Once a year, on the October full moon, Luang Prabang lights up for Boun Lai Heua Fai, the Festival of Light marking the end of Buddhist Lent. After dark, illuminated boats built from bamboo and paper move through the streets of the old town to the beat of drums before they are set adrift on the Mekong River. Lotus shaped lanterns line the temples, and thousands of small krathong drift downstream, each one carrying a wish into the current. In 2026, the festival falls on 26 October.