Cambodian festivals calendar: month by month
A month-by-month guide to Cambodia's main festivals and holidays, from Khmer New Year and Pchum Ben to the Water Festival, with tips for planning your trip.
In this guide
Cambodia's calendar is full of religious festivals, royal ceremonies and national holidays. Many follow the lunar calendar, so their dates change each year. Use this month-by-month guide to plan, then check exact dates for your travel year.
January
- International New Year (1 January): celebrated in cities with parties and fireworks.
- 7 January: a public holiday marking the end of the Khmer Rouge regime in 1979.
- Chinese New Year: sometimes falls in late January; widely celebrated by Chinese-Cambodian communities.
February
- Chinese New Year: often in February, with red decorations, lion dances and family gatherings.
- Meak Bochea: a Buddhist holy day at the full moon, sometimes in February or March.
March
- Hot, dry weather and wedding season in many villages.
April
- Khmer New Year (around 13–16 April): the biggest holiday of the year, with water fights, games, pagoda visits and family reunions.
May
- Visak Bochea: celebrates the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and passing.
- Royal Ploughing Ceremony: a ritual marking the start of the rice-planting season.
- King's Birthday (14 May).
June
- Queen Mother's Birthday (18 June).
September or October
- Pchum Ben: a 15-day period honouring ancestors, ending with the main public holiday days. Pagodas are busy before dawn with families making offerings.
October
- Commemoration of King Father Norodom Sihanouk (15 October).
- Coronation Day (29 October).
November
- Independence Day (9 November): celebrations at the Independence Monument in Phnom Penh.
- Bon Om Touk (Water Festival): boat races on the river in Phnom Penh, illuminated floats and fireworks, usually in late October or November.
December
- Angkor Wat International Half Marathon: usually held in early December.
- Christmas and New Year's Eve: celebrated in cities and tourist areas.
Tips for travellers
- Public holidays have changed in recent years; check the official list for your travel dates.
- Transport and accommodation fill up during Khmer New Year, Pchum Ben and the Water Festival.
- Many businesses close or reduce hours during major holidays, especially in Phnom Penh, as people return to their home provinces.
- Festivals are a wonderful time to see Cambodian culture; plan ahead and be respectful.