Songkran: Adventures in Thailand

August 8, 2018

Need a new vacation destination or a new adventure to add to the grand-ol’ bucket list? No worries mate, I’ve got you covered! An adventure that I would highly recommend you do right now/book for next year is, (drum roll please) SONGKRAN!

What is Songkran? Great question, I’m so happy you asked! Songkran is a water festival celebrating traditional Thai New Year. Every April loads of people roam the streets of Thailand with water guns and buckets ready to soak any and everyone! It’s a nationwide water fight, symbolizing change and the cleansing of sin. (YASSSS!) It’s an absolute blast and amazingly refreshing, considering temperatures in Thailand reach their highest during the month of April. Besides a giant water fight, Songkran has lots of other symbolic traditions. Start your morning visiting local temples where people offer food to the Buddhist monks. Pouring water on Buddha statues is a ritual that represents the idea of purification and the washing away of one’s sins and bad luck. Showing admiration to ancestors is another very important part of Songkran. Younger generations will show respect to their elders by pouring water on their hands.

The last time I visited Thailand, I unknowingly arrived three days before the festival was going to start. When locals told me about the festival, I thought they were joking. A nationwide water fight didn’t seem very plausible in my North American mind. But as I started to roam the streets of Chiang Mai, I noticed the sidewalks were covered with tubs of water and in a few days all my disbelieve was washed away, literally. Each day of the festival I went out with my camera and little plastic water gun. I had an unbelievably amazing amount of fun with the hundreds of locals and tourist all participating in Songkran.

One of the best things about travelling the world is being able to experience new cultures and participate in their traditions and festivals. I feel so fortunate to have visited Thailand during Songkran. Not only was it a blast, but I also learned a lot about Thai culture. It’s definitely an experience I would recommend to all.