Candle-lit ceremonies, lion dances, street food and an old town bathed in red make Phuket’s Por Tor Hungry Ghost Festival one of the island’s most atmospheric cultural events. Rooted in the local Hokkien-Chinese community rather than staged for tourists, the annual festival welcomes respectful visitors. Por Tor, or universal salvation, centres on the belief that the gates of hell open and spirits return to the human world. It is also a time to remember ancestors who died far from home, especially those without descendants to make offerings for them. Head to Seng Tek Bel Shrine and Ranong Road Fresh Market for Hokkien-Chinese merit-making, with incense, burnt paper money and food offerings including red turtle cakes. Visitors may also get to try the blessed hand-sized cakes – or see giant versions weighing up to 100kg, later cut up and shared once the rituals are complete.
Aug 19-Sep 6. Free. Por Tor Hungry Ghost Festival, Phuket Old Town shrines and Ranong Road Fresh Market. noon-midnight
