Royal Palace sees Water Festival races suspended on 23 November
Published on 11/14/2026 at 10:48 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSFestival change and palace setting
- Royal Government of Cambodia suspended the Phnom Penh celebrations planned for 23 to 25 November 2026.
- The Royal Palace remains the riverside venue named in the suspension notice, while the public holiday continues.
- Construction of the palace began in 1866 under King Norodom, according to Tourism Cambodia.
- The complex stands in Phnom Penh beside the Tonle Sap and includes the Throne Hall and Silver Pagoda.
Royal Palace of Phnom Penh (Preah Barum Reachea Veang Chaktomuk) will not host the planned Water Festival celebrations from 23 to 25 November 2026. The suspension concerns the riverside programme in Phnom Penh, while Cambodia's three-day public holiday remains in place.
Water Festival races suspended at the Phnom Penh palace
The Royal Government of Cambodia suspended the Water Festival celebrations planned along the Tonle Sap River in front of the Royal Palace. The dates were 23 to 25 November 2026, placing the change inside the current travel period. The suspension notice names the palace venue and confirms that the national holiday remains unchanged.
The cancelled programme is the public riverside celebration associated with boat races and related festival activity. Provincial celebrations may still be held according to local traditions and local capacity, but the notice does not create a replacement programme in Phnom Penh. The distinction matters for travellers: 23, 24 and 25 November remain holiday dates, but the palace riverfront will not provide the expected capital-city festival spectacle.
The decision was announced through a government circular reported by Agence Kampuchea Presse and covered by established Cambodian media. A further check published on 10 November 2026 found no reversal of the suspension. The change therefore affects the event planned for the palace, rather than cancelling the national holiday itself.
Royal Palace history meets a missing riverside programme
The palace is Cambodia's official royal residence and occupies a prominent position beside the Tonle Sap in Phnom Penh. Construction began in 1866 under King Norodom, after the royal capital moved to Phnom Penh. Tourism Cambodia records the 1866 construction and identifies the Throne Hall as a major building within the complex.
The compound contains the Throne Hall, the Silver Pagoda and other royal buildings. The Throne Hall has a 59-metre tower, while the Silver Pagoda enclosure contains a floor made from more than 500 silver blocks, according to the national tourism guide. These features remain the architectural context for a visit, but they do not restore the suspended Water Festival programme.
The link between place and event is unusually direct. The festival normally uses the Tonle Sap frontage immediately before the royal compound, so the suspension removes the boat-race setting while leaving the palace itself as a historic attraction. Visitors who are travelling for the building can still plan around its architectural and religious spaces, but those seeking the 2026 races should not expect them at this venue.
Visiting Royal Palace of Phnom Penh: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The planned Water Festival programme at the palace was suspended for 23 to 25 November 2026.
- The suspension applies to the riverside celebrations and boat-race programme; the three-day Cambodian public holiday remains in force.
- The complex is in central Phnom Penh beside the Tonle Sap, with the main entrance on Samdech Sothearos Boulevard.
- Khmer is Cambodia's official language and the riel is the national currency.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Royal Palace of Phnom Penh
When does the Water Festival take place at Royal Palace of Phnom Penh?
The planned palace celebrations were scheduled for 23 to 25 November 2026, but the Phnom Penh programme was suspended.
What is Royal Palace of Phnom Penh?
It is Cambodia's official royal residence and a complex containing the Throne Hall, Silver Pagoda and other royal buildings.
Where is Royal Palace of Phnom Penh and how do you get there?
The palace is in central Phnom Penh beside the Tonle Sap, with its main entrance on Samdech Sothearos Boulevard.
