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Visit Phuket Island and find that there are many great, fun things to do and places to visit on your next family vacation. Phuket is probably the most accessible of Thailand’s island destinations and it serves as the gateway to the world famous Thai islands, national parks, and beaches.
No matter what time of the year or weather condition, being in Phuket guarantees fun activities all year round. It boasts a rich cultural heritage that has made it a holiday destination for a long time now.
The food in Phuket is amazingly varied, and as the locals say, “there’s always something for everyone!” No matter what your preferences are – whether you’re looking to sample some very cheap and tasty street food or dine in the finest restaurants around town, Phuket is simply the place to be. Here’s a helpful guide to get you started:
‘Songkran’, which means “to pass/move into” in ancient Sanskrit, is the name given to the annual Thai festival, which celebrates the ‘Thai New Year’. Songkran is a nationwide holiday and is a time when younger generations pay respect to the elder generations by sprinkling their hands with water.
In recent years, Songkran has been adopted by the fun-loving younger generations as a great excuse for a nationwide water fight! Expect to see hundreds of people in the streets throwing water at each other, which is symbolises wishing someone ‘good luck’ for the coming year…during April, the hottest month of the year, you will be grateful for the splash! Songkran is a wonderful day for families and friends to get together and a truly memorable occasion for tourists.
Celebrate the Songkran festival with us at Serenity & East 88 on Sunday 13th April 2013, where there will be food, drinks and some great entertainment. From just 880 Baht ++ for adults and 440 Baht ++ for Children, enjoy our wonderful Buffet dinner, DJ and Water entertainment by the sea at East 88 Beach Lounge. Don’t miss this magical event, contact us at east88@serenityphuket.com to make your reservation!
Thinking about booking your next visit to Phuket? Not sure when to come? To help you decide, here is a mix of some of the coolest, most fun, most different and most interesting events and festivals coming up in 2013 in Phuket. Gee, our very own Events & Marketing Manager, is ‘in-the-know’ about all the best places to see and be seen in Phuket, from Traditional Thai festivals through to International shows and Charity Events. So, without further ado, here are Gee’s Top 10 Events & Festivities for the remainder of 2013 in chronological order:
When: March 21 – 24, 2013
Time: 11.00 – 19.00h
Where: The Royal Phuket Marina (RPM), Kho Keaw
The Phuket International Boat Show (PIMEX), this year celebrates it’s 10th anniversary. Located at The Royal Phuket Marina (RPM) in Koh Kaew, the boat show takes place in a purpose built exhibition area, overlooking the marina, with a selection of fine dining venues. PIMEX showcases a range of luxury yachts as well as marine accessories, equipment, yachting services and more.
When: March 24, 2013
Time: from 19.00h
Where: Da Vinci Restaurant, Nai Harn Beach
Black is back, perhaps the most fashionable happening this spring, is the 3rd charity fashion show at Da Vinci Restaurant, in Nai Harn, not far from Serenity. This glamorous fashion event features special collections from European and Thai designers and an excellent selection of Italian food. Designers, models, photographers, stylists and all the islands fashion followers will be there.
When: April 13 – 15, 2013
Songkran is a magical time of year, where Thailand celebrates the Thai New Year. Family and friends gather together to ‘liberally’ spray each other, and often passers-by, with water as an act of wishing good luck for the coming year. Songkran is a unique and wonderful festival and is great fun for families and friends alike. Don’t be surprised if you get embroiled in a water-fight though!
When: April 14 – 21, 2013
Where: Patong Beach
This year is the 19th Annual Phuket Bike Week, dubbed “ASEAN Ride Together” and is the biggest motorcycle event in Asia. Phuket Bike Week attracts more than 5,000 motorcycles of all shapes and sizes, with more than 30,000 visitors from 26 countries. Featuring Bike Exhibitions, live music, custom bike competitions, beauty competitions, motocross and more, Phuket Bike Week is a great event to see.
When: 18-19 May 2013
Featuring activities, seminars, classes and a party, the 2nd Annual Rawai-Nai Harn Health & Fitness Festival kicks off on the 18th May. For the fitness enthusiasts amongst you, this is not to be missed.
When: July 17 – 21, 2013
Where: Cape Panwa Bay
The 10th Annual Phuket Race Week is a 4-day world class yachting regatta, with award ceremonies and parties after each day’s racing, with the races broadcasted to 140 million people worldwide. There are 7 racing divisions, with everything from small mono-hull yachts to large multi-hulls competing for honors.
When: October, 2013 (Date to be announced)
Where: Chinese Shrines on the Island
The Phuket Vegetarian Festival is a colourful and unique event, usually held over a 9 day period, celebrates the Chinese communities belief that abstinence from meat and other kinds of stimulant for that period, promotes good health and peace of mind.
