September your guide to what’s on

2006 is a year-long celebration of the 60th anniversary of His Majesty the King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s accession to the Thai throne. Find out about the host of extra special annual events taking place at www.tourismthailand.org and join the nation in honouring the world’s longest-reigning monarch.

4 All eyes will be on Singapore this month as it plays host to the IMF and World Bank Group’s annual meetings. What is more exciting to the average visitor, however, is that the event also marks the launch of the first ever Singapore Biennale of contemporary art. This international gathering features work by more than 800 artists from over 35 countries and across the visual arts. www.singaporebiennale.com 7 The holy image of Phra Puttha Maha Thammaracha resides in Phetchabun’s Wat Trai Phum and is sure to get a good wash at least once a year at the Diving Buddha Image Ceremony. Following a parade through the city’s streets, the governor of the province officiates at a holy ritual where he dives into the river with the sacred image in his arms – the idea being his actions will result in happiness, seasonal rains and fertility. 15 Budji Living Bangkok will be in full bloom from now until the beginning of November, filled with Nat Posila’s oversized oil paintings of succulent fruits and tropical foliage. The bright, colourful “Senses-5-Senses” exhibition by this rising Thai artist follows on from near sell-out exhibitions in Western Australia. 7 Thonglor 25 (Sukhumvit 55), tel +65 (0)2 712-9832

21–22

Pchum Ben festival, taking place in the 10th month of Cambodia’s lunar calendar, brings Cambodians to the temples in droves to make offerings of food and drink to the spirits of their deceased ancestors. A visit to any temple during these two days will provide a traveller with a unique insight into Cambodian culture, alongside some fabulous photo opportunities.

Watermark bar-restaurant presents “the dockside shakedown” on the last Sunday of the months, with international DJs playing the funkiest house music for Phuket’s hippest crowd from 3-10pm. Dance right on down to Boat Lagoon Marina at Thepkasattri Road in Phuket City. Tel +65 (0)76 239730

27–29

Looking to invest in property in Asia? Head to the Hong Kong convention and exhibition centre and check out MIPIM Asia – a totally new international road show for key real estate investors, developers and buyers. www.mipimasia.com

The Gulf of Thailand is set to rock again as the annual Koh Samui Music Festival hosted by Coco Blues in Chaweng kicks off from now until Sunday, 8 October. Visit www.kohsamuimusicfestival.com or tel +65 (0) 7741-4354 for a full line-up of the exciting international and homegrown artists set to take to the stage.

October your guide to what’s on

1-12

the Mid-Autumn Lantern Festival is a major event widely celebrated by chinese all over the world, with a strong emphasis on family’s spending quality time together. Join in the spirit of things and head to a high place to gaze at the full moon, which is the considered to be the biggest and brightest at this time of year. beautiful lanterns – another feature of the celebrations – also help to help to light night’s sky once darkness falls.

7

It’s not just Jerry Lee Lewis who believes in great balls of fire. Head to north Thailand during the Naga Fireballs Festival of Nong Khai and witness one of the Kingdom’s most curious natural phenomena. Taking place during the full moon of the final day of Buddhist Lent, small blobs of red, blue, pink or green light rise upwards of 300m from the Mekong River and hang in the night’s sky for 10 seconds. Fabulous floats and illuminated boats also add to the special sights.

7&8

Around Hiroshima is one of Japan’s top sake-producing regions – both in terms of quantity and quality – and the city’s annual two-day Sake Matsuri festival offers the ideal opportunity to sample hundreds of varieties. Wander through some of the local breweries and storehouses with their distinctive white walls along Sakagura-dori Street, and take in the parades, street stalls and performances. www.sakematsuri.com

All month

Pop into Popil Photogallery (www.lepopil.com) on Phnom Penh’s Street 19 during October to view the exhibition of Magnum photographer John Vink’s striking images of brodal serei (Khmer kickboxing). The high-impact photo-reportage seeks to capture what the popular weekly televised fights cannot – the real sweat, blood, hopes and fears of the fighters…

The Art House at the Warehouse (www.thearthousesiemreap.com) continues its run of exhibitions with a Contemporary Art showcase by graduates of the Royal University of Fine Arts. Sponsored by Bangkok Airways, the event – which started in August and finishes on 9 November – provides an inspirational insight into the development of the Cambodian contemporary arts scene and its emerging stars.

22-30

Enjoy colourful parades and a programme of bold, daring acts performed by devotees at Phuket’s Vegetarian Festival (www.phuket. com/festival/vegetarian). It’s not all about watching fire-walking and body-piercing, however. The event celebrates the Chinese community’s belief that this nine-day abstinence from meat and various stimulants will help them obtain good health and peace of mind.

October’s Best of the Best Culinary Awards in Hong Kong is a foodie’s paradise time, when the local top chefs compete with signature dishes that anyone can sample at their restaurants. Take the opportunity to make your own judgements on the choices made by the finalists. Visit www.DiscoverHongKong.com for more details.

Bookmark This Post     Print This Post    Email This Post

Other recent features: