Chiang Mai’s annual flower festival. Photo: Jetjaras na Ranong
Throughout this month, the northern province of Chiang Mai is hosting Chiang Mai Blooms, a series of floral festivals and activities, with the aim to promote local tourism related to flower-planting and -decoration and to create the Calendar of Flowers.
A highlight of Chiang Mai Blooms is the 42nd Chiang Mai Flower Festival, the province’s annual flower event. It will take place on almost every corner and street in the city of Chiang Mai, especially in and around Buak Hat Park. The areas will be adorned with a range of colourful flowers and orchids. There will also be an open-air exhibition at the park. The event will feature agricultural exhibitions, floral displays and contests, as well as the sale of plants, flowers and farm produce. There will be a parade of flower floats around the city featuring multicoloured flowers as well as dancers in traditional costumes.
Until Feb 28, there are also the Flora Festival 2017 at the Royal Park Rajapruek, trips on three flower routes, the “Bloom Everyday” exhibition at TCDC Chiang Mai, the Bike with Flower cycling trips, the Flower in the Air and Flower Quest air-balloon fair at Thaweechol Garden, flower eco-print workshops at the Ban Khang Wat Project, and many other flower art and cooking workshops at various places citywide.
On Feb 23, the Flower On The Table special dinner will be held at the Royal Park Rajapruek. Tickets are priced at 2,500 baht per person. Part of the proceeds will go to charity. On Feb 25, the “Narit Star Party”, a workshop for stargazers, will take place at the Chiang Mai Astro Park in Muang district.
The Royal Park Rajapruek. Photo: Thiti Wannamontha
Visit www.ChiangMaiBlooms.com or www.facebook.com/Chiang Mai Blooms, or call the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Chiang Mai Office at 053-248-624 or 053-248-607.
Sailing off three southern provinces
From Jan 31 until Feb 4, the 21st Bay Regatta, also known as Asia’s Fun Regatta, features four days of sailing by more than 40 yachts with about 250 competitors on a route off Phuket, Phangnga and Krabi. The starting and finishing points are in Phuket.
Competitors are placed into six categories of yacht: Racing, including a number of new entries this year; Bareboat Charter; two Cruising divisions; and Multihull racing and cruising divisions, in which current King’s Cup Regatta champions Henry Kaye’s Thor and John Newnham’s Twin Sharks will compete.
The first day of racing will see the fleet head north from Ao Po Bay to the top of Phangnga Bay. Day two sees the competitors travelling past the islands of Koh Phak Bia and east to Krabi. Day three’s sailing is around Koh Dam before ending at Ao Nang Beach, with an evening party at the ShellSea Krabi resort. Day four sees an early start from Ao Nang Beach for the final race, followed by the closing party, live music and award presentation at Kan Eang II restaurant on Ao Chalong Bay.
Visit www.bayregatta.com.
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