Weekly Travel Feature

Festival Highlights This Fall

Prepared by Harold Stephens
Travel Correspondent for Thai Airways International

Nothing can be more discouraging than to arrive in a foreign city just when the town is pulling down decorations and sweeping the streets after it has just celebrated a grand festival. It doesn't help much when everyone tells you, "You should have been here a few days ago."
  
It's usually more luck than judgment that the average tourist arrives in a country during one of their festivals. But with a little planning, you might time your vacation to coincide with a country festival. 
  
The fall of the year, or autumn as some might call it, is a great time to travel in Southeast Asia, especially in Thailand. In the Kingdom there are two water festivals, an elephant round up, the King’s Cup yacht races, maybe a Royal Barge Procession on the river and a couple more.
  
Here are some recommended events that take place in Southeast Asia from now until the first of the year.  All are proven attractions and they generally have special and package tours, including Royal Orchid Holidays. For others, other than ROH, check with government tourist offices for dates and last minute changes before making final plans. 
  
Indonesia: The island of Bali is one destination where schedules are not needed and travellers are seldom disappointed. On Bali there is certain to be a festival or two each day of the year someplace or other on the island. Aside from nightly village wayang shadow plays and gamelan music, there might be temple offering processions, tooth filings, or even cremations.
  
The Bali Free Ride Nations Cup, generally organized in the month of September, is basically a competition for the Ski Jet Riders.  Riders also perform certain perilous jumps which are really amazing to watch. It is one of the celebrated events and festivals of Indonesia which has attracted visitors from all around the world.
  
Japan:  At the end of October in Kyoto, it's the Jidai Matsuri, Festival of Heian Shrine. This grand procession is one of the most colourful in Japan and certainly the most unusual. On parade are Japanese wearing costumes from the centuries since the founding of the old capital in 794 and the photographer goes wild here.  The festival alone is worth the trip to Japan.
  
October 9-10 is the Takayama Matsuri where large and elaborately decorated floats are pulled through the old town of Takayama.
  
The Chichibu Night Festival is considered one of Japan's three best festivals featuring large festival floats (yatai). The festival's highlight takes place in the evening of December 3.
  
Malaysia: Penang Island holds its Jazz Festival every December. In Sabah, West Malaysia, the autumn is when the Bajau cowboys come to town. The market places are alive with colour and happy people from the interior. There are mounted horsemen, native dancing, blowpipe contests, cock fighting and a display of crafts. All the small towns will have festivities, all scheduled at different times. Kota Belud is in Bajau country; Tenom is the centre for the Muruts.
  
Nepal.  During the months of October and November Nepal celebrates its Dasain Festival. A post-monsoon period when the sky is clearest, the air is cleanest and the rice is ready for harvesting, it's the time for Nepal's biggest annual festival, Dasain. It lasts 15 days, finishing on the day of the full moon. Although much of Dasain is a quiet family affair there are colourful events for visitors to see both in Kathmandu and in the country. Dasain is also known as Durga Puja since the festival celebrates the victory of the goddess Durga over the forces of evil in the guise of the buffalo demon Mahisasura. Since Durga is a bloodthirsty goddess the festival is marked by wholesale bloodletting and features the biggest animal sacrifice of the year.
  
Philippines.  In late October, the island of Negros celebrates Mass Kara Festival, the largest festival on the island. It takes places in Bacolod. There are street dances and groups of people wearing costumes and masks with friendly, smiling faces.
  
During the 2nd Week in October, the Zamboanga Hermosa is held in Zamboanga City. This week-long feast is honoring the city’s patron saint- Nuestra Senora del Pilar. Processions, ethnic shows and parades are the highlights.
  

The 4th Week in October is the Masskara Festival which resembles that of Ati-Atihan with a lively parade of people wearing masks out of papier-mâché to show their appreciation for life.
  
From December 16 to the 25th all of the Philippine islands celebrate Christmas. There's a popular Lantern Festival on the 24th in San Fernando and nativity plays in Cavite City near Manila.
  
