Phuket Festivals

Is Phuket a party spot for festivals?

Yes. Phuket is a party spot all season, and December is its biggest month. EDC Thailand brings the world's big DJs to Cherngtalay, Patong counts down on the beach at New Year, and the clubs run late.

Illuzion on Bangla Road, Patong, is No. 9 in DJ Mag's Top 100 Clubs 2026, and Café del Mar Phuket on Kamala Beach is No. 37.

Read the best clubs in Phuket for where the night goes after the festival.

When does EDC hit Cherngtalay?

EDC Thailand runs from Friday 18 to Sunday 20 December 2026 at Rhythm Park in Cherngtalay, with a pre-party on Thursday 17 December. It's the Thai edition of Electric Daisy Carnival, and this is its third year in Phuket.

What to know for EDC Thailand 2026:

• Gates: 3pm to midnight each day, 18 to 20 December.
• Age: every ticket is for 20 and over.
• Tickets: the 3-day Early Owl pass was ฿10,490 for general admission and ฿16,490 for VIP on the official ticket seller.
• Around it: the EDC Phuket Takeover fills the island from 14 to 21 December.

An official shuttle pass runs to the site and back each day; check the times on the EDC site before you go. The VIP move is your own van, waiting at the gate when the music stops at midnight.

Read EDC Thailand for the lineup and the tickets.

What is the Phuket King's Cup Regatta?

The Phuket King's Cup Regatta is Phuket's big December yacht race: the 38th regatta runs from 5 to 12 December 2026 off Kata Beach, with keelboats, multihulls and youth dinghies. Regatta week puts the yachts off Kata every day, and you can watch free from the sand or the headlands.

It was first raced in 1987, for King Bhumibol's 60th birthday. In 2025, 120 yachts and more than 365 sailors took part.

Kata and Karon fill up for regatta week, so book your base early. Read Phuket King's Cup Regatta for the race days, or see the December festival weekend.

Where do you see New Year's Eve in Phuket?

New Year's Eve in Phuket is Thursday 31 December 2026, a bank holiday, and the island counts down on Patong Beach and over Kamala Bay. The best seat is your own motor yacht anchored off Patong at midnight, with the fireworks going up over the beach.

At the end of 2025 the big shows were the Patong Beach Countdown in front of Bangla Road and more than 2,000 fireworks over Kamala Bay at midnight, and Phuket Old Town lit up Thalang and Dibuk Roads with lanterns.

Read New Year's Eve in Phuket for the countdown zones, or see New Year on a yacht or villa.

What's on in Phuket in January to March?

January to March is Phuket's boat season. The Thailand International Boat Show runs from 14 to 17 January 2027 at Phuket Yacht Haven Marina, and the Thailand Boat Festival runs on the same dates at Boat Lagoon Marina.

The Bay Regatta follows in early March at Ao Po, on the east coast facing Phang Nga Bay. Its 29th edition sailed in 2026, and the 2027 dates are expected but not yet announced.

Read Phuket by day for the beach clubs and yacht days.

Where are Phuket's biggest water fights?

Songkran in Phuket is Tuesday 13 to Thursday 15 April 2027, three public holidays. The biggest water fight takes over Bangla Road and the beach road in Patong, and Phuket Old Town has its own water fight on Dibuk Road.

In 2026 the Phuket Water Festival ran from 11 to 13 April, with the Old Town on 13 April.

Read Songkran in Phuket for the water zones, or spend the week in Songkran in a pool villa.

What is the Phuket Vegetarian Festival?

The Phuket Vegetarian Festival is nine days of ceremonies, processions and vegetarian food from the island's Chinese shrines, in the ninth Chinese lunar month. The 2027 festival, its 202nd year, is expected from Thursday 30 September to Friday 8 October, the first nine days of that lunar month.

In 2026 the poles went up on 9 October and the festival ran from 10 to 18 October, with processions from more than 40 shrines through Phuket Town.

Phuket Town also holds its Por Tor festival in its shrines and markets. In 2026 it ran from 25 August to 10 September.

Read Phuket Vegetarian Festival for the processions.

How do you get to Phuket for a festival?

Fly in: Bangkok to Phuket is a short flight from Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang, with flights all day. There's no train to Phuket.

Your driver meets you at arrivals at Phuket Airport, in the north of the island, and takes you down the west coast to Patong.

Read Bangkok to Phuket for every way down.

How do you plan a Phuket festival trip?

Plan a Phuket festival trip around a villa on the west coast, a car for the festival nights and a day on the water. Tanner sets it up to your dates.

• Arriving: landing in Bangkok first? Book airport fast track at Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang, ฿2,400 a person: a greeter meets you at the gate and walks you through the fast immigration lane.
• Getting around: a luxury van with a driver from ฿6,500 for 10 hours, for up to 4.
• Your base: a private pool villa from ฿18,500 a day.
• On the water: your own motor yacht with the party layer on top. Tanner quotes boats to your plan.
• After the festival: a club table, priced to your trip and quoted the same day.

Plan it with Tanner, or see every festival trip in Thailand.

What are the top events in Phuket?

• The King's Cup Regatta runs from 5 to 12 December 2026, free to watch from Kata Beach.

• EDC Thailand is 18 to 20 December 2026 at Rhythm Park, ages 20 and over.
• Songkran is 13 to 15 April 2027, on Bangla Road and in Phuket Old Town.

Plan it with Tanner.