Phnom Penh Events

Cambodia reportedly has more holidays per year than any other country in the world, although there are officially only 7 public holidays, some years a total of 25 days are deemed a holiday.

If you are a teacher here you generally only get to work 3 out of every 4 weeks.

From a travellers point of view it can be difficult to book tickets, visit the bank etc. However as there's nothing you can do about it why worry.

There are now 26 ATMs located in Phnom Penh, 6 ATMs in Siem Reap and 2 ATMs in Sihanoukville so access to cash is never a problem.

JANUARY 

    January 1 - The International New Year Day - Public Holiday
    January 7 - Prampy Makara Day - Public Holiday

MARCH 

    March 8 - International Women's Day - Public Holiday

APRIL 

    April 14-16 - Khmer's New Year (Bonn Chaul Chhnam) - Khmer New Year spans four days
after the end of harvest.  It's a time of merriment where     Cambodia spring clean their homes,
make offerings and play traditional     games such as Boh Angkunh, Chaol Chhoung, Leak
Kansaeng, and tug     of war.

MAY 

    May 1 - International Labor Day - Public Holiday

    May 25 - Bonn Chroat Preah Nongkoal - The Royal Ploughing ceremony or the opening of
the Sacred Furrow, is the first of the traditional agrarian festivals. In times past, on an auspicious
day determined by palace astrologists, the King traced the first furrows in the Capital's sacred
rice field, inaugurating the Ploughing season.

    Today, the ritual is performed by a man, King of Meakh, who leads the yoke and plough, followed
by a woman, Queen Me Hour, who sows the seeds. After circling the rice field three times, the
procession stops at chapel where Brahmins invoke the protection of the Gods.

    May 29 - Visak Bochear Day - Public Holiday

 JUNE 

    June1 - International Children's Day - Public Holiday
    June18 - Her Majesty Preah Reach Akka-Mohesey Norodom Monineath Sihanouk
 Birthday - Public Holiday

 OCTOBER

    October (1st week) - Bonn Phchoum Ben - Spirits Commemoration Festival is help for the
spirits of the dead, Bon Dak Ben offering of food to the monks-lasts for the 15 days of the
ceremony-the full moon-is called Bonn Phchum Ben, the collection of the Bens (offerings).
During this celebration, if departed souls did not find their families making offerings at a
    pagoda, it is believed that the soul is cursed and will bother the descendants  throughout 
the year.

    October (2nd week) - Bonn Kathen - A religious festival where people donate clothing to
monks. This act is said to bring spiritual merit to both the monks and the donors.
When do they get to wear the clothes?

    October 30 - November 1 - Birthday of His Majesty King Norodom Sihanouk - Festivities
are held throughout the capital city. A grand fireworks display is held close to the river banks in
front of the Royal Palace ground. - Public Holiday.

 NOVEMBER

    November 9 - Independence Day - The day Cambodia became independent State in 1953 -
 Public Holiday

    November 10 - 12 - Bonn Ohm Tuk - Phnom Penh's biggest event is a  three-day festival not
only marks the reversing of the current in the Tonle Sap river but ushers in the fishing season as
well. The highlight of this event is the boat race in which  more than 200 teams compete over
three days for the top prize. As night falls, fireworks light the sky and a lighted flotilla of boats sail
under the full moon. This is probably the event in Phnom Penh.