What to Expect During Cambodia’s New Year 2025

Planning to experience Cambodia’s New Year 2025? This vibrant celebration, known as Khmer New Year or Chol Chnam Thmey, marks the end of the harvest season with three days of festivities in April. Here’s what to expect during this cultural highlight.

Phnom Penh goes eerily quiet as locals head to their home provinces, leaving the normally bustling capital almost deserted. Meanwhile, Siem Reap transforms completely—colourful star lights hanging from balconies, doorways decorated with pyramids of fresh mangoes and jackfruit, and streets humming with laughter and excitement. From April 14-16, Choul Chnam Thmey (Khmer New Year) turns Cambodia into a magical blend of ancient traditions and joyful celebrations.

I’ve been soaked by water guns in the middle of the street during this holiday, and trust me—it’s equal parts spiritual ceremony and playful chaos. Once, my landlords surprised us by decorating our shared Siem Reap home with rainbow-coloured stars while their kids giggled and smeared talcum powder on anyone within reach. You’ll find temples hosting candlelit blessings at dawn, then by afternoon, the same areas erupt into water fights with tourists and locals dodging buckets and hoses. Whether you’re eating kralan (sticky rice in bamboo) at a village fair or watching fireworks near Angkor Wat, the Cambodia New Year 2025 celebrations promise unforgettable memories.

When Does Cambodia’s New Year 2025 Take Place?

Khmer New Year, or Choul Chnam Thmey, runs from April 14-16, 2025. It’s the country’s most beloved holiday, where spiritual traditions meet pure, splashy fun.

The capital becomes almost a ghost town as families return to their hometowns. But head to Siem Reap and you’ll find the opposite—streets decorated with neon stars and fairy lights, doorways adorned with fruit offerings, and an atmosphere of excitement everywhere you turn.

During these three days, normal routines pause completely. Families gather over steaming pots of samlor machu, children run through streets with water guns and talcum powder, and temples are filled with the sound of prayers and ceremonies. Even as a visitor, you’ll get swept into the festivities—one year my landlords covered our house with colourful starlights as visitors from all corners of Cambodia flooded the streets. Whether you’re trying to avoid getting soaked near Angkor or sharing traditional sticky rice treats with locals, Cambodia’s 2025 festivities will immerse you in a beautiful mix of ancient customs and modern celebrations.

How do Local people celebrate the New Year?

At its heart, Khmer New Year combines spiritual rituals, family bonds, and ancestral respect—but it’s also where you might find a grandmother sneakily putting talcum powder in your hair when you’re not looking!

First, come the temple (wat) blessing ceremonies. Imagine standing barefoot on cool temple floors at dawn, watching saffron-robed monks chant while families light incense and present offerings of bananas, sticky rice, and jasmine garlands. In my first year in Siem Reap, I awkwardly tried folding lotus petals into offerings, earning an approving nod from a smiling older woman nearby. Just don’t wear white unless you’re prepared for colourful powder smudges!

Then there’s the tradition of building sand stupas—basically Cambodia’s version of sandcastles, but with spiritual meaning. Families bring buckets of sand to pagodas and create miniature mountains topped with flags and flowers. Each grain is said to wash away bad luck, which explains why kids (and tipsy uncles) take the task so seriously. I once helped a neighbour’s family build one, accidentally shaping mine like a lopsided potato. They assured me it still counted.

Cambodia’s Traditional New Year Games

The traditional games turn every village into a mix of Olympic competitions and comedy shows:

• In Bos Angkunh, players throw palm seeds at targets. Miss and the village champion (usually a mischievous grandmother) flicks your knuckles. My hand stung for days after losing three rounds, but the crowd’s laughter made it worthwhile.
• Chol Chhoung is a rowdy ball-throwing game that’s part dodgeball, part flirtation ritual. Players toss a colourful cloth ball while singing teasing rhymes. Drop it, and you must sing solo—terrifying for the tone-deaf like me. A group of teenagers near Siem Reap’s Old Market once pulled me into their game, and my terrible attempt at a Khmer love song earned me pity mango slices from a nearby vendor.
• Leak Kanseng (the “scarf game”) has kids sitting in a circle, passing a twisted scarf behind their backs while someone tries to catch them. I joined a game in a Battambang village only to be outrun by a 6-year-old who later bragged about it to her entire school.

These rituals and games aren’t just entertainment—they’re cultural glue, connecting generations and strangers alike in shared experiences that date back centuries.

Must-See Festivities During Cambodia’s New Year 2025

Khmer New Year 2025 will feature everything from lively street parades to peaceful temple gatherings.

