Get wet and wild with Songkran on Koh Samui - AsiaRooms.com

AsiaRooms.com highlights while you may have booked Koh Samui hotels for a relaxing retreat, the festival of Songkran will bring a bit of chaos and festivity to the island.

Celebrated all over Thailand, Songkran is typically marked by what can best be described as a massive water fight.

It marks the traditional Thai New Year and, as such, is an important event on the calendar.

Running for two days, it starts on April 13th and will finish on April 15th. Locals and holidaymakers all get involved in the fun, when you are likely to be drenched by a bucket of water at any moment as you walk down the street.

Because Songkran takes place in April, which is one of the hottest months of the year in Thailand, many people are glad of the cooling effect the water has.

Traditionally, sprinkling water on your elders at this time of year is seen as a sign of respect.

Other cultural aspects of the celebrations involve the locals paying their respects to Buddha, which involves bathing images of the deity as well as the abbot of the wat (or monastery).

Anyone staying in Thailand hotels should try and take in some of the religious customs as well as the fun of the water fights on the streets as it is an interesting cultural experience.