Grand Ok Om Bok Moon Thanksgiving & National "Ghe Ngo" Regatta Soc Trang 2026

Schedule: 2026 | Location: Vietnam

Taking place during the auspicious full moon of the 10th lunar month along the banks of the Maspero River in Soc Trang City, the Ok Om Bok Festival and Sacred Ghe Ngo Regatta 2026 is the premier cultural and sporting extravaganza of Southern Vietnam's Khmer community. Drawing over half a million passionate spectators and cultural travelers, this revered holiday has been officially recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage of Vietnam. The electrifying heart of the festival is the legendary Ghe Ngo Boat Regatta, bringing together nearly 60 men's and women's pirogue crews representing Theravada Buddhist pagodas across Soc Trang, Tra Vinh, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau, Kien Giang, and Can Tho. The 30-meter-long sacred war canoes, vibrantly painted with divine Naga motifs, slice through the foaming waters of the Maspero River propelled by the muscular power of over 3,000 synchronized rowers. The thunderous roar of cheering crowds, frantic rhythmic whistles, and booming brass gongs reverberating across the riverbanks create one of Southeast Asia's most exhilarating aquatic spectacles. As dusk settles on the full moon night, the festival transitions into an ethereal spiritual communion with the Moon Worship Thanksgiving Rite at Bach Dang Square and historic temple courtyards. Devotees gather for the touching "Cốm Dẹp" feeding ceremony to bestow blessings upon the young, while the night sky is illuminated by thousands of floating lantern balloons and the shimmering waters of the Maspero River reflect hundreds of illuminated Loy Pratip floral candle rafts carrying heartfelt wishes of goodwill and prosperity.