Posted 29 Mar 2010

Gap year travellers in South East Asia next month can take part in a water festival created to mark the occasion.

Orient-Express hotels are offering special packages in Koh Samui, Siem Reap, Yangon and Luang Prabang between April 9th and 18th to mark Songkran.

The bundles include a traditional Buddhist monk blessing ceremony, complementary airport transfers and full daily breakfasts.

Throwing water is a ritual that takes place each New Year in South East Asia, as it symbolises the renewing and cleansing of the spirit and dates back to a time when people would attempt to catch water used to clean Buddha statues.

Now, the practice has extended to a full-blown water fight, where participants attempt to soak each other using buckets and water guns.

The northern region of Chiang Mai in Thailand was recently recommended for intrepid travellers, as the Tamarind Village hotel offers a base from which visitors can explore the area’s temples and shopping districts.

Category: Asia