Songkran Chiang Mai: the moat, the parade and the plan

When is Songkran in Chiang Mai 2027?

Songkran in Chiang Mai 2027 hits its peak on Tuesday 13 to Thursday 15 April, three public holidays.

The city's Pi Mai Mueang festival starts before the holiday and runs after it. In 2026 it ran from 7 to 19 April, the year Chiang Mai turned 730. The 2027 programme isn't out yet: checked 7 Nov 2026, recheck in February.

Pick your days now. Plan it with Tanner and he builds the trip around them.

What does Songkran mean in Chiang Mai?

Songkran Chiang Mai is the Thai New Year in its northern, Lanna form, called Pi Mai Mueang. The water is a blessing first: people pour scented water over Buddha images and over the hands of their elders, a custom the north calls dam hua, and ask for luck in the year ahead.

It's a time for merit, too. Families carry sand into the temples to build sand pagodas, and the Phra Buddha Sihing image comes out so the whole city can bathe it. UNESCO added Songkran in Thailand to its list of the world's intangible cultural heritage in 2023.

That's why the water fight has manners: splash the players, and leave monks and elders dry.

Where is the Chiang Mai moat water fight?

The Chiang Mai moat water fight runs the whole way around the square moat of the Old City. It's the biggest water fight in Chiang Mai.

The fights run from morning into the evening. Pickup trucks circle the moat roads with buckets of iced water, and the crowd on the bank fires back.

The rules are simple: splash the people who are playing, and leave monks, older people and anyone not joining in dry.

The province asks everyone to play gently, safely and with respect for local culture, and invites visitors to join in wearing Lanna dress.

Pick a corner and dig in, or ride the whole way round. Ask Tanner for a car and driver for the day, so the group stays together and the dry bags stay in the back.

What happens at Tha Phae Gate Songkran?

Tha Phae Gate is where Songkran in Chiang Mai opens. On the morning of 13 April 2026, alms were given to 99 monks at the gate, then the festival was opened, and the whole road turned into the city's main water zone.

In 2026 the road ran as World Songkran Thaphae Chiangmai, under a giant water tunnel. It's the centre of the official programme, where the ceremonies, the parade and the opening events meet.

The afternoons bring sand pagodas and traditional performances. In 2026 the city added a retro ramwong dance stage and open-air films on the evenings of 13 and 14 April.

Go early for the ceremonies, then stay for the water. Ask Tanner and a car waits just outside the zone.

When is the Phra Buddha Sihing procession?

The Phra Buddha Sihing procession is the sacred heart of Songkran in Chiang Mai. Once a year, on Maha Songkran day, the Phra Buddha Sihing image leaves the Lai Kham chapel at Wat Phra Singh and rides through the city on a decorated carriage in the afternoon, joined by important Buddha images from 48 temples. In 2027 it's expected on Tuesday 13 April, the same day as in 2026.

People line the route to pour scented water over the images for luck. It's the calm, traditional side of the week, in the middle of the water fights.

The city also crowns its Songkran Thep Butr and Thep Thida, and people carry sand into the temples and offer wooden supports for the sacred trees.

Play at the moat in the morning, then find a spot on the route for the afternoon procession. Ask Tanner to plan the route.

Where do you party in Chiang Mai at Songkran?

The party side of Songkran in Chiang Mai lives in Nimman, the city's young, bar-filled district. It runs more like a music festival than a water fight.

The malls and bars at the top of Nimman throw concerts and water parties through the holiday, with DJs in the afternoon and Thai bands late.

Chiang Mai is one of Thailand's late-licence zones, so registered clubs can stay open until 4am. You must be 20 to drink, and clubs check ID, so bring your passport.

Tanner gets your group in and holds a VIP section for the evening, priced to your trip and quoted the same day.

Where should you stay to walk to the water?

For Songkran in Chiang Mai, stay inside or right next to the Old City for the water fight, or near Nimman for the parties. Then you can walk to the water.

A private pool villa outside the centre gives your group its own base, from ฿18,500 a day. Fight in town all afternoon, then come back to your own pool and your own music.

Pick by budget: a guesthouse inside the moat puts you in the water from the front door, a hotel near Tha Phae Gate or Nimman keeps you close to the ceremonies or the parties, and a pool villa gives you space, your own pool and a driver into town.

Ask Tanner with your group size and he finds the base.

How do you get to Chiang Mai for Songkran?

Landing in Bangkok, then flying north? Book the flights to Chiang Mai early, because Songkran is a 3-day public holiday.

Landing in Bangkok first? Book airport fast track at Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang, ฿2,400 a person: a greeter meets you at the gate and walks you through the fast immigration lane.

In Chiang Mai, a luxury van with a driver costs from ฿6,500 for 10 hours, for up to 4 guests, and Tanner matches the cars to your plan.

Ask Tanner with your flight times and the cars are waiting.

Where does the party go after Chiang Mai?

Songkran in Chiang Mai already runs for days, and the rest of Thailand keeps going after it.

• CIMAC music festival: in 2026, Chiang Mai's free international music, art and culture festival ran on 18 and 19 April at the Three Kings Monument.
• Pattaya Wan Lai: Pattaya celebrates later. In 2026 its Wan Lai ran from 17 to 19 April.
• Full Moon Party: Wednesday 21 April 2027 on Koh Phangan, the week after Songkran.
• Bangkok: Silom and Khao San on the way in or out.

Read next: Songkran in Bangkok, Pattaya Wan Lai, Songkran 2027 across Thailand, the rest of the year's Chiang Mai festivals and Songkran in a pool villa.

Plan it with Tanner: say how many days you have and he builds the whole trip, from the airport to the last party.

What can you do before and after Chiang Mai's Songkran?

Flying in or out through Bangkok? A driver meets you at the airport, and a last night at the Bangkok super clubs closes the trip.

Need a base for the Bangkok leg? Take a pool villa, and add a yacht day out of Pattaya if you have a dry day. Ask Tanner to put both cities on the VIP page.

What's the short version?

• Songkran 2027: Tuesday 13 to Thursday 15 April, all public holidays.

• The moat for the biggest water fight, Tha Phae Gate for the ceremonies, Nimman after dark.
• The Phra Buddha Sihing procession is expected on the afternoon of Tuesday 13 April.

Plan it with Tanner.