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January
 International
New Year's Day on January 1st
Victory
Day commemorating every 7th of January, the fall of Pol Pot's
Khmer Rouge in 1979.
February
Chinese
and Vietnamese New Year - Around the period of the full moon,
this Chinese and Vietnamese celebration causes many shops and businesses
to be closed.
March
Women's
Day - Colourful parades mark this national holiday on the 8th
of March.
April
Chaul
Chhnam - This Cambodian New Year celebration is the equivalent
of Songkran in Thailand and follows the end of the harvest season.
Generally lasting for three days from 14-16 April during which time
Cambodians douse each other liberally with water, clean and decorate
their houses, and make offerings at the local temple. City streets
are decorated and brightly lit in the evenings. There are cultural
shows, entertainment, and competitive games.
May
Labour
Day - National holiday on May 1st
Visa
Ka Bocea - Commemorating the birth and the first sermon of the
Buddha on the 17th of May.
Royal
Ploughing Ceremony - Dating back to the times when the reigning
king traced the first furrows in the Capital's sacred rice field,
thus inaugurating the ploughing season. Today, the ritual is performed
every 21st of May, with two people taking the roles of King of Neakh,
who leads the yoke and plough, and Queen Me Hour, who sows seeds.
After circling the field three times, the procession stops at a
chapel where Brahmins invoke the protection of the gods. Sacred
cows are guided to eat from seven silver trays containing such things
as rice, corn, and beans. Predictions are made for the coming year
based upon what they choose. The harvest will be good if they choose
the cereals, rain will be abundant if they drink water, but trouble
is feared if they eat herbs, or drink alcohol.
June
International
Children's Day - June 1st
Queen's
Birthday - June 18th
July
Buddhist
Lent - The exact date depending on the lunar calendar, this
marks the beginning of the 3-month Buddhist Lent. Young men consider
this day auspicious for entering the monkhood.
September
End
of Buddhist Lent - The day of the final celebrations of the
end of Buddhist Lent, with exact date determined by the lunar calendar.
Constitution
Day - September 24th
October
Pchum
Ben or Soul Day - Running for 15 days from the end of September
into October, and the exact date determined by the lunar calendar,
this festival is dedicated to blessing the spirits of the dead,
and is one of the most culturally significant in Cambodia. Each
household visits their Buddhist temple and offers food to the monks
for their assistance in blessing the souls of late ancestors, relatives
and friends. Pagodas are crowded with people taking their turn to
make offerings, with many staying behind to listen to Buddhist sermons.
Bonn
Kathen - A religious festival when monks come out of retreat,
and people all over the country form reverent slow processions to
their local temple. Monks change their old saffron robes for the
new ones offered by the devotees, an action that brings spiritual
merit to all participants. Date decided by lunar calendar.
Paris
Peace Agreement - October 23rd
Birthday
of His Majesty King Norodom Sihanouk - Held over three days
from October 30th, people converge from all corners of Cambodia
to enjoy the shows, parades, festivals, and a giant firework display
in Phnom Penh.
 November
Independence
Day - A national holiday on November 9th to celebrate the independence
of Cambodia from France in 1953. A gala parade is held in front
of the Royal Palace, which includes floats, marching bands and other
entertaining festive activities.
The
Bonn Om Took Water Festival - Celebrating the reversed current
of the Tonle Sap River that connects the Tonle Sap Lake with the
Mekong. For most of the year the river flows out from the lake into
the Mekong. However, during the rainy season from about June to
October the Mekong rises, causing the Tonle Sap River to flow in
reverse, and the lake to swell to more than twice its regular size.
At the end of the rainy season, when the water level of the Mekong
drops again, the current reverts and flows back into the Mekong.
This event is celebrated with three days of boat races, fairs, festivals,
shows, parades, fireworks, music and dancing.
December
International
Human Rights Day - December 10th
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