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Bangkok’s Festival Culture – Experience Thailand in Full

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Bangkok, the vibrant capital of Thailand, pulsates with a rich tapestry of festivals and cultural celebrations that reflect the nation’s diverse heritage. This bustling metropolis seamlessly blends traditional customs with modern dynamism, creating a unique and captivating cultural landscape. Throughout the year, Bangkok hosts an array of festivals that showcase the Thai people’s deep-rooted spirituality, artistic prowess, and love for vibrant festivities.

Chinese New Year

Celebrated with immense enthusiasm, the Chinese New Year stands as one of Bangkok’s most beloved festivals, drawing large crowds to the streets who revel in the vibrant spectacle of dragon dances and firecrackers. Numerous retail establishments also present enticing festival discounts, adding to the festive atmosphere.

Songkran Festival

The Songkran Festival holds immense cultural significance and is joyously celebrated throughout Thailand. Marked by extensive water games and playful activities, most establishments close their doors in observance of the festivities. Songkran serves as a wonderful occasion for locals to come together in joyful reunion, and for travellers, it presents an exceptional and memorable experience, even accessible from a hotel in Bangkok City Center, such as the Jono Bangkok Asok. 

Moon/Mid-Autumn Festival

Moon cakes served in Moon/Mid-Autumn Festival | Image via Needpix

Originating in China, the Moon Festival, also recognized as the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival, is celebrated with zeal. Across the city during this festive occasion, captivating stalls emerge, showcasing an array of gourmet food items. The offerings span a spectrum of flavours, encompassing delights such as peanut butter, coffee, chestnut, and green tea. Abounding with culinary diversity, these stalls become a hub for a variety of confectioneries, creating a delightful experience.

Chinese Ghost Festival 

Having its roots in China, the Chinese Ghost Festival is not confined to its place of origin but resonates globally in its observance. The prevailing belief driving this festival suggests that spirits make their way to the earthly realm when the gates of the lower realms swing open during the full moon of the seventh lunar month in the Chinese calendar. During this period, people commonly present offerings of food, flowers, and candles to these ethereal visitors as part of the ritual custom.

Experience 5 Vibrant Festivals & Events in Phuket — A Calendar of colourful celebrations!

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In Phuket, every month brings forth a new reason to celebrate! From vibrant street processions to high-octane water fights, Phuket’s festivals and events captivate visitors from around the globe.

Phuket Vegetarian Festival

The Phuket Vegetarian Festival, held at the dawn of the ninth Chinese lunar month, is a spectacular display of tradition and spirituality. Lasting for nine days, the festival entails purification rituals for both body and mind. Participants adhere to a strict vegetarian diet, abstaining from all animal products, while vibrant processions and ceremonial rituals unfold across the island.

Songkran

Songkran Festival | Image via Wikimedia Commons

 

From April 13th to 15th, Phuket transforms into a water-soaked wonderland as Thais ring in the Thai New Year, Songkran. Traditionally a time for gentle water blessings, Songkran has evolved into a nationwide water fight, with participants armed with water pistols and buckets, dousing each other in merriment. Expect joyous chaos and good-natured splashing as the streets come alive with laughter and celebration.

Chinese New Year

The vibrant colours of Chinese New Year paint Phuket’s streets in hues of red and gold, as the island’s Thai-Chinese community celebrates with gusto. Homes and businesses are adorned with auspicious decorations, while dragon dances and firecrackers fill the air with excitement. The Old Town comes alive with cultural performances, offering a glimpse into Phuket’s rich heritage. If you are staying at Jono X Phuket Karon, a modern and stylish hotel on Phuket Karon Beach, you can enjoy the festivities while indulging in a relaxing vacation.

Phuket Bike Week

Rev your engines for Phuket Bike Week, a thrilling celebration of all things motorcycle! Kicking off amidst the Songkran festivities, this six-day event showcases a dazzling array of custom bikes, tattoo contests, and live music. From Patong to Phuket Town, the island reverberates with the roar of engines as bikers from near and far converge for this adrenaline-fueled extravaganza.

Laguna Phuket Marathon

Step into the fast lane with the Laguna Phuket Marathon, a premier sporting event that draws athletes from across the globe. Recognised by the IAAF AIMS, this marathon sets the standard for excellence in distance running. Against the stunning backdrop of Phuket’s scenic landscapes, runners embark on a journey of endurance and camaraderie, making memories to last a lifetime.

The Most Colourful Festivals in Singapore – Celebrating Diversity in Singapore

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Singapore is a multicultural city where “East meets West” in a splendid fashion. It has many areas divided by the ethnicity of the people such as Chinatown and Little India and the country has four official languages. Therefore, you will always come across many festivals and celebrations of all kinds.

