Ban Ok Phansaa (Light Festival)

A festival to celebrate the end of Buddhist Lent, Ban Ok Phansaa is held during the 11th lunar month (generally October).  Candles and incense is burned, offerings of food and sweets are taken to temples and monks chant in all temples throughout Laos.  Similar to Thailand's Loy Krathong festival, small rafts made of banana leaves (heau fai) are set sail  on rivers and waterways at nightfall, all aglow with lit candles and incense.  A highlight of the festival are the boat races which take place on the Mekong River, each boat with 50 or so crewman racing through the water.