Taiwan Dragon Boat Festival 端午節划龍舟比賽

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The Dragon Boat Festival (aka Double Fifth Festival) is a special time of year, during which Taiwan gets a major holiday vacation and there are Dragon Boat Races. During this time, people also must eat Zongzi. We have created this guide for you to see the official dragon boat races all around Taiwan and understand more about this special cultural festival.

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• Best time to visit: Spring and Autumn when it is not too hot or cold and less rainy
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• Stay connected with a local SIM
• Rent a car to explore distant sights

Historical Background:
Originally Dragon Boat Festival may have started during the Qin Dynasty as a day to remove evil spirits and bad luck that were thought to appear on the fifth day of the fifth month.
The best known origin story for the Dragon Boat Festival is that it commemorates the death of Qu Yuan, a famous poet and official  of the Chu Dynasty during the Warring States Period. He opposed the Chu Dynasty joining an alliance with the Qin, and therefore was banished. When the Qin Dynasty finally took over the Chu Dynasty, he committed suicide by entering the Miluo River (汨羅江 Mìluójiāng) and drowning himself.
It was said that the local people went looking for him by rowing dragon shaped canoes, and threw sticky rice balls into the water so that the fish would eat the rice and not Qu Yuan's body. Because of this, during Dragon Boat Festival everyone eats stick rice, or Zongzi, and holds dragon boat races to commemorate Qu Yuan's memory. 
Another tradition is for people to balance eggs, which is thought to bring good luck during the "unlucky" holiday. 
Dragon Boat races usually involve a team rowing together, while someone beats a drum to keep rhythm and someone else stands at the front of the boat to catch the flag. 
Dragon Boat Festival is an official holiday in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, China, and is celebrated by Chinese heritage communities throughout Asia and the world. 

When is Dragon Boat Festival?
The fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar. 

2025: May 31st (national holiday starts May 30th) 
2026: June 19th
2027: June 9th 

Can I go Dragon Boat Racing in Taiwan?
Yes! You can join this Dragon Boat tour on Klook or this one on KKday any time of year. The cost is about 1300 NT per person. 

When are Dragon Boat Races in Taiwan?
Training starts about a month before Dragon Boat Festival.
The actual races begin a few days before or on Dragon Boat Festival, and can last a few days after as well. Races usually start at about 9 or 10 AM and last the whole day (some will end in the afternoon, some will have races at night). 

Where are the 2025 Dragon Boat Races in Taiwan?

Taipei International Dragon Boat Championships: 台北國際龍舟錦標賽
Dates: (May 30 - June 1 2025)
Location: Dajia Riverside Park 大佳河濱公園 (under Dazhi Bridge going to Neihu near the airport along the Keelung River. There is parking at the riverside park, but it can get very crowded late in the day). 

New Taipei Dragon Boat Race 新北市龍舟錦標賽
Dates: (May 31 - June 1 2025)
Location: Luzhou Breeze Park 微風運河水域

Keelung Dragon Boat Festival 基隆龍舟競賽
Date: (May 31 2025)
Held at Badouzi Harbor 八斗子漁港, Keelung Harbor Pier 2 基隆東二碼頭

Longtan Dragon Boat Races:
Date: (May 30 - June 1 2025)
Held at Longtan Lake 龍潭大池

Hsinchu County Dragon Boat Festival 新竹縣縣長盃龍舟競賽
Dates: (May 30 2025)
Held at the Pond in front of Chihe Temple in Hsinfeng Township, No. 156, Chifu Rd, Xinfeng Township, Hsinchu County, 30472
新竹縣新豐鄉紅池府路156號紅毛港池和宮

Miaoli Dragon Boat Races 苗栗龍舟賽
Dates: (May 31 2025) 2025: TBA
Held at dragon boat ferry dock along the Zhonggang River in Zhunan.
竹南鎮港墘里中港溪畔的龍舟碼頭

Changhua Lukang Night Boat Races 鹿港夜間龍舟賽
Date: (May 30 - June 1 2025)
Location: Lukang, along the Fulu River near Lukang Old Street (彰化福鹿溪水域)

Yunlin Dragon Boat Races  雲林龍舟賽
Dates: (closed in 2025 until further notice due to construction)
Location: Kouhu Township, Yiwu Wet Pond at the north pond (本縣口湖鄉宜梧滯洪池北池)

Chiayi Dragon Boat Races 嘉義龍舟比賽
Date: ( May 31 2025)
Location: Dongshi Harbor 東石漁港

Tainan International Dragon Boat Championships: 台南市國際龍舟賽
Dates:  (May 27-31 2025) 
Location: Yunhe River in Tainan Between Anyi Bridge and Chengtian Bridge, near Anping Old Street 臺南市運河（安億橋至承天橋河段）

Kaohsiung Love River Dragon Boat Festival: 高雄愛河端午龍舟嘉年華
Dates: (May 30 - June 1 2025)
Location: The Love River between Kaohsiung Bridge and Zhongzheng Bridge (愛河， 高雄橋-中正橋).

Pingtung County Dragon Boat Race 屏東縣端午龍舟競賽
Dates: (May 30-31 2025)
Location: Underneath Donggang Great Bridge in Donggang (東港大橋).

Yilan City Dragon Boat Race 宜蘭市端午節龍舟競賽​ 
Dates: (May 30-31 2025)
Location: Yilan River Qinghe Bridge 宜蘭河慶和橋旁

Yilan County Dragon Boat Race 宜蘭縣端午龍舟競賽
Dates: (May 30-31 2025)
Location: Dongshan River Yicheng Bridge 冬山河義城橋

Hualien County Dragon Boat Race 花蓮縣端午龍舟競賽
Dates: (May 30-31 2025)
Location: TBA (last year it was Liyu Lake 鯉魚潭)

Penghu County Dragon Boat Festival 澎湖縣龍舟競賽
Dates: (May 31 2025)
Location: Makung No. 3 Harbor (澎湖縣馬公第3漁港).

Kinmen County Dragon Boat Festival 金門縣龍舟競賽
Dates: (May 31 2025)
Location: Shuangli Lake 雙鯉湖

Please note that the places listed above are not a complete list, and there may be other dragon boat races around Taiwan that are private or not well advertised. 

​Map:
Please see below for a map of dragon boat racing locations.

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