{"id":1934,"date":"2018-04-13T07:23:46","date_gmt":"2018-04-13T07:23:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/luxurytravelvietnam.com\/blog\/?p=1934"},"modified":"2026-03-25T09:37:04","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T09:37:04","slug":"get-wet-get-fun-luck-water-festival-southeast-asia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/get-wet-get-fun-luck-water-festival-southeast-asia.html","title":{"rendered":"Get wet, get fun and get luck in water festival in Southeast Asia"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0If you\u2019re lucky enough to be travelling to Southeast such as\u00a0Laos<\/a>,\u00a0Cambodia<\/a>,\u00a0Myanmar<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Thailand<\/a> between April 13-and 15 this year, be prepared to experience the wet in their water festival.<\/p>\n

April is one of the hottest months in Southeast Asia.\u00a0 It is also the New Year for Thais, Burmese, Laotians, and Cambodians.\u00a0 Many take the time and wish each other luck and prosperity by gently pouring water on each other as a symbol of goodwill and cleansing.\u00a0 Others combat the heat by splashing water on the streets in scenes of joy and merriment.\u00a0 The New Year is called Songkran in Thailand, Pee Mai Lao in Laos, Chol Chnam Thmey in Cambodia, and Thingyan in Myanmar.\u00a0 It is also known as the Water Festival to foreigners.<\/p>\n

\"thailand-new-year\"<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Even though the changing of the calendar year is adopted from the West and the New Year is officially recognized as January 1st on most\u00a0 Southeast Asian calendars, their traditional holidays are still kept intact.\u00a0 It was actually based on the solar calendar, but is now fixed on April 13th \u2013 15th.
\nTraditionally, people will go to temples to pray and make merit.\u00a0 They will also clean Buddha images by gently pouring water over them.\u00a0 It is believed that this will bring good luck and prosperity for the New Year.\u00a0 Sand is also brought to the temple grounds and stupa-shaped piles are sculptured, decorated, and given to monks as a merit-making gesture.\u00a0 Another way to make merit is to free animals such as crabs, birds, and fish.<\/p>\n

\"Yangon_Thingyan_2011\"<\/a>
\nThe pouring of water was originally a way to respect elders.\u00a0 The water, which had been poured onto Buddha images and therefore blessed, was seen as a way of giving a good fortune to family members and elders by gently pouring it onto their shoulders.<\/p>\n

The image most people associate with the New Year is the party-like atmosphere on the streets and the throwing and splashing of water at each other, which is a great antidote to combat the April heat.\u00a0 Tourists are more than welcome to partake in the celebrations and attend the traditional ceremonies in the temples or join the water fights in the streets.<\/p>\n

\n
\n

Table of Contents<\/p>\nToggle<\/span><\/path><\/svg><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n