The 17th Elephant Festival of Laos will run from February 12-18 in the northwestern province of Xayaboury (Photo: VNA)Vientiane (VNA) – The famous ElephantFestival of Laos will run from February 12-18 in the northwestern provinceof Xayaboury.
Phetphixay Sounvilay, Deputy Governor of Xayaboury, said that the festival, the 17th of its kind, aims to not only continue preserving the beauty of customs, traditional culture and lifestyle of Lao ethnic people, but also raise awareness about the conservation of elephants. It is also an opportunity to attract a large number of domestic and foreign tourists to Laos and the province in particular.
In addition to entertaining and educating spectatorsabout elephants, the festival aims to raise public awareness about these endangeredanimals and call for their protection within Laos and around the world. Theelephant holds a special place in the hearts and minds of the locals, whichcomes out in full form at this event.
This year’s Elephant Festival will feature severalactivities including elephants playing football and basketball, throwing darts, drawing and engaging in tug-of-war games. Visitors will also have a chance to see how elephants are trained. A wide range of cultural and artistic events will be held, along with exhibitions of local products.
Located in northern Laos andabout 300 km from Vientiane, Xayaboury has 29 natural tourismattractions, 12 cultural sites and six historical tourist spots. Currently, Thongmixay district of the province has thelargest elephant herd as the locals have a longtradition of taming and nurturing elephants./.
