Penang International Dragon Boat Race

Penang International Dragon Boat Race

As you visit Penang, please don’t miss out the chance to enjoy Penang International Dragon Boat Race. Competition, excitement, friendship, fun and zeal, all these elements merge during this festival in which colorful dragon boats are raced in the waters of this Island. If you trace back to history, dragonboats have been used for race in the waters of Mengkuang Lake in Penang in Malaysia since 1934. However, the professional spirit was taken up in a mood to promote boost tourism since 1979 when the Penang International Dragon Boat Festival (PIDBF) was organized in this island.

History says that a race of dragon boat, a very long and narrow human powered boat, originated in China. Decorated with Chinese dragon heads and tails, these dragon boats were traditionally used to observe the death of Chu Yuan in June. The race reconstructs the event in which the patriotic poet Chu Yuan drowned in the waters on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month in 277 B.C. Though the rescuers failed to save his life, rice-stuffed bamboo was thrown into the water to divert the fish from eating Yuan.

Features of Penang International Dragon Boat Race

  -  Incidentally, when Penang International Dragon Boat Race were held in 2004 and 2005, teams from Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Indonesia, the Netherlands, the Philippines, South Africa, Thailand and the USA participated.
  -  You will find the world's largest racing canoes during the International Dragon Boat Race in Penang.
  -  You will be pleased to known that even the Penang International Dragon Boat Festival committee will host the 6th Club Crew World Championships in 2008.

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