Laos is the beautiful landlocked Southeast Asian country that has rich culture and heritages. They celebrate abundant festivals annually and among them the prominent festivals in Laos are Vat Phou festival, Lao New Year, Light boat festival or Loy Ka thong festival, and Hmong & Khmu ethnic festivals. However, there are amazing other festivals in Laos which visitors can equally relish during their tour.
Boun Vat Phou (January)
The traditional Buddhist festival Boun Vat Phou commemorates Prince Vessantara’s incarnation as Buddha. It is one of the most significant festivals in Laos, where monks and devotees gather at religious Vats to listen to sermons on Buddha’s past lives. Laotians donate money to the monks and the needy. It is also a favorable time for Lao men to become ordained as monks.
Boun Ma Kha Bu Saar (Full Moon) (February)
Boun Ma Kha Bu Saar is the most prominent festival in Southern Laos, observed on the full moon day. It is also fondly called Magha Puja, where large parades take place, holding candles, and circumambulating the Vats. The festival is celebrated to mark the beginning of the spreading of Buddha’s teachings. It commemorates a special moment when 1250 monks gathered unexpectedly to attain the original teachings of Buddha. A grand celebration occurs at the Khmer ruins of Vat Phou, Champasak. Visitors from Thailand and Cambodia also gather to attend this grand festival. They release lanterns, attend in different sports and cultural events.
Boun Khoun Khao – Rice Festival (March)
Boun Khoun Khao is a unique festival also popular as the ‘Rice Festival’. A significant festival for farmers where they offer gratitude at agricultural land for the rice harvest. Farmers offer rice sheaves to the temples. Villagers gather together and celebrate the festival by eating various delicious cuisines, and alcohol prepared from rice.
Lao New Year Festival – Boun Pi Mai (April)
Lao New Year festival generally occurs in mid-April popularly called Boun Pi Mai. People participate in various fun-filled activities such as water splashing, sand stupa building, Soo Kwan, etc. during this three-day grand festival. They clean, decorate, and purify their houses. Buddhist images are purified with scented waters. They visit shrines, take blessings, eat delicacies, and play traditional games.
Boun Visakha Bu Saar (Full Moon) (May)
Boun Visakha Bu Saar is a major Buddhist festival as it marks the birth, enlightenment, and death of Lord Buddha. Numerous devotees gather at Buddhist temples on the full moon day to offer prayers and listen to the Buddha’s sermons. In the evening, at some places, a candlelight parade takes place where people circumambulate the temple thrice chanting prayers.
Boun Bang Fai – Rocket Festival (May)
Boun Bag Fai is a traditional festival in Laos popular as a Rocket festival. This festival is celebrated by decorating large bamboo rockets and launching into the sky towards the god of rain, Phaya Thaen. People pray for good rainfall to relish productive rice cultivation. You can see people wearing cultural dresses and performing live processions, various dances, and playing music that lasts for 2 to 3 days.
Boun Khao Phansa – Start of Buddhist Lent (July)
Boun Khao Phansa marks the start of the Buddhist Lent. It is also known as Rain Retreats. The Buddhist monks meditate and do religious study staying in monasteries strictly for 3 months. Lao people donate food, and other goods to monks. Monks recite Buddha’s teachings and stories to the temple-goers.
Boun Khao Salak (September)
Boun Khao Salak festival falls during the 10th full moon of the lunar calendar. Lao people honor their deceased ancestors by offering food, incense, flowers, and other goods to monks. Family unites for this festival and performs charity and rituals to seek blessings and for the well-being of departed souls.
Boun Ok (Awk) Phansa – End of Buddhist Lent (October)
Boun Ok (Awk) Phansa is the festival of the end of Buddhist Lent. It usually occurs on the 11th month of the lunar calendar. The monks end their 3-month retreat to monasteries and return to their community. The monks conclude their spiritual period by attaining valuable religious studies and meditating for 3 months. Monks start their new spiritual journey by releasing their past sins or bad deeds. Lao people celebrate this festival by releasing colorful boats filled with candles and incense into the river spirit (Lai Heua Fai).
Light Boat Festival Ceremony (Boun Lai Heua Fai) (October)
Boun Lai Heua Fai is a unique light boat festival ceremony held in Laos every 11th lunar month. Lao people from different provinces prepare boats and decorate them. At night the decorated boats are launched into the rivers filled with candles, incense, and flowers. They celebrate this festival to bring good fortune and thank the water spirits.
That Luang Festival (November)
One of the most prominent festivals in Laos is That Luang Festival. It is the festival where Lao people gather and pay honor to the sacred That Luang Stupa in Vientiane. The stupa is a national identity that the Lao people consider a symbol of Lao Buddhism. The processions, traditional music, dance, trade, and fun fairs all make this festival more majestic. The spiritual reflection and Buddha’s teachings along with the Lao culture and unity of people draws the attention of the visitors.
Hmong New Year (December)
Hmong New Year is the ethnic festival joyously celebrated by the Hmong people in Laos. Hmong people are the ethnic tribe who resides in Northern Laos. This festival is also called Noj Peb Caug. It lasts for 2-3 days where people relish the festival by participating in various activities. Such as Carnival games, sports like top playing, kicking, and bull fighting, music and dance contests, Qeej performances, etc. They also gather together and savor traditional food.
Khmu New Year (December)
Khmu New Year is another ethnic yet interesting festival in Laos celebrated by the Khmu community. It is also popular as Boun Pod Pi. The community people gather to celebrate this festival where they pay gratitude to their ancestors and seek guidance for the upcoming years. They wear traditional clothes, participate in cultural dances, and fun-filled activities.
