Phuket Food Festival

The Phuket Food Festival 2008 started on 19th March and runs until the 28th. It's an annual event organised by the Phuket Food Vendors Club and Phuket City Municipality. I managed to convince my family that it would be worthwhile having a look on Saturday evening, and I think we might go back again one evening this week for some cheap tasty food! The event is being held at Sapan Hin, in the south of Phuket City. Many local events are held there during the year. Sapan Hin is by the sea, has lots of open spaces, and also features sports facilities (we've been to see my wife's dad playing Takraw there!).

 



We arrived at the food festival in the late afternoon so I could snap some photos of the food stalls before dark. There's around 50 or 60 stalls selling everything from Phad Thai to BBQ Fresh Water Prawns, fried fish, Sai Ua (spicy northern sausages), Satay sticks and much more. We even found a stall selling coffee from Chumphon (my wife's home town).

This festival is well worth a look. The food is good and cheap, a great chance to sample many different dishes and get a bit of local life. I did see a handful of foreign faces on Saturday, but this is very much a local Phuket event, organised and run by locals for locals. It'll be on my calendar for next year for sure.

 





Need to wash down that food, never worry! There are several beer stalls selling draft Singha or Leo Beer, as well as stalls selling ice coffee, fresh juices and there was a Chinese tea stall also. I think you could come and eat here every night of the week!

 

 



The festival runs from late afternoon until about 11pm. After dark, the entertainment starts. There are bands playing, local schools doing song and dance acts. A big stage has been set up. There were some young girls doing dancing and singing which our 6 year old daughter wanted to watch and she thought was very beautiful. Some guys were warming up with guitars too, ready to rock the night away.









Hungry? Maybe see you there this week!