If you’re planning to travel to Laos this summer, make sure not to miss the renowned Rocket Festival – Boun Bang Fai. This festival transcends mere tradition; deeply rooted in Laotian beliefs, Boun Bang Fai is an essential ritual to invoke blessings from the gods.
It’s a sacred occasion where fervent prayers are sent skyward, seeking favorable weather conditions such as clear skies and propitious winds, ensuring bountiful crops and abundance for the community. Thus, the festival holds significant spiritual and agricultural importance, symbolizing the harmony between humans and nature in the pursuit of prosperity and well-being.
Overview of the Rocket Festival in Laos
Every year, typically in May or June, before gearing up for the new agricultural season when fields are still dry, the people of Laos hold the Boun Bang Fai – Rocket Festival to beckon the rains, hoping for a fruitful and abundant production season. This festival is generally celebrated throughout the country.
Rocket Festival – “Boun Bang Fai” in Laos
Boun Bang Fai ranks among the 12 major festivals of the year for Laotians. It’s not only a time for people to come together and revel before a season of hard work but also a significant cultural highlight that draws international tourists to this land of a million elephants.
Origin of the Boun Bang Fai Festival
The Rocket Festival, predating the invention of gunpowder, traces its roots back to the religious and Buddhist rituals of Laos, aimed at bringing fertility to the land and ensuring an abundance of resources for plentiful harvests.
According to the legend of the Toad King, the Rocket Festival originates from a battle between Phaya Thaen (God of the Sky) and Phaya Khang Khok (Toad King). During that time, the Buddha took the form of Phaya Khang Khok, greatly beloved and revered by the people for his teachings.
Envious of this special treatment, the God of the Sky, Phaya Thaen, decided to withhold rain for 7 years, 7 months, and 7 days. Consequently, crops failed, reserves depleted, and both humans and animals began to suffer.
Taking charge, the Toad King, Phaya Khang Khok, sought the assistance of the Termite King to build mounds of earth reaching the sky. Then, Phaya Khang Khok called upon the Scorpion and Centipede Kings to attack Phaya Thaen’s legs, while the Bee King attacked from above.
Ultimately, the battle was won, and the God of the Sky negotiated a peace treaty with the Toad King, Phaya Khang Khok, ensuring rain for humanity each year.
Thus, the Naga rockets launched into the sky at the end of the dry season serve as a reminder to the God of the sky, Phaya Thaen, to fulfill his duty.
People launch rockets into the sky to implore the god to bring rain to the earth
After the harvest, Wow Thanoo kites are flown in the winter wind. Also known as Túi-tiu (singing kites), they produce the sound of a bowstring when released into the wind. The kites sing throughout the night to inform Phaya Thaen that enough rain has been sent.
When will the Rocket Festival in Laos take place in 2024?
Boun Bang Fai, renowned as one of the loudest events in Laos, typically occurs during the sixth month of the lunar calendar, usually falling between May and June, marking the beginning of plantations and the onset of the rainy season.
This year, the Rocket Festival in Laos will take place from Friday, May 10th to Sunday, May 12th, 2024.
This festival attracts visitors from around the world. Every year, Laotians come together to celebrate this colorful and exhilarating tradition.
Where can you attend the Rocket Festival in Laos?
The festival generally takes place in Vang Vieng or Vientiane – the capital of Laos. It is held outside the city center to avoid property damage and ensure the safety of participants, particularly in suburban areas.
The festival is usually organized in Vang Vieng and Vientiane in Laos around the months of May and June
The main objectives of the Boun Bang Fai Rocket Festival are to:
- Preserve and safeguard the cultural aspects of the people for millennia.
- Strengthen solidarity between local authorities and residents.
- Promote the beauty of culture and tourism to international tourists to foster their continued development.
What activities are there at the festival?
The Boun Bang Fai typically spans a three-day period filled with a variety of festive events.
The first two days feature parades, processions, traditional dances, and concerts. In a joyful atmosphere, participants engage in games, laughter, and enjoy Lao-Lao, the local rice alcohol, amidst a friendly ambiance.
The third day of Boun Bang Fai is when the competition heats up, usually showcasing exclusively bamboo rockets. Each rocket undergoes meticulous inspection and classification. The rocket parade kicks off in the morning, where each village proudly presents its creation to the public before positioning it on the launch ramp.
The rockets are beautifully decorated for their skyward journey
Points are awarded based on different criteria such as the rocket’s altitude, the beauty of its decoration, and the level of entertainment provided by the participating team. In this latter category, creativity often shines through, with men donning elaborate masks and women performing traditional dances and songs.
Launches proceed one after the other, and the team behind the rocket that reaches the greatest height and stays airborne the longest receives warm applause from the crowd. In case of failure, however, the team risks facing challenges such as being thrown into mud or a pond, and they must also drink a glass of rice alcohol (Satho) as a pledge for their performance.
In Laos, aside from famous festivals like the Boun Bi Mai – New Year Laos celebrated in April, the Buddhist festival of That Luang takes place in November, while the Boun Bang Fai festival is also highly popular and attracts numerous international tourists during the summer. The most renowned events are typically held in surrounding villages such as Nason, Natham, Thongmang, Kern, Pakhanhoung, as well as in many other villages.
Hi, is it easy to get to somewhere the rockets will be fired from Vientiane? We are hoping to see the festival but dont know anyone to stay with locally
Hello Saz,
Thank you for reaching out. About getting to the launch site, it’s quite easy. Even though it’s located on the outskirts, quite a distance from the city center, there will be transportation options available to take you there. To ensure you’re not late for the launch, it’s best to book your transport in advance, preferably one to two days beforehand.
You can choose a local taxi or tuk tuk to get around. To explore deeply about festivals as well as culture, local people, and historical sites in Laos, I recommend booking a guide early to enhance your trip experience.
As for accommodation, if you’re interested in staying with locals, we can assist you in contacting them and checking their availability. Besides, there are also many hotels, homestays for you to choose from, preferably located in the city center for easy access to other tourist attractions. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us here or via email at sales@vietnamparadisetravel.com for prompt assistance.
Have a nice day!
Bich Ngoc
this was helpful
Hi, thank you for your comment. If you have any question about this festival or traveling to Laos, don’t hesitate to ask us for more information. Have a nice day!
Bich Ngoc