Loi Ruea Chao Le Festival

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The sea gypsies of the seas around Thailand have been roaming these waters for centuries. Sailing from island to island, they make a living by fishing and foraging whereever they land and trading any excess in the mainland. They have stubbornly held onto their nomadic lifestyle in the modern age and only a few are settled in the coastal villages of south Thailand. But on the full moon day of the sixth and eleventh month each year, all members of this elusive group come ashore to join the rest of their clan in a very special festival called Loi Ruea.

Initiated to give thanks to the Sea God and gain favour and blessings for the future, the festival takes place in several Chao Le villages and lasts several days. The normally sparsely populated villages are filled with people and trading stalls and are highly decorated for the occasion. The Ko Lanta village and the beaches near Ban Saladen host some of the best parties for this festival. After spending the first two day in song, dance and other celebrations, the full moon night is spent with more reverence. Models of their traditional wooden boats are made and decorated with garlands of flowers and little statues of the people are placed in them with bits of hair or nail clippings. After dancing the native celebratory dance of ‘rong ngeng’ is performed for prosperity and luck for the coming months, the boats are pushed outwards to the sea. For anyone looking for the true cultural diversity of Thailand this is a wonderful experience.

Thailand and its many ethnic groups live in quiet peace around the country and are responsible for the regional differences in traditions. The Chao Le are so adapted to their sea and sand life that their children are able to see underwater scenery better than that of land. This unique population can be easily visited from any of the Krabi resorts. Filled with modern facilities and friendly services the Anantara Si Kao Thailand is an ideal place to identify your inner explorer. It promotes a blend of the traditional with the modern as can be seen by the services and style of this Trang resort.

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