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Songkran in Thailand: dates, traditions and where to celebrate the water festival

Songkran is the Thai New Year and the biggest water fight on the planet. For three official days in April the whole country splashes, blesses and parties, and in some cities it lasts a week. I love it, but it goes much better when you know the dates, the rules and where to stand. Here is my practical guide for Songkran 2027, based on how the festival ran in 2026.

Kylian DevBy Kylian Dev

  • Songkran 2027 dates by city
  • Traditions, rules and etiquette
  • Safety, packing and bookings

Short answer

Songkran, the Thai New Year, is a national holiday from 13 to 15 April every year, so Songkran 2027 runs from Tuesday 13 to Thursday 15 April. Chiang Mai usually starts a day or two earlier, and Pattaya holds its Wan Lai water days around 18 and 19 April. Since December 2023 the festival is on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Expect heat around 35°C, soaked streets from noon, full buses and higher hotel prices.

When is Songkran 2027?

Fixed official dates, with local extensions.

Unlike most Thai festivals, Songkran does not follow the lunar calendar. The official holiday is always 13, 14 and 15 April. In 2027 all three fall on weekdays, Tuesday to Thursday. The government sometimes adds an extra bridge day, so check again in early 2027 if you are hoping for a long weekend.

PlaceUsual water-play daysWhat happened in 2026
Nationwide13 to 15 AprilOfficial holiday Monday 13 to Wednesday 15 April
Bangkok (Silom, Khao San Road)12 or 13 to 15 AprilSilom zone 12 to 14 April, Khao San 13 to 15 April, both ending around 10pm
Chiang Mai (old city moat)About 11 or 12 to 15 or 16 AprilWater fights around the moat from about 12 April
Phuket (Patong)13 to 15 AprilMain action on Bangla Road and Beach Road
Pattaya13 to 15 April, then Wan LaiWan Lai Naklua on 18 April, Wan Lai Pattaya on 19 April
Songkran crowds on Silom Road, Bangkok
Songkran crowds on Silom Road, Bangkok

What Songkran means: traditions behind the water fight

There is a gentle, spiritual side that many visitors miss.

The word Songkran comes from the Sanskrit sankranti, the passage of the sun into a new sign of the zodiac. It marks the traditional start of the Thai year, at the hottest point of the dry season. Water stands for washing away bad luck and starting fresh.

On 6 December 2023, UNESCO added "Songkran in Thailand, traditional Thai New Year festival" to its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The listing is about the family and temple traditions as much as the street party.

Rod nam dam hua

Family

Younger people pour scented water over the hands of parents and elders and ask for their blessing. It is the heart of the festival, especially in the north.

Merit at the temple

Temple

Families bring food to monks in the morning and bathe Buddha images with fragrant water.

Sand chedis

Tradition

People carry sand to temples and build small decorated stupas, returning the sand carried away on their feet during the year.

13 April is also National Elderly Day and 14 April National Family Day, which says a lot about what Songkran really celebrates. If you are invited to a family blessing, go: it is the most touching moment of the whole festival.

Where to celebrate Songkran

From full-on water war to something calmer.

Chiang Mai

Most famous

The biggest and longest Songkran. The 6 km moat around the old city turns into one huge water fight, with parades and temple rituals at Tha Phae Gate. Hotels fill up first here.

Bangkok: Silom Road

Local crowd

A closed road full of locals, office workers and visitors, with foam and water from both sides. Easy to reach by BTS Sala Daeng or MRT Silom.

Bangkok: Khao San Road

Party

The backpacker version: loud, packed and very international. Fun for a few hours, exhausting for three days.

Phuket: Patong

Beach

Bangla Road and Beach Road are the hotspots, from about noon, before the nightlife takes over.

Pattaya

Longest

Water fights from the 13th, then the Wan Lai days in Naklua and Pattaya around 18 and 19 April, with parades and ceremonies.

Quieter options

Calm

Small islands such as Koh Kood or Koh Mak, or nature bases like Khao Sok, stay much calmer. You will still get splashed in villages, just gently.

My advice for a first Songkran: do the temple and family side in the morning, join the water fight in the afternoon and pick one hotspot rather than trying to do three in a day. Moving across town while soaked, in traffic, is the least fun part.

Sand chedis at Wat Pho during Songkran
Sand chedis at Wat Pho during Songkran

Songkran rules and etiquette

What is fine, what is rude and what can get you fined.

