. Having to do it in a foreign country is a completely different ball game. Luckily, festival organizers made it extremely convenient for everyone to attend and stay at the festival. They offered affordable transportation and accommodation options. This was essential since so many in attendance were travelers or expats who lived in the nearby city of Hanoi. The sleeping arrangements were not anything extravagant, but in a country without an REI or WalMart having the option to rent a tent was crucial.
Topped Up and Ready to Go
The festival had many local volunteers that made checking in easy. After getting our tent settled we had to “top-up” our wristbands. All of the food and drink vendors worked off a cashless system. All you needed to do was tap your wristband to buy what you needed. To help keep things green, the festival provided cute, portable ashtrays to attendees. They were simple canisters with elastic bands attached that also doubled as a souvenir. Each one had a sticker with the festival name and a cool geometric design on it.
Flower Crowns and Fruit Suits
Despite many people just making the festival a stop along their travels, the event was filled with unique and creative festival fashion. Many travelers could be seen wearing Vietnam’s signature brightly colored fruit outfits that feature a watermelon, pineapple, or banana pattern in a matching shirt, shorts, and bucket hat. Other went all out and made their own costumes. There were sequined mermaids, sparkly unicorns, men in superhero capes, and glitter all around the festival grounds. For those like me who only had the clothes they’d been traveling with for the past two months, the festival had many options for us to get into the festival spirit. There were face painters, a t-shirt tye dying station, and even a free flower crown making workshop.
Unique Sounds All Around
From a full-blown jazz band to deep house to freestyle raps, the sounds of Quest were a little bit of everything. One moment you could be watching a rap battle on one stage and the next you could see a trapeze artist flying through the air on another. The music seemed to be playing 24 hours on the festival grounds. A mix of bands and electronic music played during the day while house music and techno bumped into the wee hours of the night.
