Thailand sets the stage for different festivals throughout the year. Attending the festivals is an opportunity to relate to the culture of the people. Visit Hat Yai to view lanterns, see flowers at Chiang Mai or partake in a Phuket holiday by feeding the hungry ghosts.
Lantern Festival
The Lantern festival occurs November to February with most festivities during the last week. In southern most tip of Thailand is the city of Hat Yai where a kaleidoscope of brilliant color and shapes take form in the night sky. Lanterns bring good luck and are a way of honoring deities and ancestors. Making lanterns is considered a good deed and brings favor to the maker. During the festivities, paper and bamboo lanterns are displayed in shapes of animals, fish and other figures. They are lit during the evening and some floating lanterns are released to honor the river spirits. Fireworks, beauty pageants and food and craft vendors are also enjoyed.
Flower Festival
Flowers bloom most prolifically in Chiang Mai from January to February and the flower festival takes full advantage of the bounty. Elaborate flower arrangements are displayed during the first weekend in February. A parade starts early Saturday morning with floats, pretty girls and costumed native dancers and ends in a big party.
Songkran
Songkran is an unusual festival that takes place in April all over Thailand. Do not expect to stay dry because good-natured water fights occur any time and anywhere. The festival is a celebration of a new year where the old is cleansed and the new is brought in. Buddha statutes are cleansed with water that is collected and given to families to pour over their shoulders to ensure good luck. Today it is not uncommon to see water gun fights in the streets, garden hoses ready at will and buckets of water filled.
Thailand International Kite Festival
This high flying festival is in March at the Rama VI Camp in Phetchaburi province. Kites from all over the world are on display and flown with workshops provided on making and flying regular and high tech kites. Watch aerial exhibitions illuminated at night, stunt shows and radio controlled kites or enjoy competitions on which kite flies the highest or is largest.
Por Tor Festival
Take a Phuket holiday during the Por Tor, Hungry Ghost Festival that usually occurs in April. The city of Phuket has a high population of Chinese who believe that ghostly antecessors are permitted to revisit their earthly homes once a year. They are hungry and must be fed. Sweet, sticky rice cakes that look like red turtles are offered to the ghosts along with other food and drink in order to stay in good favor. Most festivities take place around the temple Por Tor and other activities such as theater and musical shows are prevalent with seats being saved for the dead.
Thailand is a place rich in tradition and love of beauty and happiness. Their festivals reflect this appreciation and provide great fun and adventure.
Lantern Festival
The Lantern festival occurs November to February with most festivities during the last week. In southern most tip of Thailand is the city of Hat Yai where a kaleidoscope of brilliant color and shapes take form in the night sky. Lanterns bring good luck and are a way of honoring deities and ancestors. Making lanterns is considered a good deed and brings favor to the maker. During the festivities, paper and bamboo lanterns are displayed in shapes of animals, fish and other figures. They are lit during the evening and some floating lanterns are released to honor the river spirits. Fireworks, beauty pageants and food and craft vendors are also enjoyed.
Flower Festival
Flowers bloom most prolifically in Chiang Mai from January to February and the flower festival takes full advantage of the bounty. Elaborate flower arrangements are displayed during the first weekend in February. A parade starts early Saturday morning with floats, pretty girls and costumed native dancers and ends in a big party.
Songkran
Songkran is an unusual festival that takes place in April all over Thailand. Do not expect to stay dry because good-natured water fights occur any time and anywhere. The festival is a celebration of a new year where the old is cleansed and the new is brought in. Buddha statutes are cleansed with water that is collected and given to families to pour over their shoulders to ensure good luck. Today it is not uncommon to see water gun fights in the streets, garden hoses ready at will and buckets of water filled.
Thailand International Kite Festival
This high flying festival is in March at the Rama VI Camp in Phetchaburi province. Kites from all over the world are on display and flown with workshops provided on making and flying regular and high tech kites. Watch aerial exhibitions illuminated at night, stunt shows and radio controlled kites or enjoy competitions on which kite flies the highest or is largest.
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Por Tor Festival
Take a Phuket holiday during the Por Tor, Hungry Ghost Festival that usually occurs in April. The city of Phuket has a high population of Chinese who believe that ghostly antecessors are permitted to revisit their earthly homes once a year. They are hungry and must be fed. Sweet, sticky rice cakes that look like red turtles are offered to the ghosts along with other food and drink in order to stay in good favor. Most festivities take place around the temple Por Tor and other activities such as theater and musical shows are prevalent with seats being saved for the dead.
Thailand is a place rich in tradition and love of beauty and happiness. Their festivals reflect this appreciation and provide great fun and adventure.