Popular as one of the most coveted tourist festivals in the region, the Salalah Tourism Festival is a compelling reason to head down to the heart of Oman this Khareef Season. The 2013 edition of the red letter event is set to take centre stage once more come the month of June. The 2012 installment of the highly successful tourism festival kicked off Khareef Season in style last year with a host of engaging attraction to suit shopaholics and culture buffs alike. Conducted at the Municipality Fair Grounds from June 21st to July 18th the festival was hosted by the Dhofar Municipal Council as in previous years. Described by visitors as a shopaholic’s dream come true the retail opportunities at the festival highlighted local produce …

August is generally a quiet month in the Thai island paradise of Phuket. However, there is a little bit of excitement towards the middle of the month, when locals and visitors will be treated to an extravagant fireworks show courtesy of Laem Saphan Hin, a small village situated on the outskirts of Phuket Town. The fireworks festival is a grand affair that will delight the young and the old alike. The event is held annually and has gathered quite a following. During the festival the night sky will come to life in a fiery spectacle which will use up over four thousand fireworks. The visual fiesta ordinarily lasts about forty minutes and can be seen from miles away, although, it is best viewed from nearby. …

Phuket has risen from its lazy traditional village to become a popular tourist hub in the east with its pristine beaches and warm waters drawing tourists from around the globe to bask in and enjoy the sun, sand and surf in this tropical paradise. Kathu is actually one of the three districts of Phuket Island. Muang and Thalang are the other two and Kathu includes the popular Pantong Beach and Kamala Beach as well as the island between Pantong and Phuket. Kathu used to be a tin mining industry based village especially in the 19th and early 20th century and although the tin industry is not flourishing as it used to, the little town has retained its traditional cultures and practices. The Kathu Festival is …

According to Chinese mythology, the seventh lunar month is ghostly in nature, with spectres roaming about the earth and spirits making their presences felt by the living. The origins of the tradition are not well known or publicised, and although the customs that are put into action seem to heavily relate to Chinese folk discipline, the commemoration seems to be practiced by Taoists and Buddhists. Unlike other times of the year when descendants pay homage to their ancestors, during the period of the Ghost Month, the deceased are supposed to visit their kith and kin that are still alive. It is customary for Buddhists to offer merit to their forefathers by way of performing good deeds and other meritorious actions. However, the Ghost Month calls …

Bali is probably the most well-known of Indonesia’s many islands. Home to some of the most amazing beaches in the world, it is the preferred holiday destination of many globetrotters. The island is not merely a beach destination and offers tourists a variety of things to do. This includes numerous festivals and celebrations. The Nusa Dua Festival is one popular event that takes place in Nusa Dua in South Bali. The Nusa Dua Festival is a Bali staple, being held every year since 1997. The festival was started to make Bali a more attractive tourist destination and it has now become equally popular among the locals as well as the foreigners. The festival is based on a theme which changes from year to year, although …

Tourists visiting Abu Dhabi in the middle of the year have some important events and festivals to look forward to. The emirate being a great cultural hot spot there is much to see, do and experience. It is a great cultural land mark where visits can be exposed to the Middle East in its entire splendour. One of the key events in the region’s calendar is the Accession Day. Similar to the British accession day, it is a holiday of great festivity and merriment celebrating the accession of the monarch to the throne. It is a celebration that marks the dawn of a new era under the new ruler and a festival of hope for the new future. The event marks the historically significant happening …