Songkran Tips and Tricks: The Ultimate Guide to Surviving the World’s Biggest Water Fight

Imagine stepping outside your hotel in Thailand and instantly getting absolutely drenched—water flying at you from every direction, ice-cold buckets dumped over your head as everyone is running around with their water guns. 

Welcome to Songkran, Thailand’s legendary New Year celebration and the world’s biggest water fight!

If Songkran is on your bucket list (and it should be), you’ll need a game plan to survive it. 

From choosing the best battle zones (aka the right location) to protecting your phone from a watery death, this guide is packed with must-know Songkran tips and tricks to help you enjoy the madness like a pro. Ready to take on the splash-filled streets? Let’s go! 🚀💦

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Here’s a little bit about our journey, if you are new here! If you know us, feel free to skip this part.

After leaving our old life in Scotland in March 2022 (it rains too much there), we travelled full-time for almost 2 years. Sounds fancy, doesn’t it? Well, it was. If you think that carrying overpacked backpacks in 45°C heat around streets that aren’t even on Google Maps is fancy. And that’s just 1% of all the fun we had! 😆

During the 2 years we volunteered in Italy and Bulgaria (free travel while learning new skills, anyone?), explored other amazing European countries and backpacked Southeast Asia. Even our secret wedding was more of an expedition than a wedding. 😅

And, of course, we researched and planned everything ourselves, because you gotta keep the budget low, right? If you are like us, you’ve come to the right place, because we want to share all the useful tips and info with you!

Excited? Good. Let’s get into it so you can go on your own adventures too!

What is Songkran?

Before we get into the Songkran tips and tricks you will need, let’s talk about what this madness actually is.

Songkran is the Thai New Year, traditionally celebrated for 3 days in April.

Why in April, you might wonder

Thai people observe the traditional Thai solar calendar, which follows the movement of the sun rather than the lunar cycles used in many other Asian cultures.

Historically, Songkran marked the beginning of the new year when the sun moved into Aries, the first sign of the zodiac. This solar transition was seen as a time of renewal and cleansing, both spiritually and physically.

Why the water fights?

Water plays an important role in many cultures. During Songkran celebrations, it is used to symbolically wash off all misfortunes of the past year. Basically, start the new year fresh (and clean!).

Over the years this has evolved into the world’s biggest water fight! 💦🔫

Something you will appreciate

April is the hottest month of the year in Thailand. 

And believe us when we say it gets HOT.

You will be looking for a cold bucket to pour over your head, just to stop yourself evaporating in the heat. 

So Songkran fits perfectly in April.

Is Songkran worth it?

Are you sitting on your comfy sofa, reading about the world’s biggest water fight and wondering: but is it REALLY worth it? The crowds, the higher prices, the WATER?

We wrote this post to answer that exact question. Having experienced Songkran in Bangkok firsthand, we’ll tell you if it’s really worth it—plus, we’re sharing our own stories along the way. Be warned – there was drama. 😬

So, if you are unsure about whether Songkran is worth it, go check out the post. (Or if you just wanna read all about the drama, we totally get it).

Songkran tips and tricks

Now that you know what Songkran is, we can start talking about how to survive this total madness!

We celebrated Songkran in Bangkok, and it was amazing!

But.

You’ve got to come prepared.

This is why we are going to share with you all our Songkran tips and tricks – so you can have the best time too. 

So grab a notepad or a Google Doc and let’s create a battle plan for your Songkran experience!

Why should I visit Thailand during Songkran?

Let’s see.

Do you want to take part in the world’s largest water fight?

Have a totally crazy, unique experience?

See local traditions of celebrating the New Year?

If you answered yes to at least one of these questions, there is your answer!

But if you are still not sure, make sure to check out that post about whether visiting Thailand during Songkran is worth it.

Because we know that people are concerned about things.

Songkran means everywhere is busier.

Prices are higher.

It’s a riskier time to go too – crowds mean more potential pickpocketing, accidents etc.

So figure this out first, and then read all the tips.

