How to experience the Phuket Vegetarian Festival in 2025

October 13, 2025

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How to experience the Phuket Vegetarian Festival in 2025

The Thaiger key takeaways

The Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2025 runs from October 20 to 29, filling the island with sacred rituals, parades, and vegan food stalls.
Watch the street processions in Phuket Town, visit famous shrines like Jui Tui and Kathu, and try local Jay dishes marked with yellow flags.
Stay near the action in Phuket Town or unwind at resorts that offer special festival menus and deals.

The Phuket Vegetarian Festival is just around the corner! This year, the festival runs from October 20 to 29, and it turns Thailand’s largest island into a scene unlike any other. For nine days, firecrackers fill the air, yellow flags line the street, vegetarian food stalls, and devotees dressed in white gather in temples and parades to honour the Nine Emperor Gods.

Also known as Kin Jay (กินเจ) in Thai or the Nine Emperor Gods Festival, the tradition is rooted in Chinese Taoist beliefs and focuses on purification of both body and mind by avoiding meat, alcohol, and other indulgences. It’s one of those festivals you need to see at least once in your life.

And if you’re heading to Phuket for it, here’s how to experience the Phuket Vegetarian Festival in full.

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Jump to section Summary What to do Watch sacred rituals, join morning processions, and explore Phuket’s bustling vegan food markets filled with yellow-flag “Jay” dishes. Where to stay Stay close to the action in Phuket Town or choose a seaside resort that offers easy access to shrines and festival venues. Where to experience it outside Phuket Celebrate the Vegetarian Festival in Bangkok’s Chinatown or in Hat Yai, where locals hold their own vibrant versions of the event.

What to do in Phuket during the Vegetarian Festival

Note: If you plan to watch, do so respectfully. Dress modestly, avoid standing in the way, and keep noise to a minimum. These rituals are acts of deep faith, and seeing them up close gives you a real glimpse into Phuket’s spiritual culture.

1. Join the opening or closing ceremonies

The street parades of Phuket Vegetarian Festival are always lively. Image by Anna Korzik via Unsplash

The Phuket Vegetarian Festival starts with a solemn but dramatic ritual known as the Raising of the Tall Lantern Pole. The pole is said to invite the Nine Emperor Gods to descend from heaven, and it marks the beginning of the nine-day purification period.

The pole-raising ceremony takes place at various shrines across the island, including Jui Tui Shrine in Phuket Town. At this shrine, it happens on October 20, 5pm.

Nine days later, the festival closes with a farewell. On Wednesday, October 29, rituals at Jui Tui begin in the afternoon, with devotees offering vegetarian food at 3pm, followed by prayers at 6pm. Then, just before midnight, the final procession sets off toward Saphan Hin park, where the gods are symbolically returned to the heavens.

2. Watch the morning street processions

Self-mortification is part of the festival. Image by Anna Sushok via Unsplash

If there’s one thing you absolutely must see, it’s the street processions. Be prepared, though, they’re anything but gentle. The processions are dramatic and deeply spiritual, full of acts of devotion.

It features the Ma Song (spirit mediums) who enter trance states and perform acts of self-mortification such as piercing their cheeks with swords or walking barefoot across burning charcoal. These rituals symbolise the cleansing of sin and the protection of the community.

The street processions move through Phuket Town from different shrines each day. Here’s the schedule for 2025:

Bang Liao Shrine – October 26, 6am
Jui Tui Shrine – October 27, 8am
Kathu Shrine – October 28, 6.45am
Sui Bong Tong Shrine – October 29, 7am

Go early, dress modestly, and bring a mask or scarf to handle the smoke from the firecrackers.

3. Visit the Shrines

The main events are usually held at Jui Tui Shrine. Image via tourismthailand.org

To get a sense of how big the Phuket Vegetarian Festival really is, don’t just watch the street processions. Make sure to visit at least one of the over 20 participating shrines across the island, too.

Start with Jui Tui Shrine, where most of the major events happen. Some of the highlights for 2025 include:

Fang Guan on October 16 at 8pm, when vegetarian food offerings are released into the water.
Ji Kun and Cha Det Kiem on October 23 at 3pm, which involves distributing food and planting bamboo swords.
Lian Huo on October 26 at 8pm, a dramatic fire-offering ritual.
You Jing Qian Wang Hai Kou Dao Xiang on October 27 at 8am, an incense procession at the sea.
Dun Yin on October 28 at 8pm, a protection ceremony to ward off misfortune.
Cai Ying Sheng Jia Fan Tai Zuo Yu Fu on October 29 at 11pm, a farewell ceremony for the Gods.

Other shrines offer captivating rituals as well. Lim Hu Tai Su Shrine is known for intense body-piercing rituals and firewalking on October 28 at 8.15pm.

Kathu Shrine, which is believed to be the birthplace of the festival, hosts its firewalking ritual on October 29 at 3pm and a bridge-crossing ceremony at 7pm.

Sui Bong Tong Shrine closes the festival with its own procession on October 29 at 7am and a bridge-crossing later that evening at 8.30pm.

