Water Festival (Bon Om Touk)

The Water Festival, or Bon Om Touk as it is called in Khmer, is a celebration to mark the end of the wet season and the annual change in the direction of flow of the Tonle Sap River. For three days Phnom Penh's riverside bursts with activities including colorful boat races, fireworks and festivities. Cambodians from the countryside flood into Phnom Penh for this annual event, which unfortunately was cancelled in 2022.

Specific times for the races are always difficult to unearth online but if the CamboKidz Team does locate an agenda it will be added.

Boat races, with teams of up to 60 paddlers per boat, take place during the day on the Tonle Sap River just upstream from where it meets the mighty Mekong River. At night, there is a parade of illuminated boats and an impressive fireworks display. Sisowath Quay is closed to traffic during the event and filled with revelers. Walk to the riverside, or grab a seat up high in a building overlooking the river to enjoy the spectacle.

Fireworks agenda:

Nov 26th - Sun - 7pm

Nov 27th - Mon - 7pm + Midnight

Nov 28th - Tue - 7pm