Cambodia: Public Holidays in 2026

Will you be in Cambodia during a particular holiday?
The Buddhist celebrations of Visak Bochea and the Water Festival are truly unique experiences for travelers. I myself would love to be in Cambodia for Cambodian New Year one day. This festival is considered one of the most important in the country. Every year, an angel is believed to descend to earth to protect the Khmer people. During this time, the whole country is on its feet, joyfully welcoming the arrival of the angel.

List of Cambodian holidays in 2026

The Cambodian monarchy plays an important role in the cultural and social life of the country. For this reason, the birthdays of the King and the Queen Mother, as well as the memorial day of the late King, are official public holidays. Many religious holidays, however, follow the Buddhist lunar calendar and therefore change dates each year. Some of these holidays – such as Meak Bochea – are no longer part of the official holiday list but are still traditionally observed. Here is an overview of all Cambodian holidays in 2026.

Date	Happening	Info
01 Jan 2026	New Year Day	Although not many Cambodians celebrate the Gregorian New Year, 1 January is an official holiday in Cambodia.
07 Jan 2026	Victory over Genocide Day	On this day in 1979, the Vietnamese liberated Cambodia from the terror of the Khmer Rouge.
02 Feb 2026	Meak Bochea	Celebrations commemorating the day when 1,250 monks spontaneously gathered to hear the preaching of Buddha more than 2,500 years ago ( moving holiday). Abolished as an official holiday in 2020, but still celebrated by Khmer people.
17 Feb 2026	Chinese New Year	Although not an official holiday in Cambodia, Cambodians eagerly join in the celebrations. Especially in larger cities. Information on the festival can be found at Cambodia Images.
08 Mar 2026	International Women’s Day	Cambodia is one of 26 countries in the world where March 8 is an official holiday.
14-16 Apr 2026	Khmer New Year Day	Four-day celebration to mark the beginning of the New Year in the Buddhist Lunar Calendar.
01 May 2026	International Labor Day	Official commemoration day of the labour movement.
01 May 2026	Visak Bochea Day	Birthday of Buddha (moving holiday).
05 May 2026	Bonn Chroat Preah Nongkoal	This is a day with the royal ploughing ceremony to prepare the farmers for the beginning of the rainy season so that they can start to cultivate their fields (moving holiday).
14 May 2026	King Norodom Sihamoni’s Birthday	King Samdech Preah Bâromneath Norodom Sihamoni was born on 14 May 1953. Until 2019, the celebrations lasted 3 days. Since 2020, it is only a one-day holiday.
20 May 2026	National Day of Remembrance	To commemorate the mass killings during the Cambodian genocide that began on 20 May 1976. No longer a public holiday since 2020.
18 Jun 2026	Queen  Norodom Monineath’s Birthday	Norodom Monineath Sihanouk – the mother of the reigning king – was born on June 18, 1936.
24 Sep 2026	Constitutional Day	The Constitution, issued on 29 April 1993, comprises 14 chapters and 139 articles.
10-12 Oct 2026	Pchum Ben	Buddhist festival in memory of the deceased relatives ( moving holiday).
15 Oct 2026	Commemoration Day of King’s Father, Norodom Sihanouk	König Preah Bat Samdech Preah Norodom Sihanouk Varman (* 31. Oktober 1922; † 15. Oktober )
29 Oct 2026	King’s Coronation Day, Norodom Sihamoni	Coronation of Norodom Sihamoni took place on 29 October 2004.
09 Nov 2026	Independence Day	Independence from France was declared on 9 November 1953.
23-25 Nov 2026	Bon Om Touk – Water Festival	Three-day festival at the end of the rainy season – at this time the Tonle Sap changes its direction of flow ( moving holiday).
29 Dec 2026	Day of Peace in Cambodia	New public holiday in Cambodia: 25 years of peace.

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