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Cow Racing Festival 2023

Marking the last day of Khmer year, the festival is dedicated to ancestors and is a mix of solemn peaceful celebration and full of adrenaline festive activities

Dates: October 15–17, 2023

Cow Racing Festival
Cow Racing Festival
Cow Racing Festival

The ethnic minority Khmer, who live in Mekong Delta, have special activities organized throughout the year. For a few days, people solemnly commemorate​ all the ancestors by placing some offerings on a raft made of banana trees and sending them down the river, current of which will take the offerings to the forefathers. Next, the solemn activity turns into full of adrenaline cow races that attract crowds of people from all kinds of places.

Interestingly, it takes place in a muddy paddy rice field that is slippery and watery. Two cows are connected by a wooden pole to which a "cowboy" clings while trying to steer them both into correct direction and at fast speed. The races happen between two pairs of cows and the distance is under 120 meters.

Tourist information sources of Vietnam indicate that the cow races take place on the 9th and 10th days of the lunar month. Before heading to An Giang province for witnessing Khmer celebrations, please confirm the dates with the local tourism authorities or travel agencies.

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Last updated: by Eleonora Provozin