Joanna James
Thailand is a beautiful Southeast Asian nation, known for its rich culture, exotic cuisine and stunning scenery. Did you know that it also has some great festivals - a mix of both religious and cultural? Here are the top must-see festivals for travellers to Thailand in 2024:
Songkran is known as the “Water Festival," and is probably one of the most popular Thai festivals. It marks the Thai New Year which falls from April 13 to 15 and goes on for about 6 days. Splashing water on festival goers and having water fights is a unique way that people celebrate this festival. Not to mention, it’s a great way to ward off the heat!
The locals also clean their houses during this time and wash Buddha statues. It symbolises purification, and doing away with the past while welcoming a new year.
Loy Krathong, or the Lantern Festival, is another major event in Thailand. The celebration has a long history and is said to have originated during the time of the Sukhothai Kingdom, 800 years ago. It is held in honour of the Goddess of Water - Pra Mae Khongkha and is celebrated on the 12th full moon of the Thai lunar calendar.
People fashion lanterns out of banana leaves, shaped to look like lotus boats. In the centre, they place incense sticks, a candle, flowers and coins. Hundreds of these lanterns are released into the Mae Ping River and prayers are offered. The best place to view this festival is in Chiang Mai.
Since Thailand has many nationals of Chinese descent, the Chinese New Year is another major celebration in the country. It is also known as the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival. The best place to watch the Chinese New Year celebrations is in Bangkok's Chinatown. Visitors can observe elaborately dressed festivalgoers celebrating on the well-decorated streets. There are dragon dances, bright red lanterns, floats, and firecrackers being set off. Families gather for meals afterwards and go to the temple.
Tourists who come to view the festival can book a hotel or serviced apartment in Bangkok which provides centralised access to the city. Chatrium Residence Riverside Bangkok is one of these, offering great amenities and a shuttle service.
Lopburi is known for its rich culture - and is also home to large groups of monkeys! Not only does the city have ancient ruins dating back to the Khmer Empire, but it also hosts an incredibly unique festival which shouldn’t be missed. Held in November at the ruins, locals and tourists offer a feast for the monkeys, with fruits, vegetables and other treats. This is truly a great way to observe the behaviour of these primates. Just be careful not to let them get too close, as they are known to steal valuables.
The Monkey Banquet is believed to bring good luck to the locals.
The Candle Festival is an important Buddhist celebration in Thailand and is usually held in Ubon Ratchatani. It is celebrated at the end of July and goes on for five days. To mark the festival, people make giant candles out of wax, shaped like statues of the Buddha, animals, and Buddhist-related objects. These are painted in gold and decorated.
A parade is held where the candles are displayed, along with beautiful wax sculptures, musical performances, folk dances, and games. The candles are lit at night, and the streets take on a magic of their own.
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.
