The Ultimate Guide to Dragon Boat Festivals and Races in Asia

Embed from Getty Images

Here’s a list to guide you on the major dragon boat races being held in Asia. It is grouped by region and then by country. (Format: Event Name, Month – Organising Body/ies)

The event’s exact race schedule may vary each year, hence only labelled by month. The organising body as well as the regulating and supervising committees are also recognised.

This is a post-in-progress and will be updated regularly. If you think that a major dragon boat race in your country is missing or erroneous, please let us know through the comments field.

You may share this list to your team and use as a guide in planning for your next International Dragon Boat Race. Dragon boating is more fun when you add the element of travel.

Paddles Up!

Thank you. Xie xie. धन्यवाद्. Salamat. 唔該. Cám ơn. 고마워. Terima kasih.

Asia (Continental)
Asian Dragon Boat Championships / ADBC, Biennial, May-June – ADBF
Asian Games / Asiad, Quadrennial, Dates vary – AGF, OCA

South East Asia (Regional)
South East Asian Games, Biennial, May-June – SAGF, IOC, OCA

Cambodia
Bon Om Touk Water Festival, November – CDBF

China
Zhaoqing International Dragon Boat Festival, June – CDBA
Zhanjiang International Dragon Boat Festival, June – CDBA
Guangzhou International Dragon Boat Festival, June – CDBA
Shaoguan International Dragon Boat Festival, June – CDBA
Dongping Lake International Dragon Boat Invitational Tournament, September – Shandong Dong Ping Culture Bureau, Sport Bureau

Hong Kong
Lamma International Dragon Boat Festival / Lamma500, May – Lamma Dragons
Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival, June – HKDBA
Stanley Dragon Boat Autumn Rally, July – Stanley Dragon Boat Association
Sun Life Stanley International Dragon Boat Championships, October – Stanley DB Association, HKDBA
Stanley Mid-Autumn Cup Dragon Boat Races, September – Stanley Dragon Boat Association

India
National Dragon Boat Championship, February – DBFI
Inter-Zone & Jr. Dragon Boat National Championship, October – DBFI

Indonesia
Batam Seagull Boat Regatta, August – Batam Tourism Departments
Padang International Dragon Boat Festival, August – Padang City Government

South Korea
National Dragon Boat Race, May-June – KDBA, MOMAF
Korea Open Busan International Dragon Boat Regatta, September – BDBA

Laos
Vientiane Boat Racing Festival, November – Mekong River Commission

Macau
Macau Dragonboat Festival, June – Macau Tourism
Macau International Dragon Boat Races, June – Macau Sport Development Board, Macau China Dragon Boat Association

Malaysia
Kedah International Dragon Boat Festival, April – State Government Kedah Darul Aman
Malaysia International Dragon Boat Championship & IDBF Cancer Survivors Championship, May-June – MDBA
Sabah Dragon Boat Race, June – Sabah Tourism Board
Penang International Dragon Boat Festival, June – PIDF
Sarawak International Dragon Boat Regatta, September – Ministry of Tourism Sarawak
Penang Pesta Dragon Boat Race, December – PIDF

New Zealand 
Aoraki Open, February – ADBAI
NZCT Wellington Dragon Boat Festival, March – NZCT, Dragon Boat Festival Office
NZDBA National Championships, March – NZDBA
North Island Regional Championships, March – ADBA
South Island Dragon Boat Champs, March – ADBAI
Auckland Regional Champs, March, ADBA
Waikato Dragon Boating Super 12 Regatta, November – WDBA
Ice Breaker, December – ADBA

Philippines
PDBF Annual Dragon Boat Championship 1st Leg, March – PDBF
Boracay International Dragonboat Festival, April – BIPA
PDBF Annual Dragon Boat Championship 2^nd Leg, June – PDBF
PDBF Annual Dragon Boat Championship 3^rd Leg, December – PDBF

Singapore
DBS Marina Regatta, June – SDBA, DBS
National Inter-Schools’ Dragon Boat Championships, July – SDBA
Singapore Dragon Boat Festival, July – SDBA
SDBA-AustCham 10KM Dragon Boat Challenge, August – SDBA, AustCham Paddle Club
Singapore River Regatta, November – SDBA

Taiwan
Taipei Dragon Boat Festival, June – Taipei City Government, Taipei Department of Sports

Thailand
Thailand International Swan Boat Races and Long Boat Race, September – Tourism Authority of Thailand
Phuket International Dragon Boat Festival, April – SIA
Pattaya Dragon Boat Festival, November – SIA

Vietnam
Traditional Dragon Boat Race Festival, April – Haiphong Tourism

List of Dragon Boat Associations and Federations:

ADBA – Auckland Dragon Boat Association
ADBAI – Aoraki Dragon Boat Association Inc
ADBF – Asian Dragon Boat Federation
AGF – Asian Games Federation
BDBA – Busan Dragon Boat Association
BIPA – Boracay Island Paddlers Association
CBDF – Cambodian Dragon Boat Federation
CDBA – China Dragon Boat Association
DBFI – Dragon Boat Federation of India
HKDBA – Hong Kong Dragon Boat Association
IDBF – International Dragon Boat Federation
IOC – International Olympic Committee
KDBA – Korean Dragon Boat Association
MDBA – Malaysia Dragon Boat Association
MOMAF – Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries
NZCT – New Zealand Community Trust
NZDBA – New Zealand Dragon Boat Association
OAC – Olympic Council of Asia
PIDF – Penang International Dragon Boat Federation
PDBF – Philippine Dragon Boat Federation
SDBA – Singapore Dragon Boat Association
SAGF – Southeast Asian Games Federation
SEATBA – South East Asian Traditional Boat Association
SNOC – Singapore National Olympic Council

Photo Credit: Stephen D’Agostino. Follow him on Twitter @SDAgostinO

---

 
You may also like
9 Dragon Boat-iquettes Every Paddler Should Observe
POEM: Into the Dragon’s Lair
The Future of Dragon Boat
Thank you, Dragon Boat World!
8 Types of Dragon Boats You See at Races
30 Thoughts Every Dragon Boater Has Before The Race
The Dragon Boat Hours
10 Most Popular Dragon Boat Hashtags
25 Things Only Dragon Boaters Understand
Dragon Boat goes Impressionistic