Koh Samui Attractions

Buffalo Fighting Festival Ko Samui

The Buffalo Fighting Festival, Ko Samui is a very popular event held on special occasions such as New Year's Day in January, and Songkran in mid-April. This festival features head-wrestling bouts in which two male water buffaloes are pitted against one another. Unlike Spanish Bullfighting, wherein bulls get killed while fighting sword-wielding men, Buffalo Fighting Festival, Ko Samui is a fairly harmless contest. The fighting season varies according to some ancient customs and ceremonies.
This hugely cheered spectacle is organized at selected venues around Ko Samui, like the stadiums at Ban Saket, Ban Makham, and just outside Nathon town. Banners are displayed well in advance all over the island.

On the day of the fight, the bulls are adorned with colorful ribbons and gold-painted leaves on their horns. Holy water is sprinkled on them as a sign of blessings prior to the fight. The bout takes place in two rounds, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon. The buffaloes lock horns with each other - much to the cheer of the huge and lively crowd - until the weaker one submits. The first Buffalo to turn and run away is considered the loser. The champion buffalo becomes worth several million baht. The Buffalo Fighting Festival, Ko Samui is still a popular sport among the locals, and if you visit Samui at the right time, you might just be lucky enough to watch this thrilling encounter.