Inland Ocean Festival - Tonle Sap Lake, Cambodia

The Inland Ocean Festival in Cambodia Ocean Recovery Alliance and its partner NGO2 Bambooshoot Foundation in 2023 to celebrate Cambodia's "Inland Ocean" - the Tonle Sap Lake.  The event was organized in collaboration with a traditional local monk festival to celebrate the rising waters of the lake and pending monsoon season, with over 10,000 local community visitors in attendance.   The festival includes a large parade from Kampong Phluk to the shores of the lake with over 150 local high school students who participated in a baby puppet lantern making workshop to create illuminated lanterns which represent wildlife of the lake.  The event celebrates water appreciation, pride for the outdoors, and engages the community in programs for reducing plastic pollution. 

 

The 2nd annual Inland Ocean Festival will be held on June 8th, 2024, which is also World Ocean Day, and is expected to become an annual growing eco-tourism attraction.