Angkor Sankranta 2025: Celebrate Khmer New Year with Culture and Festivities!

A Celebration of Khmer Heritage

Angkor Sankranta is an annual cultural festival held in Siem Reap to celebrate the Khmer New Year, Chaul Chnam Thmey. First organized in 2013, the festival has grown into a major event, drawing both locals and international visitors to experience the rich traditions of Khmer culture. 

What to Expect in 2025?

The 2025 Angkor Sankranta will take place April 14-16, with the theme "Smiles for the New Year Celebration, reflecting the festival’s goal of spreading joy and fostering a spirit of unity. This year marks a milestone as the opening ceremony will be officiated at the highest government level, highlighting its national significance.  

The festival will take place across six different locations in Siem Reap, including Angkor Wat, the Royal Gardens, Siem Reap River, King’s Road, Pub Street, and Angkor-Gyeongju, each hosting cultural performances, exhibitions, and interactive activities. Let’s take a look at some of the festival’s must-experience activities:

1. Traditional Khmer Dance Performances

There are many fascinating traditional dance performances for visitors to enjoy. Among them, the most unique thing is to experience the mesmerizing elegance of Apsara dance, a traditional Khmer performance that tells ancient stories through graceful movements.

Here, visitors can also enjoy shadow puppetry and folk dances, each reflecting Cambodia’s deep cultural roots. Don’t forget to grab a front-row spot early for the best views!

👉 Explore the most symbolic traditional dance of Cambodia, Apsara Dance here!

2. Khmer Traditional Martial Arts Show

The Khmer Traditional Mixed Martial Arts program at Angkor Sankranta aims to preserve and promote the rich heritage of Khmer martial arts, with Bokator being the most notable as one of Cambodia's oldest martial arts. Visitors can join training sessions with experts, benefiting both physically and mentally while learning self-defense techniques. 

The event also features martial arts demonstrations, training workshops, storytelling, ancient weapon exhibitions, and interactive games related to martial arts.

👉 Discover Bokator: An Ancient Cambodian Martial Art!

3. Traditional Handicraft Demonstrations

In this event, visitors will have the opportunity to witness creative displays of Cambodian art and craftsmanship such as silk weaving, stone carving, and rice farming—skills that have been passed down through generations. Also, visitors can even try their hand at making traditional crafts as a unique souvenir.

If visitors love exquisite handicrafts, they can stop by the handicraft stalls to pick up a souvenir.

👉 If you’re unsure what souvenirs to buy in Cambodia, save this now!

4. Siem Reap River Market Festival

If you're visiting Angkor Sankranta, don’t miss the Steung Siem Reap Market! The Siem Reap River Market is designed to bring joy to visitors with fun activities along the beautiful riverbanks. 

Don’t miss to enjoy boat rides, product exhibitions, a floating market, cultural performances, and even live music on the water.

5. Traditional Khmer Folk Games

Khmer folk games come in many forms, including tug-of-war, seed throwing, stone tossing, Tiger Eats Cow, scarf hiding, King Wants to Hit the Pot, chicken hiding, lobster game, sack racing, and leaf cutting.

These traditional games are an important part of Khmer culture, deeply connected to daily life and passed down through generations. 

Organizing these games helps preserve and promote Khmer heritage, especially for international visitors, offering them a fun and interactive way to learn about Khmer traditions and customs.

6. Buddhist Offering & Sacred Buddha Procession

The Offering Ceremony is a religious tradition held on the third day of Khmer New Year. It is a time for younger generations to seek forgiveness from their elders for past mistakes, both in actions and spirit.

Khmer people mark the occasion by offering water to Buddha, monks, parents, grandparents, and those in need at temples and villages. The ceremony also features a Buddha procession, traditional music performed by monks, and prayers from Buddhist devotees.

7. Lantern Chanting Ceremony

The Lantern Prayer Ceremony is held to promote the long-standing traditions and customs of the Khmer people, as well as their representation in traditional mythology. Through this event, both local and international visitors can gain a deeper understanding of Khmer culture while letting go of worries and troubles along the flowing stream.

 It is also an opportunity to pray for good fortune and peace for themselves, their families, and society as they welcome the New Year.

8. Compassionate Culinary Village

If you want to enjoy delicious food, especially the flavors of Siem Reap, don’t miss the Love Village Culinary Experience.

Organized by the Cambodian people, the Love Village Culinary Festival is a large-scale gathering that goes beyond just food—it embodies a spirit of community, solidarity, and sharing. This event not only promotes Khmer cuisine but also brings people together, with a special focus on supporting the elderly and preserving Cambodia’s rich culinary traditions.

Food is a central part of Cambodian culture, and the festival provides a unique opportunity for both locals and tourists to explore and appreciate the country’s diverse flavors.

👉 Discover Cambodian Cuisine: Top 15 Unmissable Dishes!!!

>>> Read more:

• Cambodian New Year 2025: Everything you need to know!
• Cambodia's 7 Great Festivals Not to Be Missed
• Discovering Siem Reap, the Land of the Angkor Temples
• Angkor Wat: 11 Astounding Facts to Discover!