Quick Jumplinks to Navigate
The greatness of culture can be found in its festivals!
If you wish to take a close look at the vivacious tradition and vivid colors of a region, then the best way is to know about its festivals. Something that outranks Thailand is the love for their King & Queen and the fact that people of Thailand keep them alive in their hearts. Father’s Day & Mother’s Day are celebrated on King & Queen’s birthdays all over the country.
The sky stars twinkling with the lanterns and the blurry reflection on the water give a spellbinding view on Loi Krathong, while on the water festival, everyone goes splashing water on each other. If this is not enough then Chiang Mai awaits you with its blossoms. Ranging from pretty lilacs to deep reds, the beauty of flower festival will cast a spell on you. Boasting with variants of festive occasions, Thailand is a land of vibrant festivals with which you can delight all of your senses.
Wish to know more about their festivals? Take a look at these 10 amazing festivals which are celebrated at various locations dotted on the map of Thailand.
1. Embrace The Blooms – Flower Festival
Who doesn’t love colors? Don’t you? Well, this festival of Chiang Mai brings you closer to the fresh breeze of blooms that you can whiff in the rejuvenating air. Famed as the “rose of the north”, Chiang Mai celebrates this festival with great zeal and one can witness this right after the cool season.
To keep up the active participation there is also a crown of Miss Chiang Mai Flower competition, which is given to the most deserving candidate. Ranging from the vivid chrysanthemums to Damask Rose, here you can spot all of them. Apart from this, various structures are also built using the flowers and molds which will definitely leave you in awe with their lure!
Strike out the calendar on: 1st week of February
Celebration locus: Chiang Mai, Thailand
2. Time To Splash & Splurge – Water Festival
Whooooppppss! Make sure when you step out of the house, you have an extra pair of clothes, as someone might splash a bucket of water on you! Also renowned as Songkran, this is one of the most fun-filled festivals of Thailand and is celebrated all over the country. Previously this was celebrated as the Thai New Year, but now it’s more of a national holiday and is regarded as new year in accordance with the solar calendar.
While some of them take long hoes and drench each other from tip to toe with water, others throw off the water buckets. This 3-day water fight is just as amazing as it sounds and can be witnessed by people of all the communities. Don’t think before you spatter water on others, but once you do be prepared to get back one!
Strike out the calendar on: 13th to 15th April
Celebration locus: Entire Thailand
3. See The Sky Twinkle With Yellows – Lantern Festival
The sky paints yellow and the water starts glowing on Yi Peng and Loi Krathong respectively! In some locations of Thailand, these two festivals actually coincide. Earlier Lana people used to celebrate Yi Peng but now thousands of people from around the world come to witness yellows in the sky! With such a picture-perfect backdrop you need no skills for capturing spectacular shots, as the displays do half of the work for you.
The entire region turns gleamy and the fireworks in the sky add up to the charm of the festival. While some people light up the paper lanterns, others just lit up the candles, put them on banana leaves and let them sway in the river. The picture of the city, takes a 360-degree turn and once a buzzing city, gets silent glowing with the yellows all over. These festivals also symbolize letting go of ill & misfortunes of the previous year.
Strike out the calendar on: The full moon day, November
Celebration locus: Chiang Mai, Sukhothai, and Bangkok
4. Don’t Shriek Out With Fear – Ghost Festival
Ever witnessed a three-day festival? If not then this is a festival which will amaze you with its variations. Phi Ta Khon festival, commonly known as Ghost festival is celebrated because a long time ago, Prince Vessantara had vanished making everyone feel as though he was dead but surprisingly one day he returned and this made his followers so happy that their loud celebration on his arrival invited spirits.
On the first day of this festival, the streets start repleting with parades where people wear colorful masks like that of a ghost and keep on singing and dancing all over. Once another day beings, there comes a new variant, which is the rocket festival in which the rockets are shot up in the sky, it is named as the Boon Bang Fai. And, then on the last day, the Buddhist monks conclude the festival with their wise words.
