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Celebrating Songkran in Phuket, Thailand 2023
Updated: Jun 16
Bringing in the Thai New Year with blessings, cleansings, epic fun and laughter, the Songkran Water Festival has to be one of our top travel experiences of all time! Here in Phuket thousands of partygoers, well wishers and locals packed Bangla Walking Street in Patong for an incredible mass water fight night!
Within moments of hitting the streets, at midday we might add, we were soaked, laughing so hard and generally just feeling fantastic! Everyone is in the moment of celebration and the atmosphere is so cool (literally). In 33 degree temperatures we have to say being splashed (or drenched in most cases) is most refreshing but be alert, a lot of the times water comes out of nowhere!
Over 300,00 tourists are expected to descend upon the likes of Bangkok and Phuket, to name but two of 198 areas designated by the government for this years celebrations. Where we were in Phuket, local businesses are expecting to see 30,000 to 40,000 revellers per day! After 3 years of suspension owing to covid, Songkran is back again and ready to rock.
Read on for all you need to know about Songkran, the best spots to enjoy the festival, essential tips, and things to watch out for on this amazing new year celebration here in Thailand.
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What is the Songkran Festival?
The Songkran Festival is an annual event celebrated in Thailand from April 13 to April 15. The festival marks the beginning of the traditional Thai New Year and is one of the most important events in the Thai calendar. The festival is also known as the Water Festival, as water plays a pivotal role in the celebrations.
During the Songkran Festival, people all over Thailand engage in a massive water fight! Water is sprayed and thrown at each other with water guns, hoses, and buckets. While the festival is an excellent opportunity for locals and tourists alike to cool off from the hot April weather, the most important part is to have fun and bring blessings and prosperity to the new year.
The origin of the Songkran Festival can be traced back to ancient times when people would sprinkle water on each other as a symbol of cleansing and renewal. In modern times, the festival has evolved into a joyous occasion for people to come together, celebrate, and have fun.
Apart from the water fights, there are other activities and traditions that take place during the Songkran Festival. One of these is the pouring of scented water over Buddha images as a way of paying respect and seeking blessings. Many people also visit their local temple to make merit and offer food to the monks.
Food is an essential part of the Songkran Festival. Street vendors sell traditional Thai food, including som tam (spicy papaya salad), grilled meat skewers, and mango sticky rice. The festival is also a time for families to come together and share a meal.
Walking around and seeing the food on display amidst the carnage of water shooting did feel tempting, although it is hard to understand how they avoid the water getting on top of the food, if at all! Undeterred though and clearly busy, Songkran represents a huge opportunity for the local economy.
Then of course there is beer, and plenty of it! Drinking beer is almost considered part of the festival, and it is available everywhere you look. Keep a watchful eye out for happy hours and promotions, with many bars and clubs offering great deals to get people through the doors.
The Songkran Festival is not only celebrated in Thailand but also in neighboring countries such as Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia. Each country has its unique way of celebrating the festival, but the spirit of the occasion remains the same – to welcome the new year with joy, happiness, and a sense of community.
Did you know...
✓ The Thai New Year occurs when the sun moves from Pisces to Aries. According to the Thai calendar, as of today (14th April at time of writing) we are now in 2566.
✓ Songkran is the biggest event of the year, and April 13th to the 15th are public holidays, with most Thai people going home to celebrate Songkran with their families.
✓ Thailand uses the Buddhist calendar, in which the epochal date (year zero) is the year in which the Buddha attained parinibbāna. This places the current year 543 years ahead of the Gregorian calendar. The year 2023 CE (common era) is 2566 BE (Buddhist era) in Thailand.
✓ The Buddhist calendar is also commonly used in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, India, Sri Lanka.
Where to go for Songkran in Phuket
You will not have to walk very far anywhere in the city to encounter your first blessing, just hopefully you do not begin with a head shot! There are plenty of parties happening on the streets, by shop fronts, in open restaurants and bars. Typically on the streets it is quieter in the morning, but by midday full scale water fights are happening in every direction!
Patong, Kata and Karon are the major hotspots throughout the day; we spent most of our time at Laimai Courtyard Restaurant & Bar, getting there around 1pm. We had front row seats to the festivities, which gradually progressed from a few gunslingers dousing pedestrians to an all our war with the copious amounts of pick up trucks full of some pretty sharp shooters!
By night, the party moves to Bangla Road Walking Street, which is so packed you don't really walk, you shuffle. It really is a chaotic scene with thousands of people shoulder-to-shoulder and it is definitely the place to be if you are ready for some major mayhem!
Everyone is a target!
No matter what you do, one thing is for sure, you will not be able to avoid getting doused! Whenever you do, it is customary to say thank you or happy new year. Even if you really get caught off guard!
Drivers would leave their windows down as they drove by, perhaps tempting a shot, or just cooling off. Yet a frantic closing of the window would always ensue when high pressure water guns came firing!
Trucks, open backed vans and pick ups all come rolling by packed with people and giant drums of water. People walk up and down the street, un-armed, yet easy targets for those with the guns and tubs! Then there are those who are locked and loaded, ready to retaliate to the stationed shooters who stand in wait for the next unsuspecting, or indeed suspecting, passer-by. In fact, scrap all of that. There is no method to the madness!
Some even go to lengths to ensure cold water is what you will get. By cold we mean cold! The hits of freezing ice certainly put a rod up your back! It really is just so much fun, it is hard to put it all into words to be honest.
Even tourist police and traffic cops that drive by welcome a pretty conscious stream of water being shot at them, smiling as the drive knowing their car will be pretty sparkling clean when they get out! Some even play along; keep an eye out for the windows!
