Water Festival in Cambodia 2026: Plan Your Stay Around the Three-Day Holiday

The Water Festival (Bon Om Touk) falls from November 23 to 25, 2026, but the big celebration in Phnom Penh will not take place. This article helps you avoid building your stay around a cancelled show, shows you what is still possible in the provinces and on the coast, and helps you prepare for the crowds, payments and safety during these three public holidays.

Dates and holiday status in 2026

The Water Festival (Bon Om Touk) comes with three national public holidays, from Monday, November 23 to Wednesday, November 25, 2026^[1]. It marks the reversal of the flow of the Tonlé Sap^[2] and the end of the monsoon season^[3].

Khmer New Year, Pchum Ben and the Water Festival are the three three-day holidays of the year^[1]. If you work on site, note these periods early in your calendar.

If you cross the border into Vietnam, note that November 24, 2026 is also a holiday on the other side: Vietnam has made this date Culture Day, a paid day off, and border crossings such as Bavet–Moc Bai are affected by holidays on both sides^[1].

Phnom Penh 2026: Festival Suspended, Holiday Maintained

The Cambodian government has announced the suspension of the Water Festival celebration on the Tonlé Sap, in front of the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh. The three public holidays, however, are maintained^[1]. Phnom Penh has cancelled the boat races and full-moon ceremonies from November 23 to 25^[3].

This is the second year in a row that the capital's main celebration has been cancelled^[1]. Already in 2025, there were no boat races on Phnom Penh's riverfront^[1].

Practical takeaway: do not book your November 2026 stay for the capital's boat races^[3].

To see and experience: festivals in the provinces

Even without the Phnom Penh festival, provinces and towns may organize their own events according to local tradition^[1]. Celebrations in the provinces are not affected by the suspension^[3].

Last year, Kampong Cham, Battambang and Siem Reap held smaller regattas, with traditional dance and music^[1]. Local arrangements for 2026 depend on announcements from provincial and municipal authorities^[1]: check with them or with your accommodation before travelling to a specific event.

Another option: many Cambodians spend this holiday in the coastal towns of Kampot and Kep^[1].

Crowds, travel and accommodation

During this festival, Phnom Penh's population increases significantly: millions of Cambodians from all cities and provinces flock to the capital for three days^[4]. It is advised to avoid the very busy areas of the riverfront during the holiday^[4].

Around the festivals, residents return to their provinces, buses are packed before and after the holiday, and some shops close^[3]. November is also high season, the time when you need to book early^[3]. So book your nights and intercity journeys without delay.

Money and formalities during the holiday

In Cambodia, the US dollar is widely used, especially for major purchases, and most prices are quoted in dollars. Torn bills are not accepted^[4]. The riel is also used, but it is mostly given to tourists as change on purchases paid in dollars^[4].

Credit cards are increasingly accepted, but often with service fees^[4]. So keep some bills in good condition on you.

With 22 public holidays in total in 2026 and several extended breaks, including the Water Festival holiday^[2], group your administrative and banking tasks before or after November 23-25 rather than during them.

Scams, Pitfalls and Points of Caution

• Bag snatching: thieves cut bag straps and grab bags or phones from tourists on foot, in tuk-tuks or on motorbikes, often causing injuries^[5].
• Be especially vigilant during the annual festivals and at tourist sites in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville, where bag snatchings by motorbike riders have risen sharply^[4].
• Prefer tuk-tuks with metal grilles at the back and sides, which offer some protection against these thefts^[5].
• Be extra careful at night and in isolated areas, and stick to busy, well-lit roads^[5].
• Counterfeit bills: travelers report fake US dollar bills being given as change in shops and clubs. Check that the bills you receive are genuine and not damaged or torn^[5].
• Crowds: avoid crowded areas near the river during the Water Festival holiday^[4].
• Schedule: do not pay for a stay or excursion based on an event whose holding has not been confirmed by local authorities. The Phnom Penh festival, announced every year, is precisely suspended in 2026^[1].

Checklist Before November 23

• Choose your stay without counting on the Phnom Penh boat races^[3].
• Check the local program of the province you are visiting, with the authorities or your host^[1].
• Book accommodation and intercity buses early^[3].
• Bring US dollars in good condition and some riel^[4].
• Schedule banking and administrative tasks before or after the holiday^[2].
• Choose a tuk-tuk with grilles, travel on well-lit roads, and check the change you receive^[5].

This article covers the essentials for preparing for the holiday. For an actual move, you will need to go further: exact closures of government offices and banks, the detailed festival program in the provinces, and the choice of neighborhood or city.