- Asia
- Thailand
- Malaysia
- Singapore
- China
- Indonesia
- Vietnam
- Cambodia
- Laos
- India
- Maldives
- Seychelles
- Outside Asia
Phuket Festivals & Events
Calendar of Events 2009
Chinese New Year |
Vegetarian |
Loy Kratong |
Songkran |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
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 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 The island gets busy during festival times so be sure to book a hotel in advance. Check this section regularly for updates and additions. July 2009Faces, an Art Exhibition
Date: June 27th, onward Enjoy the latest exhibition at &Joy Gallery near the Heroine's Monument from June 27th onward. The show is called ‘Faces’ by Kai Kingsley III an American-born artist, now based in Bangkok. His works including acrylic & oil on handmade paper and acrylic & oil on canvas. Phuket 2nd Annual Lifesaving Carnival
Date: July 12th, 2009 Phuket Lifeguard Club will be hosting its second annual Lifesaving Carnival on 12 July 2009 at Loma Park, Patong Beach with registration beginning at 08:30. The carnival features 80 lifesaving events in six categories and will culminate in a gala dinner at Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort, the major sponsor of this year’s festivities. Local and International competitors are invited to attend and register on the day. Surf Lifesaving Club members across Australia are also being invited to join again this year after a very successful carnival in 2008. A 'nipper' carnival will also be held a day earlier at Patong Beach. The club has successfully run five nipper carnivals at various beaches on Phuket with positive reviews with an average attendance of 100 kids at each event. More information can be found at www.phuketlifeguard.com Six Senses Phuket Race Week
Date: July 22nd – 26th, 2009 Six Senses Phuket Raceweek will be held from 22-26 July at the Evason Phuket & Six Senses Spa, with racing off the southern tip of Phuket. It promises to be a week of exciting, international-standard yacht racing off Phuket’s East Coast with plenty of social activities throughout the week. Six Senses Resorts & Spas return for a second year as Title Sponsor, joined by Co-Sponsors Jaguar Cars, the Tourism Authority of Thailand and Rodenstock. Composite Catamarans join Canpac Beverages (supplying the wine), Nivea and Moorings as Official Suppliers, the latter launching their Phuket fleet of new power and sailing catamarans at Raceweek. For more information and to register, contact www.phuketraceweek.com
August 2009Por Tor FestivalDate: August 2009 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 2009 Festival will be announced later. Thailand Surf Series 2009Date: August 14th -16th, 2009 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.
September 2009Thailand Surf Series 2009
Date: September 4th - 6th, 2009 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. Phuket Vegetarian Festival
Date: September 2009 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.
November 2009Loy Kratong Festival
Date: November 2nd, 2009 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. O n 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.
December 2009Laguna Phuket Triathlon 2009Date: December 6th, 2009 Southeast Asia’s premier multi-sport event, the Laguna Phuket Triathlon 2009, is scheduled for Sunday 6 December. Registration opens 1 April 2009. The Triathlon comprises a 1.8km swim, 55km cycle and 12km run. Phuket King’s Cup Regatta
Date: December 2009 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.
| |||||||||||||||
| |
