From attending local celebrations to learning how to cook Thai traditional delights, The Sarojin is the perfect base to enjoy the Thai Vegetarian Festival.
The number of vegans and vegetarians is now growing like never before, however the benefits of a meat-free diet are not something new and have gifted us with great traditions and stories over the years, such as Thailand´s very own Vegetarian Festival!
How it all began
Celebrated throughout the country and spanning over nine days, the Thai Vegetarian Festival commemorates the Chinese community´s belief that good health and peace of mind can be obtained from following a meat-free diet. It is widely believed the festival originates from the story of a travelling Chinese Opera Group, who fell ill while performing in Phuket and as a result decided to stick to a strict Vegetarian diet, while praying to the Nine Emperor Gods to cleanse their bodies and minds. This story has a very happy ending with the whole group miraculously recovering and a celebration taking place to honour and thank the gods!
If you are staying with us between September 29th and October 7th, you have the opportunity to discover a delicious and visual treat! Takuapa Old Town is located just 30 minutes from our hotel and annually holds celebrations for the Vegetarian Festival, delighting visitors with vegetarian and vegan delicacies. Fun fact, although the name of the festival is the Vegetarian Festival, the vast majority of dishes are vegan and tend to avoid pungent ingredients such as garlic and onion!
The Sarojin team are always more than happy to assist in arranging a taxi ride to Takuapa Old Town or advising on other ways to get to this unmissable event!
A Thai Vegetarian retreat at The Sarojin
In addition to all the gorgeous vegetarian dishes offered at the residence´s restaurants throughout the year, The Sarojin offers a special Vegetarian Festival Menu to celebrate the annual festival. The menu includes a wide selection of dishes such as refreshing Green Papaya Salad, as well as Eggplant and Chilli Tamarind for the spicy food lovers!
Want to enhance your vegetarian culinary skills? Why not take a class with one of our talented chefs? With classes available for all levels, it is a great way of learning how to host your very own version of one of Thailand´s biggest festivals back home!
Each class starts with a trip to the local market to source the ingredients, which offers you a great opportunity to experience local life and the festival atmosphere. Accompanied by our chef you get the opportunity to shop for all those delicious ingredients and ask all those unsolved culinary questions! Once back at the residence, you can dive into learning all about the preparation and cooking techniques, and eating of course! Classes start at THB 4,000 (approximately GBP 95) per person.
