Songkran marks the start of the Thai new year with the wettest party on Earth

Songkran festival Thailand – the world’s largetst water fight

Tips for playing in the world’s biggest water fight

Often referred to as the world’s biggest water fight, Songkran is a three-day festival during which revelers splash water on each other. Usually, the main days of celebration are April 13-15 though some Thai cities stretch out the fun a few extra days. Over the years the throwing of water evolved into its current form as a nationwide H2O fight filled with festivals and parties.

Chiang Mai, in northern Thailand, has a reputation for holding the wildest Songkran festivities.

The first day of the water festival is known as Songkran Day. It is a day for Spring cleaning to get ready for the new year. The Thai people clean their house, and their bodies and get rid of the bad luck and negativity from the previous year. They can now ring in the new year with a clean slate.

Most Thai people go home to their villages during this time and the young pay respect to their elders by sprinkling scented water on their palms. It is also a day when processions of Buddha images go through the streets.

Day two of the water festival is also known as Wan Nao. It is the day that the sun has now entered the astrological calendar of Aries. It is a day about preparing offerings, spending time with family, and avoiding conflict. This is the day they will also do their shopping to stock up on traditional items for Songkran. And yes, the water throwing happens on day two as well.

The first couple of days seem harmless enough, but as time goes on the water becomes colder and colder as blocks of ice are added to huge barrels of water. As the days progress, the water fights become more intense until it is one soaked minute after another.

Day three of Songkran is the actual New Year’s Day. This is when the water fights really pick up with water guns out in full force as Thai people have returned home to celebrate with loved ones. But traditional new year celebrations continue with Thai people then going to the temples to make offerings to the monks and to pour rose-scented water over Buddha images and Buddha statues to wash make sure there is no bad luck in the coming year.

Bars are the best places to fill water bottles. Just buy a beer for a few baht and you’ve had access to icy water. Barrels are set up around the cities with water trucks constantly going around to refill. People are armed with hoses and when we were there, Chiang Mai had paid filling stations.

Songkran’s experience consisted of 4 days of solid cheer, goodwill, and at times painfully cold dousing of water. It’s party time in the country and tourists are definitely a great target. Everyone is fair game here at Songkran. The nicer the suit, the wetter you get. Even if you try to dodge your way through back streets late in the day will not bring relief. People are everywhere.

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