Celebrate with the locals at the Phra Nakhon Khiri Muang Phet Fair - AsiaRooms.com

AsiaRooms.com can reveal that people who have booked into Bangkok hotels may well be looking for excursions outside the Thai capital during their stay.

One place worth visiting in the second week of April is Phetchaburi.

The city hosts its annual Phra Nakhon Khiri Muang Phet Fair between April 10th and 19th, with parades, exhibitions and fireworks among the activities taking place over the nine days.

Holidaymakers who are in no rush to return to their Siam Square hotels may want to make sure that they stick around long enough to see the ox chariot racing contest.

An integral part of the festivities is the worship of the ancestral kings and the city's pillar shrine, with a service to mark this taking place each morning during the event.

Last year, spectacular fireworks displays were put on every night, with 200 rockets being launched into the night sky.

For the grand finale, a show featuring 600 fireworks was laid on for audiences around Khao Wang hill.

Anyone visiting this year can expect similar light and firework displays as well as all the usual musical and dance shows which are performed each night for visitors to enjoy.

Fireworks are usually set off at around 21:00 (local time) each night, with the musicians getting up on stage earlier in the evening.