8 Cultural Festivals That Will Make Your Travel Bucket List

If you are like most of us, your travel bucket list is probably as long as the Great Wall of China. No matter how long the list already is, there are specific experiences that belong at the tip-top of the category. In this article, we will show you the top 8 cultural festivals that belong to the top of the list only. So, put your party hat on, and let’s satisfy your wanderlust-infected soul with this list of 8 cultural festivals that will make your travel bucket list.

1. Rio Carnival, Brazil Cultural Festivals

The Rio Carnival is a bang. The Rio Carnival is held in Brazil and is the world’s biggest party. The festival is so grand that it was as if God wanted to have a celebration and chose Brazil as a venue. There are samba dancers in glorious and colorful costumes and sizzling samba beats, and what we find the most intriguing is the streets filled with an ocean of people. Even if you don’t know how to do the samba, learning a few moves will save you the awkward shuffle.

2. Durga Puja & Diwali, Indian Cultural Festivals

If you are a fan of good foods, fireworks, and the explosion of colors, then visit India during the Durga Puja and Diwali festivals. India during Durga Puja & Diwali is like the Fourth of July, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve all rolled into one. But the most satisfying thing about these festivals is the sweets and street foods. The streets of Kolkata, the ocean of people, during Durga Puja teach you how to enjoy life even if it is only for four days. Durga Puja and Diwali come one after the other and lighten up the lives of Indians like nothing else.

3. La Tomatina, Spain Cultural Festivals

Have you ever dreamed of getting into a food fight? Then La Tomatina in Buñol, Spain gives you the chance. They throw real tomatoes at each other so you can call it organized chaos, for real. We must warn you that you will come out of it looking like a walking tomato sauce jar. But it’s worth it. So, when are you planning to participate in the tomato bloodbath?

4. Oktoberfest, Germany Cultural Festivals

Beer guys shouldn’t miss the trip to Oktoberfest in Munich. Because that’s your only chance of getting a giant beer stein along with sausages that are as long as your arm. You can call it a beer-themed Disney World for adults. But don’t take those steins for jokes. Don’t forget to pace yourself while drinking at the Oktoberfest.

5. Chinese New Year, China Cultural Festivals

The Chinese call it the Spring Festival which is a New Year celebration as per the Chinese calendar. But this traditional celebration is so much fun because it is a blend of tradition plus modernity. The streets are well decorated with red lanterns, Dragon dances that look like Game of Thrones, and our favorite intoxicating scent of dumplings floating through the air. In the Chinese New Year, the citizens believe in giving and receiving red envelopes that have the money within. It is sort of a reminder of the trick-or-treating game we used to play in our childhood.

6. Day of the Dead, Mexico Cultural Festivals

Like you, when we heard the name “Day of the Dead”, we thought it was another name for Halloween. But it’s not. Day of the Dead is a celebration of life where people get a chance to remember their loved ones— the ones that got away. You can call it a Halloween plus a family reunion. They decorate human skulls for the occasion. You will see colorful marigold flowers while smelling the fresh fragrance of pan de muerto (bread of the dead) during the Day of the Dead. Though an alternative for Halloween, the concept of celebrating death makes it a whole lot not scary.

7. Songkran, Thailand Cultural Festivals

After the food fight, there comes a water fight that you must participate in. You will experience it in Thailand’s Songkran. The festival is like a water gun battle that the citizens celebrate nationwide. And if you visit Thailand during this time then the people won’t spare you even if you are just visiting. Songkran makes Thailand a giant splash zone. if you take your camera and phone with you, make sure to securely wrap them in plastic before joining the Songkran.

8. Carnaval de Oruro, Bolivia Cultural Festivals

Carnaval de Oruro in Bolivia is inviting you to a parade of otherworldly creatures. This festival was first held by UNESCO where thousands of dancers, musicians, and devils meet. The festival is so mesmerizing and grand it’s like those movies come to life. If you want to experience a dream where reality and fantasy blend into one, then don’t miss Carnaval de Oruro, except it is not a dream.

Bottom Line

These are 8 cultural festivals that are like sprinkles on the ice cream Sundae of life. This list of festivals is nothing but colorful, packed with experiences, and foods that make unforgettable memories. You can also explore the past with historical sites that should be on your travel bucket list. So, get ready to create stories to share with your grandchildren and forget that the word “boredom” ever existed in the dictionary.