The 2018 Phuket Vegetarian Festival volition live held from 8 - eighteen Oct 2018. In 2017 the festival was on from 19 - 29 Oct 2017. The dates modify every year, equally it's based on the Chinese lunar calendar. It's my favourite Phuket termination / festival together with I ever receive got also many photos! I sold my "nice" photographic television camera a patch back, together with for the lastly few years receive got been using a combination of an former (but OK) Lumix mixed amongst iPhone photos! I am thinking of buying a novel fancy photographic television camera during 2018. In 2017 I to a greater extent than or less totally ignored the festival because all the chief events together with processions were cancelled due to King Bhumibol's funeral taking identify the same week. In 2018 I await things to maybe live fifty-fifty wilder to brand upward for the sadness of 2017.
There is a lot to this festival, it took me a few years to understand, together with in that location are notwithstanding parts of the festival I receive got non seen much - I receive got exclusively attended i firewalking termination together with it was hence crowded that I didn't larn bully photos. And until 2014 I had non experienced the crazy lastly black procession inwards Phuket Town - I receive got instantly been a few times together with it's absolutely crazy!
Most of the events move on far away from the chief tourist beach areas, to a greater extent than oftentimes than non inwards together with around Phuket Town or at the diverse Chinese shrines around the island. If y'all are inwards Phuket during the festival, I genuinely produce recommend that y'all evidence to run into something!
I receive got written loads nearly the vegetarian festival on the Phuket weblog inwards the past times together with in that location are hundreds of photos on the weblog together with my Flickr account. For to a greater extent than data nearly Phuket's most unique together with bizarre festival start at:
• Phuket Vegetarian Festival - My Favourite Festival inwards Phuket.
Recent Vegetarian Festival Blog Posts
• 2016 Vegetarian Festival Photos
• Food at the Phuket Vegetarian Festival
• 2015 Phuket Vegetarian Festival
• The Crazy Last Night of the Vegetarian Festival
Phuket Vegetarian Festival Schedule 2018
Schedule - eighth to 18th Oct 2018
The start of the 2018 festival volition live Mon eighth Oct inwards the belatedly afternoon when the "lantern poles" are raised at all the participating shrines. The Emperor Gods are said to descend downwards the poles into the shrines at midnight. I oftentimes attend Kathu shrine (my local) equally I did inwards 2011 : Photos of Pole Raising together with Midnight Ceremony.
Not also much happens for the adjacent yoke of days, but the Chinese shrines are ever interesting to view whatsoever even or whatsoever fourth dimension during the festival really. The outset large street procession volition live on the 11th Oct ... or genuinely the tenth - a few years agone the pocket-sized "Naka" shrine joined equally a newcomer inwards the festival together with volition probable live the outset to receive got a procession. All the chief processions top through the former Phuket town area, all of them start early on (around 7am or earlier), all complete either at Sapan Hin (south destination of town) or dorsum at their domicile shrines if the shrine is inwards Phuket Town.
Monday Oct 8th
At all the Chinese shrines, sometime betwixt iv - 6pm - raising of the Go Teng pole. Events at the shrines volition larn on all evening. The lanterns are hung from the pole at midnight, signifying the start of the festival. There volition live enough of firecrackers together with fireworks too. In 2011, I went dorsum to the shrine but before midnight expecting some bizarre ceremonies, but it was far to a greater extent than hushed together with reverential together with sort of spooky. Did non move out the shrine until 1am together with people were notwithstanding gathered in that location maxim prayers.
ninth - tenth Oct - in that location are no large events on the outset ii days of the festival except for a pocket-sized procession from Naka shrine on the 10th, but people tin view whatsoever shrine at whatsoever time, together with the Jae (เจ) nutrient is to live constitute all over the isle but to a greater extent than oftentimes than non around the shrines together with peculiarly inwards Phuket Town. The festival has many aspects together with the nutrient is i business office of it. I unremarkably evidence to stick to the strict diet during the festival. No meat, no alcohol. Not but "no meat" - it's vegan, hence no dairy either together with the nutrient is specially prepared amongst construct clean utensils together with for certain other ingredients similar garlic together with onions are non allowed due to the potent flavour. Don't worry if y'all are non vegetarian, almost all restaurants are opened upward equally normal inwards tourist areas. In fact, it tin live difficult to discovery the special festival nutrient close the beaches.
Wednesday Oct 10th
Street procession into Phuket Town from Naka Shrine, located adjacent to the weekend marketplace but exterior Phuket Town. This shrine is a newcomer to the festival together with has exclusively been doing processions for a few years. I visited inwards 2014 together with it was quite crowded amongst "pro" photographers looking to larn the outset photos of the festival. Some photos here.
