Cambodia's festivals follow the Theravada Buddhist lunar calendar and mark the rhythms of agriculture, the river, and the royal year. They are genuinely joyful occasions — the country that has endured so much celebrates its festivals with particular intensity.
Khmer New Year (Chaul Chnam Thmey) — mid-April. The biggest celebration of the year, marking the end of the harvest season. Families clean their houses, make offerings at the temple, and gather with relatives. In the streets, water is splashed (and thrown) to bless passers-by — expect to get drenched if you're out during the first day. Phnom Penh and Siem Reap both fill with returning families; it's a wonderful time to be in Cambodia but book accommodation early.
Pchum Ben (Ancestors' Day) — September or October (15th day of the 10th lunar month). A two-week period culminating in a day when Cambodians visit pagodas to make offerings of food to the spirits of their ancestors. One of the most spiritually significant observances in the calendar — the country essentially shuts down for the final day as families travel to their home provinces.
Water Festival (Bon Om Touk) — October or November, timed to the full moon. Celebrates the extraordinary annual reversal of the Tonle Sap river, which changes direction as the Mekong's floodwaters recede. Boat races are held on the river in Phnom Penh, with hundreds of long boats and tens of thousands of spectators. Up to a million people converge on the capital over three days. One of Asia's great festivals if you can time your visit.
Royal Plowing Day (Chrat Preah Nongkoal) — May. A traditional ceremony at Phnom Penh's Royal Palace grounds in which oxen are given a selection of foods to predict the harvest. The king's role in the ceremony marks Cambodia's deep connection to rice agriculture.
National Day (January 7) — marks the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime in 1979. A public holiday with mixed significance: for many Cambodians it is a day of relief and remembrance; for others it also marks the beginning of a decade of Vietnamese occupation.
Chinese New Year — January or February. Widely celebrated by Cambodia's Chinese and Vietnamese communities, particularly in Phnom Penh. Fireworks are considerable.