Well YOU can be part of the worlds largest water fight! Head over to Thailand from April 13th-15th (in some cities even longer) for Songkran, Thai New Year! For 3 days the cities in Thailand become war zones… that is… water fight war zones! People strap on their water guns and go at soaking eachother for days! It’s a pretty unreal time where you will get to be part of the worlds largest water fight!
Traditionally, the new year is on the 13th of April. The Thai people will pour water over Buddha as a symbol of cleansing and going fourth into the new year, followed by prayer and festivities. As us tourists tend to do, some years ago, we took that pure event and turned it into a party. This one being a massive 3 day long water fight! Sounds fun, huh?
It happens all over Thailand, but the Mecca seems to be in Chiang Mai. I’ve heard this is, in large part, because there is a canal, full of water, that runs around the old city. Water is pertinent for a water fight (obviously!), so the canal provides perfect access to, at best, questionable brown water.
I was lucky enough to be in Chiang Mai this past New Year! I made a special trip back from Cambodia for it, after hearing multiple times it was something I should experience. I was extremely happy I did!
locked and loaded
Its not just tourists, the locals love to come out and soak everyone at Songkran, the worlds largest water fight
my view of the worlds largest water fight.
Don’t let me mislead you, though, by calling it a “party”. People young and old, tourists and locals alike, all seem to enjoy this! In the weeks before Song Kran all the shops prepare by selling water guns (from tiny all the way to the giant super soakers), buckets, water proof phone bags, and basically anything else that would successfully soak a person. As the 13th rolls around, you better be ready, because even a mundane run to the local 7/11 can result in getting soaked from head to toe by people on the streets, loaded up into the backs of trucks, throwing buckets from windows, or even on the backs of scooters! It’s a fun time, and definitely an experience I’m glad to have had.
*** warning: hostels in Chiang Mai are usually full the days before and after Songkran. To be safe, prebook! Or, if you are like me and wait till the last minute and Hostelworld/hostelbookers say there’s no availability, try emailing directly… worked for me!***
*** Hostels I stayed in: Hug Hostel and Brick House ***
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