Cambodia Public Holidays & Festivals 2026
Complete calendar of public holidays, Buddhist observances, and major festivals with dates, cultural significance, and travel tips
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Pchum Ben
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Holiday Overview
Cambodia observes approximately 28 public holidays per year, more than almost any other country. Major festivals like Khmer New Year, Pchum Ben, and the Water Festival are celebrated with great enthusiasm and can significantly impact travel plans.
Plan Ahead for Major Festivals
Major Festivals
Khmer New Year (Choul Chnam Thmey)
αα»αααα αΌαααααΆαααααΈααααα
Cambodia's most important festival! Three days of celebrations with temple visits, traditional games, water splashing, and family reunions. Expect business closures and crowded travel.
Pchum Ben (Ancestors' Day)
αα»ααααααα»ααα·ααα
15-day festival honoring deceased ancestors. Cambodians visit pagodas to offer food to monks. The final three days are public holidays with temple visits and family gatherings.
Water Festival (Bon Om Touk)
αα»αααα’α»αααΌα
Cambodia's most spectacular festival! Boat races on the Tonle Sap River, fireworks, concerts, and millions of visitors. Celebrates the reversal of the Tonle Sap's flow. Book accommodation months ahead!
Interactive Calendar
Click on any highlighted date to see holiday details. Major festivals are shown in gold, public holidays in blue.
January 2026
February 2026
March 2026
April 2026
May 2026
June 2026
July 2026
August 2026
September 2026
October 2026
November 2026
December 2026
Full Calendar List
International New Year's Day
αα·ααΆα αΌαααααΆαααα
Public holiday celebrating the Gregorian calendar new year. Banks and government offices closed.
Victory over Genocide Day
αα·ααΆααααααααααΎαααααααααααΌαααΆααα
Commemorates the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime in 1979. National ceremonies held at the Independence Monument.
Valentine's Day
αα·ααΆαα»αααααααααΈαααα‘αΆαα
Popular among young Cambodians, with celebrations in major cities. Not a public holiday.
Meak Bochea Day
ααΆαααΌααΆ
Buddhist holiday commemorating Buddha's sermon to 1,250 enlightened monks. Temple visits and candlelit processions.
International Women's Day
αα·ααΆααΆααΈα’ααααααΆαα·
Public holiday celebrating women's achievements. Special events and ceremonies nationwide.
Khmer New Year (Choul Chnam Thmey)
αα»αααα αΌαααααΆαααααΈααααα
Cambodia's most important festival! Three days of celebrations with temple visits, traditional games, water splashing, and family reunions. Expect business closures and crowded travel.
International Labor Day
αα·ααΆααααααα’ααααααΆαα·
Public holiday honoring workers. Government offices and banks closed.
Visak Bochea Day
αα·ααΆαααΌααΆ
Most sacred Buddhist holiday celebrating Buddha's birth, enlightenment, and death. Temple ceremonies and meditation.
King's Birthday
ααααααΆααα·ααΈαα»αααα ααααΎααααααααα
Three-day celebration of King Norodom Sihamoni's birthday. Royal ceremonies, fireworks, and decorations throughout Phnom Penh.
Royal Plowing Ceremony (Chrat Preah Nangkol)
αα»αααα αααααααααααααα
Ancient Brahmanist ritual marking the start of rice planting season. Sacred oxen predict the year's harvest at the Royal Palace.
Queen Mother's Birthday
ααααααΆααα·ααΈαα»αααα ααααΎααααααααααααααα αΆαααααααΈααΆααΈ
Celebrates Queen Mother Norodom Monineath Sihanouk's birthday.
Constitution Day
αα·ααΆαααααααααα»ααα
Commemorates the 1993 constitution and restoration of the monarchy.
Pchum Ben (Ancestors' Day)
αα»ααααααα»ααα·ααα
15-day festival honoring deceased ancestors. Cambodians visit pagodas to offer food to monks. The final three days are public holidays with temple visits and family gatherings.
King Father's Commemoration Day
αα·ααΆααααΉααααααα αΆααΈααααααα ααααααα ααΈα αα»
Anniversary of King Norodom Sihanouk's death. National ceremonies and remembrance events.
Paris Peace Agreements Day
αα·ααΆαα·α αα αααααααααααααα·ααΆαααΈαααα»ααααΆααΈα
Commemorates the 1991 Paris Peace Agreements that ended the Cambodian-Vietnamese War.
King Coronation Day
ααααααΆααα·ααΈαααααααααααααΆααααααααα·
Celebrates King Norodom Sihamoni's 2004 coronation. Royal ceremonies and public celebrations.
Water Festival (Bon Om Touk)
αα»αααα’α»αααΌα
Cambodia's most spectacular festival! Boat races on the Tonle Sap River, fireworks, concerts, and millions of visitors. Celebrates the reversal of the Tonle Sap's flow. Book accommodation months ahead!
Independence Day
αα·ααΆα―αααΆαααααΆαα·
Celebrates independence from France in 1953. Military parades and ceremonies at the Independence Monument.
International Human Rights Day
αα·ααΆαα·αααα·ααα»αααα’ααααααΆαα·
Public holiday commemorating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Travel Tips During Holidays
Best Times to Visit
- β’ Water Festival: Incredible experience but book 3+ months ahead
- β’ Khmer New Year: Hot but festive; expect closures April 13-17
- β’ Pchum Ben: Spiritual atmosphere; many temple ceremonies
What to Expect
- β’ Banks and government offices closed on public holidays
- β’ Tourist attractions remain open (may have reduced hours)
- β’ Prices surge during Water Festival in Phnom Penh
- β’ Locals travel home; intercity transport is crowded
Pro Tip: Embrace the Celebrations
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