Siem Reap’s Grand Parade is definitely the highlight. Imagine elaborate floats covered in lotus flowers, dancers wearing peacock-feather headdresses, and drummers setting the rhythm as crowds fill the streets. The parade passes Angkor Wat, where sunrise ceremonies transform the ancient temple with monks’ chants echoing against stone walls. Get there early to find a good spot, or you might end up perched awkwardly on someone’s parked motorbike (speaking from experience).

In Phnom Penh, while the city empties early in the holiday, by the third day, Sisowath Quay comes alive. Local bands perform, traditional apsara dancers perform in flowing costumes, and vendors sell coconut ice cream topped with edible glitter. A few years ago, I stumbled into an impromptu Khmer pop dance-off—even jet-lagged tourists couldn’t resist joining in. Sihanoukville offers beach parties, fireworks, and a relaxed vibe, ideal for combining festival celebrations with coastal leisure.

Don’t overlook local village celebrations in places like Battambang or Kampot. There, you’ll find grandmothers teaching children traditional Romvong circle dances, shadow puppet shows on makeshift stages, and delicious grilled prawns wrapped in banana leaves. My favourite memory was joining a midnight bonfire in a Kampong Cham village, listening to elders share folktales while teenagers dared each other to sing karaoke.

Whether you’re following parade confetti through Siem Reap or swaying to folk music in a rice field, the 2025 celebrations show that Cambodia’s New Year welcomes everyone to participate.

Cambodia’s New Year 2025: A Day-by-Day Guide to the 3-Day Celebration

Day 1: Maha Songkran – Welcoming the New Year with Family & Blessings

Day 1 (April 14th, 2025) focuses on family, fresh starts, and spiritual cleansing. It’s Cambodia’s version of “spring cleaning” for the soul. Families set up altars with lotus flowers, mangoes, and sticky rice cakes as offerings to ancestors. Then they visit temples like Siem Reap’s Wat Preah Prom Rath or Phnom Penh’s Wat Botum, where barefoot worshippers light candles, bathe Buddha statues with floral water, and listen to monks’ blessings. Don’t be surprised if a kind auntie hands you a jasmine garland. Last year, I joined a temple line and ended up with sacred powder on my forehead and a selfie with a giggling nun.

Day 2: Virak Vanabat – Giving Back and Building Sand Stupas

By April 15th, the focus shifts to community and karma. This is when Cambodians honour elders, donate to those in need and build sand stupas at pagodas. Families bring buckets of sand to temples like Angkor Wat’s Preah Khan and create miniature mountains decorated with flags, flowers, and coins. Each grain symbolizes washing away bad luck, and there’s a friendly competition to create the most impressive designs. In villages like Kampong Cham, elders perform rituals to “call back” wandering spirits, while in Siem Reap, locals host meals for monks. My attempt at stupa-building taught me two things: it’s harder than it looks, and Cambodian grandmothers are tough critics.

Day 3: Tngai Loeng Sak – Water Fights, Dance, and Letting Loose

Save your energy for April 16th—the day Cambodia transforms into the world’s biggest water park. The water isn’t just symbolic cleansing; it’s all-out war. Streets filled with people armed with water guns, buckets, and hoses, drenching everyone in sight. Siem Reap’s riverside becomes a battleground, while Phnom Penh’s normally quiet streets turn into dance floors with pop-up concerts and traditional circle dances. For a break from the chaos, check out village fairs with shadow puppet shows or try kralan (sticky rice in bamboo) grilled over open fires. Last year, I got ambushed by laughing teenagers near Pub Street who soaked me completely but offered a coconut afterwards as a peace offering.

Khmer New Year 2025: Modern Twists on Ancient Celebrations

While rooted in tradition, the Cambodian New Year 2025 will showcase plenty of contemporary elements. Think of it as ancient rituals with modern flair.

Night markets and food stalls transform Siem Reap’s neon-lit Angkor Night Market into a foodie paradise, offering everything from lok lak tacos to dragon fruit smoothie bowls and even deep-fried tarantulas for the adventurous. Last year, I followed the smell of lemongrass to a stall run by a grandmother and her TikTok-famous granddaughter—their mango-sticky rice spring rolls sold out within minutes.

Social media adds another dimension to the festivities. Khmer New Year 2025 will flood Instagram with #SplashSrokKhmer challenges as locals and tourists compete to film creative water fights. Even some monks embrace technology; I once spotted a young novice scrolling through TikTok for dance trends during a ceremony (his Romvong shuffle video later went viral). Apps like Koom now let people send digital ang pao (money gifts) to family members, bringing ancient traditions into the digital age.

