Bonn Om Touk Festival - Water and Moon Festival

One of the largest festivals of Cambodia takes place where Tonle Sap and the Mekong River meet. The three-day Water Festival marks the changing of the flow of the Tonle Sap River and is also seen as a thanksgiving to the Mekong River for providing the country with fertile land and abundant fish. The city of Phnom Pehn celebrates in October or November depending on when the river flow reverts to its normal downstream direction which occurs around the time of the full moon. In the days of the Khmer Empire the rulers used to claim credit for the natural phenomena boasting of their power over man and nature. Today, the Cambodian people mark this occurrence with three days of intensely competitive boat races, traditional music, and spectacular fireworks.