But if you are sure you want to go, let’s get started with the Songkran tips and tricks.

Where should I go for Songkran?

Anywhere in Thailand, really.

The great thing about Songkran?

Wherever you go, you’ll have a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

But.

What to consider when choosing the location for Songkran

Different places in Thailand celebrate Songkran in their own unique way—each comes with its own distinct vibe.

Which one you choose depends on what experience you want to have.

Here are some examples:

If you want party/beach/young crowd vibe

Consider places famous for their party scene, such as Phuket (Patong), Koh Phangan (Haad Rin Beach where the Full Moon parties happen), Koh Samui (Chaweng Beach Road) or Pattaya (Walking Street and Beach Road)

If you want a variety

Go to Bangkok. The vibe is of an urban jungle, but you can find different events here: from big street parties to events for kids or rooftop hotel parties.

We chose Bangkok to celebrate Songkran and it was amazing!

If you want to go Songkran-heavy

Choose Chiang Mai. Two things make this city different from others:

1. You can see more of the cultural aspects of Songkran here, so if you want to experience more than just water fights, this is the place to be (note, you absolutely can see the religious aspect of Songkran in other places too, by going to temples)
2. Songkran lasts longer in Chiang Mai – the festivities usually start and end a day before and after the official Songkran dates. So if you just can’t get enough of being soaked in water, pick Chiang Mai as your Songkran destination.

If you want a local, more quiet experience

Technically, everywhere you can have a local experience – just go where locals go, rather than to a rooftop party of international travellers. But, if you want to see how locals truly celebrate Songkran, head to small towns and villages. 

Now, in terms of peace and quiet, it will still be chaos. It will still be a massive water fight. But there is a difference between a whole city like Bangkok taking part in a water fight and a small seaside village.

This might be a good option for families with smaller children, neurodivergent people, people with disabilities or elders.

How to choose where to celebrate Songkran

If you are struggling to decide where to celebrate – we get it. We were in the same boat, as all the places sounded great!

Here are our Songkran tips and tricks for choosing the right location:

• First, make sure it fits with your overall travel plans
• Consider the vibe you like – party? Street raves? Culture?
• Check the cost and availability of accommodation in your chosen location. If it seems too much for you to stay in Bangkok or on an island, consider a smaller seaside village
• Look up events. Places like Bangkok or Pattaya host different concerts and parties during Songkran, so if that’s what you are into, check out who is playing where

How to choose the right battle zone

Once you have selected the town you will celebrate in, make sure you understand the different zones inside it.

What do we mean by this?

Look up where all the action is.

Of course, you will get blasted everywhere – locals literally sit/stand outside their houses with hoses, buckets and water guns.

But there is usually a place (or multiple, if you are in a big city) where the biggest water fights happen.

Where parties happen.

Where you need to go to experience all the action.

So once you know the town you will be in, do some researching. Use Google, or save yourself time and get help from AI.

You can, for example, use ChatGPT and say: “Give me a breakdown of the different areas in Bangkok and their Songkran celebrations”

A short conversation with ChatGPT, like the one in the above pics, can help you majorly during your Songkran travel planning.

What should I wear to Songkran?

There are two things to keep in mind when choosing your Songkran outfit.

1. Everything will get wet
2. You need to be respectful 

Let’s elaborate, shall we?

Challenge no. 1: Everything will get wet

When we say you will get completely drenched, we are not joking.

Every single thing you are wearing will be COMPLETELY wet – including your underwear.

So with that in mind, the materials you want to go for are:

• Light – you really don’t want to be wearing thick materials when soaked with water. 
• Quick-drying – if you manage to stay away from water for a bit (good luck), you don’t want to be wearing soaking wet clothes. Same if you want to go to a restaurant for lunch, for example. You don’t want to be dripping all over the place, so choose clothes which can dry super fast in the hot weather.
• Comfortable when wet – this one might be hard to know in advance, because, presumably, you don’t shower-test all your clothes just in case you ever wear them to a massive water fight. But you might guess that some things will be uncomfortable when wet, like the heavy materials we mentioned or ones that will stick to you in an unflatering way, so avoid those.
• Not too precious. You might get dirty water thrown at you. Or you might get covered in clay. So wearing your favourite or expensive clothes is not recommended.
• Not see-through. We’ll talk more about this in challenge no. 2.

