Phuket Vegetarian Festival

The Vegetarian Festival takes place once a year during the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar. During this special occasion, people refrain from eating meat, drinking alcoholic drinks, engaging in sexual activities, quarrelling, telling lies and killing living things in the belief that this abstinence will bring good health and a peaceful mind.

In Phuket, the Vegetarian Festival is celebrated with more fervour than any other province in Thailand. Besides abstinence from various stimulants and eating vegetarian food, Phuket Vegetarian Festival also features many startling rituals such as firewalking, running across a bed of burning coals and climbing a high ladder of sharp blades. 

Festival highlights

During the Phuket Vegetarian Festival, visitors can participate in the vibrant opening ceremonies held at various Chinese shrines in the morning and later in the day, enjoy colourful parades on the streets. The parades are led by Mah Song, the spirit medium. Mah Song puncture themselves with sharp items such as knives and skewers in the belief that they are suffering the misfortunes on behalf of others. During the festival, local people light firecrackers all day and all night as they believe it will scare away evil spirits, as well as to pray for prosperity.

Best places to attend the festival in Phuket

Phuket Vegetarian Festival is usually held at every shrine across the island, but the most recommended venues are five of the oldest Chinese shrines on the island: Put Jaw Shrine, Jui Tui Shrine, Bang Niew Shrine, Cherngtalay Shrine and Kathu Shrine.

Getting to Phuket

The most convenient way to get to Phuket is to book a direct flight from Bangkok to Phuket which takes just over an hour.