Khmer New Year 2025: Cambodia’s Vibrant Sangkran Celebration!
Khmer New Year, known locally as Choul Chnam Thmey, is one of Cambodia’s most significant and joyous festivals – and Cambodia loves festivals! Celebrated over three days (sometimes stretching on a bit longer in terms of actual celebrating!), it marks the end of the traditional harvest season and welcomes the new year with a blend of ancient traditions, family reunions, and festive events.
If you’re travelling to Cambodia over the Khmer New Year period, which officially starts on 14th April this year, you’re in for a massive treat and 3 days of fun! You’ll also get to experience some of Cambodia’s beautiful and rich cultural heritage.
What is Khmer New Year?
With roots in both agricultural and religious traditions, Khmer New Year signifies the conclusion of the harvest season, allowing farmers to rest and celebrate their yields. It ties in closely with the solar calendar, which is why the actual dates can vary slightly from year to year. The Khmer New Year is marked by the sun entering the sign of Aries the Ram.
The festival is deeply intertwined with Buddhist customs, offering Cambodians an opportunity to honor their ancestors, seek blessings, and engage in acts of charity – something which is incredibly important in Buddhist practices.
Many people have already heard of Songkran in Thailand, but aren’t aware that this is just one iteration of the Solar New Year celebrations which happen all over South and South East Asia! Khmer New Year celebrations are incredible, and not to be missed!
Each day of the Khmer New Year celebration traditionally has its own significance:
Day 1: Moha Songkran
During Moha Songkran, families will clean and decorate their homes to welcome the new heavenly deity believed to protect them in the coming year. Offerings such as fruits, incense, and drinks are placed at spirit houses (the ornate miniature houses or temples you can see all over Cambodia, usually at the entrance to a building or within the building itself).
Day 2: Wanabot
Wanabot is a day dedicated to charitable acts, where people offer gifts to the less fortunate and pay respects to elders. It’s important on this day for Khmer people to celebrate their ancestors and they will often mark this by offering gifts to their elders.
Day 3: Leang Saka
Leang Saka is the day that Buddhists bathe Buddha statues and their elders as a symbol of cleansing and renewal, hoping to wash away misfortunes. Cambodia is a majoritively buddhist country and this traditional practice is still followed by many!
When is Khmer New Year 2025?
Khmer New Year 2025 will be celebrated from Monday April 14th to Wednesday April 16th. These dates are determined by the traditional solar calendar, marking the sun’s entry into Aries.
How Do People Celebrate Khmer New Year?
The festivities are a vibrant blend of traditional rituals such as those listed above, and communal activities that bring everyone together for both celebration and building community:
Temple Visits and Offerings
Many Cambodians will visit temples or pagodas during the new year to give prayers, food, and other offerings, seeking blessings for the new year. Temples are adorned with flowers, and devotees engage in ceremonies that reflect their spiritual devotion. If you’re in Siem Reap during this time, you’ll notice that Angkor Wat will be considerably more busy than usual, as Khmer people come from all over the country to mark this special occasion at the countries most significant temple complex.
Traditional Games and Dances
Communities come together to play traditional games like “Chol Chhoung” and “Bos Angkunh,” fostering unity and joy. Traditional dances and music performances are also integral, showcasing Cambodia’s rich cultural heritage.
Water Fights and Powder Smearing
Similar to the Songkran festivals of Thailand, one of the biggest (and most recognisable!) acts of celebration is what essentially amounts to a giant water fight! This practice of spraying each other with water symbolizes the washing away of misfortunes and welcoming a fresh start, something which can also be seen during other buddhist ceremonies, albeit on a smaller and more formal scale!
If you find yourself in Cambodia during Khmer New Year, you’ll have a great time experiencing these city-wide water fights, which are accompanied with lots of special events and celebrations all over the country.
What Events Will Be On During Khmer New Year 2025?
Angkor Sangkranta festival in Siem Reap
This amazing event transforms the Angkor Wat area into a hub of cultural performances, traditional games, and exhibitions, attracting both locals and tourists. Grab yourself a tuktuk and head out to Angkor Wat to celebrate with some great local food whilst enjoying the cultural festivities which are being put on especially to bring in the new year.
If you stay within the Siem Reap town limits, most notably Pub Street and the riverside area, you’ll find an endless amount of fun activities and performances happening. Check out the images below for the 2025 Khmer New Years Siem Reap Program and see what’s happening – and where! There will be boat races along the river, funfair style stalls set up along the riverside with fun games and local foods and several live concerts.
The Pub Street area and the surrounding neighbourhoods will turn into a giant chaotic mix of water fights and powder throwing for 3 straight days – so put your raincoat on and prepare to get wet! It’s an incredibly fun experience and not something to miss. The live concerts are great fun and previous years have also attracted big names like the rapper VannDa – one of the biggest names in the music industry in Cambodia at the moment.
You won’t want to head out unarmed (with a water gun of course!) so make sure you grab yourself a (water-shooting) weapon and join in with the fun! They can be purchased all over town as during the celebrations you’ll find street stalls popping up everywhere to sell water guns, talcum powder and waterproof phone cases – which you’ll probably need!
Phnom Penh can be a lot quieter than usual during the 3 days of New Years as Khmer people head back to the provinces where their families live to celebrate with them. A lot of Khmer people, especially the younger generation, will also be heading to Siem Reap to visit Angkor Wat or to join in with the fun and parties at Pub Street!
However, there will of course be lots of festivities, celebrations and parties happening in Phnom Penh – usually concentrated around the Wat Phnom and riverside areas.
Community Celebrations Abroad
Cambodian communities worldwide, such as the large population of Khmer descendants in America, often organize their own New Year festivals, featuring cultural performances and traditional foods and often including events at local pagodas.
Top Tips for Enjoying Khmer New Year
Plan Accommodations Early
With many locals traveling to their hometowns and tourists flocking to major cities, hotels can fill up quickly. Prices tend to increase during the Khmer New Year period and it’s very common for accomodation options to be sold out. It may still be possible to find a walk in booking, but we highly recommend booking in advance to avoid a stressful experience!
Protect Your Belongings
Because of the waterfights which can be pretty unavoidable in many areas, especially in Siem Reap, use waterproof bags for valuables like phones, electronics or money! If you don’t already have one, the very well prepared locals will be selling them all over town in markets and on street stalls.
If you head out into the evening parties and celebrations, be careful to keep your valuables dry and safe! The crowds can be pretty intense in some of the busier areas and it’s easy for things to get lost.
Dress Appropriately
Light, quick-drying clothing is advisable due to the combination of heat and water activities. Although you should absolutely prepare to get very, very wet – April is the hottest month in Cambodia so bear this in mind when getting ready!
Respect Local Customs
While the atmosphere is festive, it’s essential to be mindful of cultural practices, especially when visiting temples. Modest attire and respectful behavior are appreciated.
Don’t be offended if you get sprayed with a water gun! It’s a playful way for the Khmer people to include you in a celebration that’s very important to them and you should take it as a compliment!
Stay Hydrated and Sun-Protected
April temperatures can be high. Regularly drink water and use sunscreen to stay comfortable throughout the celebrations.
Khmer New Year offers possibly the most unique opportunity to experience Cambodia’s traditions and communal spirit. We hope you’ve found this article useful and we especially hope that you have an amazing time! If you’ve ever experienced a Khmer New Year before, let us know in the comments box below what you thought.
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