From centuries-old cultural traditions to world-renowned international events, discover the diverse celebrations taking place across Asia throughout February.
Thaipusam (1 Feb, Singapore) is a highly symbolic Hindu festival celebrated by Singapore’s Tamil community with a large, colourful annual procession. Starting in the early morning hours, the first devotees carry milk, pots and wooden kavidas with some piercing their tongues with skewers.
Setsubun (3 Feb, Japan), or the First Day of Spring, takes place at shrines and involves people throwing beans at waiting crowds! It is a unique ritual to cleanse away all the evil of the former year and drive away disease-bringing evil spirits for the year to come.
The Sapporo Snow Festival (4-11 Feb, Japan), also known as Sapporo Yuki Matsuri, is held over one week in Hokkaido’s capital Sapporo. It is one of Japan’s most popular winter events. The Snow Festival is staged on three sites: the Odori Site, Susukino Site and Tsu Dome Site.
The Borneo Half Marathon (8 Feb, Malaysia) is a running event in Kota Kinabalu, known for its scenic 21km route that passes through the city and along the coast.
Vat Phou Festival (11-13 Feb, Laos) is the largest festival in Champasak Province. This festival attracts thousands of people each year, there is elephant racing, buffalo fighting, cock fighting and performances of Lao traditional music and dances. There is also a trade fair showcasing the products from the southern provinces of Laos.
Boun Khao Chi (Makhaboucha) (12 Feb, Laos) is one of the most important Buddhist festivals celebrated on the full moon day of the lunar month in Laos. In the evening, temple are full of people listening to sermons and often perform a ritual activity known as Wien Tien.
This is held annually at Singha Park in Chiang Rai. Featuring balloon competitions, live music, cultural performances like the Khon masked dance, and a “Brewtopia” coffee festival. In addition to viewing balloons, attendees can enjoy a variety of activities like farm tours, ATV rides, and romantic “Love Balloon” rides for couples.
The River Hongbao (15-24 Feb, Singapore) is a lively festival celebrating Chinese New Year. It features a vibrant display of traditional and contemporary Chinese culture, with grand lantern displays, cultural performances, festive food, and live entertainment.
Although it is not an official holiday in Cambodia or Thailand, Chinese New Year is also known as the Spring Festival and marks the beginning of a new year on the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar in Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore.
This is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, communal prayer, reflection, and community.
This is a celebration started by a group of Phuket-based sailing enthusiasts and a photographer who wished to showcase the stunning beauty of the Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi seascapes.
One of the top three most eccentric festivals in Japan. The Naked Man Festival (21 Feb, Japan) sees about 9,000 almost naked men parade through the city. After being “purified” with cold water, they gather in Saidai-ji temple, where at 10pm a Shinto priest throws two sacred sticks (‘shingi’) and a hundred other lucky ones into the crowd of men.
The Giant Puppet Parade (22 Feb, Cambodia) in Siem Reap is an annual event that has been running for over 13 years. It is a community art project that brings together students, performers, and volunteers to create larger-than-life puppets that are paraded through the streets of Siem Reap.
Thousands of pilgrims make the journey to the Perfume Pagoda – Vietnam’s most revered Buddhist pilgrimage site. Travellers can visit Perfume Pagoda at any time of year, but the festival is a unique spectacle to witness.
This takes place at Yen Tu Mountain in Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam. This event begins on the 10th day of the first lunar month and lasts until the end of the third lunar month. Following the Lunar New Year celebrations, thousands of visitors flock to Yen Tu to pray for good fortune and health for their families, making it a significant spiritual pilgrimage in Vietnam.
The spectacular Chingay Parade (27-28 Feb, Singapore) brings together multicultural performers from across the globe with a grand opening, dramatic performances and emphatic closing ceremony. Expect acrobat artists, giant artistic puppets, and dramatic shows.
Held in Lim Village near Hanoi, Lim Festival (28 Feb, Vietnam) originally celebrated Ba Mu, who led her life as a Buddhist nun at Lim pagoda. The festival is held on Ba Mu’s day of enlightenment and is famous for showcasing the locals’ unique vocal stylings through Quan Ho folk songs.
This is a showcase for competitive games played by the Western Sumbanese to celebrate the rice planting season. It involves throwing wooden spears at the opponent while riding a horse with two groups of men from different clans or tribes competing against each other.
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