Nation joyfully celebrates Lao New Year 2568

People across the country this week joyfully gathered to celebrate the start of a new year – 2568 in the Buddhist Era calendar - with Luang Prabang in particular staging a raft of colourful activities.

The Miss Lao New Year parade in Luang Prabang.   --Photo Teng

The official Pi Mai Lao holiday runs from April 14-16, but in Luang Prabang the festivities last for much longer, from April 11-20, and are a top draw for foreign visitors.
The highlight of the festival is the Miss Lao New Year parade, which this year took place on April 15, watched by more than 2,000 enthralled onlookers.
Among the dignitaries present to enjoy the event were President Thongloun Sisoulith, former Deputy Prime Minister Somsavat Lengsavad, the Governor of Luang Prabang province, Mr Khamkhan Chanthavisouk and other provincial leaders.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Governor of Luang Prabang City, Mr Viengthong Hathsachan, observed that the parade was an age-old custom that had been preserved and enjoyed for many generations.
Other processions also entertained locals and visitors, all featuring the towns’ much loved cultural traditions.
In addition, a street fair and the Miss Lao New Year (Nang Sangkhan) contest, the building of sand stupas, traditional ceremonies staged by the Leu ethnic group, an elephant procession, and a grand almsgiving ceremony for monks are also part of the festivities.
Luang Prabang is a top tourist destination year round but receives the greatest number of visitors over Pi Mai Lao when people flock to the town to observe the special traditions on display and share in street parties.
Elsewhere, Vientiane also stages a raft of Lao New Year events that continue throughout the day and late into the night. Monks at all of the town’s temples carefully remove the revered Buddha images that are normally arrayed around the main altar and place them outside in the courtyard.
Devotees dressed in brightly coloured clothing and sometimes garlands then bring buckets of water containing marigold petals to splash over the Buddha statues, the nagas that adorn temple entrances, and other revered images. They may then also dribble some of this water on their own heads as a way of earning more merit.
Another popular activity is to build structures resembling simple stupas made out of sand, where prayer flags, flowers and incense sticks are placed, also as a sign of reverence and wishes for good fortune.
Meanwhile, lively street fairs take place from April 13-26 in Sihom and Haisok villages of central Chanthaboury district, featuring about 150 stalls selling food and local products.
Further south in Saravan province, locals also prepare and sell food at popular waterfalls which, despite the relatively low water levels at the end of the dry season, are always a big draw during the Pi Mai Lao holiday when temperatures rise and people are in need of a refreshing dip.
Champassak province is another of the country’s favoured destinations to celebrate Pi Mai Lao, where a Miss Lao New Year parade and concerts entertain visitors, and the provincial capital’s broad streets offer plenty of opportunities for unending water battles.
Pi Mai is more than just a New Year festival—it’s a celebration of Lao identity, unity, and spirit. It brings families together, invites visitors to experience the heart of Lao culture, and offers everyone a moment to pause, reconnect, and refresh.
Whether you’re tossing water in the streets of Vientiane, watching cultural performances in Luang Prabang, or taking part in temple rituals in rural villages, Pi Mai Lao offers an unforgettable journey into the soul of Laos.

By Siladda Suliyong
 (Latest Update April 18, 2025)