Phnom Penh's Water Festival Is Off in 2026: What Travellers Should Plan Instead

If a November visit to Phnom Penh was built around the Water Festival, your plans need a second look. Cambodia's government has called off the capital's main Bon Om Touk celebrations for 2026, the second year in a row. The boat races, illuminated floats and riverside crowds in front of the Royal Palace will not take place. The three-day public holiday, however, remains in force, and that matters just as much for travellers as the cancellation itself.

This is a practical update, not a lament. It sets out what has been announced, what is still uncertain, how the holiday will affect transport and prices, and how to build a better November around it. Everything below is based on public reporting of the government circular, and details can change, so confirm anything you are about to pay for.

What has been announced

According to reports of a circular signed by Prime Minister Hun Manet, published in late June or at the start of July 2026 depending on the outlet, the Water Festival celebrations in Phnom Penh are cancelled for the November holiday dates. Reports say the cancellation covers the Royal Water Festival events along the riverfront in front of the Royal Palace, including the boat races and the illuminated floats. It is the second consecutive year that the capital's festival has been called off.

The stated reasons relate to national priorities. The circular reportedly cites the situation along the border with Thailand, support for displaced citizens, assistance for soldiers and their families, and help for Cambodian migrant workers returning from Thailand. Reports also mention public order, price stability and economic security, and preparation for floods and droughts, including water shortages linked to El Niño forecasts.

Two things are explicitly not cancelled. The three-day public holiday stays in place for civil servants and private-sector employees. And provinces may hold their own celebrations in line with local tradition and local capacity. That second point is conditional: it is permission, not a promise that any given town will organise an event.

The dates, and why they differ between sources

Sources disagree by a day. Reports of the cancellation give 23 to 25 November 2026. A public-holiday listing gives 24 to 26 November 2026, with Bon Om Touk tied to the full moon of the lunar month of Kadeuk. I cannot resolve that discrepancy from published material, so treat the four days from 23 to 26 November as the window in which transport and services may be affected, and check the official holiday notice nearer the time.

This matters for bookings. If you are flying in or out of Phnom Penh, taking a bus or planning an overnight in a provincial town, assume the whole window is busy until you know otherwise. A holiday that starts on a Monday or Tuesday can also create a long weekend either side as people travel a day early or return late.

The festival itself marks the reversal of the Tonle Sap River's flow, from lake-bound to sea-bound, at the end of the rainy season. That natural event happens whether or not there is a regatta, and we look at why it is becoming less predictable in our analysis of the weakening Tonle Sap flood pulse.

Why the cancellation matters to travellers

In a normal year, the Phnom Penh festival draws very large crowds. Reports describe hundreds of thousands of visitors travelling to the capital for a regatta on the river in front of the Royal Palace. Hotels fill, riverside streets close to vehicles, and the whole city stays up late. For some travellers that is the main draw. For others it is a reason to avoid the city.

Without the central events, the capital will likely be quieter than in a normal festival year, but not quiet. Many Cambodians will still travel home to family or take the holiday to visit the provinces. Intercity transport tends to fill during major holidays, and the cancellation does not change that. If you are travelling during the window, expect busy buses, higher demand for taxis and early sell-outs on popular routes.

For visitors who wanted the spectacle, the honest answer is that there is no equivalent in Phnom Penh this year. If the festival is the reason for the trip, consider shifting your dates rather than hoping for a last-minute change.

What still works in Phnom Penh

The holiday does not close the city, and several things remain open or become easier. Museums, markets and many restaurants usually operate, although some small businesses close for family time. Government offices and banks follow the holiday, so do not plan paperwork, visa matters or money changing for those days.

If you are in the capital anyway, this is a good moment to explore the city without a festival crowd. Our guide to Phnom Penh at walking pace covers neighbourhoods, markets and quiet hours that work well when the riverfront is calmer than usual.

A few practical points for the holiday window:

• Withdraw cash and carry small notes before the holiday begins.
• Book restaurants for set dinners if you want a particular place.
• Confirm tickets for any onward bus or boat a few days ahead.
• Allow extra time for airport transfers if roads are busier than usual.

Provincial celebrations: possible, not guaranteed

The circular reportedly allows provinces to proceed with their own water festivals depending on capacity. That leaves a patchwork. Some riverside towns may hold boat races and ceremonies, others may keep things small, and some may do nothing. I have not found a confirmed list of provincial events for 2026, so none is named here.

