Goodness Gracious Strange Balls of Fire

Those who fancy seeing great balls of fire will not be disappointed if they take a trip to the Mekong River near Phon Phisai in northern Thailand.

Here, every October, an extraordinary thing happens: on the first full moon month of the night, fireballs appear from the river and rise up before vanishing into the air.

This spectacle happens year after year without fail and has become incorporated into a series of festivals and events, such as the Buddhist Rains Retreat, whose end it coincides with.

Various stories abound about a fire-breathing serpent known as the Naga rising up to coincide with the end of the festival, while one scientific theory is that gas from decomposing vegetation is drawn up by the gravity of the full moon and becomes flammable in the air.

Whatever the explanation, the sight is a spectacular one and will give visitors staying in cheap hotels in the area a fascinating memory to add to all the other cultural and culinary attractions to be found in Thailand.

This article is provided by Hotels Hotels Hotels suppliers of cheap hotels in Thailand

Updated: Fri, 24 Aug 2007 14:41:22

Related Links:
Thailand Tourist Board