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Chinese New Year in Phuket 2025 – January 29

Chinese New Year in Phuket

Phuket Chinese New Year 2025 is set to ring on January 29, with several days of festivities to celebrate the Year of the Snake (The 2025 Year of the Snake is associated with the Wood element, specifically the Yin Wood Snake). With its large ethnic Chinese population descending from migrants to the island in the past, Phuket’s Lunar New Year festival is an important annual event. It seems to get bigger and more colourful with each passing year as the number of tourists from China arrives in larger numbers.

phuket town chinese shrine

 

 

Chinese New Year dinners around Phuket

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Though Chinese New Year is not an official public holiday in Thailand, it’s a time of gathering and celebration for families. Red lanterns are strung up all around Phuket Town and at the local Chinese shrines. The streets of Phuket Old Town and its Sino-Portuguese heritage houses look especially magical this time of year.

phuket town chinese new year

Families gather to sweep out their homes, do merit-making activities and prepare feasts to clear out the old and make way for a more fortunate year ahead. Younger family members may eagerly await receiving an “Ang Pao” – a red envelope with money inside – from their elders. Firecrackers are set off to ward off any bad spirits and give a fresh start to the new year.

phuket chinese new year

It’s never easy to nail down exact dates and times of Chinese New Year festival activities in Phuket, but expect to see street parades with dragon and lion dance performers and food stalls along the Old Town roads, including Thalang, Dibuk Road, Phang Nga Road, Rassada Road and Soi Romanee.

Old Phuket Town

Chinese shrines around the island, including the large Jui Tui Shrine in Phuket Town, will be busy with merit-makers. Queen Sirikit Park near Limelight Mall will likely have live shows and exhibitions during the New Year festival.

jui tui shrine

Many resorts and restaurants around Phuket will host special Chinese New Year events, usually a buffet dinner with a delectable choice of festive eats like suckling pig, duck, dim sum and other traditional Chinese dishes.

People wear red for good luck and to keep a festive and lively look during the festival. You’ll see much red and Chinese-themed clothing on sale at many shops before and during the New Year.

chinese new year phuket

 

A few days after the festival, Phuket Old Town will hold its annual Old Town Festival. Each evening, Thalang Road and Soi Romanee will be close to traffic, and the streets will come alive with food stalls, art, souvenirs for sale, and musical performances.

phuket chinese shrine

The Thai Hua Museum is worth a visit during the festival as it offers insight into Phuket’s Chinese history and culture, from the early days of Chinese migration to the island in the 1800s to the present day.

Wat Chalong Fair

Wat Chalong is not a Chinese temple, but every year, it hosts a large festival lasting ten days or more during the Chinese New Year.

Phuket Event Calendar

The temple grounds transform into a big open-air carnival with hundreds of food vendors, clothing stores, plant sellers and more shops setting up stands and some funfair games and rides, including a creaky-looking Ferris wheel. Each evening, there are live shows on the outdoor stage, and the main temple hall is busy with families making merit.

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Phuket 101

Phuket 101 Blog shares 30 years of Phuket exploration and thousands of photos, tips and secrets. This travel guide is written from our real experiences: we tried and visited every place, and we paid for almost everything, which allows us to keep our honest opinions. Phuket 101 was born in January 2011.View Author posts