Experience the King's birthday celebrations during a Siem Reap stay - AsiaRooms.com

AsiaRooms.com can announce that travellers booking Siem Reap hotels for May could find that their visit coincides with the King's birthday celebrations in Cambodia.

As a national holiday in the country, the birthday of King Norodom Sihamoni on May 14th is an important event in major cities and the smaller towns and villages.

Celebrations usually take place from May 13th to May 15th, with highlights including a dramatic firework display on the banks of the Tonle Sap River in Phnom Penh.

Taking place in front of the Royal Palace, this event could provide a reason for Siem Reap visitors to book an excursion to the Cambodia capital.

Elsewhere in the country, performances of classical Khmer dance can be seen in village halls and children gather to play traditional games, with everyone enjoying some time off work in honour of the king.

Born in 1953, Norodom Sihamoni was crowned King of Cambodia at the culmination of a three-day ceremony in October 2004.

Having previously served as the nation's ambassador to UNESCO, he was selected for the throne following the voluntary abdication of his father Norodom Sihanouk.

King Sihamoni has faced media speculation about his sexuality, due to the fact that he is a bachelor and has no children.