In the past, the Royal Boat House was used as a storage place for the royal barge. After the transition to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic around 1991, the royal barge was moved from the riverbank behind the Royal Palace to this location within the palace grounds. Since then, it has been called the Royal Boat House, a name it still retains today.

– The Royal Barge (for the King and Queen)
This royal barge was used to carry His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen during the Boun Hor Khao Padap Din festival in the ninth month (according to the Lao lunar calendar), a significant occasion when offerings of rice are made. This tradition is observed annually during the boat racing festival, which coincides with the ninth month of the lunar calendar.

– The Ei Ngieng and Nang Dam Boats (Royal Guard Boats)
The Ei Ngieng and Nang Dam boats belong to the royal guards of the palace. They are used during the Boun Hor Khao Padap Din festival in the ninth month of the lunar calendar. These boats also participate in boat racing competitions against boats from various villages and districts, competing for the King’s Cup. The races take place at Ying Khan, Thabaan Hat Hien, and the confluence of the Don River at Ban Sangkalok and Ban Khoi. These competitions are part of the annual boat racing festival held during the ninth month of the lunar calendar.

Next, we invite you to move toward Royal Hospital.