Temple festivals (bun wat) make good opportunities to taste real home-cooked Lao food as temple regulars often bring dishes from home to share with other temple visitors. Chances are vendors will also set up food-stalls offering everything from khua foe (fried rice noodles) to ping kai (grilled chicken).

The annual boat races usually held in October in towns along the Mekong River, is another great chance to graze at long lines of vendor booths; ndem khao is particularly popular at these events.

During tut jiin (Chinese New Year), also known by its Vietnamese name Tet, Laos's Chinese population celebrates with a week of house-cleaning, lion dances, fireworks and feasting. The most impressive festivities take place in Vientiane's Chinatown (at the north end of Th Chao Anou) and 'mooncakes' - thick, circular pastries filled with sweet bean paste or salted pork - are on sale all over town.