Pchum Ben Festival (Day 1)

Pchum Ben is Cambodia’s ancestral Buddhist festival. Families take food to pagodas so monks can dedicate merit to the dead. Kan Ben already fills many wats; Days 1–3 mark the crowded public-holiday climax when people travel home. Bring rice, cakes, and simple dishes, then follow the local pagoda’s morning schedule. Gregorian dates move with the lunar calendar. Use the upcoming-year list for planning and treat older years as an archive. The festival is about duty to parents and grandparents, not only a day off.