While on the surface, Songkran does look like a big water fight, you have to remember it is a religious festival. That brings us to point no. 2.

Challenge no. 2: Being respectful 

You should absolutely not be walking around the city in just swimwear.

You CAN wear swimwear, but underneath actual clothes.

And the see-through materials we mentioned? Again, it’s about being respectful, so wearing a white T-shirt which will end up being pretty much completely see-through after a few buckets of water might not be the best idea.

Outfit suggestion

We thought a lot about what to wear, despite having only limited choice (packing light is the way to go when travelling long-term).

Here is what we ended up wearing:

Mirka wore:

A bikini top under a thin T-shirt.

For bottoms, on day 1, she wore thin cotton shorts. These weren’t the best for getting constantly soaked with water – they have a thick rubber waistband that takes ages to dry. So for day 2, she borrowed Daniel’s thin, quick-drying gym shorts.

Daniel wore:

A thin gym T-shirt as a top and for bottoms, on day 1 he wore thin sports shorts and on day 2 he wore swimming trunks.

Shoes for Songkran

When it comes to what shoes to wear during Songkran, you really only have two options:

1. Sliders/flip-flops
   The thing to remember here is your feet will be soaking wet. So will be pavements and everything else around you. Make your decision based on how confident you are wearing sliders or flip-flops in wet conditions. If not very confident, opt for option no. 2 instead of risking a broken leg.
2. Sandals
   Yes, walking sandals look awful. We struggled for a long time with the idea of having to buy them for our backpacking adventures. But they are perfect for situations like this. When you need a shoe that lets your feet breathe in the heat. Dries fast. But also keeps you from breaking your neck as you run down the street avoiding a group of Thai kids trying to hose you down with freezing cold water during Songkran. 😅 These are the sandals we have: Mirka’s and Daniel’s.

Whichever option you pick, just don’t wear your walking shoes (or even worse, walking boots) to Songkran. We wouldn’t even recommend trainers – they will soak up too much water, take ages to dry and overall will make you feel uncomfortable.

Make up

Just a quick note on make up, if you want to wear any.

Make sure it’s 150% waterproof. That goes without saying.

But also keep in mind that it will be a million degrees, you need to wear sunscreen AND, on top of that, you will have water poured down your head and face.

What Mirka did is wear no make up to the water fights, just to be safe and not risk looking like the Joker by the end.

Outside of water fighting, so when going to the temple or for dinner, for example, she wore just a really good lipstick, because you are still likely to get soaked with water (so your make up should still be waterproof). This lipstick holds though – it survives even standing under the shower for 20 minutes and so it was likely to survive Songkran too. And do you know what? It did! (The link is for the exact lipstick she has, if you need something you can rely on.)

What should I pack for Songkran?

The main rule for packing for Songkran?

Take as little as possible.

Since everything you take will get soaked, you should really think twice about every single thing you pack.

Here are the things you should take with some extra information:

Water gun

Don’t even think about going out during Songkran without a water gun. You’d just be disadvantaging yourself and you won’t have any fun.

