Celebrate Songkran in Hua Hin, Thailand

Songkran is known worldwide as the world's biggest water splash festival. However, there's much more to this holiday festival than merely water fights. We'll explore the traditional meaning, practices, and activities of the Songkran Festival.

Holiday Inn Vana Nava Hua Hin is on the Gulf of Thailand, less than a three-hour drive from Bangkok. It’s the perfect place for a family getaway to experience the activities and traditions of the Songkran Festival.

What is the Meaning of Songkran?

Songkran is celebrated from April 13-15 and is Thailand’s official New Year, as designated on the Theravada Buddhist calendar. The word “Songkran” originates from Sanskrit and means “the passing of.” Songkran also coincides with the end of the rice harvest in Thailand. Songkran represents a passing of one year into the next. It’s a time of renewal, cleansing, and purification.
The three days of the festival each have traditions and observances attached to them. The first day is Maha Songkran (great Songkran), or Songkran Day. Traditionally, this is the day that Thai families clean their homes and prepare for the new year.

April 14 is called Wan Nao. It is New Year’s Eve in Thailand,and Buddhists make their way to local temples to make merit by building sand chedis (small temples).
New Year’s Day is on April 15. Offerings are left at temples, and the people of Thailand traditionally spend the day visiting family.

Activities of the Songkran Festival

Paying tribute to your elders is one of the best-known traditions and activities of Songkran and may have been partly responsible for Songkran’s association with water. Younger generations also pour water on the hands of their elders as a symbol of gratitude and respect for them.
Followers of Buddhism also visit temples to offer food to the monks. They pour also scented water over Buddha statues to receive blessings, while the community hosts parades, cultural performances, and folk dances.

The Famous Water Splashing Activities of Songkran

The hottest part of the year happens around April, which may also have contributed to the famed water fights of the Songkran Festival.
The splashing activities are held all over the country, and everyone becomes a target of the jubilant water pistol-wielding crowd. People load pickup trucks with water drums carrying reserve ‘ammo,’ and hordes of people line the streets waiting for the next unsuspecting reveler.

Spend Songkran at Holiday Inn Vana Nava Hua Hin

Hua Hin is the perfect seaside town to spend the Songkran Festival with your family. Holiday Inn Vana Nava Hua Hin offers spacious family accommodation and exciting activities for kids, promising many happy moments throughout Songkran.

Our Vana Nava Games Room offers the latest PlayStation 5 video games and Grand Turismo driving simulators. Our Bryde's kids Club is the biggest Kids club and offers table games, an obstacle course, a ball pit, a computer zone, and a TV lounge area.

We’re centrally located near the markets and attractions of Hua Hin. All guests are offered complimentary access to Vana Nava Water Jungle, Asia's first water jungle, featuring over 20 thrilling rides suitable for all ages. This is the water splash landmark of Hua Hin. With Vana Nava Water Jungle's close proximity and easy-to-reach attractions, your kids are in for a treat.
Parents will enjoy relaxing beside our 26th-floor infinity-edged Horizon Pool, which offers stunning panoramic views of the town and coastline of Hua Hin. We also offer a fully equipped and air-conditioned fitness room. You can also pay a visit to our Tea Tree Spa and enjoy being pampered with a selection of massage and luxurious body treatments.

Exclusive Songkran Activities

Booking a stay at Holiday Inn Vana Nava Hua Hin during the Songkran festival also entitles you to enjoy our exciting Songkran celebrations and events. They include:

• Songkran Kickoff Party at Vana Nava Sky
• Street Food Stalls & Water Splashing Fun on the ground floor
• Special Songkran Buffet at Plamong Restaurant

Book a Songkran Getaway in Hua Hin

Hua Hin is an ideal destination to experience the cultural richness and festive spirit of Thailand’s 2025 Songkran festival, and Holiday Inn Vana Nava Hua Hin is the perfect accommodation choice. We offer unparalleled amenities and attractions, unlimited access to our Hua Hin water park, and a fun, memorable, and comfortable stay during the festivities. Book your Songkran stay at Holiday Inn Vana Nava Hua Hin today!