Ayutthaya’s elephants enjoy a splash too.
A major city in Thailand’s northeastern Isaan, Khon Kaen hosts one of the kingdom’s largest Songkran festivals. Centring on Khao Niao (Sticky Rice) Road, the city turns out a colourful ox cart parade along with a wide array of folk performances and a food fair at Kaen Nakhon Lake. Another good option in Isaan is Nong Khai, which holds its own parade alongside the Mekong River.
Phuket gets things rolling with a ceremony in the island province’s capital city on the first day. The water fighting party is centred at Bangla Road in Patong, with the other major beach towns also getting in on the action. If you’re in Southern Thailand and want a more traditional Songkran, Nakhon Si Thammarat holds a large Buddha image parade and an interesting swinging contest that derives from an ancient Hindu ritual.