People living in Thailand are said to be in three camps during the Songkran Water Festival. There are the 'Wild Wet Fun' fans, who will party for all three nights, wisely hitting the streets in bathing suits, ready with high-pressure guns to hold sway as rulers in the war.
Next up are the 'Sulking Hermits', those who will lock themselves indoors for three days, packed with supplies to stake out the storm. Finally there are the 'Smart Dudes',who will make use of the very long weekend to fly somewhere abroad. What camp are you on?!
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Sometimes called 'smoky' season, from February to March Thailand's northern regions, in particular Chiang Mai, are covered by a thick haze caused by agricultural burning and exacerbated by unregulated vehicles. So why does Chiang Mai have the worst air quality rating in the world every year?
How to arm yourself during Songkran
From what we could see, there was not a shop, stall or shopping mall that did not have rows upon rows of water guns, in the lead up to Songkran. From small pistols to pump-action and air-pressurized water reservoir guns, there was so much to choose from, for newbies and pros.
If you go for the bigger guns, their power is measured by the amount of chambers, having good pump action, or having a higher number on the side. 1500 will give you a good two metre range, while a 10,000 pressurized gun takes the experience to a whole new level.
You can expect prices to vary massively, depending on where you are. On Bangla Street, a large gun could be anywhere up to 800 Thai Baht. At the restaurant we were at, a seller offered them at 400. We picked up two smaller pistols for 200 baht each at first, having finally decided to get some after finishing our food (we were too close to the action, no guns kind of means you are out of the game if you are at a restaurant).
It was not long before we upgraded to two 1500 power guns, at 400 baht each. We had to up the ante, fight water with water! The pistols were fun for concealed shots, but were no way winning up against the pros!
There is also just the simple (and maybe even the most effective) small bucket. If you are near a good supply of water, nothing can beat a full head to toe drenching they can offer. Not just that, but you can get some serious range with them too!
Essential survival tips
Now that you know about Songkran, you are already well-prepared. Seriously! We met a few people who had no idea until they turned up, got hit for the first time, and rapidly realised they were entering a water fight like no other. We can't even imagine what kind of a surprise that must be. We wouldn't say we were fully prepared prior to writing this, but we certainly knew we were going to get wet.
Here are a few essential 'survival' tips for your Songkran experience:
✓ Having a gun automatically means being a target.
✓ Having no gun automatically means being a target!
✓ Get a waterproof case, they are 100 baht, and can keep your phone and your money safe from the water.
✓ Bring a zip-lock bag for essential items such as lighters, power bars and keys.
✓ If you have a smartwatch, don't forget to put it on water-lock.
✓ There are large barrels of water almost everywhere you look, but do bear in mind some may charge for the water. As we were at an open deck restaurant, we were able to top up in the bathrooms and with an outdoor sink for free. If you are on Bangla Street, most bars that allow water fights inside will offer you free refills.
✓ Consider avoiding driving a bike through the city, given the hazardous conditions. It is very slippery, and bikes are prime targets given their open nature. Our defence-tendency human nature of closing our eyes if water comes at our faces could be dangerous.
✓ Be aware of white or pink powder smearing too. Locals from the outside the stores will wipe both of your cheeks with it and bless you, while others will wipe your shoulders or arms as they walk past. We weren't a big fan of this, but it honestly cannot be avoided.
✓ Avoid wearing expensive clothing as there is a risk of staining from the powder, especially as it eventually washes off your face from all of the water.
✓ You can get goggles from street vendors if you are worried about your eyes.
Overall, the most important thing is to go out and have a blast, literally and figuratively. Try not to take it too seriously, and most importantly, don't get frustrated if you get wet!
Things to watch out for during Songkran
We picked up a few things from our research into our first Songkran Festival experience. We actually encountered quite a few of them, and we thought they are worth considering so you know what to expect.
✓ White paste: as mentioned, this is guaranteed to happen. There is no escape. Embrace it!
✓ People on the street pulling you into bars: this is common in most areas, but in Thailand be aware that in order to get commission, if you are brought in by people, you will be charged higher prices. Always go in of your own accord.
✓ Girls at bars playing bar games: even if you are in a group, simple random eye contact will be enough to come over to you and start playing a game like mini connect 4 (remember that?). Without asking the game will be started, and on ending, you are expected to buy them a drink in return. It is to 'keep you company' and is all in good spirit, but something to keep in mind.
✓ When ordering drinks, a waitress might come around and ask to take payment, and then expect more money to buy her a drink. In our case, she wanted 240 baht extra, which we did not pay, as we were pretty confused (and a little tipsy) at the time.
✓ Most restrooms will charge 10-20 baht for entry. It is handy to keep some spare change.
✓ Water sources: check with local government websites water quality information. Phuket is known to use safe water sources, but in certain parts of the country, such as Chiang Mai, tourists are advised to avoid certain areas for fears of stagnant water being used.
✓ Pickpockets: we wouldn't say this was prevalent, but there were a few occasions Leon felt an attempt at a pocket grab. Zip pockets are highly recommended!
✓ Head shots! These are totally part of the festival, let your hair down and go for it!
Save for later: How safe is Thailand? 5 things to consider before you travel
Thailand is a popular tourist destination, known for its beautiful beaches, vibrant culture, and delicious cuisine. While it is generally considered a safe place to visit, it is important to take certain precautions to ensure your safety while traveling in Thailand.
Watch our Songkran highlights on YouTube
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Our Songkran experience rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5
The Songkran Festival is an exciting and vibrant event that embodies the Thai culture and traditions. It is a time for people to come together, celebrate, and have fun while paying respect to their traditions and customs. If you're planning to visit Thailand, be sure to experience the Songkran Festival and immerse yourself in this unique cultural celebration. We are delighted we had a chance to experience it and something tells us that we might just be back again for it next year!
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