While January 1 marks the new year for many, millions of people across Asia and the Pacific celebrate their own cultural new years in the weeks and months that follow — rich with tradition, family reunion, and the fresh hope of a new beginning. If you’re sending money home to be part of the celebration, here’s everything you need to know.

From late March through April, some of the most meaningful cultural new years in the world unfold across OrbitRemit’s corridors — from the stillness of Bali’s Day of Silence to the colour-soaked streets of South Asia and the water fights of Southeast Asia. Whether you’re in Australia or New Zealand, OrbitRemit makes it easy to send a piece of home — right when it matters most.

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🌙 Nyepi — Bali, Indonesia | March 19, 2026

Nyepi — Bali’s Day of Silence — is one of the most extraordinary new year celebrations anywhere in the world. Observed on the first day of the Balinese Saka new year, Nyepi falls on March 19, 2026, and marks the new year with complete stillness rather than celebration.

For 24 hours, the entire island of Bali goes quiet. Airports close, roads are empty, lights are dimmed, and Balinese Hindus spend the day in fasting, meditation, and self-reflection. The silence is observed to trick evil spirits into thinking the island is uninhabited, so they will pass it by.

The day before, however, is the spectacular Pengrupukan — where enormous Ogoh-Ogoh statues (effigies of demons) are paraded through the streets and then ceremonially burned to drive away negative energy before the new year begins. It is one of Bali’s most dramatic and visually stunning events.

Ahead of Nyepi, many Indonesian families use remittances to cover the costs of offerings, new clothes, and preparations for the new year’s celebrations across the archipelago.

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⛪ Festivals of Faith — the Philippines | Holy Week: April 1–5, 2026

While the Philippines follows the Gregorian calendar for its civil new year, the early part of the year brings one of the most important times in Filipino culture: Mahal na Araw, or Holy Week. In 2026, Holy Week falls in the first week of April, and it is treated with extraordinary devotion across the country.

Good Friday (April 3, 2026) sees streets go quiet, businesses close, and many communities hold processions, passion plays (Senakulo), and acts of religious devotion. In some towns, particularly in Pampanga, this takes dramatic forms. The entire week is a time of family, reflection, and homecoming — Filipinos working in cities and abroad return to their provinces to be with family.

Many Filipino families also look forward to the summer (April–May) fiestas, with communities hosting patron saint celebrations featuring parades, music, food, and communal feasting. These fiestas are a cornerstone of Filipino community identity and pride.

OrbitRemit supports transfers to the Philippines via bank deposit, GCash wallet, and cash pickup — giving your family flexibility in how they receive your love and support.

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🌺 Tết Thanh Minh — Vietnam | April 4–5, 2026

While Vietnam’s major Lunar New Year — Tết Nguyên Đán — is celebrated in late January or early February, April brings another deeply meaningful occasion: Tết Thanh Minh (清明節), Vietnam’s equivalent of Qingming or the “Clear and Bright” festival.

Tết Thanh Minh is a time of ancestral reverence and family reunion. Families visit and clean the graves of their ancestors, making offerings of food, incense, flowers, and — in the Vietnamese tradition — votive paper offerings. The act of sweeping and tending to graves is considered an act of filial piety and deep respect.

Families gather for communal meals after the cemetery visits, and the day takes on a warm, reflective quality: honouring those who came before while celebrating the bonds between the living. For Vietnamese families separated by distance, sending money before Tết Thanh Minh helps ensure the family can come together for this meaningful day.

OrbitRemit also supports cash pickup in Vietnam for recipients who may not have easy access to a bank account.

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🪷 Baisakhi, Ugadi, Vishu & Puthandu — India | March-April, 2026

India doesn’t celebrate just one new year — it celebrates several, each rooted in regional culture and the Hindu solar calendar. In mid-April, communities across the country welcome the new year in their own unique way.

