Key Takeaways
- ✓Chiang Mai has Thailand's best-known Songkran, centred on the old-city moat and Tha Phae Gate during the 13–15 April holidays.
- ✓Pattaya celebrates later with Wan Lai: in 2026 it ran 17–19 April, so you can do Bangkok first and Pattaya after.
- ✓Both cities have established LGBTQ+ scenes: Jomtien Complex and Boyztown in Pattaya, and a smaller, relaxed scene in Chiang Mai.
- ✓Book transport and rooms early: flights, buses and hotels fill up, and roads are at their most dangerous over the holidays.
Bangkok's Silom gets the headlines, but Songkran happens everywhere in Thailand, and two cities do it especially well. Chiang Mai is where Songkran feels most traditional and most intense. Pattaya celebrates a few days later, which means you can enjoy Bangkok first and then head for the beach.
Last updated
Last updated: October 2026. Local authorities confirm Songkran schedules each spring, so the dates below are from 2026. Check again closer to April.
At a glance
| City | When (based on 2026) | The feel | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chiang Mai | About 12–16 April, peaking on the 13–15 April holidays | Traditional and huge, around the old-city moat | Culture with your water fight |
| Pattaya | Wan Lai, 17–19 April | Beach festival with concerts | Extending Songkran after Bangkok |
| Bangkok | About 12–15 April | Street party on Silom | LGBTQ+ nightlife and Songkran Pride |
Chiang Mai: Songkran at its most traditional
Chiang Mai's Songkran is Thailand's most famous. The action centres on the moat around the old city, where people scoop water straight from the canal, and on Tha Phae Gate. In 2026 the celebrations ran from about 12 to 16 April, with water play from morning until around 22:00.
There is also more tradition than in Bangkok: temple ceremonies, parades of Buddha images and sand pagodas at the city's temples. In 2026 the World Songkran Tha Pae event added a 130-metre water tunnel along Tha Phae Road, open 13–15 April from 18:00 to midnight, with DJs from Thailand and abroad.
Chiang Mai's LGBTQ+ scene is smaller and more relaxed than Bangkok's or Pattaya's, with a handful of bars and a friendly, creative crowd. See our Chiang Mai guide for where to go.
Pattaya: Wan Lai, the later Songkran
Pattaya celebrates Songkran later than the rest of the country with Wan Lai. In 2026, Wan Lai Naklua was held on 18 April, Wan Lai Pattaya on 19 April at Wat Chai Mongkol, and Pattaya Beach hosted concerts and cultural events from 17 to 19 April.
That later timing is the key to planning. You can spend the main holidays in Bangkok and then take the short trip down the coast for a second round. Pattaya has Thailand's most concentrated gay scene, with Jomtien Complex, Boyztown and Dongtan Beach all close together.
Two ways to plan Songkran 2027
Bangkok, then the beach
- Saturday 10 – Sunday 11 April: Songkran Pride at BITEC Bangna.
- Monday 12 – Thursday 15 April: Silom water play and nightlife.
- Around 17–19 April: Wan Lai in Pattaya (confirm the 2027 dates in early April).
Bangkok, then the north
- Saturday 10 – Sunday 11 April: Songkran Pride at BITEC Bangna.
- Monday 12 April: fly to Chiang Mai.
- Tuesday 13 – Thursday 15 April: Songkran around the moat and Tha Phae Gate.
Travel tips
- Book flights, buses and hotels early. Songkran is Thailand's busiest travel week, and prices rise.
- Avoid driving or riding a motorbike. The Songkran holidays have the highest road-accident rates of the year.
- Bring a waterproof pouch, quick-dry clothes and sunscreen wherever you go.
- The same etiquette applies everywhere: leave monks, older people, babies and motorbike riders dry.