Tips on getting a water gun for Songkran

• Buy your water gun well in advance. They do sell out in many shops as Songkran approaches, especially in smaller towns.
• If you arrive just before Songkran and you need a water gun last minute, 7-Eleven is your friend (to be honest, 7-Eleven is your friend in most situations!). They not only sell water guns, but have decent prices and their stocks usually last even as the festival starts
• Beware of buying water guns from locals selling them near battle zones. In Bangkok, the prices were extremely inflated, and some of the locals even refused to sell to foreigners!
• Think about the size of the water gun. What you want is a water gun big enough that you won’t have to be running around looking for water all the time. But also don’t go for the ginormous ones that will make your arm fall off by the time you get to a water fight (unless you have amazing muscles, in which case, congratulations on all the hard work. In your case, feel free to get the monster water gun).
• You will see many locals (especially kids) wearing backpacks with water tanks. This is another option if you want to go fully kitted out. 
• Get a water gun without sharp edges. This might seem unimportant, but we learned the hard way that there is a difference between a water gun with round features and one with sharp ones. Mirka’s gun, while looking nicer than many others, had sharp edges, which made her hands super sore after a while. Remember that you will be holding the water gun in a shooting position for a looong time. While covered in water, which means your hands are even more likely to get sore. You can see the difference in the water guns in the pic below.

A note on getting water during Songkran

If a water fight is organised by a city, meaning it is well-known that a water fight happens in that area and roads get closed for it, water should be provided for free.

But.

Humans are opportunistic beings, and so many will try to charge you, especially as a foreigner, to top up your water gun.

The best thing to do?

Figure out where the free water top-up points are and plan accordingly.

Top up whenever you can.

Say no to paying for water top-up.

Usually, you will be able to find a nice local who will top up your water gun for free, if you are not able to find an official top-up point.

Glasses

There are 3 things you should consider here:

1. Goggles

Many people wear goggles to the festival. They say it’s one of the best Songkran tips and tricks – you need goggles to protect your eyes from the potentially dirty water.

That’s a great suggestion, except. Consider the next two points.

2. Glasses

You might be one of the lucky people who need glasses to be able to see. And while during Songkran your glasses are going to be absolutely soaked, so your vision will be compromised either way, maybe you still need them. You are in a water fight after all, so you better be able to see who is shooting at you!

A word on contact lenses: they are not recommended for Songkran, for the obvious reason – contacts shouldn’t be used in water, let alone dirty water. What you can do is change to glasses for Songkran or, if you absolutely must wear contacts, protect your eyes by wearing good goggles. Also, make sure the contact lenses are the daily disposable ones and that you have spare pairs in case you have to change them.

3. Sunglasses

Even though they will be completely covered in (dirty) water, you might wanna consider taking sunglasses. April is not just mega hot but also mega sunny, so unless you enjoy squinting in the blinding sunshine, you should take sunglasses. Ideally, if your vision sucks, like Mirka’s, make sure you have prescription sunglasses, solving you the glasses dilemma too.

Phone 

Obviously, you will take your phone. That’s a given. 

But a massive water fight and a phone is a really bad combo. So how do you keep it safe?

The 3 ways to keep your phone safe during Songkran

• First, give your phone extra protection from water. How? Use this £1.34 trick we discovered. It’s super cheap and it will keep your phone safe not just during Songkran, but also going forward – at a beach, in a rainforest or even in a shower!
• Second, make sure you get a good waterproof phone case. Ideally, one that hangs around your neck, so you keep your phone safe and protected, but accessible. Extra tip? Test the case out beforehand under the tap or in the shower. Just don’t put your phone in it during the test, try it with a piece of paper to see if any water gets in.
• And third, follow this rule: NEVER take your phone out of its waterproof case, unless you are 120% sure you are safe. This might seem dramatic, but during Songkran, people go wild. They are running around, throwing water everywhere. They might not notice you are on your phone. Or they might not care. Or they might be targeting someone else but you might get hit by a bucket of water in the process too.
  
  As we’ve mentioned before, water appears out of thin air – people throw it from their cars as they drive by, old ladies whip out buckets of water as they sit in front of their shops etc. So really make sure you are safe before you take your phone out of its waterproof case.
  
  Ideally, only do it inside buildings. And if you have to take it out near the water fights, make sure you have someone standing guard who can give you heads up and protect you (and your phone). Prepare as if this is a medieval battle, because it will feel like it, trust us.

Card

This might be obvious, but take a card, not cash with you.

You really don’t want to have just soaking-wet banknotes available when buying food or paying for transport.

And yes you could use your phone, provided it works well through the waterproof case.