Thursday Oct 11th
Street procession starting 7am for Sapam Shrine - this shrine is a few km N of Phuket Town (about a 10km walk from the shrine to Sapan Hin). To run into piercing taking identify at whatsoever shrine y'all receive got to live in that location before 7am. Try 6am. In the evening, around 7pm (better larn in that location earlier), in that location volition live some other procession around Kathu hamlet for the Birth together with Death Gods (Lam Tao together with Pak Tao). I was in that location lastly few years for this really noisy procession! Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 similar procession also takes identify at several other shrines on the same evening. I believe in that location is a really large i at Jui Tui Shrine.
Below - Birth / Death Gods Procession at Kathu Shrine inwards 2014
Friday Oct 12th
Today's large street procession is from Sam Kong Shrine. Procession goes from the shrine inwards the N of town (not far from Tesco Lotus), past times the Bangkok-Phuket Hospital together with through the former department of Phuket town. The shrine is non far from my identify together with I discovery that they receive got some pretty gory confront piercing! The Sam Kong expanse is also a adept expanse for nutrient hunting during the festival though parking is a b*tch, in that location are stalls all along the street hither for one-half a kilometer. It's a adept i to attend early on inwards the morning.
Saturday Oct 13th
The street procession today is from Tha Ruea shrine which is inwards the Thalang expanse of Phuket inwards the middle of the isle - this used to live the chief town inwards Phuket a yoke of hundred years agone together with in that location are several historic temples inwards the expanse together with the annual Heroines Festival celebrating an of import appointment inwards the history of Phuket - the Heroines flush predates the Vegetarian Festival past times several decades.
Sunday Oct 14th
Lots of things going on today... In the morning time (7am), a huge street procession inwards Phuket Town for the Bang Neow Shrine, which is inwards the due south of the town on Phuket Road, i of the biggest together with most of import shrines participating inwards the festival. Expect really large crowds inwards town on this day. I receive got been inwards town many times for the Bang Neow procession, but receive got non tried to move inwards the temple due to the set out of people. There is also a smaller procession starting 7am from Cherng Talay Shrine which takes identify inwards Thalang district inwards the Cherng Talay area. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 adept i to run into if your hotel is inwards Kamala, Surin or Bang Tao beaches together with y'all don't desire to caput all the way to town.
Also on this appointment ... Fire Walking at several locations including Sapam Shrine, Sapan Hin (participants from Jui Tui shrine), Baan Tha Reua Shrine together with Sui Boon Tong shrine (just due west of the marketplace together with non far from Jui Tui shrine inwards Phuket Town). Fire walking kicks off around 8pm. Maybe I'll evidence to larn some firewalking photos over again this year.
Below - Phuket Town Procession Photos - Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2014
Monday Oct 15th
Street procession starting at Jui Tui shrine, which is in all likelihood the biggest shrine inwards Phuket town - but due west of the chief market. I went to run into the procession inwards 2013 together with 2014 - it was really crowded but I got lots of photos! It is difficult to move inwards the shrine early on morning, ameliorate to discovery a spot but exterior or along the procession road - the road is ever slow to discovery - but follow the people together with the piddling shrines that people laid upward exterior their houses - that agency the procession is coming this way! The expanse around Jui Tui together with along the street from the marketplace is ever busy together with lined amongst nutrient stalls during the entire festival.
Later inwards the day, in that location are lots of events on the schedule at diverse shrines including bladed ladder climbing at Sam Kong together with Bang Neow shrines together with "nail span crossing" at Sapam Shrine. Not for certain what that is! We did larn to lookout bladed ladder climbing i fourth dimension at Sam Kong, I did non receive got a photographic television camera equally it was a fleck rainy outside, the conditions tin live a employment concern at this fourth dimension of year, but usually non also bad together with sometimes darn hot! The bladed ladder climbing did non seem also dramatic. Can't state I saw whatsoever haemorrhage feet!
Tuesday Oct 16th
Street procession from Kathu shrine to Phuket Town. It's a long walk this one, nearly 10km from Kathu Shrine all the way to town, around the former town together with ending at Sapan Hin. Kathu is my "local" shrine. The shrine is exclusively nearly a mile from my house. I receive got been in that location early on (6 - 6:30am) the lastly iv years to lookout piercing rituals. Should evidence to larn in that location fifty-fifty earlier. 6:30am is a fleck also belatedly really! Must brand an extra effort! I retrieve 5:30am would live better. But difficult work! Things move on early on inwards the morning time that are mysterious. The piercing may freak people out the outset fourth dimension they run into it. I am instantly but looking for ameliorate photographic television camera angles together with desire to larn some video too.
