- Location: Sayabori Province
- Time: mid-February
This is a very famous, large-scale and colorful procession in Laos , which includes a lot of theatrical, competitive and demonstration events. Thanks to this festival of elephants quickly gained popularity among tourists, and many of them planning a trip to Laos, try to come on the days of the holiday.
Where is it held?
The elephant festival in Laos is held in the Sayaboury province of Paklai county.
When is the Elephant Festival in Laos?
This holiday lasts three days and usually falls on the middle of February.
history of the holiday
The history of the elephant festival in Sayabori dates back to 2007, when the holiday was first organized here. The place for the celebrations was chosen not casually, since it is in Sayabori that about 75% of elephants live in Laos, the population of which has been rapidly declining for several decades. A few centuries ago, Laos was called the "Kingdom of a million elephants", and today these forest giants are no more than two thousand individuals across the country. They continue to be killed in large numbers by ivory merchants and hunters.
In order to attract public attention to the preservation of the Asian elephant population and to show their importance in the life of Lao peasants, the festival was coined. Already in the first years of its existence, the festival received unexpected scope and wide popularity not only among the Lao people themselves, but also far beyond the borders of the country. This event quickly won recognition and became one of the largest cultural holidays in Laos . According to the data of 2015-2016, more than 80 thousand spectators come to the festival of elephants every year.
What is interesting about the Elephant Festival?
During the three days of the festival, several dozen elephants from villages and towns in the north-west of the country will march in colorful national costumes, participate in religious rituals, various competitions, team appearances and even creative competitions. You will be able to see and appreciate their dexterity in competitive tests, gracefulness during the dance and speed in the running. The guests will be shown an extensive program, which includes concerts, screenings, theatrical displays, performances of acrobats, competitions on traditional boats and even fireworks shows. The final chord of the elephant festival is a beauty contest and awarding the winners in the nominations "Elephant of the Year" and "Elephant of the Year".
How to visit?
You can get to Sayabori for the elephant festival in Laos from Vientiane . The first option is to go by plane, the journey will take about 1 hour. The second option is to go by bus, in this case, the road will have to spend about 11 hours.