When: November 24 – 1 December 2013
Where: Laguna Phuket
The Challenge Laguna Phuket Triathlon, is Asia’s number 1 destination triathlon, with a 12 kilometer Run, 1.8 kilometer swim and a 55 kilometer bike ride, through some of the world’s most spectacular tropical scenery. Entrants come from all over the world and are from all different age groups and is a fun day out watching and supporting.
When: November 17, 2013
Loy Krathong is Thailands ‘festival of lights’ and is held on the evening of the full moon of the 12 month on the Lunar Calendar.”Loy” which means to float and “krathong” which means a leaf cup or bowl, is a must see event for Phuket’s visitors and is a great evening for for families and couples. Krathongs are released into the ocean or rivers, at sunset, with a prayer, to promote good luck for the coming year.
When: 30 November to 7 December
Where: Kata Beach
The Phuket King’s Cup Regatta, is Asia’s biggest and most popular Yacht racing event.Inaugurated in 1987 to celebrate the 60th Birthday of His Majesty the King of Thailand, the King’s Cup Regatta is more than just a boat racing regatta, with parties and events throughout the week.
Do you agree? Do you think there are other some better local beaches that we didn’t mention? Think others would agree? Let us know your thoughts at blog@serenityphuket.com.
The 2nd Saturday in January in Thailand…today…is national childrens day or ‘Wan Dek’. Childrens day is a wonderful time, where families and children get together to celebrate and give kids the opportunity to have fun. The streets are awash with local events and festivities for the kids, with many government offices open to families and their children.
Children can enjoy tours of everything from official government buildings like Government house through to guided tours of military aircraft and ships, with many businesses providing free entry to attractions and more.
In keeping with Children’s day traditions, the Serenity team took this opportunity to give something back to the local community, Â here are 2 of our Children’s day initiatives:
The team of Serenity (top) led by Financial Controller Ms. Tang (third from left) and Human Resources Manager Ms. Mook (far right) recently donated bicycles for underprivileged children of the local Rawai community. The donation was received by a local representative of the village.
Serenity donated 100 gift sets for the children at Watsawangarom School in Rawai for the occasion of the National children’s day.
Happy Children’s day to all!
Find more information about the Serenity Community Social Responsibility scheme here.
Loy Krathong, Thailand’s ‘Festival of lights’, on 28th November 2012, is an annual event, held on the evening of the Full moon of the 12th month of the Thai Lunar Calendar. “Loy” which means ‘to float’ and ‘krathong’ which means ‘a leaf cup or bowl’, is a must see event for Phuket’s visitors and is a great evening for for families and couples.
‘Krathongs’ are released into the ocean or rivers, at sunset, with a prayer, to promote good luck for the coming year. Some people even place personal items on their Krathongs, like strands of hair, to symbolise the washing away of their sins and misfortunes of the previous year. For the romantic amongst you, Loy Krathong is also the time for couples to wish for happiness and success in Love in the coming year.
Krathongs can be purchased from one of the many makeshift market stalls along the streets, and are made from Banana Leaves, flowers, leaving room for candles and incense sticks. Loy Krathong always falls on Thai school holidays, so during the day the whole family are often involved in making elaborately decorated Kratongs. Often, thousands of ‘Khom Loi’ or Chinese Lanterns are launched into the night sky, truly a sight to behold.
Celebrate the Loy Krathong festival with us at Serenity & East 88 on 28th November, where there will be food, drinks and entertainment. From just 1,200++ for adults and 500++ for Children, enjoy our traditional Thai Buffet, welcome cocktail, Thai Dance Show, competitions and more. Don’t miss the magical evening, contact us at east88@serenityphuket.com to make your reservation!
This October 14, Phukets famous Vegetarian Festival begins and lasts for 9 days. Dating back to 1825, this festival is a true cultural experience. The participants beleive that participating in the events and rituals bestows good fortune upon them. Sacred rituals are perfomed in various shrines (mainly in the Phuket town area – Around 15-20 minutes from Serenity) by the devotees of Thai Chinese origin. The history of the festival originates in the early 1800s when a Chinese Opera came to perform for Thai miners working in Phuket and when the entire group of performers fell sick, they all restrcited themselves to a strict vegetarian diet to honor the Emperor Gods. When their sickness disapeared, the locals began following this ritual once a year to bring good luck to its participants.
Be Warned – the festival is not for everyone to witness, especially not for the faint at heart. The tranced participants, belonging to local shrines, parade the streets while walking on burning coals, piercing their bodies, and other acts of self mortification. Specially prepared Vegan dishes can be found all over Phuket towns food stalls and markets during this event.
For those who want to preview the event, here is a short video. Please dont watch this if your not up to seeing the tranced locals doing their thing.
Here is a link to the formal Thai Tourism Authority 2012 Phuket Vegetarian Festival Guide with lots of details on what, how, when, etc. Phuket Vegetarian Festival – Complete 2012 Guide
