Glass mosaic of tree of life on wall of the 16th century Sim, Wat Xiang Thong, Luang Prabang, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Laos, Indochina, Southeast Asia

Buddhist monks collecting alms, Maung Sing, Laos, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Novice monk ceremony, Maung Sing, Laos, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Portrait, ethnology, young Akha Pixor women smiling and wearing silver headdresses and coins, village of Ban Moxoxang, Phongsali, Phongsali district, Laos, Southeast Asia, Asia

Festival, two beautiful young women of the Lao Loum ethnic group, beauty pageant, beauty queens, traditional clothes, hair styles, colourful balloons, Muang Xai, Udomxai province, Laos, Southeast Asia, Asia

Young woman of the Akha Pala tribe looking out of a window dressed in a colourful head-dress and a red necklace, Ban Saenkham Tai, Phongsali Province, Laos, South East Asia

Festival, young Hmong woman, portrait, dressed in traditional clothing, colourful headwear, Xam Neua, Houaphan province, Laos, Southeast Asia, Asia

Portrait, ethnology, woman of the Akha Pixor ethnic group in traditional dress, hood as a headdress, wearing silver and coins as jewellery, village Ban Moxoxang, Phongsali district, Phongsali province, Phongsaly, Laos, Southeast Asia, Asia

Portrait, woman of the Lao Seng ethnic group smoking a cigar, colorful headscarf, Ban Sopkang, Phou Den Din National Protected Area, Phongsali district and province, Laos, Southeast Asia, Asia

Portrait, smiling woman of the Phixor Akha ethnic group, traditional clothing dyed with indigo, headdress with silver coins, village Ban Bounpiang, Boun Neua district, Phongsali province, Laos, Southeast Asia, Asia

Rocket rising in the sky shortly after launch from a launch pad, cheering spectators, Pi Mai, Lao New Year festival, city of Phongsali, Phongsali province, Laos, Southeast Asia, Asia

Festival, launching of a Bang Fai rocket, being watched by monks dressed in orange robes, Muang Xai, Oudomxai province, Laos, Southeast Asia, Asia

Poverty, ethnology, young women of the Akha Nuqui ethnic group walking together through the jungle on a path, traditional costume, traditional clothing, color indigo, headgear, baskets on their backs, Ban Phou Yot village, Phongsali district and province,

Theravada Buddhism, elephants and tourists, Buddhist monks watching parade, Elephant Festival, Ban Viengkeo, Hongsa, Xaignabouri Province, Sayaburi, Xayaburi or Sainyabuli, Laos, Southeast Asia, Asia

Decorated elephant, Mahout riding under sunshade, Elephant Festival Parade, Ban Viengkeo, Hongsa, Xaignabouri Province, Sayaburi, Xayaburi or Sainyabuli, Laos, Southeast Asia, Asia

Women of the Akha ethnic minority from the province of Phongsali in Laos marching in colourful costumes with bamboo tubes at a festival, Jiangcheng, Pu'er City, Yunnan Province, People's Republic of China, Southeast Asia, Asia

Pi Mai, Lao New Year, Women of the Phunoy ethnic group, traditional dress in black with red pompoms, Phongsali city, Laos, Southeast Asia, Asia

Multicoloured hand made paper umbrellas or parasols on sale at the handicraft evening market in Luang Prabang, Laos, Southeast Asia

Multicoloured hand made paper umbrellas or parasols on sale at the handicraft evening market in Luang Prabang, Laos, Southeast Asia

Elephants kneeling, Mahouts on top, Elephant Festival, Ban Viengkeo, Hongsa, Xaignabouri Province, Sayaburi, Xayaburi or Sainyabuli, Laos, Southeast Asia, Asia

Festival, young men of the Lao Youth Organization carrying colourful flags in front of a monument, Xam Neua, Houaphan province, Laos, Southeast Asia, Asia

River boats on the Mekong River, Luang Prabang, Laos, Indochina, Asia

River boats on the Mekong River at sunset, Luang Prabang, Laos, Indochina, Asia

River boats on the Mekong River, Luang Prabang, Laos, Indochina, Asia

A LAotian-American female monk with shaved head makes an offering of rice during worship as the Laotian American community celebrates the Buddhist new year by gathering at a property in suburban East Hartford Connecticut on April 28, 2007. Several shrines are set up on the property. The celebrants leave offerings of food, flowers and money, pray, dance, and feast for a day. Immigrants from Laos, including the Hmong people, are refugees from the Vietnam War era, when they helped United States in the war.