16-17

Phuket International Blues Festival
While the weather is cool the music gets hot. The 2nd Annual Phuket Blues Festival promises to be another great time of food, fun and, of course, music. The Rich Harper Blues Band is once again headlining the collection of local and international acts, which includes Victor Brox and daughter Kyla, Disralai Gears, the Groove Doctors, Blues Machine and Soi Dog Blues Band.

16-20

Phang Nga Bay Regatta
The Phang Nga Bay Regatta is Phuket's first major sailing event of the year. Speeding ships knife through the Andaman Sea around Phang Nga, Krabi, and Phuket - only stopping to sleep, eat, party, take in shows, socialize, and generally have good times.

18

Chinese New Year
Celebrate the Year of the Boar with Phuket's Chinese community. Dragon parades and other events planned to take place in and around Phuket Town's historical district. Contact the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

23-25

Old Phuket Festival
Three Old Phuket Town streets - Thalang Road, Krabi Road and Phang Nga Road - close to motorized traffic for three evenings of pedestrian celebrations. It's a sensory circus, with performances of traditional dance, food, music, and art. The community event is free and open to all.

1-4

Johnnie Walker Classic Golf Tournament
Many of the world's top ranked male golfers will converge on Phuket in March to take on each other - as well as challenging Blue Canyon Country Club - in March for this whiskey-sponsored tournament. This, the third time Phuket has hosted the event, could prove to be the best, with course upgrades underway and US$ 2.44 million reasons for players to bring their best game.

11-13

Thao Thepkasattri Thao Srisoonthorn Festival
Held in March every year in memory of the two heroines who led the defence of the island against the Burmese in 1785. Events vary with each year but are traditionally held at the Heroines' Monument in the Thalang.

27

Bangkok Chess Club Open
The Phuket Graceland Resort & Spa will host one of Phuket's more unique events when real-life thinkers storm Patong Beach for their own brand of fun: a chess tournament. It boasts room for all levels of play, prize money, and lots of rules. See www.bangkokchess.com for more information.

29

Phuket Gay Festival
Once a community project, now an annual event, the Gay Festival is becoming a widely-anticipated attraction for Patong's visitors and residents. Beach activities, a colourful parade, street parties, lots of outrageous costumes and stage shows. The 2006 Gay Festival promises to be a fun-filled and eventful week of celebrations and activities. More.

April

12-15

Phuket International Cricket Sixes Tournament
Held during 2004 and 2005, it's hoped that the Third Phuket International Cricket Sixes 2006 will to provide an even more impressive line-up than up than the two years, when former Test cricket players Trevor Chappell (Australia) Atul Wassan (India) and first class players Paul Pritchard (Essex, England) and Franklin Hinds (West Indies) showed their genius.
Read More.

14-15

Phuket Bike Week
Get to see an amazing collection of Harleys, Hondas and superbikes at this annual event on Patong Beach. Music, contests, parties and charity rides around the island. Fun for bikers and hangers-on alike. More information, or call Sumon (01-6919346) or Mr Good (01-6915758).

12-15

Songkran Festival
Thailand's most famous festival celebrates the Thai New Year. Prepare to join in the fun and get very wet or stay indoors! A loud, boisterous festival that features a lot of water throwing in the streets. Contact the Tourism Authority of Thailand Phuket office (Tel: 076 212 213) for details.

13

Turtle Releasing Festival
Part of the Thai New Year celebrations. Songkran Day has traditionally been a time for Thais to let free birds, fishes, tortoises and turtles, and this tradition has now become an opportunity to raise environmental awareness. Turtle release is centred mainly at Bang Tao, Nai Yang and Mai Khao beaches.

May

26–27

Phuket International 10s Rugby Tournament
Teams from all over Southeast Asia and from as far abroad as Germany and the UK will vie for the Clive Williamson Memorial Trophy at the 8th Phuket International 10s rugby competition at the Karon Municipal Stadium on Karon Beach. For more information, email.

June

16 June–
15 August

Amazing Thailand Grand Sale
A two-month long shopping extravaganza. Look for discounts of 10 - 50% from participating retail outlets. Several special 'Shopping Streets' will have numerous special events including prize giveaways and free gifts.

