Songkran festival is celebrated as a new year in Thailand according to their Thai lunar calender. Local Thai people visit Buddhist temples, and their hometowns to meet elders, and seek blessing by pouring scented waters in their hands.
Songkran festival Thailand is a traditional Thai New Year that is celebrated and centered around water. People splash water on each other to wash away their past sins and misfortune, this festival is an act of renewal and cleansing. It’s the world’s biggest and wettest water fight which takes place every April.
Originating from the Sanskrit word samkranti, meaning ‘to step into’. Traditionally, it was about washing away bad luck, but today, it has evolved into a giant nationwide water battle. If you’re planning a trip to Thailand tour packages, experiencing Songkran Festival Thailand 2025 should be at the top of your bucket list.
The official dates for Songkran Festival Thailand 2025 are April 13 –15. However, in some cities, the festivities last for a week.
Here are the top destinations to celebrate Songkran:
What makes Songkran Festival Thailand so exciting? The activities, of course! Here are the activities during Songkran:
This is the main attraction! Armed with water guns, buckets, and even hoses, locals and tourists take to the streets for epic water battles. It’s a great way to cool off in Thailand’s April heat.
Among all the water fights, the festival still honors its roots. Many people visit temples to pour water over Buddha statues and give alms to monks. These rituals are believed to bring good luck and blessings for the new year.
If you think Holi in India is wild, wait till you experience Songkran! The streets come alive with music, dance performances, and parades. In places like Chiang Mai, you’ll also see traditional Thai dance performances and beauty contests.
Local Thai people begin their day by visiting sacred Buddha temples. Many Buddhist locals dedicate their mornings to paying respect and ambitiously visiting 9 major temples in a day. At these temples, people offer food and money to the poor, and pour water on the hands of the monks to seek blessings from them for the new year.
Thai locals also honor Buddha by cleansing and bathing the statue. This is a traditional ritual of the Songkran Festival Thailand which is a sacred practice that involves bathing statues and images with scented water. This ritual not only pays homage to the teachings of Buddha but also shows a collective desire to do good deeds. If you’re wondering about the Best Time to Visit Thailand, Songkran season is definitely a top contender! The weather is warm, the vibes are amazing, and you get to witness Thailand’s culture in its most joyful form.
During Songkran, people visit their hometowns to meet their family elders which symbolizes respect. Like they pour scented water on the monk’s hands, similarly, they pour water on the elder’s hand to seek blessings. This ritual strengthens family bonds and sees that the traditions and rituals are followed by the new generation.
For more travel tips, check out our Thailand Travel Guide to make your trip even smoother.
The Songkran Festival Thailand is the experience of a lifetime you’ll never forget.
A. Songkran festival in Thailand is a traditional New Year festival celebrated in April. It involves friendly water fights and temple visits. It symbolizes cleansing, renewal, and welcoming the new year with joy and positivity.
A. Thai people engage in friendly water fights, visit temples, pour water and clean Buddha statues, and seek blessings from elders.
A. Water symbolizes purification and washing away bad luck from the past year and brings good luck for the new year. Originally, it was a gentle ritual of pouring water on Buddha statues and elders, but it has evolved into a nationwide water fight for fun and celebration.
A. No, Songkran is a Buddhist festival based on the Thai lunar calendar. While it shares similarities with some Hindu traditions, it is primarily associated with Thailand’s Buddhist culture and marks the Thai New Year.
A. Songkran festival Thailand lasts 3 days: April 13 for Maha Songkran (New Year’s Eve), April 14 for Wan Nao (transition day), and April 15 for Wan Thaloeng Sok (New Year’s Day). Some places extend celebrations for a week.
A. The Songkran Festival in Thailand is the world’s largest water fight. Cities like Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Pattaya turn into massive battlegrounds where locals and tourists splash water on each other for days.
A. Songkran Festival 2025 will be celebrated from 13 – 15 April in Thailand. Some designated places organize fests during the festival where lots of crowd celebrate this.
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