I traveled to Thailand for the world’s largest water fight–here’s what it was actually like

Every April, Thailand turns into a literal splash-happy frenzy. I’m not talking about one city or even one festival ground…the entire country gets wet. You’ll see people lining the streets with buckets, water guns, hoses and even inflatable pools. Whether you’re in the heart of Bangkok or on the island of Koh Samui, Songkran takes over with joyful chaos.

If you’ve seen the latest season of The White Lotus, you may recognize the festival when the three female best friends, Jaclyn, Laurie and Kate get soaked as they walk down the street. And honestly, that scene is shockingly accurate.

This year Thailand welcomed over 666,000 tourists for the New Year events. I went to experience it firsthand, and it’s safe to say: no one makes it out dry…

What exactly is Songkran?

Songkran is Thailand’s traditional New Year celebration, rooted in Buddhist customs and centuries-old rituals. “Songkran” comes from a Sanskrit word meaning “transformation” or “change,” and the holiday marks the start of the solar calendar.

Traditionally, people would clean their homes, visit temples, and gently pour water over elders’ hands as a blessing for the new year. While those traditions still happen, Songkran today also means turning the streets into a countrywide splash zone.

I celebrated on the island of Koh Samui and in Bangkok.

I celebrated on the laid-back island of Koh Samui and later in the electric chaos of Bangkok. Koh Samui is a relaxed, beach vibe where most of The White Lotus was filmed. Filling up our water guns and hitting the streets, it was hard to not have a big smile on my face. This is something unlike anything I’ve experienced before, where it’s totally okay to spray random strangers.

The best part? We stumbled upon a massive foam party! While foam isn’t part of the traditional celebration, it was still a blast to get buried in bubbly suds.

PSA: if you’re holding a water gun, you will get wet.

Don’t be a jerk and spray someone who isn’t even holding a water gun. However, for everyone else, it’s fair game. Some people fill their water guns up with ice-cold water which honestly, if it’s almost 100 degrees, feels pretty nice.

If you’re nervous about diving in, lean into the splashy chaos. This is such a unique experience that I don’t think could ever happen in America even if we wanted to. I felt very safe throughout and even gave a friendly spray to patrolling police officers!

No fights, no funny business, just a joyous celebration.

One of the most beautiful parts of Songkran is that everyone participates. Teenagers dance in the streets, elders bless family members, and kids will indeed soak you. It’s one of the few festivals in the world where the entire country, across all ages and backgrounds, joins together without violence.

What surprised me most was how peaceful it all felt. For an event that could easily spiral into drunken mayhem, it was shockingly wholesome. Songkran reminded me that sometimes joy doesn’t need to be quiet. Sometimes joy is loud, wet, and a little bit wild.

Want in on the excitement? The next Songkran Festival takes place April 13–15, 2026 with the largest festivities in Bangkok—so start to get your water gun ready!