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As night falls, majestic fire boats, elaborately-adorned with flowers, incense sticks, candles and lanterns and each bearing an assortment of ritual offerings, are set alight and floated down the Mekong River. Against the darkness of the moonlit night. The sight of flickering light from candles and lanterns on magnificent fire boats drifting downstream on the Mekong River, is both mesmerising and awe-inspiring. It is this enchanting spectacle that has given the water-borne procession its very name Lai Reua Fai which literally means to set afloat a fire boat.

As night falls, majestic fire boats, elaborately-adorned with flowers, incense sticks, candles and lanterns and each bearing an assortment of ritual offerings, are set alight and floated down the Mekong River. Against the darkness of the moonlit night. The sight of flickering light from candles and lanterns on magnificent fire boats drifting downstream on the Mekong River, is both mesmerising and awe-inspiring. It is this enchanting spectacle that has given the water-borne procession its very name Lai Reua Fai which literally means to set afloat a fire boat.

As night falls, majestic fire boats, elaborately-adorned with flowers, incense sticks, candles and lanterns and each bearing an assortment of ritual offerings, are set alight and floated down the Mekong River. Against the darkness of the moonlit night. The sight of flickering light from candles and lanterns on magnificent fire boats drifting downstream on the Mekong River, is both mesmerising and awe-inspiring. It is this enchanting spectacle that has given the water-borne procession its very name Lai Reua Fai which literally means to set afloat a fire boat.

Each year, celebrations are held in this southern city and its environs. These include exhilarating drum beating and elaborately decorative boat competitions as well as a meritorious ritual known as Tak Bat Devo. 

Each year, celebrations are held in this southern city and its environs. These include exhilarating drum beating and elaborately decorative boat competitions as well as a meritorious ritual known as Tak Bat Devo.