March 14 – Ugadi marks the new year in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka. Families prepare Ugadi Pachadi — a chutney that combines six tastes (sweet, sour, bitter, salty, spicy, and astringent) to represent the many flavours life will bring in the year ahead.

April 14 – Baisakhi (Vaisakhi) is one of the most vibrant harvest festivals, celebrated with enormous energy in Punjab and across the Sikh diaspora. Bhangra and gidda dancing fill the streets, and the golden wheat harvest is a symbol of abundance and gratitude.

April 14 – Puthandu in Tamil Nadu begins with a Kani — an auspicious arrangement of items seen first thing in the morning — followed by feasting, new clothes, and family gatherings.

April 15 – Vishu in Kerala centres on the Vishukkani — the first auspicious sight of the new year, typically a golden arrangement of rice, fruit, flowers, gold, and sacred texts, seen at the break of dawn. Children receive Vishu Kaineettam — money given as a blessing by elders.

Sending money home before Baisakhi, Ugadi, Vishu, or Puthandu helps your family celebrate the way they deserve — new clothes, festive food, and gifts for the children in the family.

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🥥 Aluth Avurudda — Sri Lanka | April 13–14, 2026

Aluth Avurudda (Sinhala New Year) and Tamil Aluth Avurudham are celebrated together across Sri Lanka on April 13–14, marking the end of the harvest season and the astrological new year. It is one of the most culturally significant holidays in the country.

Traditions are timed to precise astrological calculations. Families cook kiribath (milk rice) at the auspicious moment, light the hearth facing the lucky direction, exchange gifts, and apply oil with a ceremonial leaf. Village games like kotta pora (pillow fighting) and climbing the greased pole bring communities together.

The holiday also carries deep significance for Sri Lanka’s Tamil community, who celebrate Puthandu — the Tamil New Year — at the same time, with the Kani tradition and special festive meals.

Many families use extra funds to purchase new clothes, prepare traditional sweets like kavum and kokis, and travel home to celebrate together. If your loved ones are in Sri Lanka, sending money before April 13 means they can celebrate fully.

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💦 Songkran — Thailand | April 13–15, 2026

Songkran is Thailand’s Thai New Year and one of the world’s most beloved cultural festivals. Officially observed from April 13–15, 2026, Songkran is known globally for its exuberant water celebrations — but at its heart, it is a deeply spiritual holiday centred on family, respect, and renewal.

The word Songkran comes from Sanskrit, meaning “passage” — referring to the sun’s transition into a new astrological position. Traditionally, people gently pour scented water over the hands of elders and Buddha statues as a gesture of reverence and blessing. The playful street-wide water fights evolved from this ritual and have become a joyous expression of the festival’s spirit.

Families return to their hometowns, clean their homes, offer merit at temples, and share meals together. In Chiang Mai, the celebrations extend for nearly a week around the old moat, while Bangkok’s Khao San Road and Silom draw massive crowds. Cities across Thailand host parades, beauty pageants, sand sculpture contests, and cultural performances.

If your family is in Thailand, sending money ahead of Songkran means they can travel home, host their own water-fight celebrations, and honour the holiday’s beautiful traditions.

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🌸 Pohela Boishakh — Bangladesh | April 14, 2026

Pohela Boishakh is Bangladesh’s biggest secular celebration and national new year. The name means “first day of Boishakh” — the opening month of the Bengali calendar — and it is celebrated with extraordinary enthusiasm across the country on April 14.

In Dhaka, the Mangal Shobhajatra — a UNESCO-recognised procession of colourful masks, puppets, and symbolic floats — winds through the streets. Fairs, cultural performances, and traditional music fill the day, while families gather for festive meals of panta bhat (fermented rice), hilsa fish, and sweets.

Businesses traditionally open new ledgers on this day, settling old accounts and starting fresh — the spirit of new beginnings runs through every part of the celebration.

