Songkran is awesome! A 3 day water fight across the whole of Thailand. A unique way to see in the new year. A month before, you’ll see shops full of water guns, buckets and flowery shirts too. All in preparation for the craziest festival of the year. Thai’s and tourists look forward to it every year, fishing out their water guns from the year before and putting on their flowery clothes ready to stand out on the streets and soak everyone that passes by.
It was awesome to be in Chiang Mai for Songkran last year as a tourist. I was based in a guesthouse in Thapae gate, right in the heart of the old town’s celebrations. Stalls were set up for free giveaway’s and swimming pools were inflated and filled with water on the side of the road. There were people selling water guns, pistols, buckets, waterproof bags, anything you could want for the occasion. Our guesthouse filled a dustbin with water and ice outside, ready for the tourist’s to flock in their hundreds. It was incredible.
The celebration of New year starts on the 13th April every year and lasts until the 15th. Although as we were staying in the backpacker area, tourists were out the day before. My boyfriend and I took a bamboo rafting trip on the 12th April. Cruising down the river on the raft, we sailed past rows and rows of bamboo huts filled with Thai families. After spotting us, it took around 30 seconds before we were splashed with water and a huge water fight broke out. Kids were jumping in the river with their water guns and their parents got involved soaking us too. It was hilariously fun and lovely seeing the whole family joining in.
Wherever you are in Thailand during Songkran, it would be awesome I’m sure. Chiang Mai was great. People dancing on tables outside guesthouses, firing water at literally everyone they saw. You can hire a tuk-tuk for 200 bht and set yourself up for a very cool experience. Everyone attacked the tuk-tuk’s with ice cold water. It was mental but awesome at the same time. A giant water fight with thousands of people, your inner child definitely comes out again. Don’t miss Songkran this year, just make sure you get a water gun early! Watch my experience of Songkran in this 1 minute video.
