Shortly after the opening ceremony, teams in the men’s category surged from the starting line, with rowers demonstrating their skills and precision. Their masterful control of swallowtail boats fueled a fierce and exhilarating race.

The sleek swallowtail boats sliced through the waves, with each team vying for the lead amid the cheers and applause of thousands of spectators and tourists along riverbanks and on Pa Uon Bridge.

The annual festival, closely tied to the region’s strengths in spiritual and cultural tourism and ecotourism, takes place on the vast 10,000-hectare waters of the Son La Hydropower Reservoir.

It not only preserves and promotes the rich cultural traditions of communities living along the reservoir but also serves as a dynamic platform for ethnic groups in and outside Son La province to foster mutual understanding and unity, while creating an atmosphere of excitement and optimism for a year filled with luck, peace, and success.