Phuket Vegetarian Festival: Dates, Shrines, Rituals and How to Visit Respectfully

What the festival is

The Vegetarian Festival, also called the Nine Emperor Gods Festival, is a Taoist and Chinese-Thai observance of purification. Devotees follow a meat-free diet and other restrictions for nine days, and the shrines hold ceremonies, processions and spirit-medium rituals. Thailand's Ministry of Culture listed it as national intangible cultural heritage in 2018, according to Time Out. Entry to the public events is free, and it is first of all a religious event for the local Chinese-Thai community rather than a show put on for visitors.

It is far bigger in Phuket than the vegetarian festivals held in some other Thai cities, and many residents plan their October around it. For the wider yearly calendar, see the festivals guide.

How the dates are set

The festival covers the first nine days of the ninth month of the Chinese lunar calendar, so it moves on the ordinary calendar. In 2025 it ran from 21 to 29 October, and in 2026 it ran from 10 to 18 October, with shrines raising their lantern poles the evening before. One travel guide works out 30 September to 8 October for 2027, while another source says no verified range was available when it checked, so confirm the dates with the Tourism Authority of Thailand once they are announced and do not estimate from last year.

The religious observance is fixed by the lunar month, but the timetable inside it, including which shrine holds a procession on which morning, is published each year and can shift. Local events can also start a day earlier than the core nine days.

Where it happens

• Jui Tui Shrine, on Soi Phutorn off Ranong Road in Phuket Town, is the best-known centre, with the biggest crowds and the main food street outside.
• Bang Neow Shrine, on Phuket Road, is another major ritual site and is often named for its processions.
• Kathu Shrine is described as the place where the festival began on the island.
• Other shrines, such as Sapam, Sam Kong, Cherng Talay and Naka, hold their own ceremonies.

TAT's published 2026 schedule covered 39 shrines across the island, and Time Out listed major Phuket Town street processions at Bang Neow on 15 October at 6 am and Jui Tui on 16 October at 8 am. Use that as an example of how early the big events start, not as a guide to next year's times.

What you may see

Processions are led by devotees in a trance who are believed to carry the gods' spirits. Reports describe cheek and body piercings with a variety of objects, fire-walking over coals, climbing ladders of blades and crossing bridges in ceremonies at several shrines. Firecrackers are set off in huge numbers along procession routes. Some visitors find the sights confronting, and one local guide says nobody will think less of you for watching from a distance. Children and anyone sensitive to graphic scenes may be better off at the food street and the shrine courtyards.

These are religious acts, so keep a respectful distance, do not touch participants or the offerings, and do not step into the procession to get a photo. Follow any instructions from shrine volunteers and the police.

Dress, noise and safety

Visitors are generally advised to wear modest, plain clothing, with white the traditional colour, and to cover shoulders and knees at shrine buildings. See the temple and etiquette guide for the general rules.

• Firecrackers are thrown in sacks along the route, so wear closed shoes and protect your ears, with earplugs for children and no pushing to the front.
• Keep your distance from sparks and debris, and do not hold a baby near the route.
• Hold your phone or camera high enough not to catch a stray firecracker, and see the drone and photography rules before flying a drone.
• Crowds are thick in the evenings, so keep valuables in a front pocket and agree a meeting point with your group.

Traffic and where to stay

Streets on a procession route close while it passes, and Phuket Town can jam badly, so one guide advises not planning an airport run through town in the morning. Check the traffic guide for the usual bottlenecks and allow extra time. If you want to be close, a stay in the Old Town puts the main shrines within walking distance, and rooms in October fill up, so book early. October is also one of the wetter months on the island, so pack a rain layer.

Festival food

The festival food is vegetarian or vegan and often marked with yellow flags. The main strip runs along Ranong Road outside Jui Tui Shrine, with stalls selling noodles, soy-based imitation meat, roti, sweet-potato desserts and herbal drinks. Not every dish is strictly vegan, so ask about egg, dairy and fish sauce if it matters to you, and see the vegetarian eating guide for phrases to use. Bring cash, because many stalls do not take cards.