Category: Festivals

Celebrating elephants in Laos

ELEPHANTS IN LAOS For centuries Laos was famed as the kingdom of a million elephants. Now there are fewer than 900 living in the country. While it is unknown whether a million elephants once roamed freely in Laos, elephants are a practical part of everyday Lao heritage, culture, agriculture and livelihood. Elephant are highly respected

Hmong New Year | A Celebration of Colors

laos-hmong-new-year-luang-prabang-phonsavan

Hmong women in Phonsavan | Photograph by Cyril Eberle This is a remarkable story about the third largest ethnic group in Laos — the Hmong people — celebrating their biggest festival of the year. This colorful event showcases the fascinating culture and history of this group of people expressing their unique identity. Phonsavan market and

Boun Bang Fai – Rocket Festivals in Laos

Boun Bang Fai Rocket Festival

Every year rocket festivals explode across Laos This month has brought rocket festivals to fields just outside of villages and towns all over Laos and eastern Thailand. The festival is called Boun Bang Fai and it takes place during the 6th lunar month of the year as a way to call the gods to send the rain.

Lao New Year – Pi Mai Lao in Luang Prabang

Phi Mai Lao - Laos New Year Parade in Luang Prabang

Experience the Lao New Year -the Pi Mai Lao in Luang Prabang – Lao water festival I spent my first week in Luang Prabang soaking wet from head to toe for the better part of every day. I have been blasted with water guns, had buckets of ice water poured down my back, had multi-colored