Destinations, Travel tips, Festivals and Public Holidays
Festivals
Songkran Festival Thailand – No One Remains Dry
Oct 19th
Songkran Festival in Thailand, also known as Thailand’s New Year festival, is usually held in April 13. People in Thailand celebrates the festival by throwing water to each other from the media of water gun, balloons, or even buckets. Throwing water to each other is meant to wash away the bad luck or illness from people’s bodies. This tradition is derived from the monks’ habit of splashing water to the people after praying in the temple in the purpose of cleaning the people minds and body from evil spirit or dirtiness. More >
Awa Odori, Japanese Biggest Dance Festival
Oct 19th
Japan is the house of dozens festivals held almost every month in different districts of Japan. One of the biggest festival in Japan is Awa Odori or Awa Dance festival, takes place for three days from August 12 until 15 in Tokushima. Awa Dance festival invites every dancer to dance on the street while wearing the traditional Obon costumes. Annually, this special event in Tokushima prefecture of Japan is attended by more than 1 million people both from the inside and outside Japan. More >
Cheese Rolling Festival in Coopers Hill UK
Oct 17th
Citizens in Gloucestershine UK own a traditional and erratic festival – Cheese Rolling Festival – held on June each year. Cheese Rolling festival entails the entries to be up on the hill and then run down the hill to chase a 3,6 kilograms round cheese rolling downhill. This local festival was formerly celebrated by only the local villagers, yet due to a great publication from the local people through online media, more than 15,000 people headed to Coopers Hill in 2009, the spot where Cheese Rolling Festival takes place. More >
Crave Sydney International Food Festival 2011
Oct 17th
Sydney becomes the host of the largest food festival in Australia this year. Crave Sydney International Food Festival is the name of such festival held for one month on the coming October 1st until the Halloween day – October 31, 2011
in 2011. Both local and international chefs will take part in this event, and various kinds of dishes all over the world will be served. Special for this year, the major theme of cuisines is going to be South American taste with spicy sensation in most of their dishes. More >
Kyaukse Elephant Dance Festival in Myanmar
Oct 15th
This October, Myanmar holds a fanciful festival named Kyausuke Elephant Dance Festival. This festival is both unique and eccentric for people participated in the festival dance while wearing an elephant figure made of paper and bamboo. The participants of Kyausuke Elephant Dance Festival decorate the elephant’s dummy as pretty as possible to win the competition deciding the best elephant’s costume is held during the festival. Not only participants with the best elephant’s costume but also participants with the best dance performance will receive a prize from the local committee of the festival. More >
Phuket Vegetarian Festival – 26 September until 05 October 2011
Oct 13th
Phuket Vegetarian Festival is the annual festival in Thailand celebrated in the purpose of gaining good health and peaceful life. It is celebrated in the ninth lunar month according to Chinese Calendar, and in this 2011, the festival is taken place for 9 days from September 26th until October 5th. During the 9 days festival, people celebrating Phuket Vegetarian Festival should not eat any meat, seafood, or fowls to purify themselves from any illness or bad deeds. People believe that by the time the festival is over, their mind, soul, and body are purified, and they will be away from fatal illness or disaster. More >
Jidai Matsuri 2011 – The Festival of Ages in Japan
Oct 13th
Kyoto has a festal annual festival called Jidai Matsuri or festival of the Ages. Jidai Matsuri started in 1895 when people in Japan commemorated the establishment of Heian Jingu shrine in Kyoto. People celebrate the festival on October 22 by parading from Kyoto Imperial Palace to Heian Jingu shrine while lifting a small imitation of shrine called Mikoshi. The small imitation of shrine is meant as the representation of the former emperors. More >
Diwali Festival 2011 – Lights and Candles Festival in India
Oct 13th
A festival of lights is the other name for Diwali Festival celebrated in India every October. The date of Diwali festival is different each year based on the Hindu calendar, but in this 2011, the festival will be held on October 26th. People in India celebrates Diwali festival for 5 days with the third day as the peak of the celebration. Certain traditions are performed during Diwali festival e.g. lighting up candles and lamps, exchanging gifts, and having feast. The people also conduct a kind of praying called Laxmi Puja to worship Laxmi – the Goddess of Wealth – according to the Hinduism belief. More >
Discover the Joy of Shichi Go San Festival in Japan
Oct 12th
Japan is always full of unique festivals and traditions along the year. Shichi Go San Festival is one of the unique festivals in Japan which is held for children in the age of 3, 5, and 7. Shichi Go San Festival began with Japanese believe that odds number are considered lucky. In this festival, boys in the age of 3 or 5 years old and girls in the age of 5 or 7 years old wear their first traditional Japanese clothes – Hakama and Kimono. The children, accompanied by parents, go to the shrines to wish for their healthy life and pray to be driven out from any bad spirit. More >
Animal-Inspired Festivals of the World
Oct 11th
Festivals are usually held by and for people, but some festivals in the world involve animals in the celebrations. The involvement of the animals is either to enliven the festivals or to honor a certain animal. Among some festivals involving animals in the world, three of them are very famous that people around the world head towards the country where the festivals are held. The three most famous festivals involving animals are presented as the following. More >
