Loy Krathong & Yi Peng Lantern Festival

What the festivals are

Loy Krathong takes place on the full moon of the twelfth lunar month - in 2026 that falls on 3–5 November. Across Thailand, people release small lotus-shaped floats called krathongs onto rivers, canals, and lakes. Each krathong carries a candle, incense sticks, and flowers, and is set afloat as an offering to the water spirits and a symbolic release of grudges and bad luck from the past year.

In Chiang Mai, the festival overlaps with Yi Peng - a northern Thai tradition of releasing paper sky lanterns called khom loi. Thousands of lanterns rise simultaneously from the old city and the Ping River banks, filling the sky with drifting points of orange light. This is the image most commonly associated with Thailand in travel photography, and it looks exactly as spectacular in person as it does in pictures.

Loy Krathong across Thailand

Every town and city with a body of water celebrates Loy Krathong. Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River hosts large gatherings at Asiatique and Rattanakosin Island. Sukhothai holds what many consider the most traditional celebration, with candlelit processions around the historical park’s reflecting ponds.

For the full visual spectacle of the sky lanterns, though, Chiang Mai is the destination.

Yi Peng in Chiang Mai

The peak moment is the mass lantern release on the main full moon evening. The old city and surrounding areas see coordinated releases that last around 30–40 minutes, with individual releases continuing throughout the night.

Key spots for the mass release in Chiang Mai:

• Tha Phae Gate - the open square outside the eastern gate fills with people releasing lanterns simultaneously
• Nawarat Bridge - a good vantage point over the Ping River with krathong floating past and lanterns above
• Nimmanhaemin Road area - popular with locals and less crowded than the gate areas

There are also ticketed mass-release events run by private operators (prices approximately 2,500–4,000 THB as of 2026) which offer a structured experience with seating and coordinated group launches. These sell out months in advance. The free public celebrations around the old city moat and Tha Phae Gate are just as memorable and cost nothing.

Practical advice

Book accommodation extremely early. This is the single busiest event in Chiang Mai. Hotels within the old city and near Nimmanhaemin book out four to six months in advance. Pricing doubles or triples compared to a normal November night. If you are reading this close to the festival date, look at guesthouses in the Riverside and San Kamphaeng areas and plan on a short songthaew ride in.

Arrive two days before if possible. The full moon night is the main event but lanterns go up from day one, and the atmosphere builds over the festival period.

Krathongs are sold everywhere in the days before the festival for 30–150 THB, from simple banana-leaf floats to elaborately decorated versions. Making your own from banana leaves and flowers is possible at craft stalls around the old city market.

Air quality note. The mass lantern release creates significant smoke, and combined with the agricultural burning season in northern Thailand in late October and early November, air quality in Chiang Mai can be poor. People with respiratory sensitivities should factor this in.

Getting to Chiang Mai

Direct flights from Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang) take around 1 hour 20 minutes, with multiple departures daily. The overnight train is a scenic alternative - see our Bangkok to Chiang Mai guide for timing and booking details. We strongly recommend booking transport as well as accommodation several months ahead for the Yi Peng period.