Travel to Laos: Laos Elephant festival in Paklay district

(From Laos Cultural magazine)-Travel to Laos
Elephant festival is a part of the project for heightening knowledge abut the Lao elephant Association, which was established in the Lao PDR by Elephant Asia. Its purpose is to preserve elephants in Lao PDR, protect the natural heritage and enhance cultural relations between the Lao people and elephants.

The elephant festival was organized on 17-18 February 2007 in Viengkeo village, hongsa distict, Sayaboury province and 46 elephants joined the even. The event is very significant to the Lao people and elephants, who have had close relations of working, fighting and living on this land for a long time. It's the milestone for starting the elephant festival in the following years. In 2008 this event was held in Paklay district, Sayaboury province.

Mr.Bouaphanh Makhaphon, Secretary of the district party Cell Committee, Chef of Paklay District , Sayaboury province 70 elephants from Paklay and Thongmixay districts joined and only good elephant was taken part in this event. Besides the elephant procession, there was acrobatic performances and elephant riding service for tourists, who never ride an elephant but like to try it to view paklay district and Lay riverbank. A team was set up to province tourists with the elephant riding service.

Mr. Bouaphanh Makhaphon told about other activities, saying: "beside the exhibition of goods from businessmen and people, boat racing contest, Phavad festival and rocket festival was organized on 16 February 2008."

This is a good luck of those who attend the festival because they admired nature, lifestyle of the people, the wealth of the area and a part of the culture of people living in paklay district. Moreover, visitors saw ten of beautifully-decorated elephants in the procession, command of the caravan and the use of the elephant labor. Furthermore, there was trade fair, traditional festival and other festive activities, which tourists enjoyed this occasion.

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