The Best of Cambodia & Laos

LAOS CALENDAR OF EVENTS
For an exhaustive list of events beyond those listed here, check http://events.
frommers.com, where you’ll find a searchable, up-to-the-minute roster of what’s
happening in cities all over the world.
JANUARY
New Year’s Day. The worldwide holiday
is celebrated in Laos. January 1.
Pathet Lao Day. This holiday celebrates
the victory of the Pathet Lao
against the royalist Western-backed
government of the time. January 6.
Army Day. This celebrates the founding
of the Lao People’s Army in 1949 by
Kaysone Phomvihane in the former
revolutionary stronghold of Huaphan
province. January 20.
Boun Khoun Khao. This holiday is
celebrated after the rice harvest. A ceremony
takes place to give thanks to the
spirits of the land and make good luck
for the next harvest. Late January to
early February.
FEBRUARY
Chinese and Vietnamese New Year’s
(Kud Chin and Kud Viet). These are
celebrated with a bang—fireworks, parties,
and merit making take place at
Chinese and Vietnamese temples. February
14, 2010; February 3, 2011.
Boun Makha Bousa. As in Cambodia
and Thailand, this holiday takes place
on the full moon to commemorate the
speech given by the Lord Buddha to
1,250 enlightened monks who had
gathered with no organization or prior
warning. In the evening, people visit
the temple and circle the wat three
times with candles in a ceremony
known as vien tian. February 21, 2010;
February 19, 2011.
Boun Khao Chi. Special offerings of
sticky rice coated with eggs are made to
monks. It is associated with Mahka
Bousa. Late February.
MARCH
International Women’s Day. This public
holiday honors women in Lao society,
with celebrations at homes and in
offices. March 8.
Day of the People’s Party. This day celebrates
the ruling Lao People’s Revolutionary
Party and all its works. March 22.
Boun Pha Vet. Lasting 3 days and 3
nights, this religious festival celebrates
Buddha’s previous incarnation before
being born as Prince Siddhartha. Late
March.
APRIL
Lao New Year (Boun Pi Mai). Celebrated
for 3 days, this is the most important
celebration of the year. The Pi Mai
festival is all about water in daily life, and
no one is spared the bucket. Dress is
casual. In Laos, the festival still retains
more of its original gracious character.
The best place to experience it is in
Luang Prabang. The Luang Prabang festivities
include a procession, a fair, a
sand-castle competition on the Mekong,
a Miss New Year pageant, folk performances,
and cultural shows. Make sure
you’re booked and confirmed in hotels
before you go. April 14 to April 16,
2010; April 13 to April 15, 2011.
MAY
Labor Day. The international day celebrating
workers. May 1.
Rocket Festival (Boun Bang Fai). This
is essentially an animist rainmaking and
fertility festival, held just before the
start of the rainy season. Huge homemade
rockets are fired into the air to
prompt the gods to create rain for the
upcoming rice-growing season. This is a
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PLANNING YOUR TRIP TO LAOS 10
LAOS CALENDAR OF EVENTS