Btw, speaking of cards, make sure to travel with ones that don’t charge you extra fees when you use them or take cash out of an ATM with them.

We travel with Monzo and Starling, which have 0 fees when used abroad! (both are referral links which will give you freebies if you open an account using them!).

Tissues/something to clean glasses with 

If you tend to sneeze and snot, you might have to take tissues with you. A bit of paper to a water festival. *sigh* 

Let’s see what we can do about that.

Warning

No matter what you do, DON’T accidentally put tissues into your pocket.

Cause you know what will happen, right?

It will be like when you forget a tissue in your trouser pocket and put those trousers into a washing machine.

How fun is it when you discover it afterwards and have to spend an extra 15 minutes picking tissue off of all your laundry? So fun, right?

The solution

If you absolutely must take tissues with you, make sure you carry them in a waterproof bag (more on this below). You can double-proof them by putting them into a ziplock bag and then inside the waterproof bag. 

A note on cleaning glasses

You might also want to take tissues or a glasses-cleaning cloth with you, if you are not able to look through glasses which are completely covered in water or water stains.

Of course, you also have to keep the cloth dry, otherwise there is not much point to it.

Use the same approach as with the tissues – protect it in a waterproof bag or add the extra layer of a ziplock bag too.

Sunscreen

Something you might not be necessarily taking with you to water fights, but you absolutely need?

Sunscreen. 

Remember that April is the hottest month of the year in Thailand?

 Boy, does it get HOT.

So protect yourself.

But also remember that you will have water thrown at you nonstop, so make sure you use water-resistant sunscreen. 

If you burn easily and are concerned about this, take a small bottle of sunscreen with you.

Water bottle

Speaking of how hot Thailand is in April – remember to stay hydrated. Getting splashed by buckets of dirty water will not be enough.

You have two options:

1. Get water or other drinks as you need them. The great thing about Asia is you are never too far from a 7-Eleven or a stand selling fruit juices or cold drinks.
2. Carry a filter water bottle with you, especially if you are trying to be sustainable. This saves not just the environment, but also your money.

If you choose to carry your own water bottle, make sure to check out the next section about where you can pack it.

Where to pack things for Songkran

Okay, so if you are now wondering where on earth you are supposed to pack your sunscreen, card, room keys etc., we’ve got a solution.

The waterproof case we told you to use for your phone to keep it safe?

There are waterproof bags like that too.

We use them when we go swimming together and don’t want to leave our valuables on the beach.

And they are perfect for packing things for Songkran too.

They go around your waist, like a bumbag, so you can swim in them, but also comfortably walk without them getting in the way.

As always, test your waterproof bag before using it in water, to make sure it doesn’t have any holes and won’t leak.

Btw. it’s totally fine if you look a bit like an idiot during Songkran, with a waterproof bag around your waist and a waterproof phone case around your neck.

You are running around a city with a water gun, no one expects you to look like you are on a catwalk! 

Alternative solution

If you need to take many things with you when going out celebrating Songkran – for example, your own water bottle, or things for your kids that they can’t do without, here is what you can do.

We carried our water bottle in a backpack.

But.

You have to consider how you will protect your backpack from getting soaked.

Here is what we did:

• We used a backpack rain cover to protect it. Learn all you need to know about rain covers here
• While a rain cover is a great protection, you should go on the assumption that the backpack and things in it will still get wet – for example, if you have a bucket of water poured down on your head, the backpack will, inevitably, get wet, whether you have a rain cover or not
• This means you shouldn’t put anything precious (or dissolvable) into the backpack – pack it into your waterproof bag
• If you want to keep precious or dissolvable things in a backpack, use the double or triple protection we mentioned – ziplock bag + waterproof bag + rain cover

How to visit temples during Songkran

This guide is mainly focusing on surviving the water fighting of Songkran.

But, we are not savages and care about the spiritual and cultural aspects of the festival too, of course!

We would absolutely recommend that you visit at least one temple during Songkran to see the different ceremonies and traditions that take place there.

