Festivals, Events & Sports
January 01: International New Year’s Day
January 07: Victory Day Over Genocide Regime
January 30: Meak Bochea Day – Buddha's Preaching
March 08: International Women's Day
April 14-16: Cambodian New Year: A three-day celebration after the end of harvesting to mark the turn of the New Year according to the Khmer lunar calendar. Every home is filled with attractive decorations. Shrines are full of food and beverages given as offerings to God. The people attend Buddhist temples where traditional games are performed.
April 28: Visaka Bochea Day - Birthday of Buddha
May 01: International Labor Day
May 02: Royal Plowing Ceremony: Celebrated to alert the nation to the commencement of the rainy season, and farmers to be ready for planting rice by starting to plow. The venue is a field at the Royal Palace, Phnom Penh. The ceremony is interesting as it depicts real plowing activities where cows are given a variety of crops to eat. Based on the choices of crops eaten by the cows, predictions are made for the coming year.
May 13-15: Birthday of King Sihamony: During the king's birthday, a giant firework display is held close to the riverbanks in front of the Royal Palace.
June18: Royal Birthday of H.M Queen Mother Norodom Monineath Sihanouk
September24: Constitution Day
October 08-09: Pchum Ben Day - All Souls Day: A religious festival to bless the souls of ancestors, relatives and friends alike who have passed away. Household members attend Buddhist temples.
October 29: Royal Coronation of King Sihamoni
October 31: Birthday of King Father Norodom Sihanouk
November 09: Independence Day
November 20-21-22: Water Festival: Not only does this festival mark the reversing of the flow of the Tonle Sap River, it also ushers in the fishing season. The Highlight of the event is boat races over three days. As night falls, fireworks light the sky and a lighted flotilla of boats sail under the full moon to whom households give reverence. Some analysts say the celebration is also a thanksgiving to the Mekong River for providing the country with fertile land. People from all walks of life gather on the bank of the Mekong River for days and nights.
December 02: Angkor Half Marathon
International half marathon. Held at the world renowned Angkor Wat, an event which attracts competitors from all over the world. With thousands of spectators and the wonder of Angkor Wat, it is a spectacular setting.
International half marathon. Held at the world renowned Angkor Wat, an event which attracts competitors from all over the world. With thousands of spectators and the wonder of Angkor Wat, it is a spectacular setting.
December 10: International Human Rights Day
Mid-December: Angkor Festival: This festival is a showcase of performing arts with Angkor Wat as a backdrop. Performers from all over Asia attend this festival performing great epic stories from myths and legends, including the Ramayana, with their own national dance costumes and musical and rhythmic interpretations. Former King Sihanouk often attends when he is in residence in Siem Reap and other dignitaries come to witness this wonderful spectacle.
Native sports include traditional boat racing, buffalo racing, kick boxing, Khmer traditional wrestling and Bokator. Football is one of the more popular sports, although professional organized sports are not as prevalent in Cambodia as in western countries due to economic conditions. The Cambodia national football team managed fourth in the 1972 Asian Cup but development has slowed since the civil war. Western sports such as volleyball, bodybuilding, field hockey, rugby union, golf, and baseball are gaining popularity
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