No doubt that this is festival is probably the most fun one. Boun Pi Mai is the traditional Lao New Year and very similar to Songkran in Thailand. The festival takes place from April 14 to 16. However, it’s common for the celebrations to take place earlier and last longer. Instead of the official three days, in many places Boun Pi Mai is celebrated a whole week. The traditional Laotian New Year is one huge party. There are huge water battles and strangers smear each other with moist powder. There are huge water battles and strangers smear wet powder on each other’s face. Boun Pi Mai is a really great festival and an unforgettable experience that you shouldn’t miss. We would even go as far as to say that this is the best time to come to Laos. Just get a water gun and plunge into the fray.
Although Boun Pi Mai is a huge party, you shouldn’t forget that it’s still a religious event. The water is used for cleansing to wash any past bad actions and bad luck away. This is to pave the way for a happy new year. In general, everything during this time has the character of a fresh start. Many Lao people clean their houses, wear new clothes and visit the temples. By the way, the Lao New Year is in the middle of April. So it’s one of the hottest times of the year. That of course makes it the perfect time for a water battle. Although Boun Pi Mai is a peaceful festival, you should still be careful. Since it’s a turbulent time, a lot of water is involved and many people drive drunk, we recommend you not to drive. If possible you shouldn’t even take a tuk tuk or motorbike taxi. Especially long journeys from city to city is something you really should avoid.