Repeat visitors to Phuket and fans of awesome Thai food, take note: usually famous for the annual marathon, the Laguna Phuket resort will debut their new Laguna Phuket Food & Music Festival this Mar 3-5.

To coincide with Phuket Province’s status as a UNESCO “City of Gastronomy,” and Laguna's 30th anniversary celebration, the festival will feature music and wine dinners along with live culinary demonstrations from celebrity chefs such as MasterChef Australia judges Bruno Menard (the Singapore-based former three-Michelin-starred chef) and Audra Morrice (a 2012 finalist).

There will also be pop-up food booths of Peranakan and international cuisine, food trucks and a beer garden along with musical performances and the very first Laguna Phuket Chefs Challenge, emphasizing the use of local ingredients.

A charity gala dinner and super Sunday Brunch (at Xana Beach Club) will raise money for Phuket’s orphanages. And if you need to work off those calories, their annual Phuket Marathon (Jun 3-4) is now offering early bird rates at $69 down from $80.