Monday 26 October 2026

Boat racing (Boun Souang Heua) is a local festival that takes place every year all around the country during 6 weeks, from end of August and beginning of October (depending on the lunar calendar). Most Laos traditional boat racing festivals take place before the end of Buddhist lent. Dates vary from year to year, but most festivals are held on weekends.

The first one happens in Luang Prabang (at the Nam Khan River), at the exact half-time of the buddhist lent and finish the last day of the buddhist lent. They are the 2 more important of the year.

The other races take place in many villages, in the Mekong River or one of its tributary.

The last race traditionally takes place at Ban Xieng Ngeun, about thirty kilometers from Luang Prabang, on the road to Vientiane. In the morning, homemade rockets made from bamboo are launched for the better and the worst.

These two races (the first and last) are the largest in the region, and provide an opportunity for a large market involving all kinds of domestic and import. The other, more "local" are among a dozen and are held every 4 or 5 days.

The boats of fifty athletes compete on a few hundred meters and the sweltering heat, a victory involving one of the villages of Luang Prabang, the cries of encouragement to many who meet these opportunities. We are indeed in "low tourist season", and during this second part of the rainy season, agricultural tasks are not heavy, people have more time than usual.

The races generaly begin arounf miday, and finish before the sunset.

The days of the full moon is called Van Sin Ngiae 15 kham, holiday especially for all manual workers and those whose job can disturb by noise. These days we will avoid visiting artisan villages if we want to observe or participate in traditional activities.

On that day, more locals will join the Morning Alms.
Before participating, we recommend to read the Rules to respect for this unique cultural/religious tradition.

In the morning of the Van Sin Ngiae, the search for bonzes is marked by an influx more massive than usual of faithful. The bonzes themselves are more likely to leave the temple which gives the ritual a special intensity, even more in recent years with the influx of Thai visitors at certain times of the year for some Buddhist festivals.

After three months restricted to their temples, learning dharma and practicing meditation, the Buddhist monks once again return to their social duties and are welcomed with offerings of food and gifts. For three months, it was the rainy season, the period of calm in Laos (no wedding, no parties except the religious one).

This is the end of Buddhist Lent, it’s also time for another big celebration, the last boat race that takes place in Xieng Ngeun, 30km from the centre town.