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8 places to celebrate Songkran in Thailand


5 min read
March 17, 2023
Things to do
Festivals

Songkran is one of the biggest and most important public holidays in Thailand. It’s the traditional New Year celebration, with UNESCO declaring it an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2023. Also known as the Thai Water Festival, it sees celebrants take to the streets with water pistols, cannons and buckets for one of the biggest water fights you’ll ever encounter.

In light of UNESCO’s declaration, the Maha Songkran World Water Festival 2024 will be organised across the country from 1 to 21 April, with the official celebrations remaining between 13 and 15 April. Discover the rich cultural heritage of Thailand on a global platform and understand why the country is a prime tourist destination.

Get a taste of the action in one of these top Thai Songkran destinations.

Chiang Mai

Colourful paper flags are a symbol of Songkran
Colourful paper flags are a symbol of Songkran

The ancient northern Thai city of Chiang Mai hosts one of the biggest Songkran celebrations of all. 

Follow the parade around the tree-lined streets of the Old Town – which is bordered by a misty moat – and join the locals pouring jasmine-scented water on Buddhist statues. You can build sand pagodas on the streets, watch dance performances and taste Thai street food from stalls.

You can also tap into the rowdier side of the revelry, joining people lowering buckets on strings into the moat and filling them up to hurl at passers-by, or using supplies from tuk-tuks loaded with barrels of water.

If you’re a music lover, you can also join the Water War Chiang Mai, a music festival held annually during Songkran. Rest up and reload your pistols in the serene Inn Oon Chiang Mai Home, right in the centre of the city.

Bangkok

Have a joyful experience while taking in the splash of water on the streets of Bangkok
Have a joyful experience while taking in the splash of water on the streets of Bangkok

Heading to the Thai capital will guarantee a lively Songkran, with enormous water fights taking over the normally traffic-filled streets. Khao San Road and Silom Road – an especially popular spot for LGBTQ+ visitors – are where the tourists congregate, dancing to DJs while soaking each other in cooling water under the hot sun.

Switch it up with a day at Banglamphu Market, which tends to attract a more local crowd and hosts a more traditional Songkran.

Another option is the nearby Sanam Luang, opposite the Grand Palace, where you can experience a respectful Songkran involving a Buddha figure from the National Museum.

Wherever you go, there’ll be parades showcasing Thailand’s cultural diversity, elaborate costumes, entertainment and an infectiously celebratory atmosphere. The LOL Elephant Hostel provides immaculate dormitory accommodation just a few short minutes from Khao San Road.

Phuket

Admire the finest sunset views in the city from the Buddhist Temple
Admire the finest sunset views in the city from the Buddhist Temple

For a beach-based Songkran, the mountainous and rainforest-covered island of Phuket is your best bet. Here, the festival is a day-and-night affair and the biggest of its kind in the south of Thailand.

Patong Beach throws the wildest parties and Bangla Road the most intense water fights. The streets are filled with trucks loaded with ice-cold water, with revellers unleashing water guns, cannons and buckets upon each other.

If you need a timeout, try the celebrations in the island’s capital of Phuket City. In Phuket Old Town, things tend to be more local-oriented, with fragrant water spritzed on shrines and traditional Thai dance performances. Heaven Apartments is a highly-rated aparthotel just a 10-minute walk from Patong Beach.

Pattaya and Bang Saen

Split your time between lazing on the beach and water fights in Pattaya
Split your time between lazing on the beach and water fights in Pattaya

Lined with beautiful beaches, Pattaya is a coastal city that makes a superb setting for the raucous scenes of the festival to unfold. The city’s Songkran usually extends for about a week, sometimes longer, so this year’s 21-day festival won’t disappoint.

Get ready for the water fight of your life from 17 to 19 April and enjoy the fun. With a rooftop pool and garden, Somerset Pattaya aparthotel offers an oasis away from the chaotic celebrations.

If you’ve had enough of getting soaked, pop over to nearby Bang Saen beach and take in the famous sand sculptures. You can find up to 100 impressive sculptures crafted from sand and adorned with gold paint and flowers. One of the most unique sights in Bang Saen is the chedi sai – intricate sand pagodas built by teams of artists.

Khon Kaen

Savour the traditional foods that are bursting with flavours
Savour the traditional foods that are bursting with flavours

For one of the biggest Songkran festivals in Isaan (the northeast region of Thailand), check out the celebrations in Khon Kaen. Khon Kaen’s beautiful lakeside vistas are relaxing, but they come alive for Songkran.

Khao Niao Road, which translates to Sticky Rice Road, is a well-known local spot, and the site of the world’s longest human wave during Songkran 2019 – so, who knows, this might be your chance to break a world record.

For a different pace, stroll the lush shores of Kaen Nakhon Lake, where you’ll find folk performances to keep you entertained and a food festival filled with delicious treats. For a relaxing retreat that’s still centrally located, stay at the friendly Mai Thai Guest House.

Koh Samui

Locals give blessings during Koh Samui's more low-key, traditional Songkran festivities
Locals give blessings during Koh Samui's more low-key, traditional Songkran festivities

If you’re up for a beach Songkran but on a smaller scale, Koh Samui’s celebrations are relatively tame but infinitely entertaining. Everyone joins in the fun, with the obligatory buckets, hoses and pistols.

But there are significantly fewer people participating and the atmosphere is more toned down; local children often add dyed powder into the mix for an added thrill, and the water they hurl tends to be melted ice, which can be sweet relief in the humid April heat.

If you want an even more authentic island experience, certain parts of the west coast host quiet celebrations where you can join in with the local fishing families for a traditional Songkran. The Diamond Pool Villa@Samui is a stylish chalet that boasts a year-round outdoor pool.

Nakhon Si Thammarat

People use plastic water guns to splash each other during Songkran
People use plastic water guns to splash each other during Songkran

Head south to Nakhon Si Thammarat to catch the one-of-a-kind Hae Nang Kradan festival, on 14 April. Hae Nang Kradan happens at the same time of year as Songkran, but it’s rooted in the region’s Brahmin and Hindu communities.

This unique festival celebrates the god Shiva, known in Thai as Phra Isuan, by welcoming him to earth with parades and ceremonies. The climax of the festival is a dazzling light and sound show at Ho Phra Isuan temple. Stay at the Hallo Villa Khanom and go for a swim in the outdoor swimming pool.

Phra Pradaeng

A Buddhist monk sprinkles fragrant water during Songkran
A Buddhist monk sprinkles fragrant water during Songkran

Extend your Songkran in Phra Pradaeng, where the festival is celebrated slightly later than in other places. In 2024, most of the celebrations will happen from 19 to 21 April.

While Phra Pradaeng lies on the outskirts of Bangkok, its Songkran festivities pack in just as much boisterous fun and beautiful cultural experiences as the capital’s. Alongside the high-spirited water fights, you can see colourful parades of flowers and entertainment from live performers.

One of the most unique aspects of Phra Pradaeng’s Songkran are traditional ceremonies by the local Mon people. Sleep at the Catory Villa and enjoy the views of the river from the patio.