Colourful footage shows the hill tribes of northern Thailand performing their traditional dances at a festival.

The people from six different tribes descended on the mountainous Chiang Rai province on Sunday (September 8) for the annual Akha Swing Festival.

Each year the Akha people, who have been settled for several decades in the mountainous region, celebrate their freedom with a colourful swing festival.

The symbolic act celebrates throwing off the bonds of constraint and is also the tribe's new year celebrations, in line with the peak of the rainy season.

''When you don’t have your country any more, you still can feel free while swinging in the air,'' plays their Akha New Year song.

Hundreds of tourists now visit the remote region, sometimes only accessible by motorcycle to watch the spectacle.

The unique festival is one of the most recognizable in Thailand, with five other tribes which wear different costumes joining in with the event.

The dance shows are part of the proceedings with local villagers displaying their stunning garments and traditional group performances.