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.

December 2009

Phuket Red Cross Fair (aka New Year Fair)

Date: December 30th, 2009 - January 9th, 2010
Venue: Sappan Hin Park, Phuket Town

It’s time to celebrate the New Year again! Get an eye-opening look at how Phuket locals have fun at the carnival-liked Red Cross Fair at Sappan Hin Park in Town. It’s a chance to taste real Thai cuisine, shop for the best bargain deals in handicrafts and many of OTOP products plus enjoy the colourful stage shows every night featuring live music, traditional dances and beauty contests. There is a small entrance fee at night but daytime it is free for everyone. Shops usually start to display their goods at about 10:00 onward. Proceeds from the event will go to Red Cross charity projects.

Phuket International Academy’s Sports Programme for Christmas and New Year

Date: December 21st, 2009 onward
Venue: PIA Sports, Arts & Wellness Centre Aquatic Academy’s 50m Swimming Pool
Contact: debbie@phuketinternationalacademy.com

There are a lot of aqua classes at PIA in the lead up to Christmas and throughout the holiday period. Burn fat, improve flexibility and build strength in our special pre-Christmas Aqua Aerobics classes or join their squad swimmers for some fitness training at the cost of 400 Baht per session. For schedule and more details, please contact Debbie Jones on debbie@phuketinternationalacademy.com

January 2010

PIMEX 2010

Date: January 7th - 10th, 2010
Venue: Royal Phuket Marina
www.phuketboatshow.com

PIMEX 2010 (7-10 January 2010) is expecting 90 exhibiting companies to participate with 45 yachts in the water. This weekend is a chance to meet some of the main players in the January show.

All the leading brokers from around Southeast Asia will be on hand to give an excellent opportunity for residents to discover what will be on display at the main event in January. Asia Marine, Derani Yachts, Kingfisher Marine, Max Marine, Princess Yachts, Simpson Marine and Windy Boats. Sika Thailand and Honda Marine will all attend.

February 2010

Chinese New Year

Date: February 14th, 2010
Venue: Phuket Town
Contact: Tourism Authority of Thailand Phuket
Tel: +66 (0) 76-212213

Throughout Phuket town, during New Year you'll see Chinese houses with their living rooms decorated with vases of flowers, platters of oranges and tangerines and a tray with eight varieties of dried sweet fruit. The entrances of many shops and houses will be festooned in red banners and decorations to encourage luck and happiness during the coming year. Tourism Authority of Thailand Phuket office (TAT) and Phuket City organize the annually Chinese New Year celebration at the public park next to TAT office on Phuket Road with many colorful shows including the dragon dance from China. More information, please contact Tel +66 (0) 76-212213. (Read more about Chinese New Year...)

Phuket Gay Pride (aka Gay Festival)

Date: Last week of February 2010
Venue: Patong Beach

Phuket Pride is planned for the last weekend in February 2010. The exact schedule of events has yet to be finalised but if previous years are anything to go by it is sure to be a whole lot of fun. Everybody welcome.

The 2010 Phuket International Blues Rock Festival

Date: February 26th – 27th, 2010
Venue: Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort, Karon Beach
Contact: Andy Anderson
Tel: +66 (0) 86 682 2639

The 2010 event will see 12 acts total with 8 international bands imported for the occasion, and the headliner is legendary blues artist Charlie Musselwhite and his great band.  From Australia comes Richard Clapton, another legend, who has been a household name in that part of the world since 1975 when his hit song "Girls On The Avenue" soared on the Australian charts.  From Malaysia comes AkashA; a top rated World Music band with a soulful theme. Famed Latino Blues meister Andy Gonzales (USA) joins the festival for the first time along with Robert (One Man) Johnson (USA) and Bangkok’s Retrovision.

By popular demand Rich Harper (USA) will return along with KNiKi from Australia and Boy Blues Band from Chiang Mai. Tony Wilson and Rob Davies will also be back with a top notch band of a local but international crew.

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.

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...)