Pi Mai Festival Overview
Lao New Year Celebration, Pi Mai, also known as Boun Pi, is the most popular festival in Laos. It usually lasts 3 days, but in Luang Prabang, it can extend to almost a week. The main attraction is the water festival, where participants joyfully throw water at each other using water guns and buckets. The festivities also feature a bustling market, a lively island party near Ban Xieng Men, and a traditional Baci ceremony to welcome the new year and honor the elders.
Day One
The festival starts with a vibrant market on Luang Prabang’s main avenue, showcasing various products from Laos and beyond. In the afternoon, festivities move to an island near Ban Xieng Men. Here, a lively party takes place, and people create traditional sand pyramids for good fortune.
Day Two
The second day of the Lao New Year Celebration is known as the ‘day without a year.’ People use this day to enjoy their favorite activities and prepare for the new year.
Day Three
Day Three: On the third day, a grand parade takes place. Monks and participants, dressed in traditional attire, march to the sacred temple of Wat Xieng Thong.
Final Day
Final Day: The final day marks the start of the new year. Families host Baci ceremonies at home to welcome the Lao New Year and offer well-wishes to their elders. Later, devotees ceremoniously pour water on the sacred Prabang statue at Wat Mai, seeking blessings for the coming year. The festival concludes with a candlelight procession around the temple, symbolizing the end of the celebration.