Below - Kathu Shrine Piercing together with Firecrackers - Phuket Vegetarian Festival
Later inwards the even on Oct 16th - plough over notice walking at Bang Neow, Cherng Talay together with Sam Kong shrines. Got to live worth a look!
Wednesday Oct 17th
The lastly total 24-hour interval of the vegetarian festival. There is a street procession for Sui Boon Tong shrine inwards town early on inwards the morning time which I attended for the outset fourth dimension inwards 2016, hence events such equally firewalking at Kathu shrine inwards the afternoon - I went inwards 2010 together with I did receive got some photos, but the firewalking seems to depict really large crowds. Maybe I'll evidence over again this twelvemonth at i of the shrines. Maybe come upward amongst a stepladder to shoot photos over everyone's heads! Or a GoPro photographic television camera on a selfie stick mightiness work!
In the evening/night of the lastly 24-hour interval (17th October) in that location is live a huge procession around Phuket Town, amongst people carrying statues of the gods to Sapan Hin. Millions of firecrackers together with fireworks. It is absolutely mad. I went for the outset fourth dimension inwards 2014. Again inwards 2015 together with 2016. There is hence much smoke together with hence many firecrackers, it's advisable to wearable long trousers, a shirt amongst long sleeves together with something to a greater extent than than flip flops or you'll larn burnt feet! Need to wearable a textile or confront mask over your confront too, to avoid also much smoke inhalation! And earplugs would live a adept idea. It's similar a warzone. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 friend had a firecracker state inwards his steal a few years agone together with melt his iPod! Read to a greater extent than @ Final Night of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival.
Earlier inwards the even on the lastly black in that location is the "Bridge Crossing for Purification" ceremony at the shrines. We did this inwards 2011 together with it was an even I enjoyed really much. Everyone inwards white, lots of smiles, no bloody faces, seemed similar the whole hamlet was there!
Below - Crossing the Bridge for Purification - Phuket Vegetarian Festival
Below - Final Night inwards Phuket Town - Phuket Vegetarian Festival
Thursday Oct 18th
At nearly 5pm the lantern poles (Go Teng poles) volition live lowered at the shrines marker the really destination of the 2018 Phuket vegetarian festival.
See y'all there?
Where are the shrines? Location Map - Chinese Shrines inwards Phuket
View Phuket Vegetarian Festival Chinese Shrines inwards a larger map Sumber http://jamie-monk.blogspot.com
There is a lot to this festival, it took me a few years to understand, together with in that location are notwithstanding parts of the festival I receive got non seen much - I receive got exclusively attended i firewalking termination together with it was hence crowded that I didn't larn bully photos. And until 2014 I had non experienced the crazy lastly black procession inwards Phuket Town - I receive got instantly been a few times together with it's absolutely crazy!
Most of the events move on far away from the chief tourist beach areas, to a greater extent than oftentimes than non inwards together with around Phuket Town or at the diverse Chinese shrines around the island. If y'all are inwards Phuket during the festival, I genuinely produce recommend that y'all evidence to run into something!
I receive got written loads nearly the vegetarian festival on the Phuket weblog inwards the past times together with in that location are hundreds of photos on the weblog together with my Flickr account. For to a greater extent than data nearly Phuket's most unique together with bizarre festival start at:
• Phuket Vegetarian Festival - My Favourite Festival inwards Phuket.
Recent Vegetarian Festival Blog Posts
• 2016 Vegetarian Festival Photos
• Food at the Phuket Vegetarian Festival
• 2015 Phuket Vegetarian Festival
• The Crazy Last Night of the Vegetarian Festival
Phuket Vegetarian Festival Schedule 2018
Schedule - eighth to 18th Oct 2018
The start of the 2018 festival volition live Mon eighth Oct inwards the belatedly afternoon when the "lantern poles" are raised at all the participating shrines. The Emperor Gods are said to descend downwards the poles into the shrines at midnight. I oftentimes attend Kathu shrine (my local) equally I did inwards 2011 : Photos of Pole Raising together with Midnight Ceremony.