Strike out the calendar on: 5th July to 7th July
Celebration locus: Dan Sai district, Thailand
5. Pierce To Please The Thai Gods – Vegetarian Festival
If you are a soft-hearted then this festival is not for you as the celebrations are extreme to such an extent that the disciples go for intense twinging piercings on their body parts. Celebrated by the Chinese community to pay their devotion to the Nine Emperors Gods, this festival is centralized on the vow of abandoning meat, garlic, and onions for a month.
With blasting opera music, the followers stroll on the roads and perform several acts that will just blow off your mind. While some of them just dance, others go for extreme body piercings, this festival is just one of its kind and is a pride of Phuket
Strike out the calendar on: 29th September to 7th October
Celebration locus: Phuket, Thailand
6. Witness The Spectrum Of Vibrant Hues – Chinese New year
Wow! This is what you will say when you experience this festival! All over Chinatown, the alleys are packed with dancing lions, dragons and firecrackers that extends an unmatched beauty. The place turns lively and the enthusiasm of people boost up to the notch as soon as the new year strikes.
While the streets begin to transform, the tourism of this place hikes up and travelers from all over the world come here to witness the Chinese culture. The realm and grandeur which is showcased at this time by the locals will just melt your heart away.
Strike out the calendar on: 25th January
Celebration locus: Bangkok, Thailand
7. Taste The Tinge Of Flavors – Fruit Festival
Heard about the extravaganza of fruits? This festival is an excellent epitome of fruit variety. From the basic dragon fruit to the Queen of fruits, Mangosteen, here you can have all of them. The best part of this festival is that you can not only look at uncommon fruits, but you can also try them and buy.
All of them are homegrown and not sourced from anywhere, and are pretty unique to the visitors. At this place, one can also devour the King of fruits, Durian and give taste buds a delight with long lasting taste. Without recreation, a festival is always incomplete! To keep up to the entertainment quest, here you can also witness the live performances.
Strike out the calendar on: End of May.
Celebration locus: Chanthaburi, Thailand
8. A Celebration Of Integrity & Honor – Father’s Day & Mother’s Day
One should never forget their king and queen and Thai people strongly keep up to this idea. Entire country celebrates the king’s birthday as Father’s day and the queens birthday as Mother’s day.
The roads start inundating with colorful parades, exotic food stalls and to keep up the entertainment alive, there are also music performances. Be it the sense of respect or a way of showing gratitude, Thailand lacks nowhere and pays respect to the crowned head.
Strike out the calendar on: Mother’s Day on 12th August and Father’s Day on 5th December
Celebration locus: Entire Thailand
9. See The Buffaloes Gushing – Buffalo Racing Festival
Call it the Buffalo racing or Wing Kwai, it’s the same. Celebrated by the locals of Chonburi province, the Buffaloes here race down with each other on a 100-meter course, which is all marshy. Ever seen decorated Buffaloes? Well, the answer is obviously No, but here you can see them all covered in several colors and with unique things which will amaze you.
Also, you need no to worry about the location as it is just an hour away from Bangkok and if you visit the city at this time, then witnessing this festival is indeed a choice with zero regrets.
Strike out the calendar on: 23rd October.
Celebration locus: Chonburi, Thailand
10. Give A Feast To The Monkeys – Monkey Festival
Who does not know about Lord Hanuman! Since the era gone by apes are always welcomed by Thailand, The locals of Lopburi give the festivities to the monkeys and they enjoy the food offered to them.
Believe it or not, but 4 tons of fruits and vegetables are given to the monkeys and this is nothing less than a treat to them. If you get a chance to visit Thailand in November, then skipping out on the celebration is something you’ll regret later. Make sure you don’t go too close to them, as they might even snatch things from you.
Strike out the calendar on: 23rd to 24th November
Celebration locus: Lopburi, 150 km from Bangkok, Thailand
