Cambodia’s festivals are living occasions shaped by family, faith, seasonal rhythms and public celebration. Visitors are welcome to appreciate them, but exact dates, closures and local arrangements can change—especially for observances linked to the lunar calendar.
Use announced dates from Cambodian authorities and ask your accommodation about local arrangements. Do not plan a flight, border crossing or fixed transfer from an old festival calendar alone.
Check the dates: festival days follow the lunar calendar and move every year. See today’s Khmer date, holy days and the official public holidays on our Khmer lunar calendar.
Festival dates: the next 12 months
Dates for 2026 follow the official public-holiday list. Dates marked “Expected” come from the Khmer lunar calendar and are confirmed by the government each year, so treat them as a guide and check before booking.
Dates marked “Expected” are calculated from the Khmer lunar calendar and may differ by a day. Official dates are announced by Cambodian authorities, and events, closures and transport can change, so we make no promise that this calendar is complete or current. Confirm dates before you book travel.
Pchum Ben
A period of remembrance and temple visits. Many people travel home, so expect busy transport and some closed businesses.
National Independence Day
A national holiday marking independence. Government offices and many businesses close.
Water Festival (Bon Om Touk)
This year the main celebrations in front of Phnom Penh’s Royal Palace are not being held, but the three-day holiday stays and provinces can celebrate with their own events. Families everywhere mark the full-moon night on 24 November.
Christmas
Malls, hotels and churches celebrate, but it is a normal working day.
New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day
Countdowns on the Phnom Penh riverside, Pub Street and the islands, and sunrise at Angkor on New Year’s Day.
Chinese New Year
Red decorations, lion dances and some market closures, especially in Chinese-Cambodian neighborhoods.
Meak Bochea
A Buddhist full-moon observance with temple activity. Keep voices low and follow local guidance.
Khmer New Year
Three days of temple visits, family gatherings, traditional games and water-splashing, with big public celebrations at Wat Phnom in Phnom Penh and in Siem Reap. Expect busy roads, closed businesses and higher prices for rooms and transport.
Visak Bochea
A Buddhist observance of prayer and temple activity, on the full moon of the month of Pisakh.
Pchum Ben
Remembrance and temple visits again. Plan travel around the holiday.
Water Festival (Bon Om Touk)
Boat races, illuminated floats and the moon salute. Celebration plans are announced closer to the date.
Celebrations visitors often encounter
April
Khmer New Year
Family visits, temple activity, traditional games and lively public celebrations mark the new year. Expect busy roads and changes to normal business hours. Read our Khmer New Year guide for the three days, what closes and where to celebrate.
Usually September or October
Pchum Ben
A deeply significant period of remembrance and temple visits. Give worshippers space, dress respectfully and treat ceremonies as religious observance rather than entertainment. Read our Pchum Ben 2026 guide.
Usually October or November
Water Festival
Boat racing and public gatherings celebrate Cambodia’s relationship with its rivers. Events, scale and locations can vary from year to year. See our Water Festival 2026 guide.
Lunar calendar
Visak Bochea
A Buddhist observance associated with prayer and temple activity. Keep voices low and follow local guidance at sacred places.
International holidays in Cambodia
Cambodia also marks some international holidays. International New Year’s Day is an official day off, while Christmas and Chinese New Year are not, although both are widely celebrated. See our guides to Christmas in Cambodia, New Year’s Eve and Chinese New Year, or the full list of international holidays in Cambodia.
How to join respectfully
Observe before participatingNotice how local families and worshippers use the space, then follow their lead.
Ask before photographingDo not interrupt prayer, ceremonies or family moments for an image.
Prepare for crowdsProtect valuables, keep your group’s meeting point clear and allow extra transport time.
Accept changed plansClosures, traffic controls and reduced services are part of traveling during major holidays.
Plan around the experience
A festival can become a meaningful part of a journey without dominating it. Keep the surrounding day flexible, choose accommodation within a manageable distance and ask local hosts where visitors can watch without obstructing community use.