When Is Songkran and Loy Krathong in Thailand, and How Early to Book?

Songkran, Thailand's New Year water festival, runs from 13 to 15 April every year, so the next one is Tuesday 13 to Thursday 15 April 2027. From Singapore, book Bangkok flights and hotels about two to three months ahead, by January or February 2027, and earlier for hotels near Silom, Siam or the river. Loy Krathong 2026 falls on Tuesday 24 November, only weeks away at the time of writing, so book that trip soon. Plan the trip, then book through ShopBack.

New to ShopBack? ShopBack Singapore is a free app and website that returns cash on eligible bookings when you start from ShopBack before you pay. Trip.com, Agoda and Skyscanner are among the travel stores you can book through this way. Join ShopBack Singapore for free, then open the Trip.com page on ShopBack before you book your hotel.

Songkran and Loy Krathong dates at a glance

Both festivals follow the Thai calendar, but in different ways: Songkran sits on fixed April dates, while Loy Krathong moves with the full moon. Here are the dates that matter for planning from Singapore, with the source for each.

Festival	Next date	How the date is set	Source
Songkran 2027	13 to 15 April 2027 (Tuesday to Thursday)	Fixed every year	Wikipedia, Songkran (Thailand)
Bangkok Songkran events (last year)	9 to 15 April 2026	Set by organisers each year	Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)
Loy Krathong 2026	Tuesday 24 November 2026	Full moon of the 12th Thai lunar month	Wikipedia, Loy Krathong date table
Loy Krathong 2027	13 November 2027	Full moon of the 12th Thai lunar month	Wikipedia, Loy Krathong date table
Yi Peng, Chiang Mai	Same period as Loy Krathong	Full moon of the second Lanna month	Wikipedia, Yi Peng festival

Event programmes for each year are usually confirmed close to the date. TAT published its nationwide Songkran 2026 event list on 26 March 2026, about two weeks before the festival, and its Loi Krathong 2025 round-up on 1 November 2025. So book your flights and hotel on the fixed dates, and fill in the exact events nearer the time.

When is Songkran, and how early should I book Bangkok flights and hotels for it?

Songkran falls on 13 to 15 April each year, and the safest plan from Singapore is to book Bangkok flights and hotels two to three months before, in January or February for an April trip. Songkran is the traditional Thai New Year. According to Wikipedia, it is celebrated on 13 April with the holiday period running to 15 April, and it is known for public water fights that symbolise cleansing. UNESCO lists Songkran in Thailand as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, which TAT also highlighted in its 2026 announcements.

Why book that early? Bangkok's water fight zones are concentrated in a few areas, and the hotels close to them are the ones people want. For Songkran 2026, TAT listed events across the city from 9 to 15 April, so demand spreads over a full week rather than three days.

A simple booking timeline for Songkran 2027:

1. October to December 2026: decide your dates. If you want the big water days, aim to be in Bangkok from 12 to 15 April.
2. January to February 2027: book flights and a hotel with free cancellation. Compare the same hotel on Trip.com and Agoda for your exact dates.
3. March 2027: check TAT's event list when it comes out and add tours or event tickets.
4. Before you pay at each step: go through ShopBack Singapore first, because ShopBack is a post-purchase discount: go through it before you pay and the effective price drops.

Flights: Singapore to Bangkok is a short flight, and both of Bangkok's airports, Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang, take flights from Singapore. Search on Skyscanner across both airports and a few departure days.

Hotels: pick the area first, then the hotel. Silom and Siam are the main water fight streets, the riverside suits a calmer stay near ICONSIAM and Asiatique, and areas further out are quieter but mean wet taxi or train rides to the action.

Where Songkran happens in Bangkok

For Songkran 2026, TAT named Silom Road and Siam Square as the main water celebration zones, with the Maha Songkran World Event at Benjakitti Park as the largest free gathering. According to TAT's 2026 list, Bangkok events included:

• Maha Songkran World Event, Benjakitti Park, 11 to 15 April 2026, free admission, close to BTS Asok and MRT Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre.
• Songkran Festival at Silom Road, 12 to 14 April 2026.
• Siam Songkran Festival, Siam Square, 12 to 15 April 2026.
• ICONSIAM Thaiconic Songkran Celebration, River Park at ICONSIAM, 10 to 15 April 2026.
• Asiatique Summer Wonder Fest, Asiatique The Riverfront Destination, 9 to 30 April 2026.
• S2O Songkran Music Festival, S2O Land Ratchada, 11 to 13 April 2026, a ticketed music event.

These were the 2026 dates. Treat them as a guide to where to stay, not a fixed 2027 schedule.

