Happy Royal Water Festival, Lantern Floating, Ak Ambok, and Moon Worship

Phnom Penh: On the second day of the Royal Water Festival, which includes the Boat Racing, Lantern Floating, and Moon Worship ceremonies, in addition to the boat races, many illuminated lantern floats were also arranged and decorated with colorful lights to showcase their beauty on the surface of the river in front of the Royal Palace.

On this occasion, the CNC news team went to capture images, observing many lantern floats arranged and decorated with colorful lights, their bright and beautiful glow reflecting across the waters of the Tonle Sap River.

According to figures from the National and International Festival Organizing Committee, the number of lantern floats joining this year’s celebrations of the Royal Water Festival, Lantern Floating, and Moon Worship in 2025 totals 35 — 34 from ministries and institutions and 1 from the private sector. This year, the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation also proudly prepared a lantern float to join the festivities.

On the second night of the Royal Water Festival, crowds of people from all directions — including foreign tourists and expatriates living and working in Cambodia — came to enjoy the festivities, smiling happily, sitting and standing along the riverbank to admire the dazzling beauty and precious lights shining from each lantern float. Among them were floats from the Ministry of the Royal Palace, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Public Functions, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Information, Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training, Ministry of Environment, and others. Each ministry’s float highlighted themes related to its own sector.

It should be noted that the Royal Water Festival, Lantern Floating, and Moon Worship ceremonies take place from the 14th waxing moon to the 1st waning moon of the month of Kadeuk — corresponding to November 14, 15, and 16, 2025.

According to documents compiled by the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts on the meaning of the Water Festival, “Ak Ambok” (flattened rice) ceremony, Moon Worship, and Lantern Floating:

• Boat Racing (Om Touk) is held to honor the valor of the naval forces.

• Ak Ambok is to express gratitude to Mother Earth and the Mekong River, and to ask forgiveness from the Mekong, the gods of wind and rain, and the rice goddess for all wrongdoings committed intentionally or unintentionally.

• Moon Worship (Sompeas Preah Khe) is dedicated to the Bodhisattva Rabbit Scholar.

• Lantern Floating (Bon Om Tuk Ban Deth Pratip) is dedicated to the Crystal Dragon King in the Naga realm.