Elephant Festival Sayabouly 2020 is from 21-28 January 2020 with 70 elephants. Detailed schedule to be published close to the festival date.
If you are planning to Laos Trip in February, surely you cannot miss this event. Every year, the annual Elephant Festival is taken place in Sayaboury Province this February. This festival will last from February 17th to February 19th and all authorities often prepare the accommodation and facilities for the event for several months.
Elephant Festival is established with the aim to raise the awareness of people about the endangering situation of the elephant which has become scared due to hunting and logging. Additionally, this occasion is also to celebrate the ancestral tradition of elephant domestication. And this year, Elephant Festival begins on February 13th but the official opening ceremony is on 17th February. There are 68 elephants taking part in this event.
The province’s Hongsa district is the first area held in 2007 and now after 10 years established annually, the number of visitors has risen from 10,000 to over 100,000 people in 2016. The authorities expect that this year it will even crowder. Together with the increase in visitor, the number of accommodation and leisure facilities such as a guest house, hotel, resorts, etc has risen from 169 (2014) to 192 (2015). In addition, Sayaboury Province has supported for home-stays in five villages of the main town with local residents with a bed and meals.
This year, the festival will include elephant shows, Baci ceremony, a beautiful elephant contest, an area of showing how elephants are trained, elephant bathing and the most special feature is elephant riding which gives you a chance to ride a real elephant. There is also the presence of some active conservation group in the festival associated with the main purpose of the festival.
In order to make it easier for traveling, Mr. Chanpheng Khammountha, an event organizing official, has shown us some ways to visit Sayaboury from Vientiane and Thailand. He said the only means of transportation to get there was by land since there was no flight here. If you wanted to reduce travel time, you could fly to Luang Prabang and continue by land, with the road trip taking about two hours. Definitely, a road trip would offer you a great chance to encounter the beauty of the countryside and witness the local daily life.
Another option for you is traveling by road from Vientiane, your route will be Sangthong District – Sanakham District (Vientiane Province) –Paklai District – Phieng Districts (Sayaboury Province) before reaching the provincial capital. The total amount of the trip is about seven hours.
For those who want to save money, here is a chance for you, there is only one bus a day reaching Sayaboury Province, which leaves at 6 PM. Besides, two minibusses are ready to take you from Vientiane to Sayaboury from 8 AM to 12 Am every day. The starting point is Sikhay Village which I near Sikhay Market.
From Thailand, all you needed is passing the international border between Thailand and Laos, from Thailand’s Uttaradit Province to Phoudu in Paklai district, Sayaboury Province.
I have been trying to get the exact dates for this festival. Could you please email me so I can make plans for my family?
Still trying to get the 2018 dates. Thank you, Bill Lanz
Inquiring once again regarding dates of Sayaboury elephant festival.
hi Bill Lanz,
the elephant festival is taken place in February at Sayaboury.
I found the information but not sure 100% on 20th - 27th February 2019.
Bests,
I asked the Tourism office in Vientiane today, they said from 23-feb to 28-feb 2019. I don't know which day is the main day...
Hi Somdee,
Actually, the elephant festival will be held later than last year.
Based on our information, it maybe starts on 24th or later than 1 day.
Bests,
When is the Sayaboury Elephant festival in 2020?
Hi Janice H,
The Elephant festival is organized around 16 to 19 February. The Festival in 2020, we haven't been announced yet.
We will update new information later!
Best regards,
With regards to the elephant featured in the photograph above performing tricks, is this a promotion of animal cruelty? Additionally, have the elephants who are being ridden spirits been broken? I don't mean to disrespect the cultural event and the value it brings to the residents, however, I think this information should be displayed before inviting tourists to visit.
Hi Scarlett,
Thanks for your suggestion. And we'll consider giving the information for tourist about the Elephant Festival.
Thanks,
Are there many guesthouse in the city during Elephant festival ? I am concerned about that.
Hi Jan,
Actually, it's easy to find a guesthouse in the city. You can find on the internet and choose which suits you.
Have a nice day!
Best regards,
Hi, when is Elephant Festival held next February (2020)??
Dates are fixed every year from 17-19 or will be changed??
Thanks
Hi Yuchen,
The Elephant Festival change every year. The Festival in 2020, we haven’t been announced yet. As soon as we have information, we will update on the website!
Thanks,
Hallo,I will go to Laos in February.
When is Elephant Festival in 2020 held?
Thanks
Hi Noriko,
Elephant Festival Sayabouly 2020 is from 21-28 Jan, 2020, with 70 elephants. Detailed schedule to be published close to the festival date.
Best Regards,
Hello. Do you have confirmed days for the Elephant festival for 2020?
Hi Marius,
Elephant Festival 2020 is from 21-28 Jan, 2020, with 70 elephants. Detailed schedule to be published close to the festival date.
Best Regards,
Hello....again. You can see from my name that I enquired several times in the past. The reason I continue to inquire is that while I was on my way, after taking forever to get the dates right, the hotel I booked cancelled. It was because of a dispute with the booking agency, however very inconvenient for me. This year, 2020 I was given the dates Feb. 18-23 or 24. Once again I booked only to find out that even though it is always in Feb., this year it was really in Jan. I just got off a flight4 hours ago and someone should tell Lao Aviation because their inflight magazine says Feb. 22-28. You can see why I have finally given up. I will not go into detail how I was also given the wrong dates for the Wat Phou festival. Changing the hotel bookings would not be too hard but try changing your prepaid flights. I will still come to Laos, just not for any festival since travel agents, Lao Avaition, and even the Lao tourist dept. don't seem to know when things are.