Dates and full schedule now available for the Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2011 held from 26th September - 6th October. I thought I'd get the schedule online early since people often ask me about what's going on during this most bizarre of events. I have written loads about the festival on this blog in the past and there are hundreds of photos on the blog and on my Flickr pages. For general information start here:
• Phuket Vegetarian Festival - My Favourite Event in Phuket or
• The Amazing Phuket Vegetarian Festival
And for more photos than the average human can stomach - have a look at my photos on Flickr - Vegetarian 2010 and Vegetarian 2009. Some slideshows below too.
The start of the festival will be on Monday 26th September in the late afternoon when the "lantern poles" are raised at participating shrines down which the Emperor Gods are said to descend at midnight. I will be at Kathu shrine (my local) for this event, as I was in 2010 : Photos of Pole Raising. Not much happens for the next couple of days, but all the shrines are always interesting to visit any evening or any time during the festival really. The first street procession will be on the 29th September... or maybe the 28th - last year the "Naka" shrine was a newcomer in the festival and was the first to have a procession. All processions pass through the old town, all of them start early (around 7am), all finish at Sapan Hin (south end of town) or back at their home shrines if the shrine is in Phuket Town.
Slideshow - at Kathu Shrine in 2010
Vegetarian Festival 2011 - Schedule / Highlights
Monday September 26th
At the Chinese shrines, sometime between 4 - 6pm - raising of the Go Teng pole. Events at the shrines will go on all evening. The lanterns are hung from the pole at midnight, signifying the start of the festival. There will be plenty of firecrackers and fireworks too. I hear the fireworks at Kathu shrine from our house every year - this year I want to be there at midnight.
27th - 28th September - there are no big events on the first 2 days of the festival, but you can visit any shrine at any time, and the Jae (เจ ) food is to be found all over the island but mostly around the shrines and especially in Phuket Town. The festival has many aspects and the food is part of it. I try to stick to the strict diet during the festival.
Thursday September 29th
Street procession starting 7am for Sapam Shrine - this shrine is a few km north of Phuket Town (about a 10km walk from the shrine to Sapan Hin). To see piercing taking place at any shrine you have to be there before 7am. Try 6am. I went to Sapam shrine last year on a grey morning (photos). In the evening, around 7 - 8pm, there will be another procession around Kathu village. I have meant to be there the last couple of years. WILL be there this year. This shrine is only 2km from my house. I can hear everything that goes on!
Friday September 30th
Street procession from Sam Kong Shrine. Procession goes from the shrine in the north of town not far from Tesco Lotus, past the Bangkok-Phuket Hospital and through old Phuket town. It's not far from my house. I went last year, took some photos at the shrine.
Saturday October 1st
The street procession today is from Ban Tha Ruea shrine which is in the Thalang area of Phuket in the center of the island - this used to be the main town in Phuket a few hundred years ago and there are several historic temples in the area and the annual Heroines Festival celebrating the history of Phuket - the Heroines predate the Vegetarian Festival by several decades. I visited the shrine this year for the first time having driven past in hundreds of times!
Sunday October 2nd
Lots of things going on today... In the morning (7am), a street procession in Phuket Town for the Bang Neow Shrine, which is in the south of the town on Phuket Road, one of the biggest and most important shrines participating in the festival. Expect big crowds on this day. I went for this procession last year (see photos). There is also a procession starting 7am from Cherng Talay Shrine which takes place in Thalang district in the Cherng Talay area. A good one to see if your hotel is in Kamala, Surin or Bang Tao beaches.
And then ... Fire Walking at several locations including Sapam Shrine, Sapan Hin (participants from Jui Tui shrine), Baan Tha Reua Shrine and Sui Boon Tong shrine (just west of the market and not far from Jui Tui shrine in Phuket Town). Fire walking kicks off around 8pm. I did go and see some firewalking last year at Kathu. Was crowded and hard to get any photos!
Slideshow - Bang Neow Shrine Procession 2010
Monday October 3rd
Street procession starting at Jui Tui shrine, which is the biggest shrine in town - just west of the main market in Phuket Town. I went in 2009 - it was very crowded but I got lots of photos! It was hard to get into the shrine early morning, better to find a spot just outside or along the procession route - the route is always easy to find - just follow the people and the little shrines that people set up outside their houses - that means the procession is coming this way!
Later in the day, there are lots of events on the schedule at various shrines including bladed ladder climbing at Sam Kong and Bang Neow shrines and "nail bridge crossing" at Sapam Shrine. Not sure what that is! I have not been to see the bladed ladder climbing before, so might try this year.
Tuesday October 4th
Street procession from Kathu shrine to Phuket Town. It's a fair walk this one, about 10km from Kathu Shrine all the way to town, around the old town and ending at Sapan Hin. Kathu is my "local" shrine. Only a mile from my house. I have been there early the last 3 years to watch piercing rituals. Want to get there even earlier this year. Must make an effort! Things happen early in the morning that are mysterious. I want to be there. See some photos at Kathu Shrine 2010.
Later in the evening on the 15th - fire walking at Bang Neow, Cherng Talay and Sam Kong shrines. Got to be worth a look!
Wednesday October 5th
The last day of the festival. There is a procession for Sui Boon Tong shrine, then events such as firewalking at Kathu shrine - I went in 2010 - too crowded! I did take some photos, but the firewalking seems to draw big crowds and I want a "PRESS" pass so I can sit right by the fire and snap away! And then in the evening/night there is a huge procession around Phuket Town, with people carrying statues of the gods to Sapan Hin. Millions of firecrackers and fireworks. And this year I will bloody well be there. It looks absolutely mad. I have seen it on TV - it's always live on TV in Phuket. I don't think I will take a camera, there will be so much smoke and dust and so many firecrackers, and I hear it's advisable to wear something more than flip flops or you'll get burnt toes! Need to wear a cloth over your face too, to avoid too much smoke inhalation!
Thursday October 6th
At about 5pm the lantern poles (Go Teng poles) are lowered at the shrines marking the very end of the festival.
Where are the shrines?
A friend started a little Google Map last year which I added more to - and have now edited for 2011... all the Shrines for the festival, nicely located on Google Maps... I will try to add more information to this map over time.
• Google Maps - Chinese Shrines in Phuket
View Phuket Chinese Shrines in a larger map
Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2010. Reports and photos on this blog:
• Photos at Kathu Shrine 15th October 2010
• Bang Neow Shrine Street Procession 13th October 2010
• Vegetarian Festival 2010 (Part 1) - photos from 7th, 10th, 11th October.
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