Phnom Penh Events and Public holidays in Cambodia

Cambodia reportedly has more holidays per year than any other country in the world, although there are officially only 7 public holidays, some years a total of 31 days are deemed a holiday.

If you are a teacher here you generally only get to work 3 out of every 4 weeks and you rarley get paid for holidays etc.

From a travellers point of view it can be difficult to book tickets, visit the bank etc. However as there's nothing you can do about it why worry.

JANUARY 

    January 1 - The International New Year Day - Public Holiday
    January 7 - Prampy Makara Day - Public Holiday
    January 29 - Feb 2nd Chinese New Year

MARCH 

    March 8 - International Women's Day - Public Holiday

APRIL 

    April 14-16 - Khmer's New Year (Bonn Chaul Chhnam) - Khmer New     Year spans four days after the end of harvest.  It's a time of merriment where     Cambodia spring clean their homes, make offerings and play traditional     games such as Boh Angkunh, Chaol Chhoung, Leak Kansaeng, and tug     of war.

MAY 

    May 1 - International Labor Day - Public Holiday

    May 25 - Bonn Chroat Preah Nongkoal - The Royal Ploughing ceremony     or the opening of the Sacred Furrow, is the first of the traditional agrarian     festivals.  In times past, on an auspicious day determined by palace     astrologists, the King traced the first furrows in the Capital's sacred rice     field, inaugurating the Ploughing season.

    Today, the ritual is performed by a man, King of Meakh, who leads the yoke     and plough, follow by a woman, Queen Me Hour, who sows the seeds. After     circling the rice field three times, the procession stops at chapel where     Brahmins invoke the protection of the Gods.

    May 29 - Visak Bochear Day - Public Holiday

 JUNE 

    June1 - International Children's Day - Public Holiday
    June18 - Her Majesty Preah Reach Akka-Mohesey Norodom     Monineath Sihanouk Birthday - Public Holiday

 OCTOBER

    October (1st week) - Bonn Phchoum Ben - Spirits Commemoration     Festival is held for the spirits of the dead, Bon Dak Ben offering of food to     the monks-lasts for the 15 days of the ceremony-the full moon-is called Bonn     Phchum Ben, the collection of the Bens (offerings). During this celebration, if     departed souls did not find their families making offerings at a     pagoda,     it is believed that the soul is cursed and will bother the descendants 
    throughout the year.

    October (2nd week) - Bonn Kathen - A religious festival where people     donate clothingto monks. This act is said to bring spiritual merit to both     the monks and the donors. When do they get to wear the clothes?

    October 30 - November 1 - Birthday of His Majesty King Norodom     Sihanouk - Festivities are held throughout the capital city. A grand     fireworks display is held close to the river banks in front of the Royal Palace     ground. - Public Holiday.

 NOVEMBER

    November 9 - Independence Day - Cambodia became independent State     in 1953 - Public Holiday

    November 10 - 12 - Bonn Ohm Tuk - Phnom Penh's biggest event is a  three-day festival not only marks the reversing of the current in the Tonle Sap river but ushers in the fishing season as well. The highlight of this event is the boat race in which  more than 200 teams compete over three days for the top prize. As night falls, fireworks light the sky and a lighted flotilla of boats sail under the full moon.

With Phnom Penhs population increasing by several hundred thousand, it is an event itself working your way through the crowd on the riverfront.

Finally if you have to be told maybe you shouldn't go out in big crowds. Lookout for pickpockets and loose women.
Personally I  don't leave the house unless I really have to.

Phnom Penh Events