Khao Vatsa

This is a comparatively sombre festival, which is also celebrated in Thailand. The rainy season in South East Asia is a time when the country slows down. Little farming is possible and the rain stops play.

It is customary during these quieter months of the year for faithful Buddhist men to go into monasteries for three months to fast and pray. This festival marks the beginning of that period, when head monks recite the Dhammapada and other religious texts and the community gives offerings of food and flowers to the temple to sustain them in their retreat.

Khao Vatsa is an interesting time to visit temples as some of the chanting of the texts is very beautiful. There's no need to be anywhere specific - a temple is never far away in Laos - although obviously, the sacred temples of That Luang in Vientiane and any temple in Luang Prabang would be a good place to try.

During the rainy season, monks are forbidden to travel to other monasteries and Khao Vatsa is therefore the start of the curfew period when monks settle down to some serious studying. The shut-down lasts three months, until the festival of Ok Vatsa which marks the re-entrance into the community of those who have been in retreat. This is an occasion for great celebration.