July

19–22

Phuket Race Week
A week of international-standard yacht racing, off Phuket's east coast. Plenty of social activities throughout the week. More.

July

Halal Food, Hilal Town Festival
A celebration of Phuket's Muslim community, the Halal Food, Hilal Town festival takes place near Kokchanasuk in Thalang. Highlights include a display of products from all over southern Thailand, a history show by university students, a fashion show, a Quran reading contest, bird singing competitions, and many more activities.

August

22 Aug–
3 Sep

Por Tor Festival
The "Hungry Ghosts" festival, an important merit-making event for ethnic Chinese, is head at the Phuket Town annually. Special food, flowers and candles are presented to the ancestor's altars in order to feed the ghosts that have been released from hell for the month. Colourful cakes in the shape of turtles are made and put on display. Since turtles symbolise longevity, worshippers believe that making such an offering will help extend the length of their lives. Contact the Tourism Authority of Thailand Phuket office at tel: +66 (0)76 212 213) for details.

September

TBA

Phuket Surfing Contest
Claiming the distinction of being only the 6th surfing competition ever held in the Kingdom, the 2007 Phuket Surfing Contest has divisions for people – and boards – of all shapes and sizes. Sure, Phuket isn't known as a surfing destination, but rideable waves can be found during this time of year. Besides, it's Phuket – how much of an excuse do you need?
http://www.phuketsurfingcontest.com/.

October

11-19

Vegetarian Festival
Celebrated by Phuket's Chinese community, this festival starts on the first days of the ninth Chinese lunar month and continues for 9 days. Lots of body piercing and strange processions of people under trances. Part of a cleansing ritual which involves many local residents. Excellent vegetarian food on sale in the streets.

November

1

Patong Carnival
Loud and colourful. Lots of visual entertainment and fun for visitors. Each year is slightly different, but the festival includes a parade, shows and concerts. Bangla Road is lit up and turned into a walking street with food stalls, stage shows and other entertainment. Marks the start of the official high season in Phuket.

Mid-month

British Business Association Charity Golf Tournament
Good fun for a good cause. Every year the British Business Association of Phuket (BBAP), in conjunction with Blue Canyon Country Club, holds a Golf Tournament to benefit Childwatch Phuket, a non-profit organization dedicated to preventing child abuse in all its forms and assisting and educating underprivileged children. The tournament is open to all and it's a great chance to help out Phuket's youth while enjoying one of the finest golf courses in all of Asia.

Mid-month

Loy Kratong
One of the most beautiful festivals in Thailand. Small floats made from banana trees with flowers, candles and incense are launched into the water at night to take away bad luck. Events held at all of Phuket's major beaches and in Phuket Town. A truly stunning event.

24-25

Phuket Soccer 7s
The 4th Annual Phuket Soccer 7s tournament looks to pack the pitch with a football flurry. A sporting-competition-slash-social-event, 40 teams from 10 countries struggle through 14-minute games, then relive the glory of the past afternoon in the nearby watering holes. Boasting zero prize money and none of that sticky offsides nonsense, this is guaranteed to be a fun battle for bragging rights.
www.soccer7s.reperages-thailand.com/

December

2

Laguna Phuket Triathlon
The annual Laguna Phuket Triathlon is an exciting event that attracts top athletes from all over the world. The race starts with a 1.8km swim followed by a cycle along a 55km course up a coastal road, and ends with a 12km run. Email for details.

TBA

Phuket King's Cup Regatta
The most exciting event on the island's sporting calendar. The regatta, in celebration of the Thai King's birthday, attracts yachts from all over the world to enter the races from Phuket to the neighbouring islands. His Majesty himself is an avid sailor. A great competition and great fun throughout the week. This year is the 19th annual. Venue is Kata Beach.

19-20

Phuket Invitational Superyacht Rendezvous
As if yacht's weren't super enough, this exclusive (hence the word 'invitational') event sees the biggest, fanciest, most expensive yachts on this side of the planet floating into Phuket's ports for a little pre-Christmas party. There are cocktail parties, gala dinners, and presumably some sailing is worked in, too.

Phuket International Marine Expo
An exhibition of boats and other marine products and services. PIMEX made its debut in December 2003, attracting top marine industry players and visitors from all over Asia. Following King's Cup, this event is held at the Phuket Boat Lagoon. More.