A friend of mine will be in Koh Samui with her little boy between 15-21 April. She was not aware of Songkran when she booked her trip... Should she be worried? What are the dates when Songkran is "celebrated" in Koh Samui? Should she stay inside her hotel, or can she venture outside? Is it as bad as Pattaya or Chiang Mai...? I have never been to Samui so I don't know what to tell her... Please advise.

Thank you.

Songkran is only celebrated on the 13th on Samui. Pending on location where she stays she may join the fun in front of her hotel (Chaweng) or if she stays a bit more remote, better stay where you are, no point to hop on a bike, you gonna get wet for sure. Its only one day, so no worries.

More like half a day on most of Samui (after noon) Chawang probably the exception.... just stay off the main streets or go to the beach!

Or buy a water pistol and have him join in the fun.... It's not that bad here!

no Songkran on Samui 15-21 April, nothing

Hotel location is the main factor. The beach road is pedestrian only on the 13th and pretty hectic - towards the late afternoon (alcohol levels).

Where is your friend staying?

Outside of the main areas - most people respect young kids.

There has been a move by some farangs to try and carry on on the 14th, and some bars try and start on the pm of the 12th (attract customers).

As others say - just stay away from the bar areas/main roads.

Songkran is only celebrated on the 13th on Samui. Pending on location where she stays she may join the fun in front of her hotel (Chaweng) or if she stays a bit more remote, better stay where you are, no point to hop on a bike, you gonna get wet for sure. Its only one day, so no worries.

Since they are staying 15-21 staying in the front of the hotel to join in the fun would be pointless really. Where they going to get wet 15-21?

no Songkran on Samui 15-21 April, nothing

Glad somebody read the OP

More like half a day on most of Samui (after noon) Chawang probably the exception.... just stay off the main streets or go to the beach!

Or buy a water pistol and have him join in the fun.... It's not that bad here!

Although Samuijimmy gives very good advices most of the time, if the mum follows this one "Or buy a water pistol and have him join in the fun" since they arrived April 15th and Songkran in Samui is only April 13th not sure it would be universally appreciate by the little boy targets

Chaweng 13th

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Oh should have checked the dates....

I like what Tropicalevo wrote, avoid bar areas, especially Chawang!

So they will miss the fun! ..... and not get wet at least on Samui! unless it rains of course!

Oh should have checked the dates....

I like what Tropicalevo wrote, avoid bar areas, especially Chawang!

So they will miss the fun! ..... and not get wet at least on Samui! unless it rains of course!

Shame her little boy will miss the fun. Have an Iranian friend coming over with her Husband and 7 yo son for their first Songkran. Nothing like Songkran happens in Tehran!

I asked her the other night if it was the holiday she was looking forward to or the freedom. Being able to wear what she wants and talk to who she likes was the answer. Just imagine what her life must be like in order to dream about something we consider a given. Never met them before but know here through a friend, we are both big foodies and spend maybe 6-8 hours a week, every week talking about food. It's actually illegal for her to talk to me.. Imagine that, illegal to talk to someone about food.

She's bringing some Persian saffron for me. Persian saffron is considered the best in the world (US$10 a gram) so if anyone wants some, let me know soon.

yes, it can be perfect fun for children, if the location is convenient for a child > not in the middle of the brutal water wars and not too much remote, somewhere in the middle and nice, a place you can step back and rest for a while, with a hose in the hand connected to a well or similar, much better than a water gun.

And yes, it can be fun for adults as well, up to their tastes and inner child and the location, it's different if you get soaked and chalked steadily for 12 hours by mostly male drunks or every 5th minute by people passing by on their pick ups...............and if you haven't done that yet.

But, if all that isn't the case, it's absolutely boring. Good thing is, staying on the beach and you even don't know it's Songkran

The water usage is a worry as the island doesn't really have that much.

Oh should have checked the dates....

I like what Tropicalevo wrote, avoid bar areas, especially Chawang!

So they will miss the fun! ..... and not get wet at least on Samui! unless it rains of course!

Shame her little boy will miss the fun. Have an Iranian friend coming over with her Husband and 7 yo son for their first Songkran. Nothing like Songkran happens in Tehran!

I asked her the other night if it was the holiday she was looking forward to or the freedom. Being able to wear what she wants and talk to who she likes was the answer. Just imagine what her life must be like in order to dream about something we consider a given. Never met them before but know here through a friend, we are both big foodies and spend maybe 6-8 hours a week, every week talking about food. It's actually illegal for her to talk to me.. Imagine that, illegal to talk to someone about food.

She's bringing some Persian saffron for me. Persian saffron is considered the best in the world (US$10 a gram) so if anyone wants some, let me know soon.

