Sacred Time in Laos
Vientiane | 27 Nov 2023
The three-day festival of Boun Pha That Luang is the highlight of Vientiane’s religious calendar. Held in the week of the full moon of the 12th lunar month (November), the festival begins with a candlelight procession around the wax pavilion at Wat Simuang. The following day, worshippers in ethnic costumes parade through the streets to the great stupa of Pha That Luang, where they make offerings of flowers, candles, and incense. The festival continues at dawn the next day with almsgiving, before locals gather to a play a hockey-like game called Ti Khee in the afternoon. The event comes to an end with a candlelight procession around Pha That Luang. The age-old sacred festival also features a feast of street food and fun for visitors.