Pi mai, or Lao New Year, is the biggest festival of the year in Laos, and celebrated all over the country. Traditionally a time for cleansing and renewal, it’s also a chance for everyone to let their hair down and party for three days straight like only the Lao can. Along with the traditional...
Two female artists are finding their voice in Vientiane. Ole Viravong Scovill was just seven years old when she started drawing. First, it was a comic book; she created a story about a girl who wants to become a painter, but is too poor to realise her dream. Later, growing up in Vientiane, she...
Growing and harvesting tobacco crops can be a remarkably uncomplicated process. Once farmers plant tobacco plants they need to water them regularly, and when harvest season arrives, they start picking the ripe leaves. Starting at the bottom, where leaves mature the earliest, they work their way...
Luang Prabang may be one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, but this wasn’t always the case As coveted destinations go, you’d be hard-pressed to come up with a town that fits the bill better than Luang Prabang. The perfectly preserved former royal capital of Laos is nestled in...
Tobacco has long been a feature of the agricultural landscape of Laos, but the early native varieties had several uses other than smoking. Local tobacco leaves were burnt during funeral ceremonies, and farmers also used the smoke as an insect repellant when working outside, especially during...
ລາວ