Songkran Festival is one of the biggest and most important festivals of the year in the Land of Smiles. It takes place from 13th April to 15th April every year. If you’re planning to travel this month, Thailand is an ideal destination for you to experience this friendly country at its most congenial.

Songkran, also known as the Water Festival and Thai New Year, is a raucous but inherently religious festival that takes place every year in Thailand -it also happens to be one of Asia’s biggest and most anticipated holidays of the year.

The throwing of water, for which the holiday is most famous, symbolically represents the washing away of one’s past transgressions, and is meant to bring luck and prosperity for the coming year. Songkran is also an important occasion in Thai culture for showing respect to elders, spending quality time with family and visiting temples for merit-making.Whether you travel to Thailand to experience the legitimate spirituality of it, or simply want to party like you’ve never partied before -Songkran delivers in spades!

Full disclosure: If you’re visiting Thailand during this time, expect to get wet! Locals and tourists from all walks of life take great pleasure in dousing each other with water by whatever means possible, be it water guns, water cannons, entire buckets of water, or even balloons. If you’re on a street or sidewalk during Songkran you are fair game. According to Thai beliefs, the more water you have poured over you, the more fortunate your upcoming year will be -so in the minds of locals, they’re doing you a favour! In addition to the water dousing, most cities also organize a slew of other activities such as beauty pageants, parades, street parties and cultural performances. It’s one of the best times of the year to experience both traditional Thai culture and unhinged locals having a blast.

Useful tips to join Songkran Water Festival

As the weather in Thailand these days is very hot and your clothes are likely to get dirty after water fights, you should wear as comfortable as possible. The most suitable clothes for Water Festival are dark T-shirts and shorts.
If you want to bring your camera, phones or identification papers, you need to protect them by a waterproof paper packing. Better leave them at home or hotels, or just bring a copy of identification.
The best way to protect yourself and enjoy Songkran Water Festival is to buy a water gun or bring water containers.

Popular spots for Songkran water fights

– Chiang Mai: join in activities in the streets of Chiang Mai, the famous parade and pour water on the prominent Buddha Statue “ Phra Buddha Sihing”, building sand temples, beauty contests or try to taste some delicious dishes along Urban Culture Street.

– Bangkok: get wet at Khao San Road, Phra Athit, Rattanakosin Royal Square, Santhichaiprakan and Wisut Krasat

– Pattaya: A wide range of activities in every street of Pattaya, Beauty and Talent Contest Songkran.

– Phuket: Throwing of water activities in Soi Bangla, Patong beach, Songkran children beauty contest

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