Pasola Jousting Festivals (Throughout February and March, Indonesia) is a showcase for competitive games played by the Western Sumbanese to celebrate the rice planting season. It involves throwing wooden spears at the opponent while riding a horse with two groups of men from different clans or tribes competing against each other.
During the Perfume Pagoda Festival (3 Feb -27 Apr, Vietnam) thousands of pilgrims make the journey to the Perfume (Hương) Pagoda - Vietnam’s most revered Buddhist pilgrimage site. Travellers can visit Perfume Pagoda at any time of year, but the festival is a unique spectacle to witness.
Yen Tu Festival (7 Feb - 27 Apr, Vietnam) is held at Yen Tu Mountain in Quang Ninh Province. The festival is from the 10th day of the first lunar month to the end of the third lunar month. Every year, thousands of visitors visit Yen Tu after the Lunar New Year Festival to pray for good luck and health for their families.
Among the many different events held during Omizutori (1-14 Mar, Japan), Otaimatsu is the most famous and spectacular. Just after sunset each night, giant torches ranging in length from 6 to 8 meters are carried up to Nigatsudo's balcony and held over the crowd. The burning embers that shower down from the balcony are thought to bestow the onlookers with a safe year.
Hue International Festival (25 Mar, Vietnam) introduces people to Hue's traditional craft villages - helping preserve the strong tradition within the city. Visitors can explore the many handicrafts, photography exhibitions and enjoy fine cuisine.
Locals traditionally wear white clothing for Melasti (26 Mar, Indonesia) that takes place 3 days before Nyepi. During the festival, Balinese Hindu people make offerings to the gods by placing items in water.
On the eve of Nyepi, Pengrupukan (28 Mar, Indonesia) sees a number of rituals performed in order to vanquish the negative elements and create a balance with God, mankind, and nature. It is a very different day from the day of silence which follows. Everyone takes to the streets, parading large puppets that have been meticulously made by hand before burning them to cleanse the spirits of evil.
Nyepi Day (29 Mar, Indonesia) in Bali is a festival for locals to celebrate the New Year. Nyepi Day is the quietest day on the island. From 6 o'clock in the morning, there is no activity or entertainment on the island. Not a single pedestrian is seen on the roads and tourists must stay in hotels and is why some people believe the festival is a time for complete relaxation and meditation.
The Hung King Temple Festival (29 Mar - 7 Apr, Vietnam) is a display of Vietnamese culture and national pride and celebrates the lives of the ancient Vietnamese rulers during the Hong Bang period. A huge crowd of several million people make the pilgrimage to the temple during the festival, an elephant march, and performances of Vietnamese music and songs are all part of the festivities.
Tay Phuong Pagoda is famous for its 18 wooden statues of Buddha, located approximately 20 kilometers from Hanoi. Each year, a Tay Phuong Pagoda festival (29 Mar - 7 Apr, Vietnam) is held at the pagoda where villagers offer food and burn incense to pray to the Buddha.
The Phu Giay Festival (31 Mar - 5 Apr, Vietnam) located about 55 miles east from Hanoi, to join the festival, taking advantage of the traditional lull in work during the third lunar month. Traditional diversions like cock-fighting, "keo chu," and folk singing are held all throughout the festival.
Le Tour de Langkawi (Early Feb - Mar, Malaysia) is a multiple stage bicycle race held in Malaysia. It is named after the archipelago Langkawi, where the first edition started and finished.
The Tokyo Marathon (2 Mar, Japan) is one of Asia's revered marathons taking place in this eclectic capital and passing a multitude of iconic images.
Vietnam Ultra Marathon (23 Mar, Vietnam) offers miles of beautiful trails between remote villages of Mai Chau including flowing downhills, steep climbs and panoramic views.
The Grand Sumo Tournament (9-23 Mar, Japan) in Osaka provides the chance to catch the heavyweights in action at one of Japan's most prestigious sumo events.
The Phnom Penh International Film Festival (26-31 Mar, Cambodia) is an annual non-competitive festival held every year in Phnom Penh.
Art Basel (28-30 Mar, Hong Kong) has placed Hong Kong squarely in the center of Asia’s international art scene. The show provides an in-depth overview of the region’s diversity through both historical material and cutting-edge works by leading and emerging artists.
The Hong Kong Sevens (28-30 Mar, Hong Kong) sees teams from the world’s top rugby nations compete in lightning-fast 15-minute matches in front of 40,000 spectators. And the action at Hong Kong Stadium is merely the epicenter of what morphs into a three-day carnival infecting the whole city. Join 40,000 spectators for one of the world's most electrifying rugby events.
The Hong Kong International Film Festival (Date TBA, Hong Kong) is one of Asia's most reputable platforms for filmmakers, film professionals and filmgoers to launch new works and view fresh features. On average, the festival screens over 250 titles from more than 50 countries in major cultural venues across town.
Hong Kong’s flourishing arts scene comes to fruition each March Hong Kong Arts Month (Throughout March, Hong Kong) with an inspirational spectrum of events. From opera to ballet, and art installations to seminars, there’s something to suit all tastes, whether you’re a connoisseur or simply a dabbler.