4. Eat the vegan food

During the festival, you can see many vegan Thai and Chinese food like vegan dim sums. Image by Jason leung via Unsplash

No visit to the Phuket Vegetarian Festival is complete without trying the food. The Jay diet followed during the festival excludes all animal products, along with garlic, onion, and other pungent ingredients. Despite the restrictions, the food is full of flavour.

The main food hubs are Ranong Road Market, near Jui Tui Shrine, and Phuket Road, near Bang Neow Shrine. You can eat your way through rows of vendors offering:

Pad Mee Sua (stir-fried noodles with tofu and vegetables)
Palo Mee Kueng (gluten rolls in a five-spice broth)
Kanom Kai Nok Kra Ta (sweet potato balls)
Fried Taro Cakes
Kanom See Ka (Phuket-style Chinese crullers)

The easiest way to spot the food for the Phuket Vegetarian Festival is to look for yellow flags with red Thai letters. They mark food that’s safe for festival-goers. If, for some reason, you don’t want to explore the streets, many hotels across the island also offer à la carte menus during this period.

Where to stay in Phuket during the Vegetarian Festival

The following hotels are offering Phuket Vegetarian Festival specials and experiences. They may not all be within walking distance of the main shrines, but each provides easy access to the festivities and something unique for festival-goers.

1. JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa

Phuket Vegetarian Feast at Ginja. Image via JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa

Want the Phuket Vegetarian Festival with a side of luxury? JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa on Mai Khao Beach is a great place to stay. The resort celebrates the festival with a Phuket Vegetarian Feast at Ginja Taste from October 21 to 29, featuring a family-style menu for 1,988++ baht per couple.

Between the days of the festival, you can swim at one of the three pools, join a yoga class, or enjoy a treatment at the spa.

2. Cape Panwa Hotel

If you want to stay near the sea while still being close to the festival, Cape Panwa Hotel offers the best of both worlds. Situated around 25 minutes from Phuket Town, it provides easy access to the Vegetarian Festival with the added bonus of peace and quiet.

The hotel offers a special VegFest2025 deal with vegetarian breakfasts, shuttle transfers to town, and early check-in and late check-out. You will also receive discounts at Cape Spa and on dining.

When you’re done exploring the parades, you can spend time at the beach, enjoy a sunset drink, or join the complimentary Step Back in Time activity to learn about Phuket’s history.

3. Wekata Luxury Hotel

Wekata Luxury Hotel in Kata offers a great base for those coming to the Phuket Vegetarian Festival. Image via Wekata Luxury Hotel

Stylish and good value, Wekata Luxury Hotel in Kata is a great pick if you prefer a relaxed base. The hotel offers special rates from October 21 to 29, starting at 1,400 baht per night with breakfast included.

You’ll also get vegetarian dishes by the in-house chef and an evening shuttle to Phuket Town for the festivities. Rooms are modern and comfy, with a friendly and laid-back atmosphere. You’ll get all the convenience without losing that easy-going holiday feel.

4. Novotel Phuket City Phokeethra

Novotel Phuket City Phokeethra is probably the closest option to the festival. Image via Novotel Phuket City Phokeethra

You can’t get closer to the action than Novotel Phuket City Phokeethra. Located in Phuket Town, it’s only a short walk from Jui Tui and Bang Neow shrines, where many major processions begin.

The rooms are spacious and comfortable, and the hotel’s restaurants serve special vegetarian menus throughout the festival. After a long day exploring the parades, you can relax by the indoor pool, work out at the gym, or unwind with a massage.

Where to experience the Vegetarian Festival outside Phuket

The official Vegetarian Festival Schedule. Image via tatnews.org

Can’t travel to Phuket for the Vegetarian Festival? Don’t worry, the festival is also held in different cities across Thailand from October 20 to 29. Each city has its own way of observing the tradition while sharing the same spirit of merit-making and purification.

Bangkok’s Yaowarat is the next best thing if you can’t make it to Phuket. The area from Odeon Circle to Chaloem Buri will come alive with vegan street stalls, temple ceremonies, and red-and-yellow decorations.

Hat Yai also has some of the best events. The Go Green Vegetarian Festival at Supasarnrangsan Public Park is southern Thailand’s largest celebration after Phuket, with processions, food markets, and eco-friendly initiatives.

Other than Bangkok and Hat Yai, here are the official Vegetarian Festival 2025 sites confirmed by the Tourism Authority of Thailand:

Muang Thong Thani, Nonthaburi: Outlet Square
Samut Sakhon: Samut Sakhon Charity Foundation, Mueang district
Nakhon Pathom: Wat Thammapanyarambangmuang, Sam Phran district
Trang: Kew Ong Ear Shrine, Mueang Trang district
Su-ngai Kolok: Seng Mu Than Nam Chai Foundation, Su-ngai Kolok district
Ranong: Ranong Charity Foundation, Mueang district
Phang Nga: Various shrines across the province
Narathiwat: Kow Leng Jee Shrine, Phiphit Khiri Road, Mueang district

The Vegetarian Festival offers a glimpse of Thailand that few visitors ever see. It’s worth planning your trip around. Once you’ve seen it, you’ll understand why.