Taiwan
Dragon Boat Festival 2027 in Taiwan: where to watch the races on 9 June
At a glance
- Dates
- Next: 9 June 2027
- Where
- Rivers in Taipei, Kaohsiung, Yilan, Tainan and other towns
- Getting there
- MRT stations near Dajia Riverside Park in Taipei and Love River
- Cost
- Not listed
- Limits
- Not listed
The 2026 edition has passed
Dates last checked: 14 October 2026
The festival
In Erlong village the two boats race to a gong, with no drum and no winner
Dajia Riverside Park on the Keelung River hosts the Taipei International Dragon Boat Championships over three days; in 2026 there were 223 teams, more than 5,000 paddlers and staff, and NT$3.61 million in prize money. The organiser, the Taipei City Department of Sports, also ran egg-standing and balancing challenges and an international market on the bank.
Kaohsiung races on the Love River, which drew more than 110,000 visits over the first two days in 2026, about 10% more than the year before. The Love River also has rare night races, and Fo Guang Shan's flying-horse lanterns flew at 18:50 and 20:30.
The Lukang Duanyang International Dragon Boat Championships on the Fulu River are spread over three days: in 2026, heats on 19 June, semi-finals on the 20th and finals on the 21st, each day starting at 13:00 and running past 20:00. On the Tainan Canal the course runs from Anyi Bridge to Chengtian Bridge, with vendors and cultural activities on the bank from 15:00 to 21:00 each race day.
Booking
There are no tickets or transport to book for this page right now.
Details
If you can only go on one day, check when your chosen venue races its finals: races run over the days around Duanwu, each venue holds its finals on a different day, and June afternoons often bring thunderstorms.
Duanwu dates and race days
Duanwu is the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, so its Gregorian date changes each year.
Races are held over the days around Duanwu, and in 2026 the Tainan Canal races started on 17 June, so keep the whole week in mind when planning.
Main venues
The main venues are spread across several rivers: the Keelung River in Taipei, the Love River in Kaohsiung, the Dongshan River in Yilan and the Tainan Canal.
There are also races at Hsinchu's Nanliao Old Fishing Port, Lukang's Fulu River, Liyu Lake in Hualien and Longtan Lake in Taoyuan.
How the cities differ
Taipei: the international championships at Dajia Riverside Park, with stage shows and family activities on the bank.
Yilan: besides the county races on the Dongshan River, Jiaoxi's Erlong village holds its traditional Erlong regatta; Yilan is about an hour from Taipei by bus or train.
Tainan: the Tainan Canal course is close to Anping Old Street, an easy add-on after the races.
Heat, sun and thunderstorms
Duanwu falls in June, when days are hot and riverbank viewing areas have little shade. Bring a hat, sunscreen and water, and keep children well hydrated. Afternoon thunderstorms are possible, so carry an umbrella.
Schedules vary by venue
Each venue sets its own format. In 2026 Lukang spread heats, semi-finals and finals over three days, and the Love River finals were on 21 June. If you can only go one day, pick finals day.
Transport, lodging and costs
Getting there: Dajia Riverside Park in Taipei and the Love River in Kaohsiung both have MRT stations nearby.
Where to stay: Duanwu is a long weekend, so stay near the venue or somewhere central with good transport.
Costs: mostly transport, and snacks and drinks from the stalls along the bank.
Crowds and finding a spot
The Duanwu long weekend is peak travel time and popular venues get busy; arrive early to find a spot with shade.
Egg-standing and zongzi
Egg-standing: legend says an egg will stand upright at noon on Duanwu, so find a flat surface at midday and try it.
Zongzi: sticky rice and braised pork wrapped in bamboo leaves, sold everywhere around Duanwu.
Why do Taiwanese race dragon boats and eat zongzi?
Legend says that more than two thousand years ago, Qu Yuan, a poet of the state of Chu, drowned himself in the Miluo River. Villagers rowed out to search for him without success, and threw parcels of rice into the river so the fish would not eat his body.
This became the origin of dragon boat racing and eating zongzi at Duanwu.
Good to know
- Next edition
- 9 June 2027 (the fifth day of the fifth lunar month); in 2026 it fell on 19 June
- Race period
- In 2026 most races ran over the 19–21 June holiday weekend, with the Tainan Canal starting on 17 June; 2027 schedules are set by each city
- Main venues (2026)
- Taipei's Dajia Riverside Park on the Keelung River, Kaohsiung's Love River, Yilan's Dongshan River and the Tainan Canal, plus Hsinchu's Nanliao Old Fishing Port, Lukang's Fulu River, Hualien's Liyu Lake and Longtan Lake in Taoyuan
- Field size (2026)
- 173 teams in Lukang, 47 more than the year before; 78 teams and more than 1,600 paddlers in Yilan, a record entry
- Weather
- June days are hot and the riverbanks have little shade; bring a hat, sunscreen and water
- Livestreams
- In 2026 the Taipei races had four YouTube livestreams, and the Lukang and Hsinchu County races were streamed online too
FAQ
5
Where can you watch the dragon boat races?
The main 2026 venues were Dajia Riverside Park on the Keelung River in Taipei, the Love River in Kaohsiung, the Dongshan River in Yilan and the Tainan Canal. For a traditional regatta with gongs instead of drums and no winners declared, go to the Erlong races in Jiaoxi, Yilan.
How do the cities compare?
Taipei's Dajia Riverside Park hosts the international championships, with 223 teams in 2026. Kaohsiung's Love River drew more than 110,000 visits over the first two days in 2026 and has night races. Yilan has traditional regattas such as the Erlong races in Jiaoxi. The Tainan Canal course, between Anyi Bridge and Chengtian Bridge, is close to Anping Old Street.
How are the races scheduled?
It varies by venue. In 2026 Lukang's Fulu River split heats, semi-finals and finals over three days, starting at 13:00 each day, while the Love River finals were on 21 June. Check the local schedule before you go.
What should you know about the weather?
Duanwu falls in June, when days are hot and the riverbank viewing areas have little shade. Bring a hat, sunscreen and water and wear light clothing; afternoon thunderstorms are possible, so carry an umbrella.
Why do people race dragon boats and eat zongzi at Duanwu?
Legend says that over two thousand years ago, Qu Yuan, a poet of the state of Chu, drowned himself in the Miluo River; the villagers rowed out to look for and save him and wrapped rice to throw into the river to feed the fish, which later became the origin of racing dragon boats and eating zongzi.
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