January through
February
Apart from the famous New Year celebration held at major
beaches around Phuket Island, Chinese New Year comes in
Febuary or around the end of January, according to Chinese
calender. Phuket Town puts on a sign of boisterous,
firecrackers, colorful dragon parades, Chinese live music
and your favorite Chinese food stalls.
April
The Songkran festival is the most frenetic Phuket festival in the
Thailand, it is the advent of Thai New Year and all-around
national water splashing. Ceblebration from the 13th to 15th
April each year, at least by lots and lots of water! From
the sprinkling of water, water guns, buckets, hoses and
anything else that can do water fighting onto someone,
everyone gets soaking wet with the hottest climate of the
year. This has to be one of the friendliest, though wet
refreshing, wet everywhere and a good way to make new
friends.
Tip Keep cameras and other electronic devices protected if
you participate in Songkran, no complaint for any damages!
ItÃÂs not advisable to drive a motorbike during this
festival.
October
A colorful Vegetarian Festival event held over a nine day
period in early October is celebrated in around Phuket Town
only. For this weeklong celebration, Chinese Buddhists
believe that abstinence from any meats and eat only
vegetarian food will enhance them in good health and peace
of mind. They are strictly on vegetarian diet, thinking and
living clean with praying to the Nine Emperor Gods (Kiu Ong
Lah) for a nine-day period Phuket Festival.
There are the most exciting parts of the Vegetarian Festival -
ceremonies and processions, which are both interesting and
shocking. Invoking the gods by self-mortification as mediums
of the gods is practiced. During these celebrations,
participants parade through the streets in Phuket Town,
puncture their cheeks and body with various items, such as
bicycle wheels, knives, skewers, spears and the like. The
belief is to eradicate evil spirits from the community.
Besides, there are several activities performed, such as
fire-walking, knife-bladed ladder climbing and hot-oil
bathing. Check the local information at the time for more
information. Vegetarian foods sold there is well worth to
try.
Novenber
The romantic festival not to be missed. Thailand has many
rivers around the country, some of them are spectacular,
beautiful and magical. In November's full moon, the Loi
Krathong Festival is aim to pay the respect to the goddess
of rivers and waterways. Loy Krathong is celebrated
throughout all over the country, min-floats (kratong) are
made from banana trunks, resembling with flowers, incense
sticks and candles. This symbolizes the washing away of
troubles, sins and a call for a good luck and fortunes. For
Phuket Island, as the sun dips below and the moon rises
instead in the evening, people converge around the beautiful
beaches throughout the island to release their kratongs.