Singapore.  The Pilgrimage to Kusu Island is in November. Kusu is a small island in the Singapore Harbour. It's incredible how many Chinese Taoist followers journey to the island on this date in every type of sailing craft imaginable. It certainly doesn't lack colour and surprises. But it's not all Chinese. While the Chinese come to the Great Grand Uncle Tua Pek Kong, the Malays come to pay respects at the shrine of a Dato on the island. Legend has it that a huge turtle once saved a group of sailors from rough seas and then turned itself into an island. Another says two shipwrecked seamen, a Chinese and a Malay, were marooned on the island and lived there harmoniously until their deaths. Now the island has a Chinese temple dedicated to the God of Prosperity and a Malay keramat, or holy place. If you are looking for wealth, a good husband, healthy babies and obedient children, Kusu is the place to go.
  
Taiwan: Double Ninth Day (October 6).  It is no wonder why the Double Ninth Day was named thus as it falls on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month. The day is also known as Chung Yang or Double Yang Festival for the Chinese custom recognize "nine" as a number belonging to the positive principle "yang". On that day, activities such as hill climbing, drinking chrysanthemum wine, hanging dogwood sprays, and other customs dating back to the Han Dynasty story of Huan Ching and Fei Chang-fang were put into practice. The Taiwanese have also enriched their holiday with kite flying, an up and coming custom.
  
Thailand:  Each fall Thailand offers some fine festivals and fortunately one doesn't have to travel far from Bangkok to find them. November is the beginning of the Kathin season, which marks the end of the rainy season.
 
Loy Krathong, the enchanting festival of lights, is in November. Although the festival is celebrated all over Thailand, Chiang Mai is the best place to go.  Streams, rivers and canals everywhere flicker with the lights from thousands of krathongs, banana-leaf boats containing flowers, candles and incense sticks. There's singing, dancing and general merriment.
  
Then there is the Elephant Round-up at Surin, southeast of Bangkok. Overnight trains take visitors up to see a show that includes pre-hunt rituals, a demonstration round-up, tug of war between elephants and soldiers, and elephant races. In between there's traditional dancing and singing.
  
The King’s birthday is December 5th with boat races on many rivers throughout the country and a grand King’s Cup Yacht Race in Phuket. This is truly a year to celebrate for it’s the king’s 82th birthday and the entire nation will be celebrating.
  
In Chinese communities throughout Southeast Asia this autumn there are two festivals that are certainly worth witnessing.

During the latter part of October, for several days Chinese devotees honour the Festival of the Nine Emperor Gods.  In Penang they climb the 1,200 steps to Kew Ong Yeah Temple on top of Paya Terubong Hill.  Most spectacular are the firewalkers and the mediums who spike their bodies with skewers. An incredible sight is to watch the firewalkers at their temple a few miles outside Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. It's a testimony to what one's belief in a faith can do. Anyone who's in Malaysia shouldn't miss it.

The Hindu population in all the towns and cities celebrate Deepavali at the end of October.  It's a time of good will among the Hindus in which they open their homes to friends and relatives. You may not know any Hindu but do visit one of their temples on this date.

All Muslim mosques will be crowded for two days at the end of October, during their Hari Raya Puasa, at which time the devotees have just concluded a month of fasting. Remove your shoes and stay in the background and no one will object if you are observing.
   
Nearly every city in Southeast Asia celebrates Christmas on December 25th but no one more than Singapore does. It's a grand place to be on Christmas. A month before the spirit prevails, the town begins to decorate with banners and Christmas cheer signs go up on all the shops. Orchard Road lights up with a galaxy of lights and all the restaurants turn out turkey dinners.  Churches have candle light processions and all the bars at Christmas Eve take on a cozy, friendly atmosphere.
  
The secret is, if you are travelling on pleasure or business, a slight shifting of your schedule might make a big difference and land you in a festival that you would have otherwise missed.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Q. Dear Mr. Stephens, I believe some of your readers, especially racing fans, might be interested the 1st “Beerhouse Racing Team” GoKart event is taking place on Thursday, 10th September 2009. They can join as a team or individual driver, just contact Frank at the Old German Beerhouse Restaurant info@old-german-beerhouse.com. For event registration and information they can contact: Michael Berger, Email: michael.berger@aotrade.com. See you on the track.  ––Beerhouse Racing Team, Frank Boer

A. Dear Frank. Sounds interesting. I will let our readers know about the race. Thank you for telling me.  I might even be there ––HS

Harold Stephens
Bangkok
E-mail: ROH Weekly Travel (booking@inet.co.th)

Note: The article is the personal view of the writer and does not necessarily reflect the view of Thai Airways International Public Company Limited.