Through the year
- Late January or February
- Chinese and Vietnamese New Year. Lanterns, lion dances and family meals in the Chinese and Vietnamese communities.
- Around 21 March
- Spring equinox at Angkor Wat. The sun rises exactly above the central tower. Many come at dawn to see it. It happens again around 22 September.
- Mid-April
- Khmer New Year. Three days of celebration, around 14 April: water fights, games, pagodas full of families, and many Cambodians travel home. Shops close, the temples are busy.
- May
- Visak Bochea, the full moon of the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death, with candle processions at the pagodas. And the Royal Ploughing Ceremony, which opens the rice season.
- September or October
- Pchum Ben. Fifteen days to honour the ancestors. At dawn, families bring rice and offerings to the pagodas. The last three days are a public holiday.
- October or November
- The Water Festival (Bon Om Touk). At the full moon, long boat races celebrate the end of the rainy season and the moment the Tonlé Sap river changes direction.
- 9 November
- Independence Day, celebrated with flags and fireworks.
- Early December
- Angkor Wat International Half Marathon. Runners from all over the world, between the temples.
This month in Siem Reap
Photos: Ahmet Yuksek / Unsplash