the Lao new year, celebrated on the same days every year (April 13-15). The 16th is the first day of the new year.On the 13th,Buddha images are taken out of the temples to be cleansed with scented water by devotees, and placed on special temporary alters within the compound of the vat. Devotees gather the scented water falling off the images, to take home and use it to pour on friends and relatives, as an act of cleaning and purification before entering the new year. on the evening of the 15th , the images are returned to their proper shrines within shines within the templas

Pimai is a time for much joyous celebration,with good deeds and prayers in anticipation of the new year.

may _Boun Bangfai:

the rocket festivall a ceremony of asking for rain is performed in the temples in the morning. in the afternoon,people gether in fields on the outskirts of villages and towns to launch the rockets with much abandoned revely . Villags, communities and departmants compets for the "best decorated" and the hieghest travelling rocket. Beginning around the middle May, the festivals are staggered from place to place to enable more participation and attendance,

the climate

Lao has a tropical climate with 2 distinct seasons: the rainy season from the begining of may to the end of september and the dry season from october to April . The average temperature is about 28 degrees centigrate , but in April the temperture may rise up to 38 degree centigrade. However, the weather in the mountainous areas is cold from Demcember from to February about 14-15 degree centigrade , Tourist activities are possible throughout the year.

Tham Ting

The cool limestone caves are located on the steep rockcliff rising vertically from the waters of Mekong river, at the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Ou rivers. The craggy mountain scenery is breathtaking with overhanging cliffs above the swift flowing river. The best attractions here are two caves full of Buddha images of varying styles, ages and sizes ,The lower cave called Tham Ting .The other norteworthy cave is called Tham Theung (upper cave),a disciple of Buddha whose statue stands at the entrance, the cave can be reached by a 2-hour boat trip,upstream from Luang Prabang.