NovemberThat (pronounced tat) Luang Festival is considered one of the most important celebrations in Laos and is held each November. That Luang is a large stupa in Vientiane and holds two important Buddha relics - some hair and the breast bone. As such, it is an important religious site and has become a symbol of Laos. The three day religious festival starts and ends with a procession of thousands of monks and pilgrims from Laos and its neighbouring countries. At the end of the opening procession around Vientiane, fireworks are lit to symbolise the offering of flowers of light to Buddha. The following day, a more elaborate procession brings wax castles to the shrine as an offering. On the final day, thousands of pilgrims gather around the stupa for Takbat, the morning offering to the monks. Afterwards, families celebrate together with a meal of rice noodle soup and watch a game that is played each year, which is similar to polo.
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AprilIn common with Cambodia and Thailand, Laos celebrates New Year (Songkran) for 3 days in mid-April at the height of the hot season. The first day of celebrations is the last day of the previous year and people prepare perfumed water to pour over Buddha statues at their local temple, which they then collect and pour on family members to cleanse them prior to entering the new year. The second day is unusual in that it belongs neither in the old nor new year. Traditionally, people work on this day to clean their community and the young pour water on the elders to wish them good luck for the year ahead. On the third day, families celebrate the new year, go to temple and have a candlelight procession.
In Luang Prabang, festivities last for longer (around a week) and this is the most spectacular place to enjoy Lao New Year. |