Buddhist Festivals

The main Buddhist holiday that is celebrated is Vesak Day in May and it marks the enlightenment and death of the Buddha. On this day you will find many devotees visiting the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple to light many lamps and lanterns and offer fresh fragrant flowers. You will best be able to witness this beautiful site by staying at an accommodation such as Hotel 81 Cosy, which is one of the most affordable and pleasant mid-range hotels Singapore has to offer.

Hindu Festivals

There are many Hindu festivals that are celebrated throughout the year such as Pongal in January, where cooked rice is offered traditionally to the deities to thank them for a bountiful harvest. Little India is the place to visit during this time to see how wonderfully the place is lit up. Deepavali, the festival of lights, is another significant festival that falls in October or November. It is a great time to visit and see the celebrations.

Chinese Festivals

Chinese New Year Decoration in Singapore | Image by RM Bulseco via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 DEED

Chinese New Year is widely celebrated in Singapore with nonstop excitement, fireworks, and plenty of sales. The streets of Chinatown are lined with lanterns, gold and red decorations, dazzling lights, sounds, and smells of Chinese foods and snacks. Be sure to witness a Dragon dance as it is a truly special sight to see. Another important festival to see is the Dragon Boat Festival, which is held usually either in the months of May or June. During the festival, dragon boats race each other as part of the festivities.

Christian and Muslim Festivals

Christmas is a popular celebration in Singapore, especially along Orchard Road. During this festive season, the entire street is adorned with Christmas-themed decorations and illuminated by a parade of lights. Giant Christmas trees are also put up, adding to the holiday cheer. On the other hand, the end of Ramadan is celebrated as Hari Raya Puasa by the Muslim community. This celebration marks the end of a month-long period of fasting and prayer. During Hari Raya Puasa, Muslims gather to feast and bond with their families and friends.

Embracing Tradition – A Deep Dive into the Phuket Vegetarian Festival

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In the vibrant tapestry of Thai festivals, the Phuket Vegetarian Festival stands out as a celebration of spiritual cleansing, cultural traditions, and a culinary exploration of plant-based delights. Delve into the vibrant spectacle that is the Phuket Vegetarian Festival.

Origins and Significance: A Tapestry of Spiritual Practices

The roots of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival trace back to the early 19th century when a Chinese opera troupe fell ill while performing in the region. To appease the gods, locals adopted a vegetarian diet and engaged in rituals. Today, the festival is a blend of Taoist practices, vibrant processions, and vegetarian feasts.

The Nine Emperor Gods: Guardians of Purity

Central to the festival is the veneration of the Nine Emperor Gods, revered in Taoism. Devotees believe that by adopting a strict vegetarian diet and engaging in purification rituals, they can invoke the gods’ protection and blessings. The festival lasts for nine days, symbolizing the nine emperor gods.

Purification Rituals: A Feast for the Senses

Witness the mesmerizing rituals that mark the Phuket Vegetarian Festival. From firewalking to body piercing, devotees demonstrate their commitment to purification and seek blessings for good health and prosperity. These rituals are not for the faint-hearted and add an element of mystique to the festival.

Vegetarian Gastronomy: Culinary Delights sans Animal Products

The festival is a paradise for food enthusiasts. Explore the diverse array of vegetarian dishes crafted with precision and flavors that rival their non-vegetarian counterparts. Street vendors and local restaurants showcase the best of Thai vegetarian cuisine, offering a delectable journey for your taste buds.

Processions and Street Performances: A Visual Extravaganza

Phuket Vegetarian Festival Celebration on the Street | Image via flickr

The streets of Phuket come alive with processions featuring elaborate costumes, traditional music, and vibrant performances. Devotees, dressed in white, parade through the city, carrying religious symbols and participating in rituals that captivate onlookers. The atmosphere around Karon Beach Phuket hotels is both festive and deeply spiritual.

Participation and Respect: Observing the Festival Responsibly

If you plan to partake in the Phuket Vegetarian Festival, it’s crucial to approach it with respect for its cultural and religious significance. Adhere to the festival’s rules, such as dressing in white, abstaining from meat, and refraining from disrespectful behavior during the processions and rituals. If you’re planning a vacation around the holiday, there are plenty of places that offer accommodation such as Jono X Phuket Karon.

National Day of Maldives – A day of remembrance

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The long-standing independent archipelago, the Maldives is among the top tropical destinations in the Maldives. The country was not always a tourist destination; in fact, it was predicted that the country would never be a tourist destination, owing to its location. However, the country is now one of the most visited destinations. Just like the tourism industry, the country’s independence was hard-fought.

