When in Bangkok make it point to experience some of the vibrant local festivals. Plan on staying at Bangkok serviced apartments? If so, Ascott Sathorn Bangkok features a selection of elegant serviced apartments Bangkok has to offer. One such festival is Visakha Bucha Day which is held in commemoration of Gautama Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and the passing away. It was on this day that Lord Buddha was born and 35 years later attained enlightenment. On the very same day at the age of 80 Buddha passed away to attain nibbana. Due to these reasons, this day is of great significance for Buddhists all over the world. This day in Thailand is a time for Buddhists to reflect on Buddha’s teachings and indulge in various spiritual activities. Thanuja Silva …

Celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Easter holiday is an important festival that is celebrated by Christians all over the world. Luxury hotels all around the world celebrate this holiday with much zest and vigour and Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas also offer a range of luxury hotel resorts for those who are interested in spending this holiday in style. Typically the most well-attended Sunday service of the year for most churches, Easter can fall anywhere between the 22nd march and the 25th of April. Many nations follow the practice of colouring hard boiled eggs for Easter, as the egg which stands to symbolize new life has become the traditional symbol of the Easter festival itself. The Easter bunny is the popular anthropomorphic character often associated with gift …

One of the most important annual festivals in Sri Lanka, the Sinhala and Tamil New Year is a colourful cultural event that is celebrated throughout the island. Look to embark on your Sri Lanka travel adventures during the month of April which is when this festival takes place. A great way to see the sights of this event is by taking Sri Lanka tours organised by Jetwing Travels which provide a truly authentic holiday experience. Generally falling on April 13th and 14th, the Sinhala and Tamil New Year is a time for family reunions, observing religious customs, making traditional sweet meats and of course engaging in fun community games. The observance of customs such as boiling milk and lighting of the traditional oil lamp are done according to a …

The Balinese temples host an ‘Odalan’, every 210 days, on the day of the birth of the temple. It is a sanctimonious affair in which Hindus honour the Hindu gods by decorating the shrines. Tourists will enjoy experiencing the rich culture of Indonesia if they were to participate in the temple celebrations. Usually temple celebrations span over three days and the system used to calculate the day of the ceremony is the Full Moon calendar. Since the ceremony is a tribute to Hindu gods all of the shrines are decorated for this event. The Hindu gods’ figurines are adorned with colourful pieces of cloth and gold coins. In front of the shrine, depending on which gods are being worshipped, there will be black, red or …

A festival void of unnecessary gaieties and blast, the Vesak Day is celebrated by the Buddhist scattered the world over, with great reverence and veneration. Vesak marks the most important day of the Buddhist calendar, in which the birth, enlightenment and the death of the Buddha is commemorated with great joy and meditation. In Singapore, the Vesak day is celebrated usually on the 15th day of the 4th month of the Chinese Lunar Calendar. Many good deeds are performed on this sacred day by the Buddhists as they believe that such deeds will multiply in worth many times over when performed on this day. Hence caged birds and animals meant for slaughter are released, vegetarian meals are savored and blood donations are organized and participated …

An important festival dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Maha Shivarathri Festival is held on the 13th night/14th day in the Krishna Paksha Phalguna or Maagh according to the Hindu calendar. Plan your Sri Lanka travel during this period when devotees celebrate Lord Shiva’s favourite day.   Jetwing Travels offers Sri Lanka tours all around the year and hence, observing this vibrant festival that falls on a moonless February day should not be a problem. There are many legends surrounding the Maha Shivarathri day. Some say that this day is special to Shiva as this is the day that marks the marriage ceremony of Shiva and Parvati while other state that this is the auspicious day when Lord Shiva performed his “Tandava” dance that led to the ‘Tandava’ …