Napasai, a luxury beach resort in Koh Samui, offers a Water Festival Package which includes a relaxing one hour Thai massage at the newly renovated spa, and a complimentary dinner at either the recently opened beach BBQ restaurant, which serves fresh local seafood, or the Lai Thai restaurant, which offers French specialities and Thai dishes. Set on a hillside within 17 acres of lush tropical land, Napasai boasts its own private beach and spa. Rates for this package start from 170 GBP per room, per night.
For a more relaxed New Year celebration, La Résidence d’Angkor in Siem Reap, Cambodia is offering a one hour meditation session in the Kong Kea spa and a sunset tour to Tonle Sap Lake followed by a monk blessing as part of their package. Dedicated excursions to the famous temples of Angkor Wat, one of the man-made wonders of the world, can also be arranged. Prices for the Water Festival package start from 184 GBP per room, per night.
The Water Festival package at the two storey teak mansion, The Governor’s Residence in Yangon, Myanmar, includes an exclusive dinner for two at the Mandalay restaurant as well as a complimentary third night if guests wish to extend their trip. The Governor’s Residence is situated only ten minutes away from the city centre and is surrounded by luscious gardens and lotus ponds.
Visitors to The Governor’s Residence are also a short flight away from Mandalay where they can opt to see the sites of Burma by water, on the legendary Road to Mandalay river cruise. The price for the Water Festival package at The Governor’s Residence starts from 172 GBP per room, per night. Prices for a three night Highlights of Burma cruise on Road to Mandalay start from 1400 GBP per person and include all meals, accommodation on board, transfers, and sightseeing in Myanmar.
Luxury spa hotel La Résidence Phou Vao in Luang Prabang will arrange a unique Baci ceremony (traditional blessing) for its guests at New Year, as well as free transfers to participate in the Songkran festivities. In addition to this, two children can stay free of charge when sharing their parents room and the hotel is also offering a complimentary fourth night if guests wish to extend their stay. Laos is deeply rooted to its Buddhist culture and this is reflected in its art, language, and many temples. The country’s many unspoilt national parks and mountainous terrain offer visitors an array of outdoor activities such as trekking, kayaking and caving and Luang Prabang’s two markets, which are famed for their fresh fruit, vegetables, and spices as well as their silk and linen garments, are a must see for tourists who want to take away a souvenir from the country. Prices for the Water Festival Package at La Résidence Phou Vao start from 187 GBP per night.
The ritual of throwing water at Songkran symbolizes the renewal and cleansing of the spirit and stems from a tradition where people would try to catch water used to gently cleanse statues of Buddha. This blessed water was then presented to the elderly for good fortune and to bring prosperity for the New Year. Over the years, the tradition has evolved into a water festival where people joyously throw water over each other using buckets and water guns.
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