If you want to experience Thailand at its most exciting and exhilirating, make sure you get there for the annual Songkran festivities. On April 13 each year the Thai people celebrate their New Year. While there are many traditions and rituals surrounding this event, it is known by everyone as the world's biggest water-splashing festival.

Thailand is lucky enough to celebrate three different New Years. On January 1 New Year is marked with fireworks, parties and the giving of gifts. Then a few weeks later, the country’s large Chinese community celebrates the Chinese New Year, and everyone joins in with fireworks and lavish feasts. Finally, in April it is time for the Thai New Year, which is marked by the biggest celebrations of all.

Throughout the country, people gather outside their homes and take to the streets to splash each other with water, a symbolic cleansing and renewal for the year ahead. While some do it with a delicate dribble over the head and shoulders, others take the tradition to its full extreme, using buckets, huge water guns and firehoses to douse passers-by. Not only do the Thais take part, but these days the foreigners join in the fun as well.

In the country's tourist hotspots like Phuket, Chiang Mai and Pattaya, big festivals are organised to celebrate Songkran. These feature musical concerts, street parades, beauty pageants and traditional ceremonies at the temples. But it is the water-throwing that dominates proceedings, and it can last several days. The moment you leave your hotel you are likely to be doused with water - and you'll probably stay wet all day.

Regulars will know to wear sports clothes, and to leave mobile phones and other valuables at home - or keep them carefully wrapped in waterproof material. Besides water, you are also likely to be covered in white talcum powder. This is based on the tradition of an older person applying white paste to the face, neck and torso of family members to ward off evil.

So, where is the best place to party over Songkran? Chiang Mai, in the north of Thailand, draws tens of thousands of visitors. With the ancient moat running alongside the walls of the Old City and the Ping River flowing through the town centre, there is plenty of water to go around. The festive atmosphere along the waterways, coupled with the scenic beauty for which the area is famous, make it a perfect home for this celebration.

Surprisingly, the sprawling Thai capital, Bangkok, is quieter than usual at this time of the year due to the number of Thais returning to their hometowns and villages in the provinces. The lack of traffic jams and easy accessibility around the city make it a perfect time to visit. And there are still plenty of Songkran celebrations in the city, with the biggest centred around Khao San Road area, the area popular with backpackers from around the globe.

In the southern part of the country, where the popular beach destinations of Phuket, Krabi and Koh Samui are located, the event is usually celebrated on one hectic, fun-filled day. Many visitors seek refuge at their hotel pools or on the beaches, but the local Thais and the young-at-heart seem quite content to spend the day battling it out in their water wars.

Whatever town you are in, though, you will find streetside celebrations and "battle sites". Motorcyclists and their pillion passengers make irresistible targets and their attempts to avoid a dousing often results in great fun. Trucks are used to ferry around large drums of water and, in recent years, ice is often added to the water. Young and old, everyone seems to enjoy the opportunity to let their hair down.

Of course, there is a more serious side to Songkran. The sprinkling of water, usually a delicate affair, is only traditionally practiced on the third day of Songkran, the first official day of the New Year. Families dress in traditional Thai costume and wear leis of jasmine flowers to visit the temple, where they clean the Buddha images with scented water.

In the traditional ceremony, a small amount of water is gently poured over the shoulder and down the back of an older person by a young member of the family. It is a sombre moment, usually combined with singing and good wishes. Related to this is the marking of the body with white paste and the tying of string around the wrists of others. These gestures all express good wishes for the New Year. The string is never removed, but left to fall off of its own accord.

Songkran traditions have a long history and are still observed in parts of China, Laos and northern Myanmar. The actual event is the occasion of the passing of the sun from Taurus into Aries, marking the beginning of a new astrological year. However, the festivals in Thailand are always held on April 12, 13 and 14. The time of the year also represents the end of the school year and, importantly for the farmers, the coming of the rainy season.

If you intend visiting Thailand in April, you need to finalise travel plans as soon as possible. With millions of people criss-crossing the country, flights and bus transport is at a premium. Hotel bookings are also usually very heavy, as workers often get four or five days off. Pack some 'get wet' clothing and learn to say the Songkran greeting in Thai: "Suk-san wan songkran". Now, you are ready for the party of the year.