Pattaya in October: buffalo racing in Chonburi on October 25 and how to get there
On October 25, Chonburi - an hour's drive from Pattaya - hosts its traditional buffalo races for the 155th time. Here is how to get there by car, motorbike or taxi, and how to plan the day.
On Sunday, October 25, Chonburi holds its buffalo races - Wing Khwai in Thai. They take place the day before Ok Phansa, the end of Buddhist Lent, and in 2026 it will be the 155th time. The venue is the field in front of Chonburi Provincial Hall, about 60 km from Pattaya.
The tradition is more than 150 years old. This is how farmers thanked their buffaloes for the season in the rice fields and gave them a rest: they dressed the animals up, took the harvest to market and raced along the way. Today it is the province's main festival, drawing farmers from all over Chonburi.
What to see:
1. The races - buffaloes with riders charge across the field in several categories.
2. A beauty and health contest for buffaloes and a contest for the most creatively decorated animal.
3. A parade of decorated carts and the Miss Farm Girl pageant.
4. Traditional Thai games, concerts, a street food fair and rides for kids.
The fair by the provincial hall usually runs all week before the races, but the races, the parade and the contests happen on the main day. Come in the morning: by lunchtime it gets hot and crowded.
How to get there from Pattaya:
1. By car - about an hour via Sukhumvit Road or the Motorway 7 toll road. The easiest option for a group or a trip with kids. Car rental in Pattaya - from 1,250 baht a day.
2. By motorbike - Sukhumvit only: motorbikes are not allowed on Motorway 7. For 60 km each way, take a bike of 150 cc or more rather than a small scooter. Motorbike rental - from 200 baht a day.
3. By Bolt or Grab taxi - also about an hour, and no need to worry about parking.
To ride a motorbike you need an International Driving Permit with category A, and helmets are mandatory for both rider and passenger. Without category A you risk a fine, and your insurance will not pay out after an accident.
Plan for the day: leave Pattaya at 7-8 am, watch the parade and the races, have lunch at the fair. In the afternoon you can stop by Khao Kheow Open Zoo - it is 30 minutes from the venue and almost on the way back. If you would rather do the zoo without driving and parking, there is a Khao Kheow tour with pickup from Pattaya.
Forward this to friends who will be in Pattaya at the end of October and are looking for something to do away from the beach: buffalo races happen only once a year.
Comments
No comments yet. Be the first to write.