september your guide to what’s on

7-16

Even if you can’t get to Laos itself, you can get a taste of the country’s food and culture at the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit Bangkok this month. The Laos promotion sees Chef Joy Ngueamboupha from Luang Prabang’s Tamarind Restaurant cooking her homeland’s cuisine (right) in the Orchid Café and a selection of beautiful hand-woven Laotian silks on display in the Library. www.luxurycollection.com/bangkok

19-23

It’s unlikely that there will be Ferraris or the mafia, but the Raffles Phnom Penh will certainly have some other Italian specialities in store for its Italian Festival. Expect to get a taste of la dolce vita at food and wine events full of flair. www.phnompenh.raffles.com

14 onwards

Visit the Hong Kong Museum of Art’s Treasures of the World’s Cultures exhibition – an incredible array of artefacts from the British Museum that include an Egyptian relic, The Unlucky Mummy dating from around 945 BC. Spanning two million years to the present day, the show offers an abundance of things to see, including paintings, jewellery and sculptures from five different continents. www.lcsd.gov.hk/hkma

ALL MONTH

Six painters exhibit their works on the human form and examine how technology has affected its portrayal at Art Space Ji Qoo’s Re-figurative Paintings. Artist and gallery owner Chatchawan Nilsakul spearheaded the Chiang Mai event that’s on until 28 October.

“Chatchawan handpicked the five other artists whose works are on show next to his creations, which reflect the theme of the exhibition,” says his wife and gallery manager Satoru Nilsakul. 4/2 Soi 5 Nimmanhaemin Road, tel +66 (0)53 894250, www.ji-qoo.com

25

Dating back at least 3,000 years, the Mid-Autumn Festival celebrates togetherness and abundance while the harvest moon is at its fullest. Join in the Chinese celebrations across Asia, unite with your family and friends, eat mooncakes signifying the year’s cycle and light colourful paper lanterns!

27-1 Oct

Unlike Thailand’s Koh Phangan party of the same name, the Full Moon Festival in Miyajima, Hiroshima is a tranquil three-day event taking place on Iri-hama beach. Bring your tent, provisions, even instruments if you have them, and enjoy the relaxing music and atmosphere. www.gethiroshima.com

october your guide to what’s on

5

High speeds plus water sports, anyone? Xi’an hosts the fifth leg of this year’s F1 Power Boat Grand Prix, so soak up the spray at the junction of the Ba He and Chang He rivers. Cruising at up to 225km/h, 24 Formula One craft s flying a range of flags will be battling it out for the title. The race promises to be an adrenaline-filled event. www.f1boat.com

13

Running at midnight? You heard right. Grab your torch and join thousands of other competitors at the annual Amari Midnight Run in Bangkok. Now in its 10th year, the race starts outside the Amari Watergate Hotel. Choose between the 12km or 6km course and feel good while you jog – the proceeds go to charity! www.amari.com/watergate

13+14

Hiroshima’s annual two-day Sake Festival is a must for anyone wanting to discover more about Japan’s favourite tipple. Wander along Sajagura Dori Street and taste the many different brands of the nearby sake breweries, or just enjoy the stalls and performances. An event for all age groups! http://sakematsuri.com/index_e.html

ALL MONTH

To see the ancient capital in a different light, visit the Vision of Angkor exhibition at Le Meridien Angkor. Running until April 2008, the display combines over 20 breathtaking prints by French photographer Thierry Diwo with the Angkor Heritage’s replica sculptures of original Khmer masterpieces housed in Phnom Penh’s National Museum. www.lemeridien.com/angkor

18-30

Celebrate the arts and the art of living well at the inaugural Singapore Sun Festival. It is the first time that an Asian chapter has joined the annual Sun Festivals, which are also held in Cortona, Italy and Napa Valley, California. The 13-day event will feature performances, film screenings, art exhibitions, epicurean events and spa offers, kicking off with a full-scale orchestral concert featuring the Russian National Orchestra conducted by the Bolshoi Theatre’s Alexander Vedernikov. www.singaporesunfestival.com

25-27

Join Myanmar in celebrating the end of Buddhist Lent in the three-day Thadingyut Festival of Lights. Said to have originated from angels lighting the paThof Buddha to earth from heaven, the country’s streets, houses, public buildings and parks are all illuminated during this period, which is also a time for thanksgiving and paying homage to elders.