Muong Lay town is known as the center, the cultural cradle of the Thai people, the White Thai branch in the Northwest with cultural heritages that have been preserved and passed down for generations. Coming to Muong Lay town on this occasion, people and tourists will be able to visit the beauty of an urban area with traditional "neighborhoods" of stilt houses of the White Thai people reflecting on the Da River, creating a unique and characteristic beauty of ""villages within the town", "on the wharf, under the boat"; experience the unique culture of the ethnic groups in Muong Lay town, experience the traditional local sports and unique adventure sports tournaments...

The 10th Swallowtail Boat Racing Festival, the 5th National Paragliding Club Championship, and the 1st Jet Surfing Tournament have many rich and attractive contents and activities. In the photo: Athletes perform surfing for tourists and people to watch.

In the first days of the new year, Muong Lay town is bustling to organize the 10th Swallowtail Boat Racing Festival - an annual cultural event associated with the identity of the White Thai ethnic group. The festival is not only an opportunity for local people to show gratitude to the river god, praying for a new year of favorable weather and wind, but also an opportunity to promote the image of beautiful nature and unique culture of the locality.

The 10th Swallowtail Boat Race Festival, the 5th National Paragliding Club Championship and the 1st Jet Surfing Tournament opened with a solemn ceremony to worship the river god at the Co Khi boat station, where three rivers (Da River, Nam Na River and Nam Lay Stream) converge. On the altar, offerings were neatly arranged including: Chicken, pig, wine, fruit, symbolizing the sincerity of the local people. Priests in traditional costumes of the White Thai people performed the prayer ceremony, sending wishes for a peaceful new year, health and prosperity for the community.

The ritual to worship the river god took place in a solemn atmosphere at the Mechanical boat dock, where three rivers (Da River, Nam Na River and Nam Lay Stream) converge.

Mr. Vang Van Thuc, the master of the river god worship ceremony, shared: For generations, the river god worship ceremony has been an indispensable part of the festival. This is not only an opportunity for villagers to express their gratitude to nature, but also an opportunity for the community to pray for a prosperous new year, a bountiful harvest, healthy children and smooth sailing.

Immediately after the ceremony, the festival atmosphere became bustling as paragliding, windsurfing and swallow-tail boat racing teams entered the competition. On the vast river, cheers from both banks mixed with the rhythm of the rowing, creating an extremely vibrant scene. The racing teams, from villages inside and outside the town, demonstrated solidarity, collective strength and skillful skills in each rowing stroke.

The racing teams enthusiastically competed at the 10th Swallowtail Boat Racing Festival and the 5th National Parachute Club Championship in 2025.

Mr. Hoang Van Quyen, Chairman of Muong Lay Town People's Committee, said: In addition to the boat race, the festival also organizes many unique cultural display and promotion activities such as: xoe dance, traditional culinary competition, tug of war, “tung còn” (cloth ball throwing), “tù lu” (spinning top), stilt walking, stick pushing…, and booths displaying local products. These activities have enriched the festival space, giving visitors the opportunity to explore the culture and people of Muong Lay more closely. We expect the festival to attract more and more visitors, contributing to the development of local tourism and economy, while preserving and spreading the unique traditional values ​​of the people here.

Sap dance activity at the Thai Muong Lay cultural space.

Restored since 2015, the Swallow-tailed Boat Racing Festival has become an outstanding cultural and sporting event held annually on the occasion of Tet, contributing to promoting the image, land, people, honoring the cultural identity of the ethnic people in Muong Lay town, and at the same time becoming an important highlight in the tourism promotion activities of the locality in particular, and Dien Bien province in general.

Art performance to welcome the 10th Swallow-tailed Boat Racing Festival and the 5th National Parachute Club Championship.

The annual Boat Racing Festival and National Parachute Club Championship are activities to preserve, conserve and promote the traditional cultural values ​​of ethnic groups. The Festival is also a practical activity to strengthen solidarity between ethnic groups in the town and neighboring districts; At the same time, it contributes to promoting the image of Muong Lay as a dynamic, beautiful, hospitable place and opens up hope for a peaceful and prosperous new year for the people of Muong Lay town.

Delegates, performers, locals, and visitors joined hands in a unifying xoe dance during the opening night of the 10th Swallow-Tail Boat Racing Festival and the 5th National Paragliding Club Championship./.

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