Event· Phuket· Thailand
Songkran Water Festival (Thai New Year), Phuket
7° 53.6′ N · 98° 17.7′ E
Thai New Year turns Phuket into a three-day island-wide water fight: Bangla Road in Patong is the wildest, while Phuket Old Town keeps the gentler temple customs of pouring water over elders' hands and bathing Buddha images.
Practical
Coordinate is Bangla Road, Patong (OpenStreetMap). Fixed dates 13-15 April (Wikipedia); the main fights are on 13 April and can start the evening before (Phuket 101, 2026). Hotspots: Bangla Road and the main roads of Patong, Kata and Karon from early afternoon; Soi Ta-iad in Chalong, a short ride from the Chalong anchorage; gentler splashing round the temples and old-town streets of Phuket Town from about 10am; quieter at Bang Tao and Laguna. Thai authorities call 11-17 April the 'Seven Dangerous Days' for road accidents, most of them on motorbikes, so take a taxi or Grab rather than riding. Allow two or three times the usual travel time to the airport and piers. Patong Bay is at its most crowded and noisy (see the Patong Bay anchorage). Put your phone in a waterproof pouch and leave passports aboard. Don't splash monks, elders, people in work uniform or anyone eating or riding a motorbike. 'Mai ao' means no thanks. Shops and offices close for the holiday, so finish provisioning and paperwork beforehand.
Best for
Joining Thailand's biggest party, or knowing to provision and stay aboard
Season
13-15 April every year
Nearby
- Patong Bay Anchorage0.7 NM away
- Patong South Point Beaches Anchorage (Tri Trang)1.3 NM away
- Merlin Beach Reef Snorkel1.6 NM away
- Freedom Beach Anchorage1.7 NM away
- Paradise Beach Snorkel (Patong south)1.8 NM away
- Meridien Bay Anchorage (Relax Bay)2.1 NM away
- Naka Lay Bay Anchorage (Patong north)2.1 NM away
- Laem Thai Pao Anchorage2.5 NM away