The 2023 Sea Festival held in Kep Province with the theme “Together for Tourism.” (Cambodian People’s Party)
On May 11, the Cambodian Ministry of Tourism confirmed that the 12th edition of the Sea Festival will take place in Preah Sihanouk Province from December 18 to 20, 2026, marking the return of the event after a two-year hiatus. The previous festival was staged from December 13 to 15, 2024.
The official opening ceremony is expected to be presided over by Hun Manet, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, together with First Lady Pich Chanmony Hun Manet. This year’s edition will be organised under the theme “Sea Value: Blue Economy Connects Coastal Biodiversity,” highlighting the growing importance of marine sustainability in Cambodia’s tourism and development agenda.
First launched in 2011, the Sea Festival has become one of the country’s flagship tourism events. It rotates annually among Cambodia’s four coastal provinces; Preah Sihanouk Province, Kep Province, Koh Kong Province and Kampot Province. Each presents distinct economic and cultural profiles along the Gulf of Thailand. Beyond its celebratory atmosphere, the festival functions as a strategic platform for promoting coastal tourism, encouraging investment in hospitality and marine industries, and mobilising local communities around the stewardship of fragile coastal ecosystems.
The event offers a window into how Cambodia is positioning its coastal regions within the broader “blue economy”. This includes sustainable fisheries, eco-tourism, marine conservation and the development of tourism infrastructure capable of supporting a growing visitor market. The Sea Festival also reflects an effort by the government to balance economic growth with environmental protection, a critical issue for coastal destinations across Southeast Asia.
Cambodia’s coastline extends roughly 450 kilometres along the Gulf of Thailand, linking the four provinces that host the festival. In 2011, the country’s coastal area gained international recognition when it joined the Club of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World, an affiliation that underscores the environmental and tourism value of its maritime landscapes.
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