Events in Phuket
April
Water Festival
Thailand's annual Water Festival is literally a giant water fight, where visitors are invited to join the locals and get soaked. A chance to cool down during one of the hottest times of the year, no one is safe from a soaking as water balloons, hoses, buckets and water guns are used in abandon. Whilst the festival takes place all over Thailand to celebrate the Lunar New Year, in Phuket a colourful parade takes place before the traditional release of birds and fish.
April
Gay Pride Festival
Phuket's Gay Pride Festival is considered to be the best in Thailand - or maybe even in Southeat Asia. Join in with revellers for the four-day party, which comprises of beauty contests, floats, volleyball tournaments and cruises to nearby islands.
September-October
Vegetarian Festival
This event marks the beginning of 'Taoist Lent', where devout followers abstain from consuming meat, meat products and alcohol. Devotees make their way down the streets with their cheeks pierced with knives, swords, and all manners of objects, as the deafening sound of firecrackers fills the air. You'll have to see it to believe it.