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Plan Your Perfect Holiday Around An Annual Event in Phuket

How to make your next holiday in Phuket memorable? Experience an annual event in Phuket and a luxurious stay at exclusive V Villas Phuket in Ao Yon Bay.

There are countless reasons why Phuket tops holiday makers’ travel plans. It’s a bucket-list destination, and one that travelers love returning to again and again. Situated on the Thailand western coast on the Andaman Sea, Phuket is the country’s most popular island destination. It is blessed with great year-round weather, beautiful pristine beaches, exciting water sports, a vibrant cultural scene, fabulous restaurants and nightlife, cool boutiques and street markets and some of the country’s best luxury hotels, including V Villas Phuket.

Moreover, Phuket is the jumping off point for exploring the country’s many tropical islands, making a perfect holiday base for island-hopping. Add to this a calendar of annual festivals in Phuket and events in Phuket, and the potential for a memorable holiday goes off the charts!

Festivals in Phuket include important festivals that are rooted in Thai and the island’s diverse culture. They focus on spirituality, folklore and food, and provide intriguing, fun-filled experiences that will stay with you! Events in Phuket include boat races, street festivals and neighborhood gatherings that celebrate island life, local food, crafts and water sports.

V Villas Phuket, situated 39m above sea level on a private hilltop overlooking secluded Ao Yon Bay, is a perfect spot for rest and relaxation and for enjoying events and festivals in Phuket. Each private pool villa includes dedicated 24-hour service — this means your butler can assist in planning and providing recommendations on how best to enjoy events in Phuket.

Annual Outdoor Events in Phuket

Pleasant sunshine and gentle sea breezes means spending time outdoors at an event or festival in Phuket is pleasant and refreshing. Grab your camera, a cool sun hat and enjoy these great outdoor events in Phuket.

Phuket’s seaside setting and beautiful bays makes it ideal for boat racing and regattas. The Phuket King’s Cup Regatta is one of the most prominent boat and yacht races in Southeast Asia. This festival in Phuket was launched by Thailand’s most loved monarch, the late His Royal Highness King Bhumibol who was a sailing enthusiast. The King’s Cup is held annually during the first week of December, which falls on His Majesty’s birthday. Yachts and sailors from around the world gather at Kata Beach. Races and celebratory events take place over the course of a week, and include a special candlelight commemoration to the King. Avid sailors and enthusiasts can watch the races by hiring a boat to go out on the water or from the beach.

The Bay Regatta or “the fun regatta” is another not-to-miss festival in Phuket. Attracting 50+ boats from around Asia, the race course begins in Koh Naka Yai, near Phuket Island, and goes to Krabi where it circles the Krabi Islands. The race ends at Chalong Bay in southern Phuket and is topped off with a great closing party. V Villas Phuket is a short drive from Chalong Bay, or better yet, sail there from V Villas’ beach on Ao Yon Bay!

The Phuket International Boat Show (PIMEX) is an event in Phuket that is perfect for sailors and boating enthusiasts. The event draws a bigger crowd each year, taking on the ambiance of a laid back, fun and lively festival in Phuket. The four day event in Phuket includes over 2000 sqm of exhibition space dedicated to showcasing boats and products from prestigious shipyards around the world.

Boats not your thing? Then check out Phuket Bike Week, a festival in Phuket revolving around motorbikes and motorcycles. Held on Patong Beach, an area famous for its adventurous parties and nightlife, Phuket Bike Week includes contests, beach parties, concerts and lots more. Attendants and their bikes come from all over, particularly Singapore, Malaysia, Hongkong.

Meanwhile get a runner’s high by participating in the Laguna Phuket Marathon and/or Triathlon. Thousands of runners from around the world attend this “Run in Paradise” event in Phuket which takes place in Bangtao Beach. A standard 26-mile marathon plus half marathon, 10k, 5k and 3k races are held over two days. The same location on Bangtao Beach is the stage for the Laguna Phuket Triathlon, an event in Phuket that attracts master athletes from around the world.

