Phuket Festivals & Events

Whether they're held to honour a religious belief or just for fun, the festivals of Phuket are exciting, sometimes bizarre spectacles - certainly never bland. The island's most distinctive event is the annual Vegetarian Festival , featuring processions of god-mediums performing shocking acts of self-mortification as a test of faith. This bazaar of the bizarre is held annually over 9 days in the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar.

Other lively and colourful events unique to Phuket include the Phuket King's Cup Regatta and Phuket Bike Week, while others, such as Loy Kratong and Songkran , Chinese New Year, are part of nationwide celebrations.

The island gets busy during festival times so be sure to book a hotel in advance. Check this section regularly for updates and additions.

April 2010

Phuket Bike Week

Date: April 2010
Venue: Patong Beach
www.phuketbikeweek.com

Now in its 16th year, the annual Phuket Bike Week is one of the biggest motorcycle events in Southeast Asia. Get to see an amazing collection of Harleys, Hondas and superbikes at this annual event. Music, contests, parties and charity rides around the island. Fun for bikers and hangers-on alike.

Songkran Festival

Date: April 13th – 15th, 2010
Location: Nationwide
Contact: Tourism Authority of Thailand Phuket
Tel: +66 (0) 76-212213

Thailand's most famous festival celebrates Thai New Year. Prepare to join in the fun and get very wet or else stay indoors! Songkran is a loud, boisterous festival that features a lot of water throwing in the streets. (Read more about Songkran Festival...)

See photos of the Songkran Festival in Phuket.

Film Submissions for Phuket Film Festival

Date: Accepted until April 30, 2010
Venue: Patong Beach
Contact: films@phuketfilmfestival.asia

The next Phuket Film Festival to be held in June 4 – 13 and is calling for entries. Feature films, documentaries and short films (including animation) are welcome. Information can be found at the website: www.phuketfilmfestival.asia Preference will be given to award-winning film festival submissions or world/Asian premiers by award-winning film makers.

Despite cancellation of the Festival in 2009 due to the political situation, 2010 will see the realization of Thailand's newest international ‘sanook’ (fun) and cultural event. The 2010 Festival expects to screen about 30 - 40 films with ‘People's Choice Awards’ awarded for selected films. The Festival will accept film submissions until April 30. There is a US $50 fee for each film submitted – payment information available on the website.

‘Day-Night and Day’ Exhibition

Date: April 2 – May 31, 2010
Venue: D Gallery, Royal Phuket Marina
Contact: info@dgallery.co.th

Nguyen Tan Cuong, a Ho Chi Minh City-based artist will exhibit his works in Phuket under the concept ‘Day-Night and Day’.

Nguyen Tan Cuong was born in Hanoi, Vietnam in 1953. Graduating from the Saigon Fine Arts College in 1973, he is a master at manipulating light. He builds up a texture on the canvas and then creates dynamic and compelling paintings through rich imagery and texture. He makes much use of rough, natural fibres in his work, which gives them an organic quality that is both visual and tangible. He has participated in several exhibitions in Vietnam and also taken part in shows in several countries such as Japan, Switzerland Singapore, Belgium, Italy, USA and England.

The formal opening of the exhibition will be on Friday, April 2 between 18:00 – 21:00 at D Gallery, located within the Royal Phuket Marina. Everybody is welcome.

D Gallery opening hours are 11:00 – 19:00 Tuesday - Saturday and from noon until 18:00 on Sundays.

Phuket Punchline Comedy Night

Date: April 21, 2010
Venue: Holiday Inn Resort Phuket, Patong Beach
Contact: info@phuketcomedy.com

April Phuket Punchline Comedy night welcomes the multi-talented and award-winning comedian, Mark Billingham. As well as being an accomplished comedian, Mark is a Times top-ten bestselling novelist with his ‘D.I. Thorne’ series of books. The Daily Mail wrote, “Mark is a natural compère; brilliant at being the captain of a ship on very rough and unpredictable waters.” Joining Mark for this big night of comedy is Mike Gunn, whose comedy has been described as “drier than a dead man's bones”, and the “hilariously silly and brilliant stand-up” stand-up” Carl Donnelly. So don’t sit in bored on Wednesday 21st April; come on out and have a right royal laugh. It would be a crime not to! Doors open at 20:00; show starts at 20:30. Tickets are 960 baht in advance and 1200 baht on the day. Please note that reduced priced tickets are no longer available on the DAY of the show.

