You've planned a trip to Thailand and your stay coincides with Songkran? What a wonderful experience awaits you! What should you expect and where to celebrate Songkran in Thailand? We share all our recommendations...

What is Songkran, the Thai New Year?

A festive, family-oriented and religious celebration, Songkran is the most important festival in the country. Regarded as the Thai Buddhist New Year, Songkran marks the transition to a new year according to the lunar calendar.

According to tradition, Thai people visit temples to offer gifts to monks and receive their blessings. They also wash the hands of their elders and sprinkle representations of Buddha with scented water. Indeed, in Buddhist beliefs, water purifies body and soul, and wards off spirits.

While many of these rituals continue to be performed by locals, the Songkran festival has also sparked the world's largest water battle. Throughout the streets, water is sprayed on people everywhere. And to do so, all means are fair game: water hoses, buckets of water, water guns... Anyone who ventures outside during Songkran ends up soaked from head to toe! Only monks are spared from being splashed. However, it is allowed to splash the police! That shows just how lighthearted the celebration is!

Where to celebrate Songkran during a trip to Thailand?

Although the Songkran festival takes place throughout the country, certain cities are particularly worth visiting. Discover the unmissable places to celebrate Songkran during a trip to Thailand:

Bangkok

To celebrate Songkran in keeping with traditions, you can visit the numerous temples throughout the Thai capital. We recommend heading to Wisutkasat Road, beneath Rama VIII Bridge, where many purification rituals and blessings take place.

You can also visit Sanam Luang where sacred celebrations occur opposite the Grand Palace. On the first day of Songkran, for example, the "Buddha Sihing" image is brought out of the national museum to be escorted through the streets to be sprinkled with water by the public.

To participate in water battles and party, head to:

• Khao San Road,

• Silom Road,

• Lumpini Park,

• Central World,

• RCA (Royal City Avenue) where the unmissable S2O Festival takes place.

Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai is one of the best places to experience the Songkran festival in Thailand. The festivities are longer here than elsewhere in the country, lasting around 7 days.

You'll witness numerous traditional processions and parades featuring floats decorated with Buddha statues, singing and dancing... The epicenter of the celebration takes place in Chiang Mai's old city, notably at Tha Pae Gate. The moats surrounding the city are even used to refill ammunition supplies.

As for temples, you'll be enchanted by decorations specially created for the occasion, featuring sand stupas and colorful lanterns. Among Chiang Mai's unmissable temples to visit during Songkran are Wat Phra Sing, Wat Pantao, Wat Chiang Man and Wat Suan Dok.

Khon Kaen

To venture off the beaten path and celebrate Songkran with locals, head to Khon Kaen. It's the most famous place in northeastern Thailand to celebrate Songkran. On the agenda: water battles on Sticky Rice Road, parades and traditional processions, petanque competitions... You'll also see ox-cart processions adorned with stunning floral arrangements. As a reminder, this region is one of the country's major rice producers.

Sukhothai

Thailand's first capital is considered the birthplace of Songkran. Suffice it to say that Sukhothai is one of the major cities to celebrate the Thai New Year. Most festivities (parades, processions, markets, Miss Songkran pageants, sand pagoda competitions...) take place in Sukhothai Historical Park.

Phuket

One of the country's major tourist destinations, it's no wonder Phuket ranks among the most festive cities during Songkran. Most festivities take place at Patong Beach with the procession of the Buddha image (Phra Phuttha Sihing) and along Bangla Street where the famous Miss Songkran beauty pageant is held.

Other popular tourist destinations also deserve a visit during Songkran such as Pattaya and the gulf islands (Koh Samui and Koh Phangan...). But generally speaking, Songkran is celebrated more widely in northern Thailand than in the south. Certain remote northern cities and villages offer traditions like nowhere else. This is the case in Samut Prakan where the ethnic Mon community organizes several festivities, or the town of Loei which hosts one of the most beautiful festivals in the Northeast.

When does Songkran take place in Thailand?

Songkran celebrations take place each year over three days, typically from April 13 to April 15. Note that these three days are public holidays in Thailand. If you're traveling during this period, we strongly recommend booking transport and accommodation in advance, as everything gets booked up quickly!