Traditional Festivals in Phuket

Attending a festival in Phuket is a wonderful opportunity to get to know the island culture and spirit.
By far the most famous festival in Phuket is the Vegetarian Festival. Held over nine days in October or the start of the ninth lunar month, the festival is rooted in Chinese cultural practice of abstaining from meat and stimulants during this period. It is believed that going “vegetarian” during the ninth lunar month will bring good luck and good health. This popular festival in Phuket includes cultural and folkloric parades and rituals, such as invoking and communing with the Gods through mediums. And, of course, there’s always really good vegetarian food!

Loi Krathong occurs in the autumn, either in October or November. Believed to have started 800 years ago in Sukhothai, this festival in Phuket involves releasing candlelight floats into the water. The practice is a demonstration of releasing the old regrets and ill deeds and welcoming in a new phase. It represents a fresh start. Every body of water in Phuket glitters with candlelight, creating a magical and spiritual festival in Phuket that shouldn’t be missed!

Chinese New Year, in January or February, and Songkran, the Thai New Year or Water Festival, held in April are also popular events in Phuket and good times to visit. Phuket’s Thai-Chinese communities put on quite a show over Chinese New Year. Shop and home entrances are full of red lanterns and flags, and there are many firecrackers and lion dances. Meanwhile, Songkran is full of fun, spirited energy. Neighbors pour water on each other to wash away the old and welcome the new year. Street festivals, beach events and fairs make Songrkan one of the liveliest and most popular festivals in Phuket.

The Por Tor or Hungry Ghost Festival is another important cultural festival in Phuket. Usually held in late August or early September, this Thai-Chinese festival is a merit making festival for appeasing and paying respect to ancestors and to spirits or ghosts that have no families. Full of magic and folklore, the festival is a great time to delve into mysterious Thai-Chinese cosmology and enjoy the red turtle-shaped desserts offered to the “ghosts”. Finally, the Karthu Festival takes place in Kathu, a small village in the center of Phuket Island. The predominantly Thai-Chinese community celebrates their local culture and roots in rice farming and tin mining. Live music shows, street food and craft stalls, and exhibitions make this a fun, low-key festival in Phuket that taps into the local scene.

Nightlife Events in Phuket

Nightlife is a big part of the Phuket experience. Contemporary restaurants, beachside and rooftop bars are one aspect. Another aspect are the evening night time and local events and festivals that add a cultural dimension.

Patong Carnival is an event in Phuket that kicks off the high season. Patong is known as the hub of Phuket’s party and nightlife scene, and the flamboyant costumes, dances, music and street fairs of carnival live up to the neighborhood’s reputation. If you want a night festival in Phuket full of outrageous fun, this is it! , with it’s hub of the island’s party scene,

The Wedding Festival celebrates Phuket’s Baba Pernakan culture – a mix of island, Malay, India and Chinese culture. It’s a great event for witnessing the many traditional Straits Chinese style weddings held in Old Phuket’s Town’s traditional Sino-Portugueses mansions. This festival in Phuket is usually held in June.

Finally, there’s the Phuket Old Town Festival! People often forget that Phuket’s old town is absolutely charming with its Sino-Portuguese shophouse and colorful markets. During this vibrant event in Phuket, the roads all around Old Town transform into walking streets with plenty of crafts, food and entertainment. Cultural parades, Chinese folk dances, the Baba Light Show and free boat rides along central Phuket canals are some of the top highlights. This festival in Phuket is usually held the week after Chinese New Year and runs from 3 pm to midnight.

Have we enticed you? Ready to plan your holiday around a festival in Phuket? Balance the liveliness and celebrations of attending an event in Phuket with a tranquil and indulgent stay at V Villas Phuket. Phuket and V Villas Phuket are waiting for you to join the celebrations!