The most exciting developments are fusion performances blending traditional apsara dance with hip-hop beats or classical pinpeat music with electric guitars. In Phnom Penh, venues like Factory Phnom Penh host avant-garde shows where silk-clad dancers perform electronic music, while Siem Reap’s pub street becomes an open-air stage for fire-spinning teenagers. My personal highlight was watching a Battambang street crew combine shadow puppetry with LED lights—like a Cambodian version of Fantasia.

Cambodia’s New Year 2025 celebrations aren’t just preserving traditions—they’re giving them new life in the 21st century. Whether you’re posting photos of a glitter-decorated sand stupa or dancing to a monk-DJ collaboration, Cambodia’s New Year proves even thousand-year-old rituals can evolve with the times.

Tips for Khmer New Year 2025 Visitors

To truly enjoy the Cambodian New Year 2025, plan ahead with these practical tips:

Book accommodations early. April is peak tourist season, and hotels in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh fill up quickly. I once waited too long and ended up in a “rustic” guesthouse where geckos watched me from the ceiling. Try to find places near Angkor Wat or the riverside to avoid traffic problems.

Respect cultural etiquette. At the temples, cover your shoulders and knees. Avoid pointing your feet at Buddha statues or monks during ceremonies. Accept offerings like jasmine garlands graciously. Last year, I accidentally interrupted a blessing ceremony and ended up helping scrub temple floors as an apology.

Stay safe in crowds. Keep an eye out for pickpockets, who love busy festivals. Store your cash in a money belt or waterproof bag. Stick to well-lit areas after dark, and drink plenty of water—April heat in Cambodia is intense.

What to pack:

• Shorts and tank tops, you don’t mind getting soaked
• Practical sandals or flip-flops, not fancy footwear
• Inexpensive sunglasses (I lost my Ray-Bans to a powerful water hose in 2023)
• A waterproof bag for your phone and money
• A GoPro or waterproof camera to capture the fun

Pack light—that designer bag will be soaked within hours. Embrace the chaos, laugh when you get sprayed by water, and remember: Cambodia’s New Year isn’t something you just watch. Jump in and participate—just keep your phone in a waterproof case!

Sustainability and Responsible Tourism

As Cambodia welcomes visitors in 2025, travellers can help protect its cultural and natural heritage. After all, nobody wants Angkor Wat surrounded by plastic waste.

Reduce plastic waste by bringing a reusable water bottle (many guesthouses offer free refills). Learn to say “អត់បាច់កញ្ចប់” (“ot ba jchan” – “no bag, please”) to street vendors. Carry a biodegradable bamboo straw for your coconut drinks and enjoy guilt-free sipping.

Support local artisans instead of buying factory-made souvenirs. Visit markets like Siem Reap’s Made in Cambodia. I bought a handwoven scarf from a grandmother in Battambang who threw in an impromptu lesson on silk dyeing (which permanently stained my shirt). Better yet, take workshops with ethical cooperatives, like pottery classes in Takeo or silver-smithing in Kompong Luong, supporting traditions that date back centuries.

Practice eco-friendly travel by renting bicycles instead of gas-powered tuk-tuks, or joining cleanup groups like Trash Hero. Consider staying at eco-lodges such as Phnom Penh’s Farmhouse Hotel, which uses solar power and eco-friendly pool treatments. When hiking in places like the Cardamom Mountains, leave nothing behind but footprints.

Cambodia’s New Year is a cultural treasure, not just a party. By travelling responsibly—light on plastic and heavy on respect—you’ll help ensure these celebrations remain magical for generations to come.

Final Thoughts: Why You Should Experience Cambodia’s New Year 2025

Cambodia’s New Year 2025 offers more than just a festival—it’s a chance to witness a nation balancing ancient traditions with modern life. Imagine monks chanting at sunrise near Angkor Wat while teenagers livestream the moment to followers worldwide, or grandmothers teaching TikTok dancers how to fold lotus offerings before joining in water fights. This is Cambodia in 2025: ancient rituals with contemporary twists, inviting you to participate in moments you’ll never forget.

I’ll always remember seeing a young man caught in a talcum powder ambush near Siem Reap’s Pub Street, only to be rescued by a monk who handed him a coconut with a knowing wink. It’s this blend of sacred and playful, quiet reflection and colourful chaos that makes the Khmer New Year so special.

So pack your sense of humour, a waterproof phone case, and an appetite for sticky rice. Whether you’re building sand stupas for good karma, dancing under fireworks with new friends, or letting giggling children soak you with water guns, 2025 is your chance to dive in. Cambodia’s New Year isn’t just a celebration—it’s a reminder that traditions aren’t static. They evolve, surprise us, and leave our hearts fuller than a street vendor’s basket of kralan.

Ready for your own messy, magical adventure? The water’s warm… and probably headed straight for your face.

---