June 2010

2010 Laguna Phuket International Marathon

Date: June 2010
Venue: Bangtao Beach
www.phuketmarathon.com

This year’s Laguna Phuket International Marathon, the fifth, is expected to attract some 5,000 competitors, of 40 countries. The event will again feature a Marathon, Half Marathon, 10 Km Run, 5 Km Walk and a 2 Km Kids Run.

Thailand Surf Series 2010

Date: June 2010
Location: Kalim Beach
www.thaisurfseries.com, www.phuketboardriders.com

The inaugural Thailand Surf Series (TSS) incorporates the three main surfing contests held in Phuket each monsoon season into a series of connected events in June, August and September. Under the rules of the International Surfing Association, the Thailand Surf Series will become part of the ASC (Asian Surfing Championship) ranking system, offering a platform for Thai surfers to compete with other Asian surfers in meets around the region. The events expect to have participants from 15 countries and will feature four divisions: Short Board, Long Board, Groms (Kids) and Women. TSS is organized by the Phuket Boardriders Club and sponsored by both government and local businesses.

The Phuket Boardriders Club is a non-profit organization formed in 2002 to strengthen local surfing talent and create camaraderie and friendship between local and visiting surfers alike.

July 2010

Six Senses Phuket Race Week

Date: July 21st – 25th, 2010
Location: Chalong Bay
www.phuketraceweek.com

A week of exciting, international-standard yacht racing off Phuket’s East Coast. Plenty of social activities throughout the week. Now in its seventh year, 33 boats entered the event in 2009 with approximately 400 participants, as entrants from around the world helped maintain Six Senses Phuket Raceweek’s reputation as the most exciting and fastest-growing Regatta in Asia.

August 2010

Por Tor Festival

Date: August 2010
Location: All Chinese Shrines on the Island

The 'Hungry Ghosts' festival is an important merit-making event for the ethnic Chinese. Special food, flowers and candles are offered to ancestors’ altars in order to 'feed the ghosts' that are said to have been released from hell for the month. Dates for 2010 Festival will be announced later.

Thailand Surf Series 2010

Date: August 2010
Location: Kamala Beach, Phuket
www.thaisurfseries.com, www.phuketboardriders.com

Continuing with the second (August) meet of the inaugural Thailand Surf Series (TSS). See June event above for details.

September 2010

Thailand Surf Series 2010

Date: September 2010
Location: Kata Beach, Phuket
www.thaisurfseries.com, www.phuketboardriders.com

Continuing with the third (September) meet of the inaugural Thailand Surf Series (TSS). See June event for details.

Phuket Vegetarian Festival

Date: September 2010
Location: Chinese Shrines on the Island

A colourful event held over a nine-day period in late September/early October, this celebrates the Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar will help obtain good health and peace of mind.

Though the origins of the festival are unclear, it is thought that perhaps the festival was bought to Phuket by a wandering Chinese opera group who fell ill with malaria while performing on the island and who were miraculously healed through a strictly vegetarian diet. (Read more about Phuket Vegetarian Festival...)

November 2010

Loy Kratong Festival

Date: November 21st, 2010
Location: Nationwide

A festival of quiet celebration, the origins of Loy Kratong are unclear, but it is believed that it started in Sukhothai, (north of Bangkok) one of the most powerful cities in Asia, around 800 years ago. On this particular night, on nearly every expanse of water, be it a river, lake or the ocean, you'll notice thousands of lights drifting across the water like fairy dreams.

Gently flickering, dipping and dancing in the breeze as they go, they make a spectacular sight. All of Phuket's major west coast beaches take part in Loy Kratong festivities, with a mix of locals and tourists. Nai Harn (on the large lake) and Patong usually have the most activity with locals visiting beaches like Kata and Karon. (Read more about Loy Kratong...)

December 2010

Laguna Phuket Triathlon 2010

Date: December 2010
Venue: Laguna Phuket
www.lagunaphukettriathlon.com

Southeast Asia's premier multi-sport event, the Laguna Phuket Triathlon 2010, is scheduled for early December. Registration date to be announced shortly. The Triathlon comprises a 1.8km swim, 55km cycle and 12km run. (Read more about Phuket Triathlon...)

Phuket King's Cup Regatta

Date: December 2010
Venue: Kata Beach

The Phuket King's Cup Regatta is Asia's biggest and most popular regatta. More than a regatta, the week-long event consists of great parties, great sailing and lots of fun. Inaugurated in 1987 to celebrate the 60th birthday of His Majesty the King of Thailand, the event has been held every year since during the first week of December. (Read more about Phuket King's Cup...)