Not also much happens for the adjacent yoke of days, but the Chinese shrines are ever interesting to view whatsoever even or whatsoever fourth dimension during the festival really. The outset large street procession volition live on the 11th Oct ... or genuinely the tenth - a few years agone the pocket-sized "Naka" shrine joined equally a newcomer inwards the festival together with volition probable live the outset to receive got a procession. All the chief processions top through the former Phuket town area, all of them start early on (around 7am or earlier), all complete either at Sapan Hin (south destination of town) or dorsum at their domicile shrines if the shrine is inwards Phuket Town.
Monday Oct 8th
At all the Chinese shrines, sometime betwixt iv - 6pm - raising of the Go Teng pole. Events at the shrines volition larn on all evening. The lanterns are hung from the pole at midnight, signifying the start of the festival. There volition live enough of firecrackers together with fireworks too. In 2011, I went dorsum to the shrine but before midnight expecting some bizarre ceremonies, but it was far to a greater extent than hushed together with reverential together with sort of spooky. Did non move out the shrine until 1am together with people were notwithstanding gathered in that location maxim prayers.
ninth - tenth Oct - in that location are no large events on the outset ii days of the festival except for a pocket-sized procession from Naka shrine on the 10th, but people tin view whatsoever shrine at whatsoever time, together with the Jae (เจ) nutrient is to live constitute all over the isle but to a greater extent than oftentimes than non around the shrines together with peculiarly inwards Phuket Town. The festival has many aspects together with the nutrient is i business office of it. I unremarkably evidence to stick to the strict diet during the festival. No meat, no alcohol. Not but "no meat" - it's vegan, hence no dairy either together with the nutrient is specially prepared amongst construct clean utensils together with for certain other ingredients similar garlic together with onions are non allowed due to the potent flavour. Don't worry if y'all are non vegetarian, almost all restaurants are opened upward equally normal inwards tourist areas. In fact, it tin live difficult to discovery the special festival nutrient close the beaches.
Wednesday Oct 10th
Street procession into Phuket Town from Naka Shrine, located adjacent to the weekend marketplace but exterior Phuket Town. This shrine is a newcomer to the festival together with has exclusively been doing processions for a few years. I visited inwards 2014 together with it was quite crowded amongst "pro" photographers looking to larn the outset photos of the festival. Some photos here.
Thursday Oct 11th
Street procession starting 7am for Sapam Shrine - this shrine is a few km N of Phuket Town (about a 10km walk from the shrine to Sapan Hin). To run into piercing taking identify at whatsoever shrine y'all receive got to live in that location before 7am. Try 6am. In the evening, around 7pm (better larn in that location earlier), in that location volition live some other procession around Kathu hamlet for the Birth together with Death Gods (Lam Tao together with Pak Tao). I was in that location lastly few years for this really noisy procession! Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 similar procession also takes identify at several other shrines on the same evening. I believe in that location is a really large i at Jui Tui Shrine.
Below - Birth / Death Gods Procession at Kathu Shrine inwards 2014
Friday Oct 12th
Today's large street procession is from Sam Kong Shrine. Procession goes from the shrine inwards the N of town (not far from Tesco Lotus), past times the Bangkok-Phuket Hospital together with through the former department of Phuket town. The shrine is non far from my identify together with I discovery that they receive got some pretty gory confront piercing! The Sam Kong expanse is also a adept expanse for nutrient hunting during the festival though parking is a b*tch, in that location are stalls all along the street hither for one-half a kilometer. It's a adept i to attend early on inwards the morning.
Saturday Oct 13th
The street procession today is from Tha Ruea shrine which is inwards the Thalang expanse of Phuket inwards the middle of the isle - this used to live the chief town inwards Phuket a yoke of hundred years agone together with in that location are several historic temples inwards the expanse together with the annual Heroines Festival celebrating an of import appointment inwards the history of Phuket - the Heroines flush predates the Vegetarian Festival past times several decades.
Sunday Oct 14th
Lots of things going on today... In the morning time (7am), a huge street procession inwards Phuket Town for the Bang Neow Shrine, which is inwards the due south of the town on Phuket Road, i of the biggest together with most of import shrines participating inwards the festival. Expect really large crowds inwards town on this day. I receive got been inwards town many times for the Bang Neow procession, but receive got non tried to move inwards the temple due to the set out of people. There is also a smaller procession starting 7am from Cherng Talay Shrine which takes identify inwards Thalang district inwards the Cherng Talay area. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 adept i to run into if your hotel is inwards Kamala, Surin or Bang Tao beaches together with y'all don't desire to caput all the way to town.
Also on this appointment ... Fire Walking at several locations including Sapam Shrine, Sapan Hin (participants from Jui Tui shrine), Baan Tha Reua Shrine together with Sui Boon Tong shrine (just due west of the marketplace together with non far from Jui Tui shrine inwards Phuket Town). Fire walking kicks off around 8pm. Maybe I'll evidence to larn some firewalking photos over again this year.
