The Water Festival seems to be partly a fêting of past Naval traditions, and partly a celebration of when the Tonle Sap river reverses flow direction and fishing season begins. To me, it looks mostly like an excuse to have a big party, play very loud music, and maybe sell lots of cell phones and perhaps a few cars.
The major activities are in Phnom Penh, but perhaps uncoincidentally that is also where they have had tragic incidents in the past. The Festival was canceled for a few years after the big stampede of 2010. It was back on for 2016, serendipitously right at the end of our visit to Sieam Reap.
The boats themselves are long and very narrow. The boat in this picture looks like it rides very high in the water, but when fully loaded, they are barely visible above the waterline at midship:
The hulls are smoothly curved, and they are all very brightly painted:
Some are literally being decorated the day before the race:
The construction techniques vary a bit, particularly in how the hulls are re-inforced. The low-budget champion appears to be nylon rope twisted together:
The next step up in terms of cost and strength is probably steel cables; note how narrow the paddles are:
Welded steel rods are probably stronger, but at a cost of very limited adjustability; note also the longitudinal reinforcement in this boat:
The Mercedes solution is clearly turnbuckles!
Regardless of the water-worthiness, or maybe because of it, all boats have some kind of ceremonial offering on the prow. This one took our prize for “Most edible offering”:
Note the decorative scarf, for extra drag in the water?
Click here for the action shots…