Carving Up the Holiday
Banyan Tree Krabi, a beautiful beachfront resort located on tranquil Tubkaek Beach, some 35 minutes’ drive from the town of Krabi, introduces its Songkran International BBQ Dinner from 6:30 pm on 13 April, featuring authentic Thai cuisine, sizzling barbecue bites, and spectacular live entertainment to welcome in the Thai New Year. Highlights include a live carving station with slow-roasted Angus spare ribs and a live barbecue station with fresh local lobster, tiger prawns, mussels, veal sausage, BBQ beef skewers, and grilled turmeric chicken. Daytime activities for guests at Banyan Tree Krabi include a traditional Buddhist alms-giving ceremony, and for kids, there will be free coconut ice cream in the afternoon. The evening peaks with live entertainment on the beachfront lawn.
Skykran for Songkran
On Meliá Chiang Mai’s 21st floor, signature MAI Restaurant & Bar marks the Thai New Year with a ‘Songkran Special Edition’ menu from April 11-17, 2026. Dishes range from a spicy grilled scallop salad and baked black pork with Thai oregano to a grilled Australian beef ribeye with a fermented shrimp paste curry sauce. One level above, MAI The Sky Bar, will host “Skykran Festival” from April 13-15 with free entry. Perched on the 22nd floor, the 360-degree rooftop bar, with a glass bridge connecting its highest vantage points, will serve Songkran-inspired cocktails and host live music.
The Barbequed Streets of Samui
Tucked into a lush hillside and featuring its own secluded beachfront, Banyan Tree Samui’s 88 pool villas – each with a private infinity pool – provide a haven of calm and quiet during this carnival-esque week. Every evening from April 11 to 15, award-winning restaurant Saffron, which was listed in last year’s MICHELIN Guide, will feature a Songkran set menu. On April 13, the resort will host a Streets of Samui BBQ Buffet Food Market from 7 pm, featuring a traditional Thai dance performance. And every evening from April 13 – 15, The Edge restaurant will offer a special Floating Breakfast buffet.
Make Ice Cream, Not War
At INNSIDE by Meliá Bangkok Sukhumvit, festivities this Songkran range from a traditional water-pouring ceremony and a long-drum parade to mango bites and temple-style ice-cream. The hotel will offer a complimentary ‘Songkran Fun Flow’ corner for in-house guests with mango bites and local dips such as sweet fish sauce dip and sweet shrimp paste dip, from April 13-15 at The Kites Eatery. The hotel will host the ceremony and parade and offer ice cream, made by shaking metal tubes filled with flavored drinks in a container of ice and salt, on April 15 from 1-4 pm. Employees will also don creative Songkran styles as part of a contest.
Pool Parties and Beats in Pattaya
Meliá Pattaya Hotel’s LAY Beach Club will usher in the Thai New Year with pool parties, live DJs, a foam cannon, dancers, fire shows and more. The Songkran Pool Party will be held from April 13-15 from 3-9 pm. The Lay Beach Club Foam Pool Party on April 16 and 19 from 2-11 pm will feature a foam cannon, dancers, and a fire dance show. Daybed and cabana deals on April 13, 14, 15, and 19, and table drinks packages ranging from cocktail towers to beer buckets on April 16 will be on offer. Entry to all of these events is free except for April 16, with online tickets priced at 250 THB or 500 THB per person at the door, inclusive of one drink. The parties will be held in collaboration with sponsors Chang and Mekhong, with Dreamland’s DJs spinning the decks on April 16 and 19.
