In November 2018, Cambodia earned a prestigious place in the Guinness World Records by unveiling the longest dragon boat ever constructed — a stunning display of craftsmanship, cultural pride, and historical homage. The entirely handmade boat, named “Kambojika Putta Khemara Tarei” (កម្ពោជិកបុត្តាខេមរាតរី), meaning “Boat of Khmer Descendants Living in Cambodia”, took 192 days to construct and stretched a remarkable 87.3 meters (286 feet) in length and could accommodate 179 oarsmen.
This majestic vessel shattered the previous world record of 77.8 meters, held by a Chinese dragon boat since 2016, and instantly became a centerpiece of Cambodia’s iconic Water Festival (Bon Om Touk) in Phnom Penh — an annual celebration that marks the seasonal reversal of the Tonlé Sap River and pays tribute to the nation’s deep relationship with water and river-based life.
But this was more than a feat of engineering — it was a cultural statement. The dragon boat’s construction was a symbolic tribute to Cambodia’s royal and martial history, when dragon boats served as royal vessels, transport ships, and tools of territorial defense during the Angkorian era and beyond. Long before becoming a festive tradition, dragon boats were intertwined with Cambodia’s national identity and strategic life along its rivers.
Crafted entirely by hand using traditional boat-building techniques, Kambojika Putta Khemara Tarei was the result of months of meticulous work, involving skilled artisans, community leaders, and cultural preservationists. Its record-breaking size reflected not only technical ambition but also the collective pride of a nation reconnecting with its heritage on the global stage.
The boat is now housed at a building in front of Prey Veng provincial hall, right at the bank of the province’s Boeung Kampong.