Also, google any other events – there are usually dance performances, special markets, parades etc. on during Songkran.

As always, we have tips for you for visiting temples. Because how on earth do you do it when there is a water fight going on around the whole country??!

Tips for visiting temples during Songkran

Follow these tips to have a better experience and to stay respectful:

• Temples are sacred spaces and so you are not allowed to bring water guns inside their grounds. (Shopping centres, for example, let you take the water guns in, but you have to empty them before entering). This is something you might want to consider when planning your day. Maybe you go to a temple early in the morning and then go take part in water fights in the afternoon. If you are worried about getting soaked on the way to the temple, it might be worth getting a taxi (a proper car, not an open tuk-tuk, as you can still get splashed there).
• Another thing to consider when planning your days is your outfit. If you are wearing tiny shorts and a crop top to take part in water fights, fair enough. But that outfit won’t get you into a temple. Always stay respectful.
• The temples are where many of the Songkran ceremonies are held and so they get really busy. Like BUSY busy. We wouldn’t recommend visiting them during Songkran to sightsee. Only visit temples to see the Songkran traditions and the atmosphere during the festival, and save sightseeing for when the festival is over.
• As we mentioned, April is the hottest month of the year, which is why water fighting is such a welcomed activity. But, there’s no water fighting in temples, which means you will feel like you are turning into vapour as you walk around the grounds. It’s hot. Like inside-an-oven kind of hot. So make sure you come prepared with water, a hat and lots of (water-resistant) sunscreen. 

Songkran 101: Practical tips for navigating the chaos

Here are more Songkran tips and tricks you might not think about until they become a problem – but that’s why we are here, to solve your travel problems before you discover you have them!

Checking in

Here is the thing.

Nothing will keep you safe from water during Songkran. You’ve got to remember this rule.

That means you will be splashed/soaked even as you go to check into your hotel – and your luggage will get soaked too.

Which, if you have a plastic suitcase, might not be a big deal. 

But if you are backpacking, getting your backpack completely soaked is really not ideal.

The solution

Never arrive during Songkran.

Make sure to come at least one day BEFORE the festival starts.

That way, you will be able to stay dry as you check in.

You can familiarise yourself with your surroundings, if this is your first visit to the town or Thailand.

And prepare yourself for the madness that will commence the day after (hint: get a lot of sleep!).

Whatever you do, just don’t arrive in the middle of the chaos.

If you do have to arrive during Songkran, get a taxi straight to your accommodation’s entrance and hope for the best (a proper car, not an open tuk-tuk).

Chiang Mai moat

Chiang Mai, the amazing city in the North of Thailand, has a special feature that gets utilised during Songkran. 

The old town is surrounded by a moat, and people often use it to fill their buckets and water guns.

The problem? 

The water in the moat is dirty.

There are countless stories out there about travellers getting infections after being hit with water from the Chiang Mai moat.

Does this mean you should not go to Chiang Mai during Songkran? 

Absolutely not.

Does it mean you won’t get hit with dirty water in Bangkok? Or Phuket? Or Koh Samui?

Absolutely not.

It’s just something to be aware of and to take into consideration when choosing the place you want to celebrate Songkran in.

High-pressure water guns

You will see a variety of water guns being sold and used during Songkran.

There is one type which got banned years ago and for a good reason, though:

High-pressure water guns.

These are the kind of water guns that feel like you’ve been hit with a cannon. 

That is, if it hits you on your leg or arm.

But getting shot by a high-pressure water gun into your face – say your eye or an ear, that’s next-level pain and possible health problems.

Especially if it’s at close range.

Now, as we said, these guns should absolutely not be used.

Sadly, when we went to Songkran in Bangkok, there were still a**holes using them.

Sidenote: Not to be sexist here, but we only saw 20-something men with them. And a**hole is a very mild term for someone like that.

Btw we talk more about a**holes in this Songkran post.

The solution

Avoid them. If you see someone with a massive water gun, stay away, if you can.

Protect your face. Always make sure you turn your face away if someone is targeting you.

