Event· Phuket· Thailand
Phuket Vegetarian Festival (Jui Tui Shrine, Phuket Town)
7° 53.0′ N · 98° 23.0′ E
Phuket's biggest festival: nine days of the Nine Emperor Gods celebration, with white-clad devotees, entranced mediums with pierced cheeks, firecracker-choked street processions and meat-free food stalls all over Phuket Town.
Practical
Held for nine days from the eve of the ninth Chinese lunar month, so usually late September or October (Wikipedia). Jui Tui Shrine, off Ranong Road on Soi Phuthorn, is one of the main ritual bases, with opening ceremonies and major processions; Kathu Shrine is the oldest site. Processions and firewalking happen in and around the shrines, and Ranong Road becomes the main food street. Shops flying yellow and red jay flags serve vegan food. Expect very loud firecrackers and closed roads in town; take a taxi from Chalong or Boat Lagoon rather than driving. Dates change every year: check the Tourism Authority of Thailand calendar. Position from the OpenStreetMap shrine node.
Best for
A once-in-a-lifetime cultural spectacle if you are in Phuket in early northeast season
Season
Ninth Chinese lunar month (late Sep–Oct); dates vary yearly
Nearby
- Phuket Town Central Market (Ranong Road Fresh Market)0.2 NM away
- Old Phuket Town (Thalang Road)0.5 NM away
- Khao Rang Viewpoint (Rang Hill)0.6 NM away
- Phuket Provincial Immigration Office (Phuket Town)1 NM away
- Phuket Weekend Night Market (Naka Market)1 NM away
- Central Phuket Mall (Festival and Floresta), Phuket Town1.1 NM away
- Monkey Hill (Khao Toh Sae), Phuket Town1.1 NM away
- Bangkok Hospital Phuket / Vachira Phuket Hospital1.3 NM away
Place data includes © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).