The Phuket Vegetarian Festival is a Taoist festival held every year around end of September - early October.
During the 9-day festivities, a carnival-like atmosphere pervades the town. Constant tinkling of a prayer bell and chants from the temple priests are heard. Most devotees stay at the temple, eat vegetarian meals and recite continuous chanting of prayer. Every morning a procession starts from one of the main temples of the city. Before the procession, many religious devotees will perform ritualized mutilation upon themselves.