Don’t engage. Mirka got hit by a high-pressure water gun in her ear. It was painful and, naturally, made us want to retaliate. The a**hole wielding it, instead of being a decent human being, got angry at us for hitting him back – with our tiny, normal water guns! We realised we had to let this one go – it could have escalated into something a lot worse otherwise!

All of this is easier said than done. Songkran is pretty chaotic and often you have no idea who hit you and where the water came from.

Be prepared. 

If you have kids, stay away from massive crowds where many people are drunk and behave recklessly (and like a**holes!).

Motorbikes

Let’s get serious for a bit. 

You might already know that road accidents are one of the main causes of injury (or worse) for travellers in Southeast Asia.

The awful truth is, the number of road accidents rises during every Songkran.

Every year, the news report on how many people got injured or killed in road accidents during the festival and the numbers are alarming. 

The 3 things to remember when it comes to motorbikes and Songkran

1. If you don’t have to ride a bike during Songkran, don’t. And definitely don’t go driving a motorbike during Songkran if you are not a very confident driver.
2. Don’t throw water/shoot at people driving motorbikes. Even if others are doing it. Obviously, use common sense. A bike might stop next to you at traffic lights. One of the passengers might shoot at you with their gun. It’s okay to shoot back, in a moderate manner. We had this happen a number of times: it’s often young people – they shoot a bit of water at you, you shoot back, everyone laughs and they drive off. But that’s very different from throwing a bucket of water right at the driver’s face.
3. Stay vigilant near roads. Accidents happen. You don’t wanna be struck by a bike as it crashes. Or its parts. We’ve seen a few bike crashes on our travels in Asia, and it was pretty traumatising even to witness.

Make sure to have this to stay safe

Even if you are careful, accidents might happen.

The best thing you can do? Aside from following the Songkran tips and tricks from this article?

Getting travel insurance.

Things might go wrong. Accidents happen. Sometimes, you can’t prevent them.

You might crash your bike because the road is flooded with water during Songkran celebrations.

You might get an eye infection from being hit in the face with a bucket of dirty water.

You might slip and fall on wet stairs leaving a shopping centre and break your leg.

The solution

Be prepared, as always. 

That, in this case, means knowing you are covered.

For medical care. Or personal liability.

We wanted to be well-prepared when we went full-time travelling, so we researched 23 insurance providers when choosing the right one.

It wasn’t fun, but it was worth it. 

In the end, we actually found two companies whose insurance we are happy with.

If you are not sure who to go with, definitely check out SafetyWing or True Traveller.

Who do you need to watch out for during Songkran

Do you want to know who are the people you need to watch out for during Songkran?

We’ll tell you.

Everyone!!

Not joking; everyone will be taking part. Young, old, girls, boys, everyone can suddenly whip out a water gun at you.

What makes you more of a target during Songkran

We have discovered that there are certain things that make you more of a target during Songkran:

• Being a Westerner
• Being a female
• Carrying a water gun
• Walking

Now, if you happen to fulfil all 4 criteria, say goodbye to being dry for the whole of Songkran. 😅

The one exception to all this?

Old ladies. They target everyone with equal enthusiasm. Don’t get fooled by their sweet old faces – they are most likely hiding a giant water gun behind their back. And they won’t hesitate to use it! 😂

Sustainable tip

After reading all this and seeing some footage of Songkran, you might be wondering:

What happens to all the plastic guns after the festival??

Well, many of them actually break after a few days of use. They are not the best quality toys.

Sadly, as recycling is not very well developed in Thailand (or the rest of Southeast Asia, at least from what we’ve seen), it is fair to assume the broken guns end up in a landfill. 

Here is what we did

We really wanted to take our water guns with us. We were concerned about the environment and wanted to keep the guns as a memory of this amazing experience. Plus, the thought of throwing out something that is still functional makes us uncomfortable. It’s a mindset you develop when you are always thinking about how to save more money.

