Bon Om Thook

Bon Om Thook, the Khmer Water Festival, is a Cambodian festival celebrated in November. Every town and province joins in with the celebration but the place to be for Bon Om Thook is Phnom Penh. For three days, workers from every province join with the city's residents to celebrate by night and day.

The river comes alive with fireworks and flotillas of brightly-lit boats and the moon rises over the capital.

The full moon which coincides with the festival is worshiped by many households. The highlight of the festival is a series of boat races. These take place over three days and honour the twelfth century Khmer naval victories achieved under King Jayavarman VII.

Bon Om Thook is ancient; having its roots in a time when the Angkorian kings would test the fighting prowess of their warriors by holding competitions. The races were a form of training and a means by which the king could choose his champions. To this end they were used in a similar way to jousting tournaments in medieval Europe.

Cambodian temples' carvings at Bayon and Banteay Chmar have numerous depictions of battles fought on water. Spiritually, the festival provides a chance to give thanks to Buddha for the year's rice crop and to ask for sufficient rain in the coming year. There are 3 other ceremonies during the festival.

Ork Ambok

Ork Ambok is named after the rice dish which forms part of the Bon Om Thook ceremony. Rice is fried in the husk and then pounded with a giant pestle. The husks are removed and the special rice mixed with coconut and banana. This traditional Khmer dish is sold throughout the festival.

ampheah Preah Kae

Sampheah Preah Kae is a ceremony in which salutations are made to the moon. After the Sampheah Preah Kae ceremony people gather at a pagoda at midnight for Ork Ambok.

Bandaet Pratip

Bandaet Pratip begins around 7 pm with illuminated boats taking to the water. Each boat represents a government ministry or state institution.