April 13 – 15 every year, the entire country comes to a grinding halt. April 13 is officially the last day of the old year.

The next day is empty, belonging to neither the old nor the New Year. The 15th is the official start of the  Lao New Year, or Pi Mai Lao.  This is the time to wash away the past and wish for a good future. Lao people symbolize this by throwing water at each other, for mutual purification and blessing.  This is just about everyone, everywhere, getting drenched all the time, so don't expect to stay dry, and join in the splashing fun with the entire lao population!
Nowhere is Pi Mai more appreciated than in Luang Prabang. A colorful march, lead by the red-faced Phu Gneu Gna Gneu ancestors, takes on the main street  to escort the the Prabang Buddha. The revered statue is paraded through the streets before being put to rest and worshipped at Vat May where it remains for the duration of the festival.

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