Khmer New Year in Cambodia: Why You Need to Visit

In the western world, the turn of the year (as you already know!) occurs over the festive Christmas period, when December rolls into January.

But in many parts of eastern Asia, things are a little different… and the New Year falls at a different time. Instead of occurring in the middle of winter, the New Year is instead based on when the sun enters the constellation of Aries. But you didn’t come here for a boring ol’ science lesson, so let’s not get bogged down in all the details.   

The Cambodian New Year (or Khmer New Year) this year runs from 14th–16th April 2024 (though it occasionally begins one day earlier)… and it’s one of the most important public holidays in Cambodia.

A three-day funfest packed with lots of exciting stuff, it’s the biggest festival in the nation, and it’s a great time to visit the place.

How Do Cambodians Celebrate Khmer New Year?

If you’re in Cambodia during this New Year period (or ‘Moha Sankranti,’ or ‘Angkor Sangkran,’ as it’s also known), you’ll see lots of lovely stuff… and being here over Khmer New Year is way different to being here during any other time of year.

Broadly speaking, the Khmer New Year celebrations are broken down into three different days:

• Moha Sangkranta (Day 1): Today, people have two priorities. Firstly, they clean themselves and their homes to start the year off right. Homes are tidied, and faces, chests and feet are washed with holy water. Secondly, locals offer gifts to angels and monks, in the form of food, drinks, prayers, candles, incense, and more.
• Veareak Vanabat (Day 2): Day 2 is all about giving gifts to others, including family, friends, colleagues, neighbors, and people less fortunate than yourself (such as the sick, the poor, and the homeless). Today, Cambodian people also visit temples to honor dead relatives, and ask for blessings from monks.
• Veareak Laeung Sak (Day 3): On the third and final day of celebrations, the previous year finally becomes the next. Old people and Buddha icons are given a cathartic wash, often with perfumed water. Today, temple visitors also perform a sand-mountain ceremony to receive luck for the brand-new year.

Are There Any Local Activities During Khmer New Year?

Over the course of the three days, there’s much more activity than just the above routines and rituals… and you can expect to see a whole load of interesting stuff in every part of Cambodia.

One highlight is all the games. During Khmer New Year, locals enjoy some of these activities:

• Chol Chhoung: two big groups stand in rows opposite one another for a ball-based game of throwing, catching, and lots of enthusiastic dancing.
• Chap Konkleng: typically played by adults, this strange game features impressions of hens, crows and chicks, and some unusual songs.
• Bos Angkunh: in a game that’s sort of like an Asian form of lawn bowls, Bos Angkunh players throw fruit at other fruit… and then throw fruit at each other’s knees.
• Leak Kanseng: kids sit in a circle while singing some songs. Then, inexplicably, a twisted towel is used to whack one another.
• Bay Khom: for this one-on-one game, two kids dig some holes into the ground. They then take turns to drop beads (or stones or seeds) into these holes.

These games are all fun, and they’re a great way to bring families and friends together on such an important occasion. They’re also perfect for making memories, and maintaining mental health and physical dexterity.  

But more importantly for you, you might even get to join in with some games (if you’re lucky!). There’s more chance of this happening in a smaller rural place, rather than a big tourist destination… so somewhere like Kampot is an excellent place to be for Khmer New Year.

Food, Drink and Festivities During Khmer New Year

Because this period also marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of the rainy season, it’s a good time to try lots of fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs, and explore many tasty and unique Cambodian flavors.

The signature dish during Khmer New Year is ‘kralan,’ a traditional and simple snack-style meal. Rice and other tasty treats (sometimes peas, beans, vegetables, coconut, or a lip-smacking combination) are packed into a bamboo stick and slowly roasted.

Around Khmer New Year, you’ll often see local people enjoying large meals with their families—and lots of food being prepared, cooked and eaten. Because of this endless abundance, it’s a good time to try many different Cambodian meals and morsels.

Temples are also very busy during the Khmer New Year period… and lots of locals visit these places to decorate shrines, give to monks, offer prayers, and spend time with family and friends.

Because of this busy bustle, the Khmer New Year is a great time to visit these temples yourself. So long as you’re respectful and quiet, you’ll always be welcome at temples—hospitable Cambodian locals love telling foreigners all about their customs, especially during important events

Which Part of Cambodia Should I Visit for Khmer New Year?

There are (of course!) events throughout all of Cambodia during this entire period. 

But Kampot in particular is a great place to visit during Khmer New Year—if you celebrate one of Cambodia’s biggest holidays in one of its littlest places, you can experience the event in an authentic way, without being surrounded by endless packs of other tourists. 

If you’re looking for something special during Khmer New Year in Kampot, we offer many different events and activities. Popular favorites include barbecues, yoga sessions, beach volleyball, locally-sourced foods, dining experiences, island trips, cooking classes, cocktail-making classes, and plenty more.

Because we’re in a small part of the nation with a largely-local population, staying with us offers one of the best ways to see this unique festival in Cambodia… and one of the best ways to enjoy one of Kampot’s biggest celebrations. For celebrating Khmer New Year the right way, Amber Kampot is the perfect place to stay!

Khmer New Year is one of six important celebrations in Cambodia. To learn about the other five, check out our blog posts on Bon Pchum Ben (Ancestors’ Festival), Bon Om Tuk (the fun-filled Water Festival), Vesak Bochea (Buddhist Day), Cambodian Independence Day, and Victory Over Genocide Day. Thanks for reading!