Colonial occupation

Like many other South Asian nations, the Maldives too was colonized by the Dutch, the British, and the Portuguese. The Maldives was captured by the Portuguese in the year 1558; they ruled the country for the next 15 years. And in 1573, Muhammad Thakurufaanu freed the country and became the sultan of the country.

The Sultanate

He served the country for 12 years as sultan. During his rule, he improved the country by augmenting trade, forming an army, and introducing a currency. His dynasty would continue for the next 132 years.

Date of the National Day

The Maldives National Day is celebrated on the first day of the third month in the Islamic calendar. Many festivities can be seen in the celebration of National Day.

Celebrations

Military Displays at Maldives National Day | Image via maldivesindependent.com

The country becomes filled with color on National Day. Male, especially, takes a festive note with parades, military displays, fireworks, and various stage performances. Apart from its historic importance, National Day is also a draw for tourists. The best Maldives all inclusive resorts go up in demand, and the likes of OBLU Xperience Ailafushi get packed with tourists who want to witness the festivities.

Most prominent meeting place in Melbourne – Federation Square of Melbourne

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The most prominent meeting place in Melbourne is undoubtedly the Federation Square. The area is a blend of culture and attractions as well as many museums, restaurants, galleries and the likes. The square is also considered as the premier events and functions venue of the city. There are over 2000 events that are held in the Federation Square on an annual basis. These events may include markets, various festivals that celebrate diverse cultures, film screenings and even sporting festivals. The venue has the capacity to accommodate 10,000 people at one time. However, for most Melbourne officials and corporations who wish to hold any business meetings indoors, there are many conference facilities in Melbourne such as the Oaks On Collins and many other venues to choose from.

The Federation Square is as big as one whole city block and is fully done in cobblestones that pave the way in the Kimberely province of Australia. The Square sort of forms a platform that stands above the ground and therefore its renders magnificent vistas of the Melbourne city as well as the beautiful Southbank area and the Yarra River.

Visitors can opt to walk around the Federation Square and gaze at the perfectly done Atrium which is a completely constructed out of glass, zinc and steel only. The gallery is home to many art exhibitions and the Edge is an amphitheatre which holds events from musical gigs to theatre performances to discussions and talks.

The Melbourne Cricket Stadium, Victorian Arts Centre, Yarra River and the Alexandra Gardens are all visually fulfilling sights that can be seen from the Federation Square. The eminent venue also holds the Ian Potter Centre, the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, the National Gallery of Victoria as well as the National Design Centre.

Damon Starky is a creative nomadic travel writer, who is well informed and experienced on a wide range of interests that would connect to the needs of any type of traveler. Google+

Uncover Abu Dhabi’s Cultural Diversity Witnessing the City’s Colorful Religious Festivals

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Travellers in search of luxurious Abu Dhabi hotels will find no finer alternative to the Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara. Conveniently situated in a strategic location this stylish rest serves as the perfect base from which to explore the metropolis that is Abu Dhabi.

As a melting pot of varied cultures the thriving desert holiday destination of Abu Dhabi is no light weight when it comes to engaging, local celebrations. Populated by immigrants and expats from around the world the vibrant diversity of Abu Dhabi is put on display each year with colorful religious festivals hosted by various communities in Abu Dhabi society. As one of the most progressive and religiously tolerant Islamic nations in the world this bustling metropolis is a shining example to the region and the globe at large.
As a predominantly Islamic nation the most coveted religious holiday in the Abu Dhabi calendar is of course the holy festival of Ramadan. Celebrated with great reverence this annual festival begins in late June as a month long fasting season heralds in the holy month. Muslim devotees refrain from consuming food and drink from dusk till dawn during the period in which great vigilance is paid to one’s moral behavior and righteousness in terms of conduct. The breaking of the fast in contrast is heralded in with the distribution of sweets and family gatherings with large, traditional Arabic meals and donations to charities. This three-day long celebration period is known as Eid Al Fitr where the exchange of gifts between friends and family is also a custom.
Easter is also marked with great pomp and pageantry in Abu Dhabi. The city’s most iconic Christian church, St. Joseph’s is at the centre of the celebrations as more than 25,000 worshippers flock to the church to mark this sacred Christian holiday. Twenty services were conducted on Easter Sunday, 2013 with sermons delivered in an impressive 12 languages to cater to the large number of Christians hailing from various nations around the world. Diwali is Abu Dhabi’s most highly anticipated religious festival for Hindus and visitors can witness this vibrant local festival each October-November as Hindu temples across the city set the scene for the annual thanksgiving celebration marked by Hindus the world over.
Indian Sweetmeats the like of Rasgulla and Mithaj are central to the celebration of Rama’s defeat of Demon monarch Ravana in this Hindu festival full of colour and camaraderie.
Vesak Day is also marked by Buddhists residing in Abu Dhabi as the religious festival marks the birth, enlightenment and demise of Lord Buddha. Hosted by the Sri Lankan embassy in the city 2013’s celebrations saw alms giving programs, Bakthi Gee recitals and the Bodhi Pujas with the attendance of the Sri Lankan Buddhist community residing in the UAE.