Saffron is the king of all spices, price is easy to understand +/- 150 flowers for 1gram so 150.000 for 1kg.

Officially April 13 but typically most people start the afternoon before. Just a tip.

I think the best advice, is to just make sure cell phones, cameras etc are protected from getting wet....(put in sealed plastic bag).... just in case some one decides to go a day or two either way! (very unlikely in most areas! )

If people do get wet, in this heat you soon dry off! ..... Wear appropriate clothing too that does not matter if it does gets wet!....

It's best to wear an old shrit, as the dye they put in the water will ruin it, or wear a thong

I think the best advice, is to just make sure cell phones, cameras etc are protected from getting wet....(put in sealed plastic bag).... just in case some one decides to go a day or two either way! (very unlikely in most areas! )

If people do get wet, in this heat you soon dry off! ..... Wear appropriate clothing too that does not matter if it does gets wet!....

It's not that unlikely. I've never seen Songkran that lasts only 1 day in 8 years living in Lamai. People always start early or go on the next day.

I think the best advice, is to just make sure cell phones, cameras etc are protected from getting wet....(put in sealed plastic bag).... just in case some one decides to go a day or two either way! (very unlikely in most areas! )

If people do get wet, in this heat you soon dry off! ..... Wear appropriate clothing too that does not matter if it does gets wet!....

It's not that unlikely. I've never seen Songkran that lasts only 1 day in 8 years living in Lamai. People always start early or go on the next day.

Yep, two full days in Lamai but it pretty much stops after the Sun goes down. I generally head out around 3-4 in the afternoon and take a dry set of clothes with me for later.

have been on Samui at the last 25 Songkran, however never at Lamai, and it never lasted 2 days > a few isolated children begin on 12th during daytime, some impatient youngster afternoon/evening, some lonely Songkran diehards/last extremely drunks awake still stagger with water buckets around on 14th. 14th afternoon it was all over.

have been on Samui at the last 25 Songkran, however never at Lamai, and it never lasted 2 days > a few isolated children begin on 12th during daytime, some impatient youngster afternoon/evening, some lonely Songkran diehards/last extremely drunks awake still stagger with water buckets around on 14th. 14th afternoon it was all over.

Only takes one bucket of water to trash a phone.

have been on Samui at the last 25 Songkran, however never at Lamai, and it never lasted 2 days > a few isolated children begin on 12th during daytime, some impatient youngster afternoon/evening, some lonely Songkran diehards/last extremely drunks awake still stagger with water buckets around on 14th. 14th afternoon it was all over.

It was 2 full days last year in Lamai. Started around lunchtime on the first afternoon and finished at dusk the next day. Not just a couple of isolated kids either. The entire main drag.

I think the best advice, is to just make sure cell phones, cameras etc are protected from getting wet....(put in sealed plastic bag).... just in case some one decides to go a day or two either way! (very unlikely in most areas! )

If people do get wet, in this heat you soon dry off! ..... Wear appropriate clothing too that does not matter if it does gets wet!....

It's not that unlikely. I've never seen Songkran that lasts only 1 day in 8 years living in Lamai. People always start early or go on the next day.

14 years of living in Plai Laem (yes - it is the end of the planet!) and always only one day until last year. Then it intruded into the14th and that was by one drunken farang. I have been told though that the pm of the 12th is common in Chawang in the bar areas.

Apologies to those of you living in Lamai - I rarely go there and I have never been there on Songkran. I bow to your local knowledge. (On the 13th I couldn't get there anyway - too much traffic!)

I think the best advice, is to just make sure cell phones, cameras etc are protected from getting wet....(put in sealed plastic bag).... just in case some one decides to go a day or two either way! (very unlikely in most areas! )

If people do get wet, in this heat you soon dry off! ..... Wear appropriate clothing too that does not matter if it does gets wet!....

It's not that unlikely. I've never seen Songkran that lasts only 1 day in 8 years living in Lamai. People always start early or go on the next day.

14 years of living in Plai Laem (yes - it is the end of the planet!) and always only one day until last year. Then it intruded into the14th and that was by one drunken farang. I have been told though that the pm of the 12th is common in Chawang in the bar areas.

Apologies to those of you living in Lamai - I rarely go there and I have never been there on Songkran. I bow to your local knowledge. (On the 13th I couldn't get there anyway - too much traffic!)

Always 2 days but only really from around midday until dusk. It works out well for me because I have 2 very close friends who own bar/ restaurants so I can do one one day and the other the next. Every year year I have to swap which one I do first and second because of face. I generally cook something like a Gumbo in both places so people have free food when it dies down.

Well add Lamai to Chawang as areas to avoid, unless you want that... but I am sure just in the Bar areas....

Maenam, Ban Thai, Ban Por is much more civilized! ....