So we wanted to take our water guns with us as we left Bangkok. But:

• We still had a few weeks to go before we were going to visit our families and have access to our storage facility (aka our families’ homes) and carrying the guns around the whole time would have been an inconvenience.
• Since we overpacked AND bought some presents for people too, we had zero room for bulky water guns in our backpacks. Btw be smarter than us and pack light right from the start.

So what did we do?

We spoke with the owner of the accommodation we were at during Songkran. It was a family-run hotel and we saw the dad taking part in the Songkran celebrations with his son – hosing people down at the entrance to the hotel. 😆 Honestly, Songkran is a special time.

We asked him what we could do with the water guns and he said he would take them – the kids play with them during the year, and if they don’t break, they reuse them for next year’s Songkran!

That was a great solution for us, even if we were sad to part with our water guns!

Songkran tips and tricks – staying dry

After reading all this, you might be wondering whether there is any way to stay dry during Songkran.

Because you might need to, at times.

Here is the truth:

No one can guarantee you will stay dry.

Don’t assume that just because you are heading to your hotel with your backpack (aka your whole life) on your shoulders, you won’t be targeted. 

You will.

This is why you should always keep your backpack safe and use a rain cover. If you don’t know anything about rain covers, check out this post (spoiler: everyone needs a rain cover).

But, basically, be prepared and accept that being soaked is part of the experience.

And make sure to check into your hotel at least a day before the Songkran celebrations start, as we advised in the Songkran 101 section.

Tips on staying dry

If you do need (or want to) stay dry, here are 3 tips you might consider:

1. Go out without a water gun

Some people say that this is like waving a white flag – you are saying to others that you are not taking part in the water festivities and do not wish to be soaked. 

The problem with that? 

Your white flag, aka lack of a water gun, might be totally ignored.

You will end up soaked AND you will have nothing to blast the a**hole who soaked you back with (just kidding, most people are nice!! But you might come across a few a**holes too).

2. Carry food

Again, not guaranteed, but this is advice from personal experience.

We needed to go out to pick up food during Songkran.

Obviously, we did not want our takeaway to be soaked in dirty water by the time we brought it back to our accommodation.

So, here is what we did:

• First, we sent the men out, and we girls stayed in (we were with friends during Songkran). 😆 This is sexist advice, but it kinda makes sense!
• The guys went out without water guns – the white flag approach.
• On their way back from the restaurant, they carried the food visibly in their hands and pointed at it whenever someone with a water gun or a bucket spotted them.

The result?

Dry yummy food!

Well, dry as in not soaked in Songkran water.

Otherwise, it was pretty juicy and yum.

Again, it might not work for you, but this is how we managed to stay dry (and keep our food safe) when needed.

3. Plan your trip to the outside world well

We were really surprised by this, but when heading to Silom Road (one of the main water fighting areas), we barely met anyone along the way in the morning.

The streets were empty and so quiet.

For a bit, we almost thought we got the dates wrong and Songkran wasn’t even on!

You can see this in the video below.

But that’s the amazing thing – even though the whole country is engaged in a mass water fight, there are times and places where you can actually stay dry.

It was a similar story in Lumphini Park, known for its monitor lizards. We went to the park to rest during the first two days of Songkran since it’s near Silom and were pretty much the only people there, both times!!

Not sure what is more wild. The water fighting chaos or the peace and quiet you can sometimes encounter in the midst of it.

Bonus tip

Even if you are going out and using our strategies for staying dry, protect your phone.

During Songkran, don’t take your phone into the outside world without the waterproof case, unless you want to risk it not surviving.

If you have read through this mammoth guide – well done! 👏 It was quite a read.

You are already better prepared for Songkran than many other visitors.

What you need to do next is: 1. book your trip to Thailand, if you haven’t done so already and 2. use the Songkran tips and tricks from this guide when you go – it’s not enough to just read about them.

As always, if you have any questions, give us a shout in the comments below or DM us on our Instagram.

And when Songkran comes, have the best time! 

Oh, and tag us in your Songkran posts – we’d love to see you having fun at the festival.

Happy splashing! 💦🔫