Khmer Lunar Calendar ប្រតិទិនចន្ទគតិខ្មែរ
ភាសាខ្មែរConvert a date
Find the Khmer lunar date for any day, or look up when a lunar date such as the 15th waxing day of Pisakh falls in the Gregorian calendar.
How the Khmer lunar calendar works
The Khmer calendar is lunisolar: its months follow the moon, and extra days and months keep it in step with the seasons. Each month has two halves. Keut (កើត) is the waxing half, counted from the 1st to the 15th, which is the full moon. Roch (រោច) is the waning half, counted from the 1st to the 14th or 15th, ending on the new moon. A date is written as the day, the half and the month, for example ៤រោច ខែភទ្របទ, the 4th waning day of Photrobot.
Months alternate between 29 and 30 days, so a lunar year is about 354 days. To stay aligned with the solar year, some years add a leap month, when Asath is doubled into Pathamasath and Tutiyasath, and some add a leap day.
| # | Khmer | Month | Usually begins |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | មិគសិរ | Migasir | mid November to mid December |
| 2 | បុស្ស | Bos | mid December to mid January |
| 3 | មាឃ | Meak | mid January to early February |
| 4 | ផល្គុន | Phalkun | mid February to early March |
| 5 | ចេត្រ | Cheit | mid March to early April |
| 6 | ពិសាខ | Pisakh | mid April to early May |
| 7 | ជេស្ឋ | Chesth | mid May to early June |
| 8 | អាសាឍ | Asath | late June to early July, or earlier in leap years |
| 9 | ស្រាពណ៍ | Srap | late July to mid August |
| 10 | ភទ្របទ | Photrobot | mid August to mid September |
| 11 | អស្សុជ | Assoch | mid September to mid October |
| 12 | កត្ដិក | Kadeuk | mid October to mid November |
Three kinds of year appear on Khmer dates. The Buddhist Era (BE) year is 543 or 544 years ahead of the Gregorian year and changes after Visak Bochea. The animal year, one of twelve from the Rat to the Pig, changes at Khmer New Year in April. The Sak is a ten-year cycle that also changes at New Year.
Holy days (Sila)
Four days in each lunar month are Buddhist holy days, called ថ្ងៃសីល (thngai sel): the 8th and 15th waxing days, the 8th waning day and the last day of the month. On these days many Cambodians visit the pagoda, make offerings to monks and keep the Buddhist precepts, and some avoid eating meat. They are not public holidays, but pagodas are busier, especially in the early morning. If you visit, dress modestly and follow our temple etiquette guide.
Cambodia public holidays 2026
These are the official public holidays for 2026, set by Sub-Decree No. 167 of 18 September 2025. Lunar holidays move every year, so check the calendar above for other years.
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| 1 January | International New Year Day |
| 7 January | Day of Victory over the Genocidal Regime |
| 8 March | International Women’s Day |
| 14 to 16 April | Khmer New Year |
| 1 May | International Labour Day and Visak Bochea |
| 5 May | Royal Ploughing Ceremony |
| 14 May | Birthday of His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni |
| 18 June | Birthday of Her Majesty Queen Mother Norodom Monineath Sihanouk |
| 24 September | Constitution Day |
| 10 to 12 October | Pchum Ben |
| 15 October | Commemoration Day of the late King Father Norodom Sihanouk |
| 29 October | Coronation Day of His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni |
| 9 November | National Independence Day |
| 23 to 25 November | Water Festival |
| 29 December | Peace Day in Cambodia |
Banks, government offices and many businesses close on these days, and the three-day festivals bring heavy travel around the country. Read our guide to Cambodian festivals before planning a trip around them.
Frequently asked questions
What year is it in the Khmer calendar?
From Khmer New Year in April 2026 until New Year in April 2027 it is the Year of the Horse (ឆ្នាំមមី). The Buddhist Era year is 2570 from May 2026, after Visak Bochea.
When is Pchum Ben in 2026?
The official Pchum Ben holiday runs from 10 to 12 October 2026. The main day, the last day of Photrobot, is 11 October. The 15 days of Kan Ben offerings begin on 27 September. Read our Pchum Ben guide.
When is the Water Festival in 2026?
The Water Festival holiday runs from 23 to 25 November 2026, around the full moon of Kadeuk on 24 November. Read our Water Festival guide.
How accurate is this calendar?
Lunar dates are calculated with an open-source implementation of the traditional Khmer calendar rules and match official holiday dates. Public holidays for 2026 come from the official list. For later years, holidays are marked as expected until the government publishes the official list, usually in the autumn of the year before.
Sources: 2026 public holidays from the National Bank of Cambodia holiday list and Andersen Cambodia’s summary of Sub-Decree No. 167. Lunar dates calculated with momentkh by Thyrith Sor (MIT licence). Last checked 30 September 2026.