Hello All,
Not sure if this is the proper place for this post, but anyone know if Laos or Viet Nam celebrate Songkran ? Just thinking about leaving town for a few days during the holiday. Don't really want to get soaked everytime I venture outside. Thanks.
Songkran in other Asian countries
Re: Songkran
Laos celebrate their version of Songkran pretty much the same time as here
APRIL
Boun Pimai (or Pimai Lao)
One of the most important annual festivals, particularly in (Luang Prabang). is to celebrate Lao New Year in the lasting several days in mid-April (13-15), The first month of the Lao New Year is actually December but festivities are delayed until April when days are longer than nights. By April it’s also hotting up, so having hoses leveled at you and buckets of water dumped on you is more pleasurable. Ii is a combination of merriment and meditation. Similar to festivals at this time of year in other Southeast Asian countries - particularly Thailand - Boun Pimai is celebrated with parades, circle dance (ramwong), traditional Lao folk singing (mor lam) and enthusiastic water-throwing. The religious aspects of the festival are most apparent in Luang Prabang, where water pouring ceremonies are used to Buddha statues are worshiped with water pouring ceremonies. Temple compounds are further decorated with small sand Stupas, offered as merit towards good fortune and health.
Pi Mai
The lunar new year begins in mid-April and practically the entire country comes to a halt and celebrates. Houses are cleaned, people put on new clothes and Buddha images are washed with lustral water. In the wats, offerings of fruit and flowers are made at various altars and votive mounds of sand or stone are fashioned in the courtyards. Later the citizens take to the streets and douse one another with water, which is an appropriate activity as April is usually the hottest month of the year. This festival is particularly picturesque in Luang Prabang, where it includes elephant processions.
Nothing like that listed for Vietnam in April.
APRIL
Boun Pimai (or Pimai Lao)
One of the most important annual festivals, particularly in (Luang Prabang). is to celebrate Lao New Year in the lasting several days in mid-April (13-15), The first month of the Lao New Year is actually December but festivities are delayed until April when days are longer than nights. By April it’s also hotting up, so having hoses leveled at you and buckets of water dumped on you is more pleasurable. Ii is a combination of merriment and meditation. Similar to festivals at this time of year in other Southeast Asian countries - particularly Thailand - Boun Pimai is celebrated with parades, circle dance (ramwong), traditional Lao folk singing (mor lam) and enthusiastic water-throwing. The religious aspects of the festival are most apparent in Luang Prabang, where water pouring ceremonies are used to Buddha statues are worshiped with water pouring ceremonies. Temple compounds are further decorated with small sand Stupas, offered as merit towards good fortune and health.
Pi Mai
The lunar new year begins in mid-April and practically the entire country comes to a halt and celebrates. Houses are cleaned, people put on new clothes and Buddha images are washed with lustral water. In the wats, offerings of fruit and flowers are made at various altars and votive mounds of sand or stone are fashioned in the courtyards. Later the citizens take to the streets and douse one another with water, which is an appropriate activity as April is usually the hottest month of the year. This festival is particularly picturesque in Luang Prabang, where it includes elephant processions.
Nothing like that listed for Vietnam in April.
“Never argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience.”
― George Carlin
“The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those who speak it.” -George Orwell.
― George Carlin
“The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those who speak it.” -George Orwell.
Re: Songkran
It's pretty short here in Hua Hin. I've found it easy to avoid by just stocking up the fridge and staying in a couple of days.
My brain is like an Internet browser; 12 tabs are open and 5 of them are not responding, there's a GIF playing in an endless loop,... and where is that annoying music coming from?
Re: Songkran in other Asian countries
It's normally just on the 13th that water gets thrown around although I've been in the bar district before when when people reckon it's OK to start on the night of the 12th.
I think the police normally try to get people to stop around 6pm on the 13th in the middle of town just so folk can go out to restaurants etc. The partying may continue for longer in outlying areas of town.
I think the police normally try to get people to stop around 6pm on the 13th in the middle of town just so folk can go out to restaurants etc. The partying may continue for longer in outlying areas of town.
Re: Songkran in other Asian countries
Thank you all for your replies.
I think I'll just visit Ho Chi Minh City for a few days over Songkran.
I think I'll just visit Ho Chi Minh City for a few days over Songkran.