25 April 2014| last updated at 09:42PM
By Olivia Miwil | olivia@mediaprima.com.my
SEMPORNA: More than 30,000 visitors are expected to attend the 21st Regatta Lepa festival which showcases the Bajau Laut culture.
District officer Dr Chacho Bulah said hotels and lodges were already fully booked since the last two weeks and the local authorities are expecting an even larger attendance.
"The four-day programme, which began on Thursday, will see a record-breaking participation of 340 decorated fishing boats known as 'lepa', compared to previous years.
"The large participation will also be recorded as the largest gathering of most colourful vessels in Malaysia Book of Records tomorrow" he added.
The craftsmanship of the "lepa" is believed to have originated from the indigenous community at Bum Bum island, and the vessel has been used by fishermen there for generations.
Each participant took about three months spent thousands of ringgit to build and beautify a lepa in their bid to preserve the tradition.
Besides serving as fishing vessels, the boats also serve as mode of transportation, wedding venues and stages for cultural performances.
This year, visitors have a chance to learn how to craft and decorate the lepa from the local community.
Other attractions during the festival include the crowning of its beauty queen, sea sports and competitions, as well as cultural night performances.
Security forces will patrol the festival area to ensure that there are no concerns among the visitors.
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