Songkran Water Festival celebrates the hottest day of the year with the greatest party of the year. Chill out or go wild, jungle trek, elephant ride or bungee jump Chiang Mai is the place to be for this ancient holiday.
(Also known as the songkran water festival,festival of songkran, thai water festival, water festival in Chiang Mai, songkran festval in Chiang Mai)
When April 13 – April 15, every year.
Where Chiang Mai, Thailand.
What It’s a 3 day water fight & nobody is safe. Music in every street and dancing all night. Bangkok will be empty except for the usual tourist haunts e.g. Ko-Sahn Road.
Why There are 3 different reasons
1 The celebration of the New Year (as it was celebrated before 1888)
2 The changing of the seasons – from dry season to wet season.
3 It’s fun
During the Songkran Thai Water Festival Bangkok empties out for a few days. Tradition has it that Thai people should return home to the parents in the country and bring a gift to them. This is a mark of respect for the care they have shown over the years.
During Songkran Water Festival locals visit their Wats (Temples) and Buddha statues are washed. People take it very seriously in Chiang Mai where statues are paraded around the streets for all to help in the cleansing. People also bring sand to the temples to make up for the dirt they take away from the temples the rest of the year.
The use of plaster is also very common having originated in the plaster used by monks to mark blessings. In the same way the washing with water symbolises the washing away previous wrongdoing. Wrist bands are also gifted between friends and relatives during Songkran.
Who Everyone partakes in the celebrations. This is the biggest holiday in Thailand so be prepared regarding buses, trains or flights you need to organise. Although it is a really busy time in Thailand the crowds are worth it.
Hotels & Hostels in Chiang Mai
Where to stay Tourism is a major contributor to Thailand’s economy. Accommodation is easy to find in any of Thailand’s towns. Hotels, hostels, and welcoming families are easy to find in Chang Mai. However it's always to book a few days in advance for the Songkran Water Festival. Hotels and hostels can sometimes be booked out at busy times (almost all year)especially as Chiang Mai is a town of 150,000 people.
What else can I do in Chiang Mai It’s an excellent location in Thailand with chilled out bars, kicking Irish bars & mad go-go bars. Just the right mix for whatever you’re looking for. If you want to occupy yourself after the Songkran water Festival then take a jungle trek for a few days living with nature and calling into local jungle families..
Chiang Mai has an excellent jungle trek as well as elephant rides. There is also a bungy company there junglebungy.com who jump by night and day.
A long way to go just for the Songkran Water Festival ? need to feel Western again ? Try the Kad Suan Kaew mall. Also known to Chiang Mai people as the Central. Here you can Ice Skate, watch cinema in English, go go karting & mini golfing. Ok now that’s culture !
Group Tours Travelling in Thailand is easy there are tourist information centres on almost every street who have excellent English and can point you in the right direction.
What to bring Water proof camera & water pistols are readily available at any market stall.
Jack talk Thai very good !
Sawatdi (krap) Hello/Goodbye
Sawatdi bee mai (krap) Happy New Year !
Kop khun (krap) Thanks
As you can see the above those crafty Thai’s were thinking like the Italians by using the same word for Hello & Goodbye. Half the learning twice the fun.
The bracketed word "krap" are to be used when directed at a female - like in any other language you just have to speak a little krap.. (this can be very confusing when speaking to ladyboys !)
What to wear Songkran falls on the end of the dry season. This is the hottest time of year in Thailand, so pack v. lightly.
Where to drink Chiang Mai’s best bars are at the Moat's eastern flank in the Tapae Gate area, along the Ping River near Nawarat Bridge or in the vicinity of the Night Bazaar.
Where to eat The quality of food in Thailand is excellent. Green, red or yellow curries should always be reliable as well as chicken noodle.
DONT MISS THIS The atmosphere, the typical radiant smile and unconditional warm welcome that defines Thailand from the rest of the world. Expect to be invited to dinner.
Dangers/annoyances Unfortunately road accidents rise dramatically for the few days of Songkran. This is due to kids throwing water at motorcyclists and elephant riders.
The Gay scene Sexuality in Thailand is very diverse & people have high levels of tolerance. However the Songkran Water Festivalis a family time, so people may slightly more conservative.
Airports Chiang Mai has it’s own airport. Thairways, Nokair, Bakgkok Airways & Airasia all fly direct from Bangkok to Chiang Mai as well as through destinations in Thailand. This is a good option if you are only flashpacking for 2 weeks or so. It takes a little over an hour.
Train Trains are great quality and do offer a good way to see the Thailand country side. The train journey from Bangkok to Chiang Mai takes 12-15 hours.
Bus Buses depart from Pattaya bus station in Bangkok. The cheapest bus takes 15 hours and the most expensive (the sprinter bus) takes 9 hours. No choice.
Internet I used Internet Cafe Chiangmai which is opposite The Royal Princess Hotel, 147 Changklan Rd. Muang Chiangmai
It’s open from 11am to midnight but I didn’t use it during the festival. 1 baht a minute !
Bank/ATM At the time of writing this article 42 Thai Baht = €1. Banking hours are from 8:30-15:30, Monday- Friday. Foreign exchange booths run by major banks operate on Thapae Road and at the airport until 20:00, and in the Night Bazaar area on Chang Khlan Road until 22:00
Weather Chiang Mai Temperatures will soar into the 40c’s/100f during the Songkran water festival. Use waterproof sunscreen.
Festival Pig Fact Songkran is also celebrated in Laos called Songkan. In Cambodia, Myanmar & Burma where it is called Thingyan. It is known as Dai in Yannan – China.
This custom originated in Yannan China over 12,000 years ago.
During the Songkran Thai Water Festival Bangkok empties out for a few days. Tradition has it that Thai people should return home to the parents in the country and bring a gift to them. This is a mark of respect for the care they have shown over the years.
