Cambodia
Siem Reap - Angkor Leap Hotel, Angkor Panoramic Boutique Hotel - 08/04/23 > 21/04/23

You want to have a water fight huh? No no, not just with me, the full town?

- I urge you to YouTube search “Siem Reap Khmer New Year Water Gun”, it is beyond compare, mind-blowing, exceptional, and otherworldly all at the same time.
- So 13-15th April is Khmer New Year and is based on the traditional solar new year and signifies the end of the harvest season and the beginning of the wet season. The holiday is deeply celebrated by Buddhists which is the majority of Cambodia’s population - I think I’m yet to meet someone who isn’t Buddhist.
- At first, I heard it involves playful splashing of water, a few water guns etc, all in good spirits to welcome the new year and to symbolize washing away the previous year’s misfortunes. Great, sign me up! Yeah? Better not forget your safety glasses! (yes there are stands selling them!) I’m talking powerful water guns to the face, ice water poured over you, hoses, buckets, and any other container filled with water. As soon as the sun sets around 6 pm you better get your shorts and sandals on, there’s no escaping it, no “count me out”, you go outside? You’re agreeing to all T&C’s to get soaked. I’m a smart guy though, the second night I needed to get food around 7pm, I’d experienced mouth-watering pizza at a restaurant across town and tonight I needed a good feast. Rather than take my scooter and become a moving target, I ordered myself a Tuk-tuk, a little more protection, a cunning plan you say? Yeah well over the three nights the town’s traffic ground to a halt because of the chaos, so I’m now a sitting duck (“duck” to further continue the water theme). I’m a super white-skinned guy sitting in this tuk-tuk traveling at 0mph, I’m a stationary target and continuously get drowned for 30 minutes straight while the driver battles through traffic. As soaked through as I was, I loved every minute of it and its another one to add to the memory bank.
- The celebrations take place during the day also, there are many stages erected across town to host artists/bands, food, drink, and gift stands serving delicious goodies, along with flags, banners, lights, and all the usual party decorations.
- It really is a whole community coming together in unity and joyfulness to celebrate in good spirits with some additional light-hearted fun.

- I didn’t get any snaps of the festivities as I had my phone securely tucked away in a waterproof sleeve.
- After the New Year celebrations I attended the towns circus show which was spectacular, also visited Angkor Watt during the day to see what was going on there for New Year.