Xayaboury to stage annual rice festival

A raft of colourful activities will take place during the Kong Khao Yai festival (rice festival) to be held from January 7-12 in Phieng district, Xayaboury province.
The district’s Deputy Governor, Ms Sengaphone Keobuahome, told Vientiane Times that this year the festival would feature a varied programme including performances by local ethnic groups, a Miss Beauty contest, and a local foods competition.
Visitors can learn about the lifestyle of the Tongleuang ethnic group and enjoy the traditional activities of the Tai Dam ethnic group, she said.

The festival will also display locally made One District, One Product goods and many products made from rice. Visitors can explore the rice museum and watch a procession in which the people of each village in Phieng district display the rice they have grown.
This region is renowned for its rice fields and the bountiful harvests obtained each year. The opening ceremony of the festival will take place on January 9 but events begin on January 7, Ms Sengaphone said.
The Kong Khao Yai festival is held every year after the rice harvest, with the most iconic feature being the large ceremonial haystacks that are built.
Xayaboury province is also preparing for the Elephant Festival, which takes place from February 22-28, when visitors can enjoy some spectacular displays by elephants as well as a colourful street market. Xayaboury is home to more elephants than any other province in Laos.
Xayaboury is located in northern Laos and is about 300 km from Vientiane. It has many attractions for visitors including 29 officially designated nature-based places of interest, 12 cultural sites, and six places with historical associations.
The province is readily accessible from within Laos and neighbouring countries and contains a National Protected Area which is rich in natural biodiversity. During Visit Laos-China Year 2019, Xayaboury has improved many of its visitor facilities as well as the quality of service at hotels, guesthouses and tourist sites in hopes of attracting more holiday-makers and generating income for the province.
In the first nine months of this year, more than 3.4 million people vacationed in Laos, up 11 percent on last year, according to the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism.

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update December 23, 2019)