Tonle Sap Reversal Festival

បុណ្យអុំទូក

View on map
MusicPhnom Penh/Tonle Sap
Dates23–25 November 2026Confirmed listing
Duration3 daysListed event span
Crowd-Public scale varies
Best forLive music, late nightsWhat makes the Tonle Sap's reversal
LanguageLocal language; English access variesCurrency: KHR
CategoryMusicFestival type
The story

Tonle Sap Reversal Festival in Phnom Penh/Tonle Sap

The Tonle Sap's twice-yearly flow reversal, in which the river runs backward into its lake during the monsoon and drains forward again as the dry season begins, is the natural phenomenon and founding legend behind Cambodia's Water Festival period. Tradition explains the reversal through a Naga spirit's anger and King Jayavarman VII's appeasement ritual, while modern science credits the cycle with sustaining one of the world's most productive freshwater fisheries.

Twice each year, the Tonle Sap River performs a hydrological reversal found almost nowhere else on Earth, and this natural phenomenon forms the ecological and symbolic backbone of Cambodia's Water Festival period.
Your trip starts here
What is special

The part that makes it specific.

01

The place changes

What makes the Tonle Sap's reversal distinctive is its rarity as a hydrological phenomenon: few rivers on Earth reverse direction on a predictable seasonal cycle, and the lake it feeds swells to more than six times its dry-season size during peak flood, a scale of seasonal transformation that shapes fishing, farming, and settlement patterns across central Cambodia

02

The mystery stays covered

The Naga legend built around the reversal, in which King Jayavarman VII is said to have organized a great festival to calm an angered serpent spirit and restore the river's order, folds a specific historical figure and a purely natural phenomenon into a single origin story, one still commonly retold as the deeper meaning behind the Water Festival's timing each year

Traditions & symbols

The language of the festival.

What moves first

Living ritual

Storytelling around the Naga legend and King Jayavarman VII's appeasement of the river spirit

Water and renewal

Living ritual

informal public and guide-led explanations of the reversal phenomenon during the festival period

The sacred route

Living ritual

ceremonial acknowledgment of the flow reversal as marking the shift from flood season to fishing and harvest season

The local code

Living ritual

and its role as the natural anchor timing the entire Bon Om Touk festival to the following full moon

Before you go

Essential information

When to go

23–25 November 2026

Getting around

Stay close enough to the part of Phnom Penh/Tonle Sap you will actually use, especially if the event runs late.

What to wear

Casual, comfortable clothing suited to riverside or lake excursions, with sun protection for boat trips exploring the Tonle Sap during flood or dry-season conditions.

Safety

At Tonle Sap Reversal Festival, agree on a meeting point and plan food, water and the return route before crowds thicken.

Where to stay

Base yourself where the last trip of the day stays easy, especially if Tonle Sap Reversal Festival runs late.

Tickets/cost

Ticketing varies by venue and stage. Confirm official passes before booking travel.

Language/currency

KHR

Family friendly

unknown

Interactive map11.56 N, 104.92 EOpen in Google Maps

Phnom Penh/Tonle Sap, Phnom Penh/Tonle Sap, Cambodia

Nearest airportPNH — Phnom Penh
TransportStay close enough to the part of Phnom Penh/Tonle Sap you will actually use, especially if the event runs late.
Stay areaBase yourself where the last trip of the day stays easy, especially if Tonle Sap Reversal Festival runs late.

Your Trip Starts Here

External travel services to turn the plan into a trip — each opens in a new tab.

How to get thereRoutes, times and prices to Phnom Penh/Tonle Sap via local transport.Search routesFind a place to stayStays near Phnom Penh/Tonle Sap, close enough for the event-day route.Browse staysFind flightsCompare fares into the nearest practical airport for November.Compare faresFestival gearCasual, comfortable clothing suited to riverside or lake excursions, with sun protection for boat trips exploring the Tonle Sap during flood or dry-season conditions.Shop the kitCheck visa requirementsSee whether you need a visa for Cambodia and apply online.Check entry rulesTravel insuranceCover for trip hiccups, gear and health on the road.Get covered

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FAQ

Quick answers.

When is Tonle Sap Reversal Festival?

Tonle Sap Reversal Festival is listed for 23–25 November 2026. Always re-check the official or local source close to travel.

Where does Tonle Sap Reversal Festival take place?

The festival is listed in Phnom Penh/Tonle Sap, Cambodia. The map coordinate is a planning reference, not a guarantee of a ticket gate or exact venue.

How long should I plan for?

3 days is the listed festival span. Add time for arrival, local transport, queues, and any route changes during the event.

Is a source linked?

Official source linked. Eventisimus separates source confidence from travel suggestions, so check final details before booking.

Where exactly is it?

Phnom Penh/Tonle Sap, Phnom Penh/Tonle Sap, Cambodia

Is it family friendly?

unknown

Sources and editorial review

About this guide

This guide is independently written by Eventisimus using publicly available information, official event and organiser sources where available, local tourism references, and additional editorial research. Eventisimus is not the official organiser of this festival and is not affiliated with it unless explicitly stated.

Festival dates, schedules, ticket conditions, access rules, and local arrangements can change. We aim to present useful and accurate information, but travelers should confirm important details with the official event source before booking transport, accommodation, or tickets.

Found something inaccurate or outdated? Email hello@eventisimus.com with the festival page link and the correction.

Official URLnmc.gov.kh
Organizer accessAre you the organizer? Claim this listing →
SourceSource link available
Listed dates23–25 November 2026
Source statusOfficial source linked
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