Highly competitive boat races are held in Phnom Penh and at Angkor, and monks at many temples around the country will row ceremonial boats. The longboats are colourfully decorated and rowed by up to forty participantsm, which makes for a spectacular occasion. It’s a very busy time so book accommodation well in advance.
These races are said to celebrate an event in 1177, when Angkor was invaded and sacked by a fleet of Cham warships which sailed up the Sap River and across the Tonlé Sap. The Chams were then defeated by the country’s most illustrious monarch, Jayavarman VII. Bas-reliefs in the Bayon at Angkor commemorate the great victory.
Travellers often confuse Bon Om Tuk, with Khmer New Year, due to the spirited nature of both celebrations, and the fact that Cambodians throw water in the New Year.