Akha Swing Festival - Thailand

This festival organized in September by the Akha villages of Chiang Rai province in northern Thailand is held to honor the goddess of fertility and Akha women. It is also somewhat considered as the women New Year. They wear traditional costumes and ornaments for the occasion.

The highlight of the festival, as its name suggests, is when the Akha women ride large wooden swings and sway back and forth at impressive heights while singing and praying for a good harvest.

The Akha Swing Festival is a unique opportunity to discover the costumes of the Akha hill tribe, performances, various daily life activities and their culture.

The biggest event is organized in the village of Doi Mae Salong. The dates I indicate here are the dates of the festival organized in Doi Mae Salong but there are identical festivities in more than twenty Akha villages (see with the local tourist office for the dates).

The Akha Swing Festival is one of the most important annual events for the Akha people. Chiang Rai Province has the highest density of Akha Hill Tribe people in Thailand.