Wesak Festival In Sigiriya- A True Cultural Celebration

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Wesak Festival is one of the most colourful religious and cultural celebrations you could experience in Sri Lanka. Therefore, the month of May is one of the best times to visit the island. Being one of the three cities of the Cultural Triangle, Sigiriya is the perfect place to be during Wesak. If you are looking for Sigiriya accommodationchoices, Jetwing Vil Uyana is a luxury Sigirya hotel you could try out. Sri Lanka being predominantly a Buddhist country, celebrate Wesak at its best in every nook and corner. Regardless of the religion each and every house will display Wesak lanterns in numerous shapes, colours and sizes. Massive pandols depicting the life of Lord Buddha, illuminated with hundreds of tiny multihued bulbs, are very much a part and parcel of the Vesak celebrations. Following the path of the Lord Buddha and His noble quality of giving, “dansal” or offering free food and drinks in the streets is the most exciting experience you could get while your stay during Wesak.

Umanga Kahandawaarachchi is a passionate travel writer who writes under the pen name, Maggie Tulliver. Her field of writing covers a wide array of content and articles related to travel and hospitality industry. Google+

Sri Lanka Cultural Values & Business Etiquette- Respect and adhere!

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People with welcoming smiles, generous hearts and warm hospitality are the features tightly woven to Sri Lankan culture. The island being one of the spectacular event venues, if you are looking for event planners in Sri Lanka to organize your corporate gathering or the business conference, Nkar Mice is one of the pioneering companies specialized in event management in Sri Lanka. Whether you are on leisure or business, if you are on a visit to this paradisiacal island, do not forget to educate yourself of its cultural values and business etiquettes. Sri Lankans who have the highest regard for their cultural values do not encourage overt physical displays of affection in public. Being predominantly a Buddhist country, visitors are expected to be in decent attire when visiting temples. Although the country boasts of beautiful sunny beaches, nudity is not allowed in any of the beaches in Sri Lanka. It is the normal practice in Sri Lanka to greet anyone by saying “Ayubowan”- May you live long. Knowing some of these cultural values and etiquettes unique to the island will always come in handy when wandering in Sri Lanka.

 

Arab Future Cities Summit 2014 – Smarter Cities, Improved Quality of Life

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The Arab Future Cities Summit (AFCS) is due to be held from 7-8 of April 2014 in Doha. This is a very important summit where the future constructions of the Middle Eastern cities will be discussed, ideas and new innovations will be shared and plans will be made.

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This is the third time the summit is being held and for the summit in 2014 over 300 senior level corporates are invited to attend the meeting and contribute to the future developments. The great need for such planning of city developments is to cope up with the increasing urbanisation and finding new methods to minimise the complexities that come with it. Thus smarter, efficient cities must be built so that cost would be minimised improving the quality of life. Some of the main items that will be discussed at this summit would be the water and energy supply, transport and mobility, sustainable development, use of technology more effectively and the development of an intelligent urban policy.

Knowledge sharing and networking is a key aspect that will be looked at during the coming summit where government authorities, developers, urban planners, academics, investors and cutting edge technologists will share their thoughts and ideas and give direction to building smarter cities across the Middle Eastern region.

The rich Emirati culture, architecture and interior decorations you see in many hotels in the Middle Eastern region are present in Doha hotel venues as well. These hotels are well equipped with modern facilities, gymnasiums, spas and indoor swimming pools. With places of interest such as the Museum of Islamic Art which is considered to be Doha’s flagship museum housing artefacts from Muslim dynasties from all over Asia, Africa and Europe, the Souq Waqif, a market place superb for souvenir shopping and Villaggio Mall shopping complex with a long canal offering gondola rides at reasonable prices whilst shopping in the mall, Doha is a much visited place by tourists making investors keen on staying in a hotel in Doha. Of all the available options consider residing at Millennium Hotel Doha which is located in the heart of Doha city, complete with a gymnasium, indoor pool, spa therapy and comfortable lodging.

 

Umanga Kahandawaarachchi is a passionate travel writer who writes under the pen name, Maggie Tulliver. Her field of writing covers a wide array of content and articles related to travel and hospitality industry.

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