text: Program The Royal Water Festival, which lasts for three days, was recorded for the first time under the reign of King Norodom in 1873 and follows a precise ritual. Dragon boats from every major pagoda in Cambodia, come to Phnom Penh and compete for three days during daylight in elimination rounds until the final race on the third day. In the evening around 6:00 pm, a prayer is said for peace to Preah Mae Kongkea and a candle is lit by the King. Following this prayer, illuminated floating boats parade on the Tonle Sap, accompanied by fireworks. The illuminated floating boats represent the various royal ministries of Cambodia.
  Classification of the dragon boats
  It is difficult to make a precise list of the various dragon boats involved in the race. The earliest French documents show boat carvings from the temples of Banteay Chhmar and the temple of Bayon. Khmer architecture is used to design various types of boats, such as:
  The Makara boat
  The Nāga boat
  The Five Head Naga boats
  The Elephant boat
  The Crocodile boats
  The Hanuman boat riding giant
  The Suvannamaccha boat or Mermaid boat
  The Hang Meas (Khmer Golden Phoenix-like Bird) boat
  The Peacocks boat
  The Garuda boat