The story
Vientiane Pi Mai Lao in Vientiane
Vientiane's Pi Mai runs mainly April 14 through 16, centered on the Mekong riverfront near Wat Chan, plus temple visits to Wat Si Muang and Pha That Luang for Buddha-image blessings. Government-organized water stations, talent shows and Miss Pi Mai pageants give the capital's celebration a more organized, urban character than Luang Prabang's tourist-dense, multi-day royal ceremonies, at a relatively relaxed overall pace.
Vientiane's Pi Mai carries a noticeably different rhythm from Luang Prabang's ten-day sequence of named processions, running instead across roughly three main days, April 14 through 16, at a pace locals and repeat visitors often describe as relaxed compared with the more tourist-dense northern capital.