Events & Festivals

January 

New Year's Day: just as in the rest of the world, this is a day of rest after a night of festivities.
Tet Festival : taking place in either January or February dependent on the Khmer lunar calendar, this is one of the largest celebrations in Cambodia, with an array of fireworks and parades.

April 

Cambodian New Year: traditionally taking place at the end of the harvest, for two days in mid-April, to mark the New Year according to the Khmer lunar calendar. The event is celebrated with decorated homes and shrines filled with food and beverages. Locals gather together to visit temples and pagodas, and many people converge upon Angkor Wat.

May 

Royal Ploughing Ceremony (Bonn Chroat Preah Nongkoal): kicks off the rainy season in Cambodia in late May. During this time, farmers are preparing for the ploughing of the fields. A good place to take part in celebrations is the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, where a series of activities take place. Cows are offered a choice of crops, and predictions are made for the coming harvest based upon the ones chosen.
Birthday of Buddha (Visa Bochea Day): is in late May. This reverent day is a time for Buddhists to make merit by visiting temples and making offerings to the monks.

June 

Children's Day: in early June is a celebration of Cambodia’s young people. On this day, children’s festivities and events are arranged throughout the country. Most parents take time off work if they can to spend the day with their children.
Queen’s Birthday: a day celebrated throughout the country, Her Majesty the Queen Preah Akeak Mohesy Norodom Monineath Sihanouk's birthday is on 18 June.

September 

 Bonn Phchum Ben: is an annual festival falling in either September or October depending on the lunar calendar. It covers 15 days honouring Buddha's exhortation to remember the dead and during this time offerings are presented to Buddhist monks.

October 

Soul Day (Pchun Ben Day): is a religious festival blessing the souls of ancestors, relatives and friends alike who have passed away. On this day, people usually visit temples to make merit for ancestors.
King’s Birthday: the birthday of His Majesty King Norodom Sihanouk is so spectacular it takes place across three days from 30 October to 1 November. Visit the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh for a fireworks display.
Bonn Kathen: is a very visually appealing event as monks come out of their rainy season retreats at the temples to receive new robes and other offerings.

November 

 Water Festival (Bonn Om Touk): is one of Cambodia’s most exciting events, marking the start of the fishing season and the reversing of the flow of the Tonlé Sap river. It takes place around the full moon. The main attraction is the three days of boat races with more than 100 entrants; and nightly fireworks along with lit flotillas sailing for good luck along the Mekong in Phnom Penh.

December 

 Visual Arts Open: is a biennial event that takes place in December in Phnom Penh. The show features new work by local artists and is a celebration of the new future of Cambodia, rising from civil war and genocide.
International Half Marathon: is held annually in December at Angkor Wat and draws in contestants and spectators from around the world.