Sending money to Bangladesh before Pohela Boishakh lets your family join in the festivities, buy new clothes for the procession, and enjoy the holiday without financial worry. Transfers to Bangladesh from OrbitRemit are free of charge.

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🏔️ Bisket Jatra & Nepali New Year | April 14, 2026

Nepal’s new year falls in mid-April, marking the start of Baisakh — the first month of the Bikram Sambat calendar. The most spectacular celebration is Bisket Jatra in the ancient city of Bhaktapur, one of the oldest and most dramatic festivals in the country.

The centrepiece of Bisket Jatra is the pulling of enormous chariots carrying images of the deities Bhairava and Bhadrakali through the town’s narrow streets — a powerful ritual that draws thousands of devotees and visitors. The festival culminates in the raising of a towering lingo (pole), which when toppled marks the official start of the new year.

Across Nepal more broadly, Nepali New Year is a time for family gatherings, temple visits, and wishes for prosperity. In the hills and villages, communities hold local fairs and cultural programmes. Children receive new clothes, and families share festive meals.

OrbitRemit supports bank transfers and cash pickup in Nepal, making it convenient for recipients wherever in the country they are.

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🌊 Pacific Island celebrations — Samoa, Fiji & more | Easter

For OrbitRemit’s Pacific Island communities — including Samoa, Fiji, and Tonga — the season of cultural celebration is deeply intertwined with church, family, and community. Many Pacific communities in Australia and New Zealand send remittances to support family gatherings, church events, and cultural festivals throughout the year.

In Samoa, Easter (observed in April) is one of the most significant times of year, with White Sunday (the second Sunday in October) being a beloved children’s day. Many families take advantage of the April school holidays to travel back to the islands or send gifts and money home.

In Fiji, Easter weekend is a time of church services, family feasts, and community gatherings. Fijians living in Australia and New Zealand often send money home to help their families celebrate and cover travel costs for relatives coming together.

OrbitRemit now supports mobile wallet transfers via M-Tala in Samoa and M-PAiSA in Fiji, making it faster and more convenient than ever for your family to receive funds directly on their phone.

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Tips for sending money in time for the festivities

Send early

Aim to send money at least 3–5 business days before the celebration, especially if it falls on a public holiday in the receiving country — bank processing times can be slower around major holidays.

Check your delivery method.

OrbitRemit supports bank deposits, mobile wallets (GCash, bKash, M-Tala, M-PAiSA), and cash pickup in select countries. Make sure you choose the method that works best for your recipient.

Transfers of $10,000 or more are free

If you’re supporting a larger family celebration or sending on behalf of multiple people, you pay zero fees on transfers of AUD or NZD $10,000 or more.

Use the OrbitRemit app

Track your transfer in real time and receive notifications when your money arrives — perfect for sharing the moment with your family on the other side of the world.

New customers get special promo rate and $0 fees

Know someone who hasn’t tried OrbitRemit yet? Their first transfer comes with no fees and a promotional rate.

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Send happiness with OrbitRemit

Whether you’re in Auckland, Sydney, Melbourne, or Wellington, the festivals your family celebrates back home are just as much a part of your identity as theirs. Sending money is a way of staying present — of saying “I’m thinking of you, I’m celebrating with you, even from here.”

From Nyepi’s night-time stillness in Bali to Pohela Boishakh’s colourful processions in Dhaka, from Songkran’s water fights in Chiang Mai to the Pacific Easter gatherings of Samoa and Fiji — this season is full of reasons to connect. OrbitRemit is proud to serve communities from across Asia and the Pacific, making it simple and affordable to send love home — fast, securely, and at great rates.

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FAQs (Frequently asked questions)

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© 2026 OrbitRemit Limited. Registered in New Zealand. NZBN 9429033208280. Licensed and regulated by the Financial Markets Authority (New Zealand), ASIC (Australia).

This blog post is for informational purposes only. Festival dates may vary by year and region — always confirm with local sources.