Joanna James
Bangkok is a tourist's paradise; look beyond the fabulous shopping and dining, and you will be equally fascinated by the festivals, which offer a taste of ancient culture and traditions.
Chinese New Year in 2018 was celebrated on the 16th of February; Chinatown better known as Yaowarat or Yaowaraj in Bangkok, is a wonderful, vibrant precinct for savouring loads of culture and traditions. Come the Chines New Year and visitors are kept fascinated with colourful dragon parades and performances enhancing traditional cultures and acrobatic dances. Of course in true Bangkok and Chinatown style, food is one of the biggest lures, giving you a fine excuse to sample the multitude of traditional street food, up for grabs during this celebration. If you are a guest at Anantara Baan Rajprasong Bangkok Serviced Suites, Yaowarat Road is only around 22 minutes away; hence planning multiple visits to the precinct during the Chinese New Year is a plan to look forward to.
This festival is always held on the last Saturday of February or the first in the month of March. The ceremonies take place at the Wat Bang Phra, which is a temple in Nakhon Chaisi, located an hour away from west Bangkok. The festival is held as a homage to the late chief priest of this temple, who was responsible for renewing the popularity of sacred tattoos, amongst the local population. During this time there are around 10,000 tattooed devotees who visit the temple.
In 2018 the Makha Pucha is scheduled to take place on March 31st; it is a festival which commemorates the start of Buddha's teachings. On this holy day, Thai's wake up very early in the mornings, in order to offer alms to Buddhist monks, the evenings are reserved for devotions at the temple. Plan evening visits to temples; there are many close to popular serviced apartments, Bangkok has on offer, hence, you can easily get there in time to observe the traditional ceremonies. These comprise of devotees circling the temple three times, while holding candles and incense sticks. Relish the holistic vibes and soothing ambience associated with temple precincts, during Makha Pucha.
Yes! There is a Thai New Year, and it's a wet and wild affair, which generally takes place during the hot season. During Songkran, no one can go outdoors without the risk of getting soaked. Tradition dictates that at this time, families visit the temples for religious devotions and later engage is fun water fights on the streets. The streets of Bangkok at this time turn into a huge water park, with many adults letting out their inner child, for a day of carefree fun. If you don't like getting wet, consider staying within the comforts of your Bangkok Serviced apartment.
This is a very traditional festival which takes place in November. It is a fun-filled ceremony which brings together families and communities, as locals, fashion little boats from banana leaves and adorn them with candles and flowers, before setting them to sail on the nearest body of water. Worries are believed to be set free as passengers on the boat, with many a devotee returning carefree and happy.
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