If you want to see a regatta, do not travel on speculation. Ask a local guide or your accommodation to confirm whether the town you plan to visit is holding an event, where and on which day. Expect modest, local affairs rather than a large organised festival. They can be more rewarding for the same reason: they are for the community first.

River towns along the Mekong and the Tonle Sap are the most likely places to see anything at all. Our profile of Kampong Cham and the islands around it is a good base for a quieter holiday stay, and you can ask locally whether anything is planned.

A better November: slower alternatives

November is a good month in Cambodia. The rains are ending, the countryside is green, temperatures fall and the dry-season routines begin. If your trip was built around the festival, use that to reshape it rather than only rescue it.

Consider spending the holiday window outside the capital. Smaller towns often feel more welcoming during national holidays, because families gather and local life is visible. A night or two in a river town, a pottery village or a rural homestay will usually be more memorable than a crowded hotel in the city. One option is the Tonle Sap shore at Kampong Chhnang, which we describe in our profile of Kampong Chhnang, the pottery port.

If you cannot avoid the capital, schedule your busiest transfers outside the holiday days and keep the days in Phnom Penh unhurried. A morning at a museum, a long lunch and an evening walk by the river can fill a day without a single crowd.

Booking and cost: what to expect

Holiday periods bring higher demand, and prices follow. Expect busier buses and taxis, and hotels in popular destinations to fill earlier than usual. I have no verified figure for how much prices rise this year, so I will not quote one, but booking early and staying flexible is sensible advice for any Cambodian public holiday.

Practical steps:

1. Book accommodation for the holiday window as early as you can, and choose free cancellation where available.
2. Reserve intercity transport several days ahead rather than on the day.
3. Keep your first and last days flexible, so a sold-out bus does not break your flight plans.
4. Carry cash in both US dollars and riel, since small businesses may be slow to restock change.

Travellers who use an agency can ask it to build the holiday into the schedule. Our list of Cambodia travel agencies is a good starting point for operators who can handle bookings and timing for you.

How to check the latest

Plans like this can change, and reporting varies. For anything you intend to pay for, check the official source. The Ministry of Information issued the circular, the Ministry of Tourism publishes holiday and event notices, and your hotel or guide will usually know quickly if a provincial event is going ahead. Local news in English and Khmer carries updates, and the date of the full moon is a useful anchor when converting between listings.

The main principle is to treat any festival date as provisional until a local person confirms it. That habit protects you every time, not only this year.

What to Do Next

1. Decide whether the festival was essential to your trip. If it was, consider moving your dates.
2. Check the official holiday notice for the exact dates, and treat 23 to 26 November as the busy window until then.
3. Book accommodation and transport early for the window, with flexible cancellation.
4. If you want a provincial regatta, ask a local contact to confirm it before you travel.
5. Use the holiday to explore a quieter river town or village stay rather than competing for rooms in the capital.
6. Build the November plan using our plan your journey tools.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Phnom Penh Water Festival cancelled in 2026?

Yes. Reports of a government circular say the main Royal Water Festival events in Phnom Penh, including the boat races and illuminated floats along the riverfront, are cancelled for the November 2026 holiday. It is the second year in a row.

Is Bon Om Touk still a public holiday?

Yes. The three-day public holiday remains in force for civil servants and private-sector workers. Sources give 23 to 25 November or 24 to 26 November, so confirm the exact dates with the official notice.

Will there be any boat races at all?

Possibly in some provinces. The circular reportedly lets provinces hold celebrations according to local tradition and capacity, but no complete list has been confirmed. Ask locally before travelling for an event.

Why was it cancelled?

Reports say the government cited national priorities, including the situation on the Thai border, support for displaced people and affected families, help for returning migrant workers, and preparation for floods and droughts.

Should I avoid Phnom Penh during the holiday?

Not necessarily. The city stays open and can be pleasant without the usual crowds, but transport and accommodation can be busy and government offices and banks close. Plan transfers and money matters before the holiday begins.

What is the festival actually celebrating?

Bon Om Touk marks the full moon of the month of Kadeuk and the reversal of the Tonle Sap River's flow at the end of the rainy season. That natural event happens regardless of the regatta.

Is it a good idea to travel in November otherwise?

Yes. November is the start of the cooler dry season, with green landscapes and comfortable temperatures. It is a very good month for slow travel, as long as you book early around the holiday window.