Vat Phou festival dates 2025: February 11-13th
Vat Phou, a Khmer Temple in southern Laos, is the destination for meak bochea, an annual Buddhist festival which falls on full moon day of the third lunar month, usually February. It’s a three-day event attracting locals from all over southern Laos. Truck full of Laotion arrive, giving a party atmosphere which lasts through into the night.
From the opening ceremony to the last evening, this festival is packed with activities, mostly early morning and late into the night. Full moon day has a special performance from the locals within the temple complex. The final day at sunrise , alms ceremony where locals give offerings to the monks, followed by a more relaxed evening where the temple is lit up and Chinese lanterns decorate the evening sky.
The temple grounds host many stalls with games, food and drink, targeting locals. Some tourists get a bad impression of this festival due to litter and the madness on it all. However, it’s a special time for locals to celebrate, an ideal time for culture photography opportunities. Best times to visit are late afternoon into the evening to see the main events. It’s quite spectacular, and free!
If you’re visiting Vat Phou during this festival, it’s advisable to book accommodation ahead of time. The nearest town is Champassak. It’s a quite colonial like village home to a few guest houses and restaurants alongside the river Mekong.
A popular choice for travellers heading onto Cambodia from Laos is to visit Preah Viher temple on the northern border to Thailand. The location on this Angkor Temple certainly gives it a wow factor. Another option heading from here to Cambodia is to view the Irrawaddy dolphins in Kratie, south of the border.
Visited Feb 2024 as part of a 3000km+ motorbike and photography adventure.
Similar ceremonies includes Visaka Bucha in Cambodia – A buddhist ceremony held all over Asia.
Heading to Angkor? Check out Photo Tours here!
