Phnom Penh (VNA) - Cambodia's Water Festival 2024 kicked off on the Tonle Sap River's bank in Phnom Penh on November 14 under the chair of King Norodom Sihamoni.
The three-day event features a wide range of activities, including boat racing, Loy Pratip (the display of decorative lighted boats), Sampeas Preah Khe (Moon Festival) and Ok Ambok (a type of glutinous rice roasted and crushed with pestle eaten with banana or coconut juice. Numerous entertainment activities are also organised in localities across the Southeast Asian nation on this occasion.
The national boat racing attracted nearly 350 boats with over 20,000 athletes from 27 central and local ministries and agencies.
Annually, Cambodia organises the water festival to mark the end of monsoon season, convey appreciation to nature, especially water, for the productive harvests, and commemorate the country’s rich culture and long history.
The Water Festival is one of the three main festival events in Cambodia along with the traditional Chol Chhnam Thmey Festival and Pchum Ben Festival. It is also the last long holiday of the year for people in this Southeast Asian country./.
