Introduction
Are you looking for a new adventure? A way to escape your daily routine and explore new cultures? Well, if you’re interested in Asian culture, here are some of the most exciting festivals that I have ever been to!
Luang Prabang Festival in Laos
The Luang Prabang Festival is a festival of lights held in October each year. It’s one of the most popular events on the tourist calendar and features a candlelight procession, traditional music concerts, shows and other performances. The festival takes place over several days in honor of Buddha’s enlightenment day (the full moon day in November).
The festival is also an important time for locals who celebrate with their families at home by offering alms to monks who have been fasting during Buddhist Lent (a period lasting three months). During this time they abstain from eating after midday until sunrise the following day so they can meditate without distraction throughout the night before Buddha’s birthday on February 29th.
Ranong Elephant Round Up in Thailand
Ranong Elephant Round Up
The Ranong Elephant Round Up is one of Thailand’s most popular festivals, with over 50 elephants paraded around town in traditional dress before being judged on their looks and behavior. The festival takes place every year from November to February, but the best time to visit is during the wet season when you’ll be able to see more waterfalls than usual. It’s also worth noting that this event is held at night so be sure not to miss out!
Chaul Chnam Thmey Water Festival in Cambodia
The Chaul Chnam Thmey Water Festival is a cultural festival held in Cambodia. It celebrates the legendary love story between a fisherman and a mermaid named Srey Neang. The fisherman was named Chaul Chnam Thmey, which translates to “Mr. Full Moon” in Khmer.
The festival takes place annually on the full moon of the third lunar month (usually April or May). During this time, it is believed that spirits roam freely throughout our world and can be seen by those who are lucky enough to catch sight of them–or unlucky enough depending on how you look at it!
Phuket Vegetarian Festival in Thailand
The Phuket Vegetarian Festival is one of the most important festivals in Thailand. It’s held in October, and it lasts for 10 days.
It’s believed that this festival dates back to the 17th century when King Rama II made a vow to abstain from meat if his father recovered from illness. The king was successful, but he continued to observe the vegetarian tradition as an act of gratitude towards his father’s recovery–that’s why it has become so popular among Thai Buddhists today!
Hoi An Lantern Festival in Vietnam
The Hoi An Lantern Festival is a 2-day festival held annually in the city of Hoi An, Quang Nam Province, Vietnam. The festival is held on the 15th and 16th days of the first lunar month.
The festival originated from an ancient custom called Tien Lich (Heaven’s Light). According to legend, this tradition was started by a fisherman named Le Loi who used lanterns to guide him home after spending all day fishing at sea. When he returned home safely with his wife and children they were so grateful that they made offerings at their local temple where they prayed for peace and happiness for everyone else too!
Naga Fireball Festival in Penang, Malaysia
Naga Fireball Festival
The Naga Fireball Festival is held annually in August at the Snake Temple in Penang. The festival is a celebration of the Naga Fireball, a mythological snake that brings good luck and prosperity to the people of Penang. During this event, you can watch fireworks being set off from all over town as well as hundreds of locals dressed up as snakes dancing around them!
Angkor Wat Light Festival in Cambodia
The Angkor Wat Light Festival is a celebration of the Hindu festival of lights, Diwali. The festival is held every year in February, and it’s an opportunity for all people to come together and enjoy traditional performances by local dancers and musicians as well as international performers. The main highlight of this event is a light show projected onto the walls of Angkor Wat Temple itself!
Kuching International Dragon Boat Carnival in Sarawak, Malaysia.
Kuching International Dragon Boat Carnival in Sarawak, Malaysia
The Kuching International Dragon Boat Carnival takes place every year on the first weekend of May. It’s one of Asia’s most prestigious dragon boat races, attracting competitors from all over the world. If you’re lucky enough to be there during this time, be sure to check it out! The race has been held since 1992 and has grown into one of the biggest events in Southeast Asia.
In addition to watching some intense racing action (and eating delicious food), here are some other things you can do while visiting:
- Visit the Sarawak Cultural Village where there are performances by traditional dancers from Borneo tribes like Iban and Punan Dayaks; watch Malaysian artists create paintings using natural materials such as leaves or bark; experience Chinese opera at night thanks to our colorful paper lanterns hanging overhead; enjoy traditional games like sepak takraw (similarly spelled “kick volleyball”), mamak stalls offering up flavorful Indian cuisine and much more!
Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival in Heilongjiang, China.
Harbin is a city in Heilongjiang province, China. The Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival is held every winter and it’s the largest ice festival in the world. It also goes by another name: “Frozen Music Festival”.
The event usually starts around late November and lasts for about two months until late January or early February depending on when spring arrives (typically around March). During this period you can see many sculptures made from ice blocks of various sizes, shapes, colors and themes scattered throughout parks around town — some even indoors! During warmer days they melt away but at night they are rebuilt again so don’t worry too much about missing them if your schedule doesn’t allow enough time during daylight hours.
Sea of Sands Festival at Pulau Weh, Malaysia.
The Sea of Sands Festival is an annual sand sculpture festival held in November on Pulau Weh, Malaysia. The event is a celebration of the sea and marine life, with each year’s theme reflecting this focus.
The festival features over 70 works created by artists from all over Asia. It includes music performances, art exhibitions and cultural activities like traditional dance shows and storytelling sessions for children. There are also food stalls selling local delicacies such as nasi lemak (coconut rice cooked with palm sugar) or laksa (spicy noodle soup).
There are many festivals around the world!
There are many festivals around the world! Some are religious, others cultural. Some are annual, some seasonal and still others are held only once every few years or even decades. The most famous festivals can attract millions of people from all over Asia to celebrate together in unison–but there are also countless small-town events that have been passed down through generations by locals who live there year round.
Festival season kicks off with China’s Spring Festival at New Year’s Eve and ends with Thailand’s Loi Krathong festival on November 12th (for 2018). In between you’ll find Indian Holi celebrations filled with color powder thrown into crowds; Thai Pongal festivities featuring decorated cows walking through villages; Japanese Bon Odori dances honoring ancestors’ spirits at shrines throughout Japan; Korean Dano celebrations where families prepare large meals together; Vietnamese Tet celebrations featuring lanterns floating down rivers throughout Hanoi…and so much more!
Conclusion
So, if you’re looking for a way to get out of the city and experience some new cultures, these festivals are a great place to start! They allow you to connect with other travelers and locals alike while exploring a new part of the world together. If nothing else, they’ll give you something fun to do while on vacation–and who knows? Maybe one day we’ll see one of these events coming up in our own backyard!
