Cambodia Public Holidays 2008

compiled by frizz café restaurant, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Here you'll find the 2008 dates of official public holidays, religious ceremonies and other festivals in Cambodia. Holidays falling on a Saturday or a Sunday are taken on the following Monday.

Plus some links to online picture albums of Cambodian festivals and more in-depth information on the celebrations mentioned.

Date in 2008	Festival	Remarks
January 1	New Year's Day	Although an official holiday, not widely celebrated in Cambodia, only by expats and tourists.
January 7	Liberation Day	Mixed feelings on this day as it marks the Vietnamese invasion, which ended the Khmer Rouge regime. But a lot of Cambodians feel the Vietnamese later occupied their country. Read more...
January 21	Meak Bochea	Death of Buddha
February 7-8-9	Chinese New Year, the year of the Rat.	This is the New Year of both the Chinese and Vietnamese lunar calendar. NOT an official holiday, but widely celebrated in Cambodia. Almost all shops are closed. Read more...
March 8	International Women's Day	Celebrated with marches, gatherings and cultural events
April 13-14-15	Khmer New Year	Celebrated for 3 days after the end of the harvest to mark the turn of the year according to the Buddhist lunar calendar. Every home is decorated, shrines are filled with food and traditional games performed. Best place to watch or take part: around Wat Phnom in Phnom Penh. Read more...
May 1	Labour Day	Better Factories
May 13-14-15	King Sihamoni's birthday	No festivities, only evening fireworks on the river front in Phnom Penh.
May 19	Visakha Bochea	Birth of Buddha
May 23	Bonn Chrott Preah Nongkoal	Royal Ploughing Ceremony. This is celebrated to alert the nation of the commencement of the rainy season and to ready farmers for the ploughing period. Cows are given a variety of crops to eat. Based on the choices of crops eaten, predictions are made for the coming year's harvest.
June 1	International Childrens' Day	See pictures of the celebration in 2005
June 18	King's Mother Birthday, Norodom Monineath Sihanouk	No festivities
September 24	Constitution Day	Constitution of Cambodia
September 28-29-30	Bonn Pchum Ben	A colourful religious festival blessing the souls of ancestors, relatives and friends alike who have passed away. Household members attend Buddhist temples.Colourful offerings in the pagodas. Read more...
October 29	King Sihamoni Coronation Day	No festivities, only evening fireworks on the river front in Phnom Penh.
October 31	King's Father Birthday, Norodom Sihanouk	No festivities, only evening fireworks on the river front in Phnom Penh.
November 9	Independence Day (1953)	Celebrated with a ceremony early morning at the Independence Monument, usually with the King attending. Fireworks at night on the river front. In 2008 this will no doubt be the start of the water festival celebrations which start two days later.
November 11-12-13	Water Festival	Marks the reversing flow of Tonle Sap River and also ushers in the fishing season. The highlight of the event, are the boat races that are held over three days. When night falls, fireworks light the sky and a lighted flotilla of boats sail aloft for good luck. People from all walks of life gather on the bank of the Tonle Sap for several days and nights. The population of Phnom Penh doubles during this festival. Colourful, very busy.
December 10	Human Rights Day	Human Rights Watch