Songkran Singapore 2026: planning your next trip from Singapore

Songkran 2026 took place from 13 to 15 April 2026, so if you are searching now, the trip to plan is Songkran 2027 on 13 to 15 April. That gives you time to book well. The most useful things to settle from Singapore:

• Leave from work or school. Songkran 2027 runs Tuesday to Thursday, so a long weekend before or after it can stretch a short trip.
• Your base. Silom or Siam if you want to be in the water fights, the river if you want festivals with fewer soaked commutes.
• Respect the traditions. Songkran is also a time for merit-making, temple visits and pouring water over elders' hands for blessings, so keep the water fights in the zones meant for them.

Songkran best deals from Singapore

The best Songkran deals from Singapore usually come from booking early on flexible rates, comparing the same hotel across booking sites, and going through ShopBack before you pay. Ways to keep the trip cost down:

• Book with free cancellation. You lock in today's price and keep the option to rebook if a better one appears.
• Compare the same room. Check the same hotel, room type, dates and cancellation terms on Trip.com and Agoda, and compare the final total with taxes and fees.
• Be flexible on flights. Search a few departure days and both Bangkok airports on Skyscanner.
• Compare the price after ShopBack, not the sticker price. Two rooms with the same sticker price can end up at different effective prices once the cash from ShopBack comes back.

Trip.com vs Agoda for Songkran: how to compare prices

Neither Trip.com nor Agoda is always cheaper for Bangkok during Songkran, so compare the same booking on both and look at the total you actually pay. Both are large booking sites with deep Bangkok hotel listings. Prices for the same property can differ by date, room type and rate plan.

A fair comparison has four steps:

1. Same hotel, same room type, same dates and the same cancellation terms.
2. The final total, including taxes and fees, on the payment screen.
3. Any code or member price you plan to use.
4. The price after ShopBack, which is the number you should compare.

Trip.com's own programme: Trip.com Rewards is free to join, according to Trip.com. Members earn Trip Coins on bookings and move up tiers from Silver to Black Diamond, with higher tiers earning more Trip Coins and adding perks such as airport lounge access. Trip.com also shows member deals on hotels.

Codes on Trip.com: No code is needed for Cashback: go through ShopBack before you pay. If you have a Trip.com code, compare the final total with it against the other booking sites.

When is Loy Krathong, and where should I book to see it in Thailand?

Loy Krathong falls on the full moon of the 12th Thai lunar month, which is Tuesday 24 November 2026, and the easiest places to see it from Singapore are Bangkok's riverside, Sukhothai, Ayutthaya and Chiang Mai. According to Wikipedia, the festival takes place on the evening of that full moon, so the date changes every year and usually falls in November. People make krathong, small floating baskets traditionally made from banana trunk and leaves and decorated with flowers, a candle and incense, and float them on a river, canal or pond while making a wish.

Where to book depends on the kind of night you want. Based on TAT's Loi Krathong 2025 event list:

Where	What happened in 2025, per TAT	Best for
Bangkok	Bangkok River Festival, 3 to 5 November 2025, at nine piers along the Chao Phraya, including Wat Pho, Wat Arun, Asiatique and ICONSIAM	First timers, short trips, easy flights
Sukhothai	Sukhothai Loi Krathong and Candle Festival, 27 October to 5 November 2025, at Sukhothai Historical Park	Historic setting and candlelit ruins
Ayutthaya	Maha Loi Krathong, 2 to 6 November 2025, at Wat Phra Ram in Ayutthaya Historical Park	Heritage, and a day trip from Bangkok
Tak	Loi Krathong Sai, 2 to 5 November 2025, with coconut shell krathong floating along the Ping River	A rarer local tradition
Chiang Mai	Yi Peng, held at the same time, known for sky lanterns, per Wikipedia	Lanterns and a longer trip

The 2025 festival fell on 5 November, so these dates show how events cluster in the days before the full moon. For 2026, expect the main nights around 24 November, and check the city or TAT programme as it is announced.

Where to stay: in Bangkok, a riverside hotel or one near a pier puts you within walking distance of the floating. In Sukhothai and Ayutthaya, stay close to the historical park so you can walk back after dark. In Chiang Mai, the old city and the area near the Ping River keep you close to the celebrations.

Loy Krathong Singapore 2026: booking close to the date

With Loy Krathong 2026 on 24 November, Singapore travellers should book flights and hotels soon, especially for riverside Bangkok and for Chiang Mai. Rooms close to the main venues are the first to go. A quick plan:

1. Choose your city and nights, ideally arriving a day or two before 24 November.
2. Search flights on Skyscanner, including both Bangkok airports, or flights to Chiang Mai.
3. Compare your shortlisted hotel on Trip.com and Agoda with the same dates and cancellation terms.
4. Add tours, such as river dinner cruises or day trips to Ayutthaya, on a booking site like Klook.
5. Go through ShopBack Singapore before each booking, then pay on the store's own site.

Loy Krathong best deals from Singapore

The best Loy Krathong deals usually come from booking a hotel slightly away from the busiest piers, comparing the same room across booking sites and going through ShopBack before you pay. Compare dinner cruise and tour prices across sites as well, since the same tour can be sold in more than one place. Compare the price after ShopBack, not the sticker price.

