Vesak is celebrated by Buddhist all around the world. The festival falls on the full moon day of May each year. This is celebrated to commemorate some of the important events in the life of Lord Buddha, the teacher of Buddhism. These events namely are the birth of Prince Siddhartha, the enlightenment of Lord Buddha and the passing away of Lord Buddha which occurred over 2500 years. Countries like Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia celebrates this festival in a very high calibre. People in Sri Lanka get ready for this event months ahead. On the day of Vesak temples are full of people who are observing sill. Most of the roads are covered with Buddhist flags which sway in the wind creating a …

Travellers to Thailand should always make it a point to explore its rich religious heritage. Being based at Bangkok serviced apartments ensures maximum convenience in doing so and Sathorn apartments at Ascott Sathorn Bangkok make for an ideal option. A holiday celebrating Gautama Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and passing, Visakha Bucha, more commonly known as Vesak is celebrated in most of the Asian countries including Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and India. The date of Visakha Bucha varies from year to year. Usually it falls on either May or April and sometimes even June. Celebrated on a full moon day, it is the most important day for Buddhists.

The Vesak Festival is an important occasion for Sri Lankan Buddhists, who join other Buddhists around the world in celebrating this event which falls on the day of the full moon in the month of May. For the Buddhist faithful this religious event has become a cultural occasion as well, with many interesting customs and traditions being associated with it. Vesak Day has a threefold significance for Buddhists. According to Buddhist scriptures the birth of the Buddha occurred on such a full moon night in May, when Queen Mahamaya gave birth to the future Buddha. The second momentous event which took place on this day is the Enlightenment of the Buddha who thereby became omniscient and the Supreme Being, all-knowing and free of all defilements. …

Jalan Jaksa in central Jakarta is a historic street that housed students of the Jakarta Law Academy during Dutch times. In the late 1960s the street developed in quite another direction when it became famous among international backpackers and the first budget hotel in the country was established there. With the addition of several more hostels and cheap hotels it became the central point from which backpackers took off to other destinations in the country. In the mid 1990s a street festival was started to popularize the area further and to celebrate the culture of the Betawi people who are indigenous residents of Jakarta. The 400 meter road now has 27 budget hotels and hostels and hundreds of rooms rented by local residents, restaurants, money …

Vietnam is a country which has a vibrant culture and a combination of very friendly and hospitable people. The amount of places and festivals with a cultural value are wide and varied. One of the major festivals celebrated in the country is the Mid Autumn Festival. This festival is celebrated by both Chinese and Vietnamese people, but the celebrations are not exactly similar in both cultures. Normally the fifteenth day of the eighth month in the lunar calendar is the day that the celebration takes part. This is grandly celebrated in Vietnam by families as a tradition. Folklore from Vietnam mentions that the adults in the community were very busy with the harvesting process and the children had to play alone. So to make up …

A tradition that has come forward 20 centuries as a religious ceremony and folk custom the Dragon Boat festival known as Duanwu is now a world renowned festival and is fast emerging an international sport. A dragon boat is a watercraft that is human powered and is built out of teak wood in differing shapes and sizes. For the purpose of the festival these boats are decorated with ornate heads and tails of Chinese dragons. The festival is held in June and includes a number of customary activities. The Chinese have dumplings, rice and drink Realgar wine to celebrate before the race. Celebrated in Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia this festival, marks the dawn of summer in the region and according to Chinese tradition is the …