How to celebrate Songkran as a tourist

Noted for being the world’s largest water fight, the Thai festival of Songkran which heralds the annual change in the Thai calendar will beckon you to carefully select a water pistol and ready yourself for one ultimate deluge. For tourists wanting to come to terms with the festivities, herein is a breakdown of what you need to pay attention to.

Read up on the history of Songkran

A quick Google search will give you a host of sources ranging from travel blogs and sites that contain all that you will need to know concerning this much-anticipated celebration that takes centre-stage generally during the mid-April period. Having originated from the Sanskrit word ‘Sankranti’ which translates to “astrological passage” in English, the festive nature of Songran can be traced back to ancient India and a Hindu spring festival which marked the arrival of the harvest season. Know that Songkran is celebrated across Thailand across three days with each day featuring its own unique colour, flower, jewellery stone, cuisine and symbolic representations that successfully bring to light its deep-rooted ties to the pomp and pageantry that once transpired in India. Considered a sort of New Year celebration but with the inclusion of plenty of water duels along streets and within every nook and cranny, Songkran is associated with the task of bidding adieu to the old and welcoming the new.

When should you plan your travel?

This year’s Songkran festival is scheduled to be held from the 13th of April to the 15th of April 2023. With this in mind, it is wiser to plan your holiday in and around this period so that you do not run the risk of missing out on all the fun which is part and parcel of the same. Also, understand that having the luxury of a sound base to come home to after your time out on the street is a prerequisite. For instance, in the event you opt for Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort which has its fair share of Bangkok hotel deals, one will also be well placed to check out the scenic pleasures of Thailand’s capital once the festive spirit of Songkran has been experienced.

What can you look forward to?

The prospect of being soaked to the skin should never deter you from stepping out and on the contrary, this ought to motivate you, even more, to arm yourself with a trusty water pistol and hone in on an easy and unsuspecting target (if there ever was one). In terms of what to wear, it is better to be attired in a loose shirt or casual t-shirt along with a pair of shorts as large, thicker clothes must stay well clear of. Even if you do happen to be wearing a swimsuit or any swimwear underneath, it is a must to respect local culture which does carry a semblance of conservativeness. Either flip-flops or Croc-styled shoes made of plastic ought to be the way forward. Further, never forget a pair of plastic glasses so that you give yourself more chances of being protected from the spray and more importantly, the baby powder that Thais tend to smear across the cheeks of passers-by. Also, protecting your electronic devices would be one of the needs of the hour and in this regard, purchasing a waterproof pouch for your phone from a vendor will be a step in the right direction.

Find your best friend

Raucous scenes of mischievous children and adults running helter-skelter armed with the biggest water cannons is more or less a given during this time and thus, do take a cue from the kids en route to the nearest street vendor who will help you pick out a water pistol, gun or cannon for that matter that can hold more water than your neighbour’s. Big shouldn’t necessarily mean better but understand that if you need to last through the better part of these three days, then equipping yourself with the right water cannon is a near certainty. In short, your guiding principle must be to shower as many people as you can find as being shy and reserved will never win you any favours out on the streets of Thailand. However, you must never be found spraying the elderly, monks, police officers or drivers in the face.