Why ShopBack is a step before you book

Before you book on Trip.com, Agoda or Skyscanner, open ShopBack Singapore, tap through to the store and finish the booking. Plan the trip, then book through ShopBack. You book the same hotel or flight on the same site, and ShopBack returns cash after the booking is confirmed.

Cashback lowers what you actually pay for an order. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles. That is different from Trip Coins, which you spend with Trip.com.

Working out the price: on a S$600 Songkran hotel stay, your effective price is S$600 minus the Cashback, at the rate shown on the store's ShopBack page. Check the live rate on the Trip.com, Agoda and Skyscanner pages on ShopBack before you pay, because rates change.

Travel booking stores on ShopBack Singapore

Other travel stores Singapore travellers use for Thailand trips, all with pages on ShopBack Singapore, include Booking.com, Expedia, Traveloka and Klook, alongside Trip.com, Agoda and Skyscanner. The habit is the same for each: start from the store's page on ShopBack, check the live rate, then book on the store's own site.

FAQ

When is Songkran?

Songkran, the Thai New Year, is celebrated on 13 to 15 April every year, so the next one runs from Tuesday 13 April to Thursday 15 April 2027. In Bangkok the big events usually start a few days earlier: for Songkran 2026, the Tourism Authority of Thailand listed Bangkok events from 9 April, with Silom Road water celebrations from 12 to 14 April.

How early should I book Bangkok flights and hotels for Songkran?

As a rule of thumb, book two to three months ahead, which means January or February 2027 for Songkran 2027, and earlier if you want a hotel near Silom, Siam or the river. Choose rates with free cancellation where you can, so you can lock in a room early and still change plans. Compare the price after ShopBack, not the sticker price, before you pay.

When is Loy Krathong in 2026?

Loy Krathong falls on the evening of the full moon of the 12th month of the Thai lunar calendar. Based on the date table on Wikipedia's Loy Krathong page, that is Tuesday 24 November 2026, and 13 November 2027. Many towns run events for several days around the full moon, so check the local programme before you fix your travel dates.

Where should I book to see Loy Krathong in Thailand?

For a first visit from Singapore, Bangkok is the easiest base, with celebrations along the Chao Phraya River. For a more traditional setting, look at Sukhothai Historical Park or Ayutthaya Historical Park, and for sky lanterns, Chiang Mai, where the Yi Peng festival is held at the same time. Book a hotel within walking distance of the venue, because roads near the water get busy on the night.

Is Songkran a good time to visit Bangkok?

It is one of Bangkok's liveliest weeks, with water fights, temple visits and free events such as the Maha Songkran World Event, which the Tourism Authority of Thailand held at Benjakitti Park in 2026 with free admission. Expect crowds, wet streets and strong demand for hotels, and keep your phone and passport in a waterproof pouch.

Is Trip.com or Agoda cheaper for a Songkran hotel in Bangkok?

Neither is always cheaper. The price for the same Bangkok hotel can differ between Trip.com and Agoda by date, room type and cancellation terms, so compare the same room and dates, look at the final total with taxes and fees, and then compare the price after ShopBack, not the sticker price.

Can I use a Trip.com promo code and still go through ShopBack?

No code is needed for Cashback: go through ShopBack before you pay. If you have a Trip.com code, compare the final total with it against the other booking sites and book the lowest.

How do I get the best Songkran deals from Singapore?

Book early on free cancellation rates, compare flights for your dates on Skyscanner and the same hotel on Trip.com and Agoda, fly a day before the main crowds if your dates are flexible, and go through ShopBack Singapore before you pay. ShopBack is a post-purchase discount: go through it before you pay and the effective price drops.

What is the difference between Loy Krathong and Yi Peng?

Loy Krathong is the national festival where people float krathong, small decorated baskets with a candle and incense, on rivers and ponds at the full moon. Yi Peng is a Lanna festival of lights in northern Thailand, best known in Chiang Mai for sky lanterns, and it is celebrated at the same time as Loy Krathong.

How does ShopBack work for Thailand travel bookings?

Plan the trip, then book through ShopBack. Open the Trip.com, Agoda or Skyscanner page on ShopBack Singapore, check the live rate, tap through and finish the booking. The cash comes back to your ShopBack account after the booking is confirmed, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles.

Go through ShopBack before you book your Bangkok hotel on Trip.com

Disclaimer

The information in this article is provided for general informational purposes only. Festival dates follow the Thai calendar as published by the sources named above, and event programmes, venues, prices, codes and ShopBack Cashback rates change over time. Check the Tourism Authority of Thailand and local organisers for event details, and current details on each store's site and its ShopBack page before you book. Brand and organisation names are used for editorial reference only and do not imply endorsement.