Below - Phuket Town Procession Photos - Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2014
Monday Oct 15th
Street procession starting at Jui Tui shrine, which is in all likelihood the biggest shrine inwards Phuket town - but due west of the chief market. I went to run into the procession inwards 2013 together with 2014 - it was really crowded but I got lots of photos! It is difficult to move inwards the shrine early on morning, ameliorate to discovery a spot but exterior or along the procession road - the road is ever slow to discovery - but follow the people together with the piddling shrines that people laid upward exterior their houses - that agency the procession is coming this way! The expanse around Jui Tui together with along the street from the marketplace is ever busy together with lined amongst nutrient stalls during the entire festival.
Later inwards the day, in that location are lots of events on the schedule at diverse shrines including bladed ladder climbing at Sam Kong together with Bang Neow shrines together with "nail span crossing" at Sapam Shrine. Not for certain what that is! We did larn to lookout bladed ladder climbing i fourth dimension at Sam Kong, I did non receive got a photographic television camera equally it was a fleck rainy outside, the conditions tin live a employment concern at this fourth dimension of year, but usually non also bad together with sometimes darn hot! The bladed ladder climbing did non seem also dramatic. Can't state I saw whatsoever haemorrhage feet!
Tuesday Oct 16th
Street procession from Kathu shrine to Phuket Town. It's a long walk this one, nearly 10km from Kathu Shrine all the way to town, around the former town together with ending at Sapan Hin. Kathu is my "local" shrine. The shrine is exclusively nearly a mile from my house. I receive got been in that location early on (6 - 6:30am) the lastly iv years to lookout piercing rituals. Should evidence to larn in that location fifty-fifty earlier. 6:30am is a fleck also belatedly really! Must brand an extra effort! I retrieve 5:30am would live better. But difficult work! Things move on early on inwards the morning time that are mysterious. The piercing may freak people out the outset fourth dimension they run into it. I am instantly but looking for ameliorate photographic television camera angles together with desire to larn some video too.
Below - Kathu Shrine Piercing together with Firecrackers - Phuket Vegetarian Festival
Later inwards the even on Oct 16th - plough over notice walking at Bang Neow, Cherng Talay together with Sam Kong shrines. Got to live worth a look!
Wednesday Oct 17th
The lastly total 24-hour interval of the vegetarian festival. There is a street procession for Sui Boon Tong shrine inwards town early on inwards the morning time which I attended for the outset fourth dimension inwards 2016, hence events such equally firewalking at Kathu shrine inwards the afternoon - I went inwards 2010 together with I did receive got some photos, but the firewalking seems to depict really large crowds. Maybe I'll evidence over again this twelvemonth at i of the shrines. Maybe come upward amongst a stepladder to shoot photos over everyone's heads! Or a GoPro photographic television camera on a selfie stick mightiness work!
In the evening/night of the lastly 24-hour interval (17th October) in that location is live a huge procession around Phuket Town, amongst people carrying statues of the gods to Sapan Hin. Millions of firecrackers together with fireworks. It is absolutely mad. I went for the outset fourth dimension inwards 2014. Again inwards 2015 together with 2016. There is hence much smoke together with hence many firecrackers, it's advisable to wearable long trousers, a shirt amongst long sleeves together with something to a greater extent than than flip flops or you'll larn burnt feet! Need to wearable a textile or confront mask over your confront too, to avoid also much smoke inhalation! And earplugs would live a adept idea. It's similar a warzone. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 friend had a firecracker state inwards his steal a few years agone together with melt his iPod! Read to a greater extent than @ Final Night of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival.
Earlier inwards the even on the lastly black in that location is the "Bridge Crossing for Purification" ceremony at the shrines. We did this inwards 2011 together with it was an even I enjoyed really much. Everyone inwards white, lots of smiles, no bloody faces, seemed similar the whole hamlet was there!
Below - Crossing the Bridge for Purification - Phuket Vegetarian Festival
Below - Final Night inwards Phuket Town - Phuket Vegetarian Festival
Thursday Oct 18th
At nearly 5pm the lantern poles (Go Teng poles) volition live lowered at the shrines marker the really destination of the 2018 Phuket vegetarian festival.
See y'all there?
Where are the shrines? Location Map - Chinese Shrines inwards Phuket
View Phuket Vegetarian Festival Chinese Shrines inwards a larger map Sumber http://jamie-monk.blogspot.com