Ride the Love Boat to watch dragon boat races and cruise the Love River for just 80 yuan during the Dragon Boat Festival

Tourism Center / Comprehensive Report

The 2013 Kaohsiung International Dragon Boat Invitational Tournament kicks off on the 9th, with four consecutive days of races on the Love River. During the event, a carnival will be held along the riverbanks, featuring street performances, agricultural product exhibitions, free drinks, food stalls, and more. On the actual Dragon Boat Festival on the 12th, there will also be exciting song and dance performances. Additionally, riding the “Solar Love Boat” during the tournament costs only 80 yuan for a full ticket, saving the public 40 yuan.

▲ The 2013 Kaohsiung International Dragon Boat Invitational Tournament recently held an “eye-dotting” ceremony. (Photo / Courtesy of the Kaohsiung City Government website.)

During the tournament, the Love River serves as the main waterway for the dragon boat races. The Kaohsiung City Government has moved the boarding point for the Solar Love Boat to the True Love Pier, and the route now runs through the waters between the True Love and Glory Piers. To encourage the public to take the Love Boat to tour the Love River and watch the dragon boat races, the Kaohsiung Ferry Company is offering an adult ticket special at just 80 yuan.

The city’s Sports Affairs Bureau has, for the first time this year, combined the dragon boat competition with cultural and creative industries, including activities such as dragon boat painting and painted walking paths. During the tournament, street performers will be invited, and on Dragon Boat Festival Day, artists and performance groups such as WenfHao, Yifan, Xianghuiling, and Century Flower Band will also perform.

A total of 134 teams have registered for this dragon boat race, involving 3,600 participants, divided into daytime competitions and nighttime folk events. The folk category adopts the traditional flag-catching format to add excitement. From 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the 12th during the finals, the thrilling races will be broadcast live on ETTV’s comprehensive channel.