Temples,Festivals, Events, Fairs
Festivals
Songkran Water Festival April 8-14 (Thai New Year)
The Songkran (New Year) water festival started on April 8, and the squirt guns, water balloons, water canons, and anything else that can hold water are being used. The Thai government has declared certain areas as "water play zones" where people can have fun celebrating by pouring and spraying water on each other.
The tradition of the Songkran Water Festival is to give respect to elder Thais as children and young people would gently pour water over the hands of the elders as a sign of respect entering the New Year.
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Over the years, Songkran has developed into a weeklong event across the country where festivals, fairs, gatherings of families celebrate with baby powder and water. The powder is gently rubbed on the face and skin as a way to ward off evil spirits for the upcoming year. The water, while mostly just fun play, represents the washing of the body of the bad omens of the previous year.
Wat Chalong Festival
The Wat Chalong Fair is an 8 day event every year at the end of January. Wat Chalong is the most revered Buddhist temple in south Thailand.
The finger bone of Buddha is kept in the special "Chedi" that is the largest temple building. Thai people flock to the festival for the fun, games, food, shopping, and socializing. Many Thai people also show respect for their religion and temple by making an offering at the main temple by laying flowers, lighting a candle and some incense while offering a prayer. The entire Wat (Temple) is transformed with bright lights and music and the smell of fresh BBQ roasting in the air. It is really quite exciting and a great way to better understand the Thai culture and people.
Vendors offer goods for sale in long rows of canvas tent shops and stalls. Everything you might think of is for sale. Lots of clothing, bags, hats, jewelry, cosmetics, flowers, ceramics, and more types of food, snacks and sweets are on display than you can imagine.
Like most fairs and festivals there are entertainment areas with games of chance, water-dunk tanks, shooting games for stuffed animals and presents, dart games, etc. There are large playground areas with air-cushion slides, train rides, ferris wheels, and merry-go-rounds.
At the front of the fair, which is quite large and requires lots of walking, is the restaurant area with large patio style eating areas. Thai cuisine from all parts of Thailand is available. From southern Thai cuisine to Issan dishes, the fair offers something of a "taste of Thailand."
The fair has gotten bigger every year. It seems something new is for sale very year. This year there were several orchid sellers and exotic koy and goldfish for outdoor aquariums.
Muay Thai boxing matches are held every two or three days along with Thai "Reekay" which is a cultural dance and musical style of entertainment. The last three days of the fair, popular Thai vocal artists take stage for concerts that bring more than 15,000 people. No matter what day or night you come (opens most days around 11:00 a.m.) the Wat Chalong Fair is great fun with lots of bargains to be had shopping and great food for the eating.
Temples
Wat Chalong
One of the most respected and revered temples in Thailand, Wat Chalong sits in the shadow of the Buddhist monument on top of Karon mountain.
The temple houses a special "Chedi" building that holds the finger of Buddha. Because the chedi houses the finger bone of Buddha, Wat Chalong is considered the most revered and respected Wat in southern Thailand.
There are several buildings on the temple complex. A central temple is where Thai and foreigners come regularly to make merit and offerings. Usually, a person will light some incense and lay some flowers down before lighting some candles and offering a prayer. Sometimes, the monk will offer you a small string to be tied about your wrist. The string is a reminder to be a good Buddhist and brings good fortune.
There is also the main crematorium where Thais are cremated after death. A large cone shaped building next to the crematorium is for placing large bundles of firecrackers inside and the loud and echoing blasts scare away the evil spirits.
The Wat Chalong Fair, which lasts 10 days, is held at the end of every January. The fair features shopping, restaurants, games, entertainment, concerts, muay thai boxing, and socializing. It is a favorite of locals and tourists.
Phang-Nga Buddha and Cave Monk
As you travel along the highway from Phuket to Phang-nga, a beautiful and peaceful seaside province of islands with stunning beaches, mountains, and exciting adventure trips, there is a large Buddha monument (statue) guarded by a Buddhist monk.
Living in a cave 120 meters up a sheer limestone wall of a mountain, the monk lives out his elder years in meditation, below him the 20 meter tall Buddha sits guarding a small mountain pass. (Great spot for pictures on your way to/back from Phang-nga or Krabi.
