Quynh Nhai’s traditional boat racing festival 2026 makes waves

Set against the backdrop of the 2026 Quynh Nhai Culture, Sports and Tourism Week, the traditional boat racing festival lit up the waters at the Pa Uon Bridge regatta site on the morning of February 26.

One of the week’s headline events, the high-energy spectacle drew crowds of locals and visitors from near and far.

The traditional boat racing festival at the Pa Uon Bridge regatta site.

Representatives from communes across the province attended the opening ceremony, along with representatives from several riverine-culture communities in Dien Bien and Lai Chau provinces. They were joined by a large number of athletes, local residents and visitors from both within and outside the province.

Artisans perform a traditional offering ritual ahead of the race.

This year’s traditional boat racing festival brought together 120 athletes from 12 teams representing hamlets and sub-zones in Quynh Nhai commune and neighbouring communes in the Quynh Nhai area, as well as Nam Hang commune in Lai Chau province and Muong Lay ward in Dien Bien province.

They competed in the men’s team event over a 1,500-m course. Traditional swallow-tail boats were used for the races.

Two teams set off from the starting line.

At the vibrant traditional boat racing festival

Immediately after the opening ceremony, teams from various communes surged off the starting line. Seasoned athletes, sharpened by years of training and competition, powered their boats forward with strong, decisive strokes, setting up thrilling neck-and-neck chases across the lake.

Swallow-tail boats slice through the river’s waves.

Along both riverbanks and atop Pa Uon Bridge, thousands of spectators cheered enthusiastically as the rhythmic beat of drums and gongs echoed across the water, creating a vibrant, high-spirited atmosphere that captured the pulse of this riverine celebration.

Held annually, the traditional boat racing festival is closely tied to the area’s strengths in spiritual-cultural and eco-tourism, set against more than 10,000 hectares of water surface in the Son La hydropower reservoir. Beyond the spectacle, the event plays a vital role in preserving and promoting the rich cultural heritage of the river region, while offering a meaningful platform for exchange, learning and community bonding among ethnic groups both within and beyond the province.

The joy of crossing the finish line.

The festival wrapped up in shared jubilation among racers and spectators alike, leaving behind vivid memories of a land rich in cultural identity and warm hospitality, and stirring excitement and optimism for a successful year ahead.

Comment

You have 500/500 characters left

Please enter 5 or more characters!!!

Maybe you are interested

Recent news

  • 'Chairman of Party Central Committee’s Inspection Commission presents gifts to Son La residents

    Chairman of Party Central Committee’s Inspection Commission presents gifts to Son La residents

    NEWS - POLITICS -
    Tran Sy Thanh, Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and head of the committee’s Inspection Commission, along with a working delegation, on April 28 visited and presented gifts to policy beneficiary families, people with meritorious services to the revolution, poor households, trade union members and workers in difficult circumstances in Son La province on the occasion of the 51st anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification (April 30, 1975 – 2026) and International Workers’ Day (May 1).
  • 'More than 1,000 Yen Chau High School students given school violence prevention education

    More than 1,000 Yen Chau High School students given school violence prevention education

    SOCIETY -
    The People’s Procuracy of Area 4 – Son La, in coordination with the Yen Chau commune police and Yen Chau High School, on April 27 organised a programme to disseminate laws on preventing and combating school violence, as well as acts involving the illegal use of military-grade weapons, including highly lethal knives, for more than 1,000 students and youth union members of the school.
  • 'Unlocking the potential of Suoi To upland commune

    Unlocking the potential of Suoi To upland commune

    SOCIETY -
    Suoi To lies just 18 km from the centre of Phu Yen commune, but its rugged terrain, harsh weather conditions and limited resources have long acted as major barriers to development for this mountainous area. Determined to escape its status as a particularly disadvantaged commune, local Party committee, authorities and residents are making continuous efforts to transform the locality.
  • 'Muong E preserves cultural identity of ethnic groups

    Muong E preserves cultural identity of ethnic groups

    CULTURE -
    Located by the legendary Pha Din Pass, Muong E commune is home to the diverse cultural identities of four ethnic groups: Thai, Kho Mu, Khang, and Mong. This diversity creates a colourful cultural tapestry, which has become a resource for the locality to promote preservation linked to sustainable tourism development.
  • 'New recruits of Regiment 754 receive tradition education

    New recruits of Regiment 754 receive tradition education

    NEWS - POLITICS -
    Regiment 754 under the provincial Military Command on April 26 organised a programme for more than 200 new recruits enlisted in 2026 to offer incense at the President Ho Chi Minh Temple at Tay Bac Square, and to visit and study traditions at the Son La Prison special national relic site.
  • 'Son La art programme celebrates reunification anniversary

    Son La art programme celebrates reunification anniversary

    CULTURE -
    The Son La provincial Centre for Culture and Sports, in coordination with the People’s Committee of Chieng Coi ward, staged a special art programme marking the 51st anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification (April 30, 1975–2026) and the 140th International Workers’ Day (May 1, 1886–2026) on the evening of April 25 at Hoang Quoc Viet pedestrian street.
  • 'First Quynh Nhai commune Sports Festival opens

    First Quynh Nhai commune Sports Festival opens

    SPORTS -
    The People’s Committee of Quynh Nhai commune on April 25 officially opened the first Sports Festival 2026. Attending the opening ceremony were leaders of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, leaders of neighbouring communes, along with a large number of local residents and armed forces personnel.
  • 'Conference disseminates Youth Union’s Resolution, Action Programme

    Conference disseminates Youth Union’s Resolution, Action Programme

    SOCIETY -
    The Standing Board of the Son La provincial Youth Union on April 24 organised a conference to disseminate the provincial Youth Union's Resolution and Action Programme for implementing the resolutions of the Party congresses for the 2025–2030 term. The event was held in a hybrid format, connected to 75 commune- and ward-level venues throughout the province.
  • '16th Son La provincial People’s Committee convenes first meeting

    16th Son La provincial People’s Committee convenes first meeting

    NEWS - POLITICS -
    Nguyen Dinh Viet, Deputy Secretary of the provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, on April 24 chaired the first meeting of the 16th-term provincial People’s Committee (2026–2031), reviewing socio-economic development, national defence and security in April, and setting out tasks for May.
  • 'Son La urged to accelerate reforms, remove investment bottlenecks

    Son La urged to accelerate reforms, remove investment bottlenecks

    NEWS - POLITICS -
    Inspection and Supervision Delegation No. 29 of the Party Central Committee's Politburo and  Secretariat, including Nguyen Dung Tien, Vice Chairman of the Presidential Office and deputy head of the delegation, and Le Thi My Hanh, member of the Party Central Committee’s Inspection Commission and deputy head of the delegation, held a working session with the Standing Board of the Son La provincial People’s Council and the Party Committee of the provincial People's Commitee on April 24.
  • 'Son La opens 2026 student athletics tournament

    Son La opens 2026 student athletics tournament

    SPORTS -
    The provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, in coordination with the Department of Education and Training, opened the 2026 Son La traditional student athletics tournament on April 23 at the provincial Culture and Sports Centre Stadium.
  • 'Party Central Committee’s inspection delegation pays working visit to Son La

    Party Central Committee’s inspection delegation pays working visit to Son La

    NEWS - POLITICS -
    Inspection and Supervision Delegation No. 29 of the Party Central Committee’s Politburo and Secretariat, led by Nguyen Dung Tien, deputy chief of the Office of the State President and deputy head of the delegation, and Le Thi My Hanh, member of the Party Central Committee’s Inspection Commission and deputy head of the delegation, held a working session with the provincial Party Committee’s Organisation Board on April 23.
Load more