Chol Vossa marks the beginning of Buddhist Lent, the three-month monastic retreat that runs from late July through to late October. The practice comes from a rule the Buddha established to stop monks from travelling during the monsoon season, when they might inadvertently crush insects and crop shoots underfoot. For the full three months, monks must remain within their temple compounds: they do not walk their morning alms routes through the streets. On the day Chol Vossa begins, laypeople bring food and offerings directly to temples rather than meeting monks in the street. The ceremony at Siem Reap's wats starts before dawn: chanting, candlelight, the presentation of food and robes to monks, families arriving in formal dress. The most accessible pagodas for visitors are Wat Preah Prom Rath, on the river near the Old Market, and Wat Bo, in the residential neighborhood east of Pub Street. What to expect: you will not see monks walking for alms during this period, a noticeable absence if you know to look for it. The spiritual life of the city moves inside temple walls. July is peak monsoon: rain arrives daily in the mid-afternoon. Go to temples early. The Angkor complex remains fully open and is actually quieter than the peak dry-season months.
- Location
- Siem Reap Province-wide