Thailand is filled with wonders that draw visitors all year round. Adding an enchanting allure are the many festivals that occur throughout the year. Some are nationwide, some are local, and all provide visitors with opportunities to witness and join Thailand’s many unique traditions.

Thais know how to party, and there are many different festivals and celebrations – too many for just one article. Here, we’ll cover a few of the main holidays in Thailand to give you an idea why this is the Land of Smiles!

Nationwide Festivals

Songkran: Water, Water, Everywhere!

Songkran, or Thai New Year, falls on 13 April every year, but the national holiday usually runs from 13 to 15 April. This allows Thais to travel home to celebrate with their friends and family. And how do they celebrate? To the outside observer, it would seem like the entire country breaks out in a nationwide water fight. While water blessings can get carried away, there is also plenty of food and drink and fun as Thailand gets together to wash away bad luck and welcome the new year.

Where should you go? Anywhere across the Kingdom! If you are an Anantara Vacation Club Points Owner, be sure to check with Club Services to see what splashing fun is in store at our Club Resorts in Thailand.

Loy Krathong: Float Your Worries Away

In the evening of November’s full moon, Thailand’s waters sparkle as locals and visitors alike make colourful offerings to the spirit of the waters, floating krathongs on rivers, canals, and swimming pools. While no one is quite sure of its exact origins, Thais everywhere take advantage of this holiday to eat, drink, and be merry with family and friends. And no Loy Krathong festival in Thailand is complete without beauty pageants, fireworks, and temple fairs.

Where should you go? As with Songkran, you can go anywhere in Thailand to celebrate Loy Krathong! If you are an Anantara Vacation Club Points Owner, Club Services can help you find out what floating festivities are planned at our Club Resorts in Thailand.

Local Festivals of Note

Here are a few destinations where we have Club Resorts that have unique local celebrations that you may want to plan a trip to there:

Chiang Mai: Flowers & Lanterns

Chiang Mai is known as the “Rose of the North”, and you can see why during the Flower Festival that occurs every year around the beginning of year. There are colourful floral floats, marching bands, and dancers parading through the streets around Nong Buak Haad Park, along with an outdoor festival with food, drink, music and more. A highlight of the festivities is the crowing of the Chiang Mai Flower Queen.

Later in the year, Chiang Mai combines Loy Krathong with a distinctively Northern tradition, the Yi Peng Lantern Festival. Brightly decorated paper and wood lanterns are lit to turn away the darkness and bring about a bright future. Visit Chiang Mai during this time to enjoy the sights and sounds, and of course, food at temple and street fairs, as lanterns light the sky and krathongs shine on the water.

Samui: Full Moons & Half Moons

Although not necessarily a “traditional” Thai festival, Full Moon parties are events many island hoppers may want to experience. Originating in nearby Koh Pha Ngan by backpackers enjoying a moonlit night, Samui now also erupts in beach parties every full moon.

And there are smaller celebrations every half-moon, in case you can’t make it for the main event. No longer just for hostels and backpackers, many luxury resorts host events or offer moon party packages. And, not to worry, you don’t have to stay until moonset. There are plenty of DJs, live performances, and fire shows to enjoy before night turns to morning.

Phuket: Vegetarian Delights & Hungry Ghosts

Phuket is known for its unique blend of influences, including Thai, Malay, Portuguese, and Chinese. Two of its most famous festivals have Chinese roots but are deeply engrained in Phuket’s culture. Legend has it that a visiting Chinese opera troupe were saved from malaria, or possibly cholera, by going vegan and praying to the Nine Emperor Gods. The island now commemorates this with stalls and stalls of meat-free food, as well as displays of faith from burning offerings to piercing body parts with spears. Interested? The Vegetarian Festival occurs around the beginning of October.

A lesser-known, but just as fascinating, festival occurs just before the Vegetarian Festival, usually around August or September (the first day of the waxing moon of the seventh lunar month). The Por Tor, or Hungry Ghost, Festival sees Phuket’s Chinese communities honouring their dead ancestors with a month-long celebration. Plates of food are offered to hungry spirits that have escaped from purgatory, and red turtle cakes are offered to shrines for good luck. There are also many food stalls, lion dances, parades, and other entertainments to enjoy.

What about Bangkok, Hua Hin, and Khao Lak?

(In case you’re wondering, we mention these cities in Thailand specifically because that is where Anantara Vacation Club has Club Resorts.)

Bangkok, as capital city, is where there is always something going on. You can visit flea markets that turn into music festivals at Lhong 19, watch creative festivals burst out at art battles, and much more. For more traditional festivals, foodies may want to visit during the World Gourmet Festival in September, and rock fans may want to book a trip to coincide with Bangkok Music City.

Heading south to Hua Hin, this laid-back beach town had been home to an international jazz fest every June until a few years ago. While this festival is on hiatus, Hua Hin still hosts a range of ad hoc jazz and blues festivals throughout the year. And every weekend is a food, art, and music fest at Cicada Market and its next-door neighbour, Tamarind Market.

Khao Lak has been considered a “hidden gem”, but this stretch of beach just north of Phuket is being discovered by many visitors. Part of its draw is as a surfing destination. If riding the waves is for you, be on the lookout for various surfing festivals throughout the year. Nature lovers may want to plan a trip in the first week of March to take part in the annual Turtle Conservation Festival.

Need Help Planning Your Thailand Trip?

Anantara Vacation Club Points Owners can contact the Club Services team to discuss their options (with or without festivals in mind!) as they plan their next Thailand trip.

Not an Owner? Would you like to find out more? We would love to tell you about our festival-ful, family-friendly vacation ownership programme. Just click here.