The Royal Ploughing ceremony marks the beginning of the rice-growing season and is a traditional festival celebrated in great fanfare and ardour. In order to fully soak in the ambiance of this charming event, visitors usually choose a Sukhumvit hotel to lodge in during their stay. A popular Bangkok hotel that is chosen by many is Grand Millennium Sukhumvit Bangkok which known for the comforts as well as the true Asian experience that it imparts of each one of its guests. The date of this festival depends on astrological calculations and usually takes place in the months of May, June or July celebrating the beginning of the Buddhist lent in the Burmese month of Waso. During the festival sacred oxen are tied to a wooden plough and they are …

August seems to be the month when Phuket goes mad about seafood. For two days in the middle of the month Phuket is the ‘go to’ place to sample the succulent seafood of Thailand. With the motto of ‘Good Taste Best Price’ the annual Phuket Seafood Festival aims to showcase the variety of seafood found around Phuket. Visitors can sample an array of discounted seafood dishes prepared in various styles by chefs from food shops and restaurants of the island. Adding to the buzz is Phuket Lobster Week that promotes lobster like no other. The festivals aims to introduce visitors to a wide range of seafood dishes and it is certainly the best time to sample the seafood that one has always wanted to try. …

The Lantern Festival which is also widely popular as the Shangyuan Festival in China falls on the fifteenth day of the first month in the Lunar Calendar. This is generally during February or March according to the Gregorian calendar. This festivity has become very significant ever since the Western Han Dynasty which was during 206 BC to AD 25. When this festival began during the Han Dynasty, China was a country which was thriving with Buddhism. It is said that the monks lit lanterns to reminisce the relics from the cremation of Lord Buddha after attaining Nirvana. Following this, beginning from the empire to every household in China lights a lantern on this special day. With time this became a very majestic festival which went …

For the ultimate holiday experience, select a Phuket beach resort such as Anantara Phuket Resort Thailand, an ideally located Phuket resort. When in the region there are various things to do and events to enjoy, especially local festivals. One of the most unique festivals in the island is the Vegetarian Festival. Phuket Seafood Festival where local culinary experts showcase their skills and the Chinese New Year are also popular events. However a prominent event you will get to experience here is the Songkran Festival. Bringing an array of entertainment options is the Phuket Old Town Festival whilst Wat Chalong Fair which coincides with the Chinese New Year brings shopping opportunities, entertainment and more.

Renowned as a holiday Mecca for the masses, Indonesia’s tourist capital is no ordinary city in Asia. Abound with natural beauty and a rich cultural heritage the Balinese are a group of people entrenched in their traditional way of life with every occasion in the cycle from birth to death marked with rituals as ancient as time itself. This preoccupation with marking and celebrating every significant event in the natural world as well as life is such a part of the Balinese identity that folk life in the country would be bereft without the age old customs and wisdom passed on from generation to generation. The Galungan Festival is one of Bali’s most prestigious religious and cultural mêlées marked in Wuku years. Taking centre stage …

Bali is a traveller’s paradise and Bali hotel accommodation caters to their discerning needs. However with one of the ideally located Bali hotels such as Anantara Seminyak Bali, you will be assured of a remarkable holiday in the region. Attractions in the region include various religious and cultural festivals. Harvest festivals, parades to the sea, fasting & retreat ceremonies, temple festivals and more are among these events. One of the main religious festivals in Bali is Nyepi Festival which marks the beginning of the New Year. Held before this is the Melasti Festival which is dedicated to driving evil spirits away from the island.