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6 Places to Celebrate the Songkran Water Festival in Thailand

Jacey Hen

Last updated 22 Apr 2024

6 Places To Celebrate The Songkran Water Festival In Thailand

Source: Tourism Authority of Thailand (Facebook)

Nobody does Songkran better than Thailand 🇹🇭

What better place to celebrate Songkran than in Thailand itself? Thailand's annual Songkran Water Festival is one of the biggest celebrations in the country, where you can expect tons of splashing fun from epic water fights, lively parties, temple visits, street parades, and more! It is truly a one-of-a-kind experience that you won't get anywhere else.

This April, why not plan a visit to Thailand to participate in this iconic Thai festival? The celebrations differ from city to city, so depending on where you're heading, you can expect either modern festivals or traditional activities, or a fun mix of both! So if you're wondering where you can celebrate Songkran in Thailand, keep reading as we break down the top 6 destinations in the country where you can take part in the exciting festivities this year.

Discover the top things to do on your next Thailand trip here!

What is Songkran?

Songkran is held annually by the locals in celebration of the Thai New Year. Celebrations for the national holiday last for 3 days, from 13 to 15 April, and takes place all across Thailand. Water plays a major role in the festival and symbolically, it is meant to wash away the previous year to get ready for the next one. This vibrant event brings locals and tourists together to splash each other with water, pay respects to their elders, and usher in the new year with joy and enthusiasm!

Top 6 places to celebrate Songkran in Thailand

1. Bangkok

You can expect nothing less than lively, vibrant celebrations in Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand. Discover the best of both traditional and modern festivities here. Make offerings at the temples here, then join in fun cultural activities such as sand pagoda building competitions, floral float parades, boat races, and more!

However, the main event of the festival in Bangkok would definitely be the water fights! The main streets of the city will be filled with crowds of locals and tourists, all gathered to splash water at each other using water guns, buckets, and hoses. You can also look forward to other fun activities such as live performances, beauty pageants, and food fairs here.

✨ Songkran highlights in Bangkok

Water fights on the streets and pool parties in hotels
Sprinkle water on Buddha images at temples, street parades, and shopping centers
EDM festivals and foam parties
Release birds and fishes at Buddhist temples

📍 Best locations in Bangkok

Khao San Road
Silom Road
Phra Padaeng
Siam

Discover the top things to do on your next Thailand trip here!

2. Chiang Mai

Many have claimed that Chiang Mai is possibly the best (and wettest) place to celebrate Songkran in Thailand. In this Northern region, celebrations are in full swing across the whole city and last up to a whole week. The festivities here balance fun and spirituality, so if you want to participate in water fights as well as experience the local culture, there's no better place to be!

The celebrations kick off with a procession around the city, where images of Buddha and other religious artifacts are paraded around, offering you a chance to make merit this Thai New Year. Afterwards, you can expect fun cultural performances and rituals, street food and music, as well as lively water fighting zones. Chiang Mai is known for their water fights, so get ready to be drenched if you're exploring the city!

✨ Songkran highlights in Chiang Mai

Songkran parade of Buddha statues and images
Water fight zones around the Old City's ancient moat
Traditional music and traditional dance performances

📍 Best locations in Chiang Mai

Tha Pae Gate
Chiang Mai Gate
Ping River
Wat Phra Singh

Klook your way to the top attractions and tours in Chiang Mai!

3. Pattaya

Songkran is a festive occasion best celebrated near bodies of water, so you can expect Pattaya and its beautiful beaches to host various fun celebrations during this time, and by fun, we do mean lots of splashing wet parties! It's a week-long festivity in this seaside city, where you can expect full-blown water fights, foam parties, and sand sculpture competitions.

However, the main celebration in Pattaya is a traditional event known as Wan Lai. It falls on the 19th of April, in which you can expect colorful parades, beauty pageants, and cultural shows to take place! Water fights still take place during this time, but on a smaller scale.

✨ Songkran highlights in Pattaya

Songkran parade during Wan Lai
Water fight zones near the beach and on city streets
Live music and street food

📍 Best locations in Pattaya

Beach Road
Walking Street
Central Festival Pattaya Beach

Get tickets to the top attractions & experiences in Pattaya here!

4. Phuket

Take the celebrations up a notch at the lively Phuket, where Songkran feels like a city-wide party! The water fights begin on the streets of Phuket old town early in the morning, lasting up until nighttime as the celebrations end in a full-scale water war zone across the city, on its famous streets and beaches. Many beach clubs and bars would host parties, with live music and DJs providing entertainment into the night.

Songkran culture and traditions are also prominent here, where many would visit the local temples to make merit and take part in special ceremonies. Afterwards, you can catch lively cultural performances, as well as attend festive street parades and beauty pageants.

✨ Songkran highlights in Phuket

Beach parties and water fights
Offer food to monks and release fishes at Buddhist temples
Miss Songkran beauty pageant

📍 Best locations in Phuket

Patong Beach
Bangla Road
Wat Chalong
Wat Pho

Explore Phuket with these island tours & fun activities!

5. Khon Kaen

In Northeast Thailand is the city of Khon Kaen, where the Songkran festival lasts for five days, from 12 to 16 April. During this period, exciting events and activities take place throughout the city, including the main parade that takes place on the first day of the festival, featuring traditional dance performances, music, and colorful floats that showcase the local culture and traditions. There are also beauty pageants, talent shows, and other cultural events that take place throughout the festival.

✨ Songkran highlights in Khon Kaen

Songkran parade on the first day
Live music and street parties
Thai food vendors and traditional Thai games at local markets

📍 Best locations in Khon Kaen

Bueng Kaen Nakhon
Khon Kaen Walking Street
Wat Nong Wang

6. Koh Samui

Known for its beautiful beaches, lively nightlife, and rich cultural heritage, you can expect that Songkran celebrations in Koh Samui offer a blend of traditional culture and fun beach activities! It's also the perfect destination if you're looking for fun beach parties that are a little less intense than the ones in Phuket or Pattaya.

You can find a majority of the water fights taking place on the beaches here. Locals and visitors alike participate in these water fights, out with the mission to drench each other in water, and the beaches will be filled with people dancing, singing, and having fun, making for a truly lively and festive atmosphere.