During the Perfume Pagoda Festival (22 Feb - 16 May, Vietnam) thousands of pilgrims make the journey to the Perfume (Hương) 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.
TheCheung Chau Bun Festival (2-4 May, Hong Kong) is a week-long event including Taoist ceremonies and music, a parade, lion dances, drum beating and an exciting bun scrambling competition involving a tower of buns at Chung Chau Island.
With its origins in pre-Buddhist rain-invoking ceremonies, the Boun Bang Fai Festival (9-11 May, Laos) is a festival that coincides with the Laos Visakha Puja celebrations. Parades, songs, dances and partying all lead to an explosive climax as huge, ornate, homemade bamboo rockets are blessed and fired into the skies to invite the rains.
The Aoi Matsuri (15 May, Japan) is one of Kyoto's three most famous festivals (along with the Gion Matsuri and Jidai Matsuri). The festival's main attraction is a large parade in Kyoto, in which over 500 people dressed in the aristocratic style of the Heian Period (794-1185) walk from the Imperial Palace to the Kamo Shrines.
Sanja Festival (15-17 May, Japan) is one of the three great Shinto festivals in Tokyo. It is considered one of the wildest and largest. The festival is held in honor of Hinokuma Hamanari, Hinokuma Takenari, and Hajino Nakatomo, the three men who established and founded Sensō-ji. Sanja Matsuri is held on the third weekend of every May at Asakusa Shrine. Its prominent parades revolve around three mikoshi, as well as traditional music and dancing.
Big Buddha Festival (24 May, Hong Kong) is celebrated the Big Buddha’s Birthday in Hong Kong. People visit temples especially the great Po Lin Monastery on Lantau Island or pay homage at the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery at Sha Tin.
The Gióng Festival (25 May, Vietnam) is held annually on the 9th day of the 4th month of the lunar calendar in Phu Dong Village, Gia Lam District, Hanoi. The procession starts from the Mother Temple to Thuong Temple with the performance of a religious service. After reaching the temple, a feast for the troops occurs. When night falls, a Cheo play is performed (a classical Vietnamese opera).
The vibrant Harvest Festival (30-31 May, Malaysia) in Sabah, is a time of joyous celebration and deep cultural significance. This festival, primarily celebrated by the Kadazan-Dusun people, marks the end of the rice harvesting season and is a profound expression of gratitude for the bountiful harvest.
To an agriculture country like Vietnam, Parasite-Killing Festival (31 May, Vietnam) is a meaningful occasion. Its purpose is to prevent pestilence and disease, as well as enhance the prevention of evils and illnesses.
Bun Bang Fai Festival (Date TBA, Thailand) is an ancient local festival associated with Thai traditional beliefs in the supernatural powers that help promote the production of rice crops for the coming planting season. Enjoy rocket parades from each village in many sub-districts, music performance, local dances, local products fair, and rocket launching contest.
A race in the Borneo island, the Borneo International Marathon (10 May, Malaysia) is known for its wilderness and exotic culture. At this charity run, runners are treated with a scenic course overlooking the islands on the South China Sea and the sun rising behind Mount Kinabalu.
Watch the heavyweights in action at the Grand Sumo Tournament (10-24 May, Japan) in Kokugikan, Tokyo, one of Japan's most prestigious sumo events.
The Java Jazz Festival (29-31 May, Indonesia) is a well-respected festival amongst jazz fans. Over the 10 years it has run, the festival has drawn many more big names/bands set to join their ranks.
The CommunicAsia Exhibition (Date TBA, Singapore) is amongst the largest platforms organised for the ICT industry in the Asia-Pacific region. It draws global industry brands to showcase key and emerging technologies.
The two-day HSBC World Rugby Singapore Sevens Tournament (Date TBA, Singapore) takes place at the Naitonal Singapore Stadium and is a showcase of the game’s exciting seven-a-side format. It features the 15 best-ranked nations in the sport, including 12-time Series champion New Zealand.
