Participate in the Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2024 - Dates
The festival starts on the first day of the 9th Chinese lunar month.It usually takes place near the six scattered Chinese temples throughout Phuket.
2024 Dates - 01-10 October
Witness the Festival - Venue
Jui Tui Shrine is this festival's main temple and is close to the Fresh Market in Phuket Town.Culture of the Phuket Veg Festivities
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Traditions and Rituals
Phuket Vegetarian Festival is not at all sober in any way. It is lively, full of devotees, loud, and chaotic. The festival begins with a ten-metre-tall Lantern Pole erected at a significant place. This Pole is believed to notify the Chinese Gods about the festivities' beginning. The revelers also believe that Lord Shiva, the Hindu God, descends to bring spiritual powers to the event. Mah songs – considered the forever unmarried people – pierce their cheeks with large spears and hooks. Some of them also carry out processions while throwing firecrackers and chanting mantras. Also, a special lion dance is performed in the crowd. The locals distribute orange clothes and papers among the group, which they believe are for good luck.Rules of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival
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- The local Chinese and Thai communities bring their household deities to the temple during this festival and offer them food and drinks. They believe that doing so will help their household gods to get an annual dose of spiritual power, which will benefit the people living in the house throughout the year.
- During this festival, the devotees are expected to abstain from meat, alcohol, sex, and healthy foods like onion and garlic, wear white, and keep pure thoughts in mind.
- Pregnant and menstruating women, and also the ones who are mourning, are not supposed to be a part of this festival ceremonies.
- All the participating food joints usually fly a yellow flag with some red Chinese sayings, which are believed to attract good luck.
- All restaurants are usually closed during these nine days, and only a few select food kiosks operate for the visitors at the marketplaces.
- The famous Thai noodle dishes are prepared without even a trace of fish sauce and meat. The vegetarian food which is available in the markets during this festival looks identical to chicken and pork; however, they are vegetarian. Even the usage of dairy products and eggs is prohibited during this time.
- During this festival, the devotees only wear white dresses as they feel that it’s the purest color of all.
The Backstory of the Festival
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Tourist Tips
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- Phuket Vegetarian Festival is all about extremities. Hence, it’s better not to take children along. You can participate in the processions and walk with the devotees in a trance.
- While enjoying the festivities, do not forget to gorge on the delicious festival special vegetarian delicacies that will be readily available in all the restaurants and food stalls.
- If you cannot reach the Jui Tui Shrine in Phuket, which is the main temple for the festival, you can experience the celebrations at other shrines, namely Phut Jaw, Bang Niew, Kathu, and Cherng Talay.
- The peak celebrations happen on the ninth and the final day of the festival when all the devotees carry out a farewell frenzy for sending all the nine Gods back home.