Le Thuy Boat Racing – A Festive Day on the Kien Giang River

Le Thuy, a land rich in cultural traditions, is known as 'the homeland of folk songs, lush corn and rice fields, and gentle rivers.' This peaceful corner of Quang Binh’s coastal plain is not only famous for its serene landscapes but also for a special festival deeply rooted in the hearts of its people: the traditional boat racing festival on the Kien Giang River.

Every year on September 2nd – Vietnam’s National Day – tens of thousands of people from near and far return to their homeland to immerse themselves in the jubilant festive atmosphere, where the beating of drums resounds in harmony with the rhythmic strokes of paddles cutting through the water. The sight of dozens of boats racing head-to-head along the Kien Giang River is not merely a test of strength and skill, but a celebration of reunion and a vibrant cultural symbol of Quang Binh.

In 2019, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism officially recognized the Kien Giang River Boat Racing Festival as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage. This recognition affirms the festival’s profound cultural, historical, and social value, while also opening opportunities to promote the proud traditions of Le Thuy people to friends both within Vietnam and around the world.

Traces of Agriculture and Homeland Traditions"

According to the village elders, the boat racing festival originates from the natural conditions and agricultural life of the region. The Kien Giang River flowing through Le Thuy is not only the lifeline that nourishes fertile rice fields, but also a vital waterway for trade and a “cultural river” that has nurtured the soul of generations.

Since ancient times, every August, as the rains arrived and the river swelled with alluvial soil, the people organized boat races both as a way to strengthen their health and as an offering of gratitude to the river gods, praying for favorable weather and bountiful harvests. What began as village entertainment gradually spread to communes and districts, eventually becoming the most anticipated festival of the year.

After the August Revolution of 1945, the people of Le Thuy held a boat racing festival on September 2, 1946 to celebrate national independence. From then on, the festival became officially tied to Vietnam’s National Day and has been held annually ever since.

What makes the Le Thuy festival special compared to many others is that, instead of following the agricultural calendar or traditional village festivities, its date is directly linked to the nation’s Independence Day. As such, the festival embodies both folk beliefs and a strong historical–political significance, awakening patriotism and national pride.

The boat racing festival has even been immortalized in folk verses, becoming a “promise” ingrained in the community’s consciousness:

“Wherever one may wander,
On September 2nd, they will always return for the homeland’s festival.”

This simple verse carries profound emotions. Each autumn, no matter how far they roam, the children of Le Thuy long to return to the Kien Giang River, where childhood memories flow together with the resounding beat of festival drums.

The Unique Features of Le Thuy Boat Racing

While many boat racing festivals in Central and Southern Vietnam are often tied to the full-moon days of the 7th or 8th lunar months or to traditional village festivities, the Le Thuy festival takes place precisely on September 2nd of the solar calendar. This meaningful coincidence makes Vietnam’s National Day also the most important festive day of Le Thuy homeland.

In Le Thuy, people do not simply call it “boat racing.” There is a clear distinction:

• “Do boi” (Swimming Boat) – for men, where rowers sit and use short paddles to stroke rhythmically.
• “Do dua” (Racing Boat) – for women, where rowers stand, using longer paddles with movements that are both powerful and graceful.

This unique separation creates a rare cultural feature, reflecting not only a sense of gender equality but also an artistic dimension to the performances on the Kien Giang River.

The craft of building racing boats in Le Thuy is a refined traditional skill, requiring deep knowledge of waterways and generations of experience. Craftsmen carefully select lightweight, durable, and flexible wood to construct boats stretching from 18 to over 20 meters. The hull is built narrow with a tapered bottom to minimize water resistance. Wooden planks are joined using mortise-and-tenon techniques with wooden pegs and bamboo nails, ensuring strength while allowing the hull to “breathe,” preventing cracks under changing weather.

The sides of the boat curve upward in the shape of a “dragon’s back,” helping water splash aside as the vessel surges forward with speed and stability. Men’s boats are usually longer and wider, carrying many seated rowers using short paddles (chầm), while women’s boats are smaller and more compact, with rowers standing, wielding long paddles in movements both powerful and graceful. Each boat is the result of skilled village craftsmanship—creations not only for competition but also as symbols of pride and cultural identity for the entire community.

The racecourse on the Kien Giang River is considered one of the longest and most challenging in Vietnam’s boat racing festivals: about 24 kilometers for men and 15 kilometers for women. Sharp bends, narrow passages, and strong currents make the competition a true test of endurance, requiring not only physical stamina but also technical precision and seamless teamwork.

The festival attracts not only local participants but also tens of thousands of visitors. Along both riverbanks, crowds gather shoulder to shoulder beneath a sky filled with flags and flowers. In recent years, the event has even been broadcast live on national television, becoming a cultural spectacle watched across the country.

A Festival Rich in Identity

The boat racing festival is an occasion to cultivate physical strength, willpower, and the spirit of sportsmanship. From a young age, the boys and girls of Le Thuy are familiar with the river, growing up to be trained through each racing season, and eventually shining on the grand festive day.

This is a district-wide festival, where every village and commune forms its own team. The preparations—from building boats, training, to rallying sponsorship—mobilize the collective strength of the whole community. As such, the festival becomes a powerful bond, fostering neighborly ties and a spirit of solidarity.

Because it is tied to National Day, the festival also carries profound historical meaning. It honors the past, stirs patriotism, and reminds younger generations of the priceless value of independence and freedom. Especially significant is the fact that Le Thuy is also the homeland of General Vo Nguyen Giap, which lends the event an even deeper sense of sacredness.

Today, the boat racing festival has become a “tourism brand” of Quang Binh. The sight of dozens of boats cutting through the waves to the rhythm of resounding drums and the cheers of thousands creates a vivid river festival scene—one that is rich in cultural identity and irresistibly attractive to both domestic and international visitors.

Preserving the Cultural Heritage of the Le Thuy Boat Racing Festival

In 2019, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism recognized the Le Thuy Boat Racing Festival as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage. This recognition provides a vital foundation for preserving, teaching, and promoting the festival in a systematic and scientific way.

Villages along the river maintain youth teams, passing down rowing techniques to the next generation. Many schools in Le Thuy have also incorporated knowledge of the festival into extracurricular activities, helping students to appreciate and love their local heritage from an early age.

Each year, the organizers develop safety plans for the racecourse, ensure rescue measures, and encourage the community to protect the environment by keeping the river clean throughout the festival.

Various communication efforts—including live broadcasts, documentaries, and digital media—have been undertaken to promote the festival. The digitization and archiving of photos, documents, and oral histories of witnesses are invaluable resources for future research and education.

During the festival week, many cultural and tourism programs are organized, combining visits to the Memorial House of General Vo Nguyen Giap, Hoang Phuc Pagoda, and traditional craft villages—creating a unique chain of cultural, spiritual, and experiential tourism products.

The Le Thuy boat racing on the Kien Giang River is not merely a sporting event, but a cultural, historical, and communal symbol of Quang Binh. Over decades, it has become a “homecoming day” for the people of Le Thuy, a source of pride for this heroic land, and a distinctive tourism product that helps promote the homeland’s image to international friends.

Preserving and enhancing the festival is not only the responsibility of the local authorities and people of Le Thuy, but also a shared commitment of the wider community—so that the resounding festival drums and the rhythmic strokes across the Kien Giang River will echo for generations to come.

Tuệ Minh