Phuket's famous Vegetarian festival is celebrated in September or October, during the first nine days of the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar. The center of the festival is Phuket City. During the ten days of the festival there are processions trough the main streets in Phuket City in the morning and in the evening. The processions are accompanied by very noisy fireworks.

The devout islanders abstain from eating all meat products and dress in white in order to cleanse the body and soul to appease the nine Emperor Gods.

Disciples of these gods walks in trance and pierce their cheeks and other parts of their bodies with sharp objects from which offerings to the gods are hung (see picture).

Walking on burning charcoal and climbing ladders of upturned swords barefoot are among the pain-defying feats to be witnessed.