  • No water on monks, elderly people, babies, police or anyone in uniform
  • No high-pressure water guns or PVC water cannons: police banned them in 2026
  • No powder or coloured spray in Bangkok's official zones such as Silom and Khao San Road
  • No ice water, and never aim at the face, motorbike riders or drivers
  • No revealing outfits: police warned of fines of up to 5,000 THB in 2026
  • Smile and accept that everyone in the street is fair game
  • Splash gently from the shoulders down
  • Let people with bags, suits or phones in hand pass
  • Say "Sawasdee pee mai" (Happy New Year)

Road safety: the "seven dangerous days"

The one part of Songkran I take seriously.

Every year the government runs a road-safety campaign over the "seven dangerous days" around Songkran, when millions drive home to their provinces. The figures below come from the Road Safety Operation Centre and the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation. More advice in our guide to staying safe in Thailand.

Songkran 2026 (10 to 16 April)Figure
Road accidents1,242
Injured1,200
Deaths242
Main causeSpeeding (about 41%)
Vehicles involvedMotorcycles (about 65%)
Families splashing water in Chiang Mai
Families splashing water in Chiang Mai

What to pack and wear

Assume you will be soaked the moment you step outside. Our Thailand packing list generator covers the rest.

  • A waterproof phone pouch with a lanyard
  • A small dry bag for cash, a card and a copy of your passport
  • Quick-dry clothes you do not mind ruining, dark rather than white
  • Sandals with grip, not flip-flops
  • Swimming goggles or sunglasses to protect your eyes
  • Sunscreen and a hat: water or not, the sun is fierce
  • A cheap water gun, sold on every corner from a few days before

April is the hottest month in Thailand. Afternoon highs around 35°C are normal in Bangkok and it can be hotter inland, so the water is welcome. Drink plenty and take a break in the shade in the early afternoon.

Transport, hotels and prices

Half the country travels at the same time.

Songkran is the Thai equivalent of Christmas travel. In 2026 the state bus company carried more than 850,000 passengers over the holiday and froze fares until 19 April, but popular routes still sell out. Trains and domestic flights from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, the north and the northeast go first, a few days before the 13th.

  1. 1Book trains, flights and buses several weeks ahead, ideally as soon as sales open
  2. 2Travel on the 13th itself or after the 16th if you can, not in the days just before
  3. 3Book Chiang Mai hotels early: prices rise and the old city fills up
  4. 4Expect some shops, offices and small restaurants to close for a few days
  5. 5In Bangkok, enjoy quieter roads: many residents leave the city

Mistakes to avoid

The errors I see every April.

  • Carrying a phone without a waterproof pouch
  • Riding a scooter during the seven dangerous days
  • Booking transport a week before the 13th
  • Getting angry when splashed on the way to a meeting
  • Missing the temple and blessing rituals in the morning
Create my itineraryTurn what you've read into a day-by-day route.

FAQ

Your questions

When is Songkran 2027?

Songkran is a national holiday from 13 to 15 April every year. In 2027 that is Tuesday to Thursday. Chiang Mai usually starts a day or two earlier, and Pattaya celebrates Wan Lai a few days later.

What is the best city for Songkran?

Chiang Mai has the biggest and longest celebration around its old city moat. Bangkok (Silom and Khao San Road) is easiest to reach, Phuket's Patong suits a beach holiday and Pattaya goes on the longest.

Is Songkran a UNESCO heritage?

Yes. On 6 December 2023, "Songkran in Thailand, traditional Thai New Year festival" was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Can you avoid getting wet during Songkran?

Not really if you go outside in a tourist area. Stay in a resort, travel by car or pick a quiet island or national park if you prefer to stay dry.

What should I not do during Songkran?

Do not splash monks, elderly people, babies or police, do not use high-pressure water guns, ice water or powder, and do not ride a scooter after drinking.

Is Songkran dangerous?

The water fight itself is safe and good-natured. The real risk is on the roads: 242 people died in road accidents during the seven dangerous days of Songkran 2026, most of them on motorcycles.

What is Wan Lai in Pattaya?

Wan Lai is Pattaya's own end of Songkran, with parades, ceremonies and more water fights. In 2026 it took place on 18 April in Naklua and 19 April in Pattaya.

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