Your Ultimate Guide to Celebrating Songkran Water Festival in Bangkok in 2025
Get ready to dive into the world’s wettest and most exhilarating celebration — Bangkok’s iconic Songkran Water Festival!
Held every April, this vibrant Thai New Year tradition transforms the bustling streets of Bangkok into thrilling splash zones, where locals and tourists unite for a three-day water war like no other.
But this traditional Songkran festival is more than just fun — it's deeply rooted in Thai culture, symbolising purification and fresh beginnings.
Whether you’re chasing street parties, sacred rituals, or cultural parades, this ultimate travel guide from UPAR Hotels reveals everything you need to soak up the ultimate Songkran festival experience in Bangkok.
Let's explore!
What Is Songkran Festival? Tradition Flows with Every Splash
The Songkran Festival is the Thailand New Year that is rooted in ancient Buddhist customs. This Bangkok water festival symbolises cleansing, renewal, and fresh beginnings.
Traditionally, people visit temples, offer food to monks, and perform water-pouring rituals on elders to show respect. Today, during the Songkran festival, Bangkok has transformed into a nationwide water fun, drawing tourists from across the globe.
Streets overflow with laughter, music, and water splashes, representing the washing away of misfortunes. The Pattaya water festival also includes sand pagoda building and cultural shows.
Songkran is a joyful expression of Thai values, spirituality, and unity.
On the whole, this Thailand April festival blends ancient tradition with modern festivity, making it one of Southeast Asia’s most unique and cherished celebrations.
Curious about the real meaning of Songkran and why the Water Festival holds such importance? Keep reading to find out.
Songkran Meaning: Why Is Songkran Water Festival Celebrated?
Songkran Date: When Is Songkran?
Songkran is Thailand’s traditional New Year, celebrated annually from April 13 to 15.
Songkran Name Meaning
The word "Songkran" comes from the Sanskrit word “Saṃkrānti,” meaning a shift or transformation. In Thai culture, it marks the sun’s transition into the zodiac sign Aries, symbolising a fresh start. More than just a change in the calendar, this Thailand festival represents new beginnings, spiritual cleansing, and positive transformation.
The Celebration of Songkran Thai New Year
The Songkran festival, Thailand, is a time when families reunite, homes are cleaned, and people prepare to welcome the new year with purity and gratitude. Unlike the Western New Year, this festival related to water focuses more on reflection, ritual, and renewal than parties or countdowns.
Spiritual Significance Behind This Water Festival Thailand
At its core, Songkran is a deeply spiritual celebration. It is observed by:
- Pouring water on Buddha statues – to signify purification
- Visiting temples – to make merit and pray for blessings
- Washing the hands or feet of elders – to show respect and receive good wishes
- Cleansing homes – to remove bad energy and misfortune
These acts reflect the desire to let go of the past and step into the new year with a clean heart and mind.
Why Water Plays a Central Role?
Water is the most iconic element of the Songkran water festival—and for good reason. Traditionally, gently pouring water symbolised washing away the misfortunes and sins of the past year. Over time, this sacred ritual evolved into the famous water fights seen today, especially in cities like Chiang Mai and Bangkok. Even though the celebrations have become more playful, the core symbolism remains—cleansing, renewal, and blessing.
Songkran Festival: A Time for Family, Reflection, and Blessings
Beyond the Songkran festival activities, it's a great time to slow down and reconnect with loved ones. People travel back to their hometowns to honor their parents and grandparents, seek forgiveness, and express gratitude. It’s also a chance to reflect on one’s actions and set positive intentions for the year ahead.
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Exciting Traditional Songkran Festival Activities That Show Thai Culture
1. Street Water Fights
The most well-known feature of the Songkran festival is that massive water battles take place in nearly every city. Locals and tourists use water guns, buckets, and hoses to splash each other joyfully. Popular hotspots include Khao San Road in Bangkok, Chiang Mai’s old city moat, and Patong Beach in Phuket.
2. Rod Nam Dum Hua – Paying Respect to Elders
Families gather to honour their elders by pouring water over their hands, seeking blessings and forgiveness. This activity during the Songkran water festival is a meaningful act of gratitude and unity across generations.
3. Visiting Temples for Merit-Making
Many people begin their Songkran Thai New Year by visiting a temple to make merit, offering food to monks, lighting incense, and making donations. This is done to gain spiritual merit and start the new year positively.
4. Sand Pagoda Building (Chedi Sai)
Communities come together to build sand pagodas in temple courtyards, often decorated with colourful flags and flowers. This represents returning earth carried away on people’s feet throughout the year, symbolising respect and contribution.
5. Traditional Thai Dance and Performances
Live cultural performances take place in temples, parks, and town centres. These may include classical Thai dance, folk music, Muay Thai demonstrations, and puppet shows, offering an authentic glimpse into Thailand’s heritage.
6. Releasing Fish and Birds
As part of merit-making during the traditional Songkran festival, some people release live fish, birds, or turtles into the wild, a gesture symbolising kindness, freedom, and compassion.
7. Thai New Year’s Cuisine
Families prepare and share traditional Thai dishes during the Songkran festival, Bangkok. Dishes such as mango sticky rice, som tum, grilled meats, and iced desserts are popular during the hot season.
8. Thai Folk Games and Competitions
In rural areas, children and adults engage in traditional Thai games such as saba, tug-of-war, climbing greased poles, and banana stem boat races — bringing communities together with joy and laughter.
9. Songkran Costume Contests
Both adults and children participate in costume competitions dressed in traditional Thai clothing or colourful floral shirts, a signature look of this Pattaya water festival.
10. Songkran Greetings and Blessings
During this Thailand April festival, people greet each other with “Sawasdee Pee Mai” (Happy New Year) or give warm wishes along with respectful gestures like the Thai wai.
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Experience Songkran Water Festival Affordably at Upar Hotels Bangkok
Bangkok comes alive during festivals, especially during the Songkran water festival in Thailand, where the entire city turns into a vibrant celebration of culture, colour, and joy.
If you’re planning to experience the heart of Thailand during this water festival season, staying at the right place can make all the difference.
UPAR Hotels, known for its comfort, convenience, and contemporary charm, offers two prime properties in Bangkok that place you right at the centre of the action.
UPAR Hotels Silom near Mahanakhon gives you easy access to the city’s business district while keeping you close to iconic landmarks like the Mahanakhon Skywalk.
The property blends modern aesthetics with thoughtful amenities, making it perfect for both leisure and business travellers.
On the other side, if you're someone who loves the thrill of city nightlife, street food, and the festive energy that pulses through Sukhumvit, UPAR Hotels Sukhumvit 11 Nana is the place to be.
Located in one of Bangkok’s most lively neighbourhoods, this hotel offers a refreshing stay experience with quick access to restaurants, shopping hubs, and nightlife spots.
Both hotels are designed to elevate your stay with cosy rooms, great service, and a vibe that feels just right during festive getaways.
Whether you're soaking in the culture or partying through the night, UPAR Hotels ensures you feel right at home while being in the middle of Bangkok's festive magic.
Book your stay today with UPAR Hotels Sukhumvit 11 Nana or UPAR Hotels Silom near Mahanakhon and make your Bangkok trip unforgettable.
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