Thao Thep Krasattri - Thao Si Sunthon Festival (early Mar)

An annual event held in memory of the two heroine sisters, Khunying Muk and Khunying Chan, who jointly led the soldiers and people of Thalang, as Phuket was known formerly, in repelling the invading Burmese troops in 1785. The titles of Thao Thep Krasattri and Thao Si Sunthon were bestowed on the sisters by King Rama I and a statue was erected at a crossroads near the centre of the island in recognition of the invaluable service they did to the country. 
The festival lasts for about two weeks and takes place in various locations in Thalang area, north of Phuket including Heroines’ Monument and Wat Pranang Sang.

It covers many cultural and sporting activities. There’s also lots of local cuisine and OTOP products (such as batik, silk and wooden decorative items) are for sale at the fair too.

Phuket Vegetarian Festival (Oct)

Despite its seemingly unattractive title, Phuket Vegetarian Festival is one of the most popular and most successful annual celebrations of Thailand. This 9-day event does not have fixed dates on the Gregorian calendar, but it is always held from the 1st to the 9th day of the 9th moon according to the Chinese lunar calendar which roughly corresponds to October. This is because the festival originated from immigrant miners from China in the 19th century.

Phuket residents of Chinese ancestry, and many Thais too, go on a vegetarian diet and attend ceremonies at local Chinese temples during this period. But to the tourists and non-participants, the most absorbing part of the long event is the colourful processions and the remarkable feats performed by possessed mediums. You won't believe your own eyes when seeing them.

More information

Patong Carnival (early Nov)

This annual event marks the beginning of the tourist season in Phuket. It has been organized by the tourist trade community of Patong Beach to promote tourism in the province. The main carnival areas are along the famous Bangla Road and Soi Post Office.

The annual parade is renowned for its stunning costumes and floats. Apart from the grand parade, there are many activities including live music, cultural performances, street art and a great number of stalls selling food and beverages and OTOP products. 

Laguna Phuket Triathlon (November)

The Laguna Phuket Triathlon is held annually at Laguna Phuket, occupying 1,000 acres at Bangtao Bay on the west coast of Phuket Island. It attracts world-class triathletes from around the world. The race was created in 1994 by IMG, Laguna Phuket Resorts and PCH Sports and is Asia's longest running triathlon event. LPT's race distances of 1.8 K swim, 50 K bike and 12 K run are designed to provide participants with a unique challenge and to showcase the venue. LPT's bike course is one of the race's most outstanding features for its scenic view along the route and the challenging, hilly parts.

Phuket King's Cup Regatta (early Dec)

The Phuket King's Cup Regatta is a one-week event held annually in Phuket.

The regatta was inaugurated in December 1987 in celebration of the 60th birthday of His Late Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Since then, the Regatta has become an annual event attracting more and more of the region's top yacht enthusiasts each year. Presently, it is the biggest keel boat regatta in Asia with over 90 boats and 2000 participants each year.

With royal patronage, the regatta is organised by the Phuket King's Cup Regatta Organizing Committee under the auspices of the Royal Varuna Yacht Club (RVYC), in conjunction with the Yacht Racing Association of Thailand, the Royal Thai Navy (RTN), and Phuket Province.

For more details, contact TAT Phuket Office, Tel. 0 76 212213, 0 76 211036.

When you are in Phuket, you have no need to go to Bangkok just to buy some quality goods and souvenirs. There is a big choice of things to buy in Phuket, What you should buy depends upon your taste, interest and needs. For your guidance, a few items are listed below with brief descriptions.

Advertisements

{introtext} {readmore:More detail}

Pearls

As one of Phuket's best buys, cultured pearls offered here are both in good qualityand large in quantity. They are available either individually, as a strand or as part of a piece of ornament.

The Japanese people, the pioneer of pearl culture, were the first to set up a farm to culture pearls in Thailand on Naga Noi island off Phuket some 20 years ago. Since then, many pearl farms run by Thais have been established on islands around Phuket.

Gems & Jewellery

Thailand became a new leader in the world of gems and jewelry in the 1980's. Phuket is also an ideal place where you can find a large supply of gems and jewelry in various designs.

Jewelry shops are found mainly in Phuket town and at Patong beach. Thai jewellers are famous for both their skills and low cost of labour, and custom-made jewelry is available in every jewelry shop. The best buys are items made with local gems like rubies and sapphires.

Silk

Thai silk produced in the north and northeast is well known all over the world. It is readily obtainable in Phuket at prices comparable to those in Bangkok and other cities, making it unnecessary to go and buy it at its places of origin.

Batik

Batik cloth of Phuket is unique in its brilliant colours and distinctive designs inspired by the natural surroundings, the sea and marine lives. Besides cloth, there are several types of batik products, for example, shirts, sarongs, skirts, bags and handkerchiefs. They are available at many stores around Patong and Phuket town.

Nielloware

Phuket is one of the Thai cities where nielloware is produced on a commercial scale. Thai nielloware is very attractive in appearance and very durable in usebecause the niello alloy is fused, and not just welded, to the silver object.

Seashells

Seashells are made into ornaments and gift items, such as necklaces, rings, bracelets, brooches, mobiles, lampshades, photo frames, etc. These, together with other marine products, are among the most popular souvenirs.

{introtext} {readmore:More detail}

Cashew Nuts 

The cashew nut is a famous local product of Phuket. As a result of Phuket's favourable climate, the cashew nuts here have a better quality than those grown elsewhere in the world. Various kinds of cashew nut products are on sale -- roasted cashew nuts with salt, cashew nuts fried with garlic, cashew nuts coated with chocolate, honeyed cashew nut brittle and cashew apple juice.

Bird's Nests

As bird's nests are abundant in Phuket and its surrounding provinces, high grade bird's nests are on sale here at reasonable prices.

Others

Other good buys include leatherware, pewterware, clothing, and a wide variety of crafts and souvenirs. The shopping areas are mostly on Ratsada Road, Montri Road, Yaowarat Road, Phang-nga Road, Thalang Road in town, on Thepkasattri Road north of town, and in Patong, Kata and Karon beaches.

Related Link : VAT Refund for Tourists