Traditional Festivals in Cambodia

Every country has its unique ethnic culture. Cambodia, as a small country in Southeast Asia, also has its ethnic culture which makes us feel curious and fresh. If you want to go to Cambodia for tourism, you might as well firstly learn about the traditional festivals in Cambodia.

One of Cambodian Traditional Festivals: New Year

The main activities held in Cambodia New Year Festival are washing Buddha and building sandcastles. Both of these two activities have a symbol of praying for good fortune, happiness and longevity. During the New Year, monasteries around the country will hang the five-color flag and the crocodile flag of Buddhism. People also welcome the New Year by dancing Cambodian traditional dance.

One of the Cambodian Traditional Festivals: Imperial Ploughing Festival

As a grand traditional festival in Cambodia, Imperial Ploughing Festival is usually on June 4thof the Buddha calendar (usually in May of the Gregorian calendar).On the ceremony, there are five pavilions all around and there is a statue of Buddha being worshiped in each pavilion. The ceremony is very grand. The processes of a year’s work will be simulated on the ceremony. Members of the royal family and senior government officials symbolicallydo ploughing and sowing and other things in order to pray good weather for the crops, a bumper grain harvest, a prosperous and peaceful country for people.

One of the Cambodian Traditional Festivals: Water Festival

Cambodia Water Festival is usually held between October and November every year. It is a sign of the end of the rainy season in a year and the arrival of the fishing season. For Cambodian culture, water is a symbol of life and fertility. People wish that the land can become more and more fertile and people can have a good harvest by celebrating the Water Festival.

Traditional festivals in Cambodia are generally not only those festivals listed above. But, the New Year, the Imperial Ploughing Festival and the Water Festival are the most entertaining and participatory festivals in Cambodia. We hope that you can have a good time when you travel in Cambodia!

•Culled from www.indochinatour.com