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Macau the Dragon Boat Festival

By Lek Boonlert

| November 28th 2011 | Views:

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If spectacular colours and water sports competition is your passion, the Dragon Boat Festival of June is one Macau festival you don’t want to miss. It is easily accessed from any cheap Macau hotel in the area and is a spectacular competition held at Nam Van Lakes. The event commemorates the drowning of a well-respected court adviser of the 3rd century BC who was protesting one of the emperor’s decisions to go to war with a peaceful neighbouring nation.

A beautiful poem was supposedly left behind by Wat Yuen (court adviser) before he jumped into the river and drowned. Upon hearing of his drowning, the locals began splashing the water with their boat paddles and throwing dumplings and rice into the river in order to keep the fish from making a meal of his drowned body. The Dragon Boat Festival is also referred to as the Double Fifth Festival. During this event, human paddled dragon boats (typically constructed from Teak) compete on the lakes in one of Macau’s most colourful festivals.

As you will find out whenever you inquire at any of the cheap Macau accommodation venues while visiting the area, the competition began over 200 years ago in China, but it is now a major festive event in Macau. During the competition, these longboats are decorated with Chinese dragon heads and tails. Despite being a folk ritual for over two centuries now, it wasn’t until 1976 that it became an international sport in Hong Kong.

Lek Boonlert - About Author:
Lek Boonlert is an editor and content reviewer at DirectRooms and is responsible for all Cheap Macau Hotel content.