Krabi Festivals

Krabi, a province in Thailand, is never short of reasons to celebrate! Whether for religious, traditional, or contemporary reasons, festivals here are always lively and well-attended. The locals are always looking for an excuse to have fun and these festivals never disappoint. From the scrumptious food to the vibrant activities, there’s something for everyone. So come and join the festivities, it’s a sure way to make lasting memories!

Some have been going on for centuries, others are new additions. Visiting Krabi festivals certainly adds to your holiday experience. The biggest festival of the year is Songkran – the massive nationwide water fight in April -which is certainly fun if you don’t mind a playful soaking.

Loy Krathong, in November, is more sedate, but charming as glowing lanterns light up the night sky and sins are washed down waterways on delicately decorated floats. Krabi also has several of its own unique festivals that are worth being in town to experience. Here are the most important.

Krabi Festivals

Chinese New Year

This is celebrated across the world, largely due to the diaspora of Chinese descendants scattered around Southeast Asia and beyond.

There is a sizeable Chinese community in Krabi and some sections of Krabi Town come alive with lanterns, dragon processions, and gift-exchanging events, usually practiced by a small community. It’s more pronounced in Bangkok and bigger centers.

When: January or February each year.

Makha Bucha Day

This is mostly a pious religious event (without festivities really) and involves Buddhists going to the temple to commemorate an important date in the life of Gautama Buddha.

When: 6th March 2023

Songkran Water Festival

This is the highlight of the Krabi festivals in Thailand and is also the most fun. For three days, and sometimes longer, the whole country participates in one large water fight, usually centered on popular places in each town, city, or village. It’s a great time to be in Thailand if you don’t mind the severe inconvenience, soaking, and lots of childish fun. Everyone is in high spirits, though the real tradition is to celebrate the Thai New Year with family. 

When: 12th – 15th April 2023

Queen’s Birthday (Mother’s Day)

A day of national pride and respect for Thai’s much-loved Queen. A public holiday typified by events and lots of respect paid to the Queen with life-size murals. 

When: 12th August.

Sea Gypsy (Chao Le) Floating Boat Ceremony

A traditional festival unseen anywhere else in Thailand, where the Moken Sea Gypsys gather at the beach near Saladan, to float small boats into the tide in a show of respect for spirits and to ward off bad luck at sea.  

When: on the full moon day in the sixth and the eleventh months of the lunar calendar.

Krabi Boek Fa Andaman Festival

Every year in November, as the rains dissipate and the skies return to cobalt blue, Krabi opens the doors on another busy tourism season with a fun and colorful festival known as Boek Fa, or ‘Opening the Andaman Sea’. As the curtain is raised on the surreal beauty of Krabi’s coastal wonderland, visitors and locals alike flock to this town and its beaches for parades, competitions, and partying.

Tourism has become the mainstay of Krabi’s economy over the past few years thanks to its amazing beaches, world-class rock climbing, and unique karst scenery. Its central location along Thailand’s western coast puts Krabi right in the heart of the incredible diving, snorkeling, sailing, and other watery activities for which the Andaman Sea is famous.

Although the Andaman Festival simply marks the start of another tourist season in Krabi, the locals have turned it into a celebration of the unique local flavor of the region, which has its roots steeped in Indian and Muslim culture. This colorful heritage shines through in the food, crafts, and performances which fill the three days of the festival.

Boek Fa usually runs from 16th to 18th November; that magical period when the seasonal monsoon rains begin to retreat and Krabi’s infamous idyllic weather kicks in. Locals know that the next five months will bring plenty of visitors to the beaches and islands looking to bask in the pleasantly warm sunny days and work on their tans. To show their appreciation for this economic injection, Krabi’s residents put on a show to remember.

Parades mark the beginning of the Andaman Festival, as colorful floats and costumed locals ride through town on a wave of euphoria. Visitors often jump into the fray, as the homemade Lao Khao rice whisky flows and hospitality beams from every house and business.

On the more serious side of the revelries, Krabi hosts a number of competitions to challenge the skills of the residents. Local food products are put to the test by judges that decide who makes the tastiest satay and peanut sauce, or the most mind-bending rice whisky. Food fairs and craft markets round out the scene, and visitors can eat and drink their fill while browsing the wonderful batik creations and pineapple paper products which are locally crafted.

Water sports races also feature each day during the Andaman Festival. Longtail boat races help to identify the most skilled sailors, while sea kayaks are used to test the endurance and strength of the competitors. The winners are more interested in bragging rights than cash prizes, and in the end, it’s really just about having a good time with friends and family.

Each year the festival focuses on one particular ethnic group in the region to highlight their distinctive culture. The Chao Lay people from Koh Lanta, also known as the Sea Gypsies, feature, as do the resident Indian population. The southern part of Thailand is ethnically quite different from the rest of the country, and this difference is a big part of the celebrations.

With so many natural attractions in the area, Krabi makes a great destination at any time of the year, but visitors who come to Krabi from Phuket and other regions during the annual Boek Fa Andaman Festival will experience a special treat. It’s a great way to kick off the winter, so plan your next holiday around this fun and friendly event.

Loy Krathong

The second most important of Krabi festivals, traditionally, is the release of the sins of the past year by floating krathong (small lotus-shaped flower arrangements with incense sticks) down waterways to flush away sins of the year. The release of khoms (glowing paper balloons), into the night, adds an enchanting touch to the festivities.

When: 28 November 2023

King’s Birthday (Father’s Day)

The 5th of December is King Bhumipol’s birthday, also serving as the Father’s Day holiday. There is a grand celebration at Sanam Luang in Bangkok and Thai citizens gather to pay respects and wish the King a happy birthday. Throughout December, you can see almost every street decorated with Thai flags in Krabi Town and the resorts, along with the King’s pictures and many beautiful flowers. On this day, Thai people also give canna flowers – the symbol of Father’s Day – to their fathers and take their fathers out for a special meal.

When: 5 December

Christmas Day

Although most Thais are Buddhist and will treat this day as just another working day, they enter into the spirit of Christmas enthusiastically with decorations, Christmas carols, plenty of shop merchandising, and all the tinsel, so that all the visitors needn’t miss out. Many hotels put on an obligatory Christmas dinner.

When: 25 December

New Year’s Eve

A Western addition to the Thai calendar; the seeing in of the New Year is celebrated with parties and countdowns across the country and plenty of options to choose from, including exclusive functions and open parties. Most of the businesses close down and Thais return to their family homes for three or four days.

When: 31 December