Boun Bang Fai (Rocket Festival)

Boun Bang Fai is festival held to call for rain and celebrate fertility. The date of the festival is fixed by each province. During the festival, there are a variety of fun activities, particularly a traditional dance which is performed in a circle. Men will wear traditional Lao women’s clothes and cosmetics as people tie […]

Boun Visakhaboucha

Boun Visakhaboucha is a meaningful milestone in Buddhist calendar, because is mark the Lord Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and death. Devout Buddhists will rise early to make merit at temples. In some temples, Buddhists will perform Wien Tien (Candlelight procession) in the evening, which includes carrying candles, incense and lotus flowers and walking clockwise for three […]

Asalahaboucha Day and Boun Khao Phansa Festival (Buddhist Lent)

Boun Khao Phansa is held at the beginning of the Buddhist lent. Over the following three month, monks spend most of their time in prayer and meditation and are restricted from spending nights in other temples out of their own. Many devout people often abstain from alcohol during this time. In the early morning of […]

Boun Khao Padabdin (Rice Growing Festival)

Boun Hor Khao Padabdin (the literal translation is decorate (padab) dirt\earth (din))starts in the middle of the rainy season. This festival is held in commemoration of dead ancestors. Over two days, Buddhist devotees flock to the Vats (temples) carrying strays of offerings for monks and deceased ancestor. Music is traditionally performed in the grounds of […]

Boat Racing Festival in Luang Prabang Province

At the Khao Padabdin ceremony day, people visit local temples to make offerings to dead ancestors as well as to share merit-making. This festival includes boat racing on the Nam Khan River and a trade fair in Luang Prabang World Heritage town.

Boun Khao Salak Ancestor Festival

This festival occurs during the 10th full moon of the lunar calendar. The purpose of the festival is to obtain merit by providing offerings to dead ancestors. The offerings to the dead are passed to monks during the morning ceremony at the temple, just after almsgiving. A basket is filled with food and daily amenities […]