Water Festival in Siem Reap

I was lucky enough to show up in Siem Reap at the begining of the Water Festival, one of the most important holidays for the Khmers in Cambodia. I was even luckier because my hotel was located right across the street from the river, right in the middle of the action. In Siem Reap the Water Festival lasted only two days. In Phomn Phen it lasted three days and the tragedy struck on the final day.

Water Festival

In Cambodia, the Water Festival takes place in October or November during the full moon. The festival basically celebrates the end of the rainy season which runs from May to October. The high rainfall causes the water level in the Mekong River to rise so much that it is actually above the water level in the surrounding tributaries. Thus, water flows from the Mekong upstream to a large lake in the center of the country. At water levels in the Mekong drop, the direction of flow in the tributaries reverses. Who said "water always flows upstream"? The Water Festival celebrates the reversal of flow that signifies the rainy season is over.

The main Water Festival celebration is in the main city, Phnom Phen, but there is also a large water festival in Siem Reap. Many people come to Siem Reap from the surrounding countryside. It was fun to watch them travel with many, many people piled in to the crowded backs of trucks or flatbeds to get to the festival.

Street Fair

Booths along the side of the road.


The crowds arrive.






Fun for the kids.


Kid selling baloons.





Girl scouts.


3 kids enjoying their Saturday afternoon.



Bands

Singing Cambodian songs.


These Cambodian rockers were playing "Hotel California" which has to be the most covered song in the history of rock and roll.



Boat Races

One feature of Water Festivals around Cambodia are boat races. The boats are long canoes with teams of about 21 paddlers. The boats race, two at a time, along a 1000meter stretch of the river. Apparently, there are separate teams for men and women. I have no idea what the winners get, but the boat races drew a large crowd.

Saturday-practicing for the race




Kids racing


Sunday- race day







I watched the boat races with this little guy.


It doesn't look like these ladies won.


Monks enjoying the boat races from the front row. I read a report that said they wanted to ban monks from attending the Water Festival in Phnom Phen because they didn't want them exposed to things like scantily clad women and people kissing. I guess that memo didn't reach Siem Reap.