€£$
по-русскиen Español (pronto)
enter
1511things to do
in the world
240things to do
in Thailand
114things to do
in Phuket

Attend the Vegetarian Festivalin Phuket, Thailand

#33of 114 things to doin Phuket

Oddviser

adventure's step-by-step
recipes & lifehacks
How to ride a board on volcano in Nicaragua?How to walk inside the active volcano in Greece?How to feed flying dogs in the jungles of Thailand?How to cycle along the Great Wall of China?How to swim in the famous Trevi Fountain in Rome?How to ride a kayak along the canals of Venice?How to walk on the roofs of skyscrapers in Dubai?
Join usit's more fun together :)
The bright and strange festival that is held yearly in Phuket attracts thousands of spectators.
How to attend the Vegetarian Festival in Phuket
This extraordinary event is held in Phuket yearly at the end of September or early October, the date is fluctuating from year to year and the exact timetable can be referenced at the Festival’s official website here: http://www.phuketvegetarian.com.

 The Vegetarian Festival includes festive corteges and ceremonies, but taking part in them is reserved only for people following these strict rules: besides the normal humanistic “thou-shall-not-kill”, “thou-shall-not-steal” or “thou-shall-not-lie”, the participants must not swear, fight, argue, eat meat, drink alcohol, take drugs, smoke, gamble or have sex.

Pregnant women are forbidden from even watching the rituals - it is not surprising, seeing as such ceremonies have serious effect on the fragile psyche. The thing is, this Festival’s ceremonies are often followed by self-flagellating and self-inflicted torture - particularly when the Thai Chinese join the rituals. They often fall into religious trance, pierce their cheeks and lips with sharp things and cut their tongues with axes. These guys seriously believe that this masochism earns them special favor from gods, who will also keep them from getting really hurt during the Festival.



One look at these people with mutilated faces can be horrifying, however, this is what makes the Festival so popular - like a train-wreck you can’t look away from, this terrifying event gathers spectators from all over the world.

Reviews

Guest28 March 2025

More things to do in Phuket

DMARC CheckGet instant DMARC check on DmarcDkim.comadvertisement

DMARC allows you to discover, monitor, and fix weak spots in your email setup, prevent email spoofing, and increase email deliverability. Is your domain vulnerable?

#25Make a nude style photo shoot in PhuketMake a nude style photo shootAnna Grishina

Make a custom photo shoot in the nude style with the famous photographer Ilya Bukowski.

7300
#3Celebrate Songkran New Year in PhuketCelebrate Songkran New YearEugene Krasowski

The tradition of impetuous water splashing during this holiday not only cheers up but is believed to purify souls.

FREE
#24Set off a Firecracker at a Temple in PhuketSet off a Firecracker at a Templeoddviser

Did you know that setting off firecrackers in the right place at the right time could turn out to be a real karma ritual?

Wat Chalong
#69Try mangosteen in PhuketTry mangosteenКристина Нестеренко

In addition to the stunning aesthetic and taste properties this delicious fruit has a high mineral elements content.

35
#36Try local Chalong Bay rum in PhuketTry local Chalong Bay rumoddviser

Try out Thai «Chalong Bay» rum right at the production factory

300Rum Factory
#27Feed the tiger cubs in PhuketFeed the tiger cubsoddviser

Here you can pet the adult tigers, play with the cubs and even give them milk.

1000The Tiger Kingdom zoo
#1Ride the underwater bike in PhuketRide the underwater bikeKateryna Plakhotna

Rent the underwater bike and have the high-level adventure right on the other side of the ocean’s surface.

3200
#29Swim with the leopard catsharks in PhuketSwim with the leopard catsharksoddviser

The memorable diving in the company of leopard catsharks can be found near the islands of Phi-Phi.

4400
#18Feed wild monkeys in PhuketFeed wild monkeysoddviser

The slopes of Monkey Hill are the home for many wild macaques, to whom you can bring fruits, nuts and other treats.

FREEMonkey Hill
#58Try sugarcane fresh in PhuketTry sugarcane freshoddviser

This unusual drink is not only tasty and useful, but also energizes you for the whole day.

#99Help orphans in PhuketHelp orphansoddviser

Helping orphans is arguably the most important pursuit in one’s life. To hear a happy child laugh is the highest possible reward!

FREEOrphanage Centre
Know more things to do?Guest

Share your ideas of what to do in Phuket with other travellers — together we'll make our travellings more interesting!

Photo credit © http://pixanews.com