There are travel experiences that look beautiful in photographs and then there are the ones that make you forget you're holding a camera. Thailand's lantern festival is firmly in the second category. Standing in a field as thousands of glowing paper lanterns drift silently into a dark sky above you is one of those rare moments that genuinely takes your breath away. It's spiritual, joyful and utterly unlike anything else in the world and it's one of the most compelling reasons to book a Thailand holiday package deal in the second half of the year. Here's everything you need to know.
What is the Lantern Festival?
The lantern festival Thailand is famous for goes by two names: Yi Peng and Loi Krathong and while they're related, they're not quite the same thing (more on that below). Yi Peng is the northern Thai festival centred on the release of khom loi, large paper sky lanterns, and is most powerfully experienced in Chiang Mai. The name Yi Peng refers to the second month of the northern Thai lunar calendar and the festival has been observed in the Lanna region of northern Thailand for centuries.
At its heart, Yi Peng is a Buddhist festival of light, a time to make merit, release negative energy and send prayers skyward along with the lanterns. The visual impact is extraordinary, but understanding the spiritual significance behind it adds a layer of meaning that makes the experience far richer.
When is the Lantern Festival?
The Thailand lantern festival takes place on the full moon of the twelfth month of the Thai lunar calendar, which typically falls in November. For the Chiang Mai lantern festival 2026, the date is expected to fall in mid-November. Exact dates shift year to year depending on the lunar calendar, so it's worth confirming the specific date when planning your trip.
The festival runs over several days with the main lantern release on the full moon night itself. The nights surrounding it also carry a festive atmosphere with candlelit decorations, processions and celebrations throughout the city.
Where is it held?
The Chiang Mai lantern festival is the most famous and most atmospheric place to experience Yi Peng. The city transforms completely during the festival period, with lanterns released from temples, parks, riverside areas and in huge, organised events that draw visitors from across the world. Holidays to Chiang Mai in November are genuinely special and the festival gives the city an energy that's impossible to replicate at any other time of year.
The most iconic mass lantern releases are held at venues outside the city centre, organised events where hundreds of participants release lanterns simultaneously, creating that unforgettable spectacle of light rising into the sky. Tickets for these events sell out early, so booking ahead is essential.
Beyond Chiang Mai, Yi Peng celebrations also take place in other northern Thai cities including Chiang Rai, though Chiang Mai remains the undisputed home of the festival.
What's the difference between Yi Peng and Loi Krathong?
They happen simultaneously and are often spoken about as one event but Yi Peng and Loi Krathong are distinct festivals. Yi Peng is the sky lantern festival, specific to northern Thailand and the Lanna cultural tradition. Loi Krathong is a nationwide Thai festival celebrated on the same night, centred on floating decorated baskets, called krathong, on rivers, canals and lakes. The krathong are traditionally made from banana leaves and flowers and carry a candle, incense sticks, and a coin, symbolising the release of grudges and bad luck into the water.
In Chiang Mai, both happen at once which is what makes the city so extraordinary on this particular night. Lanterns rise into the sky while krathong float down the Ping River, creating a celebration that feels like it's happening on every possible plane at once. It's one of the most visually spectacular festivals in Thailand and that's saying something in a country that does festivals exceptionally well.
Why is the Lantern Festival celebrated?
Why is the lantern festival celebrated? The answer is layered. On a spiritual level, releasing a khom loi is an act of letting go: of bad luck, negative emotions and past troubles, while sending good wishes and prayers upward toward the heavens. It's a deeply Buddhist practice rooted in making merit and honouring the Buddha.
On a cultural level, Yi Peng marks the end of the rainy season and the beginning of the cool season in northern Thailand, a time of renewal and gratitude. Communities come together, temples are illuminated and the collective act of releasing lanterns creates a shared moment of hope and reflection. For many visitors, it becomes one of the most meaningful travel experiences of their lives.
How to celebrate the Lantern Festival
Watch the Monks light lanterns at a Temple
The most authentic way to experience Yi Peng is at a local temple during the evening ceremony. Monks in saffron robes light candles and release lanterns as part of Buddhist merit-making rituals, and the atmosphere is quietly profound. Wat Phra Singh and Wat Chedi Luang in Chiang Mai's old city are both excellent choices. Dress modestly, arrive early and observe respectfully.
Release your own lantern
Participating in a lantern release is the experience most visitors come for and it's every bit as moving as it looks. Lanterns are widely available to purchase at markets and stalls throughout the festival period. Before lighting yours, take a moment to set an intention or make a wish, it's what the festival is for. Follow local guidance on where releases are permitted, as some areas restrict them for safety reasons.
Write down your wishes
Many participants write hopes, prayers or intentions on their lanterns before releasing them, a tradition that adds personal meaning to the moment. Some organised events provide markers and encourage participants to do exactly this. It's a small act that turns a spectacular visual experience into something genuinely personal.
Float a Krathong on the Ping River
Head to the banks of the Ping River on the night of Loi Krathong and join the locals in floating a krathong, a decorated banana leaf basket carrying a candle and incense. The river fills with hundreds of flickering lights drifting downstream and the atmosphere is magical. Krathong are sold at stalls along the riverbank; making your own from scratch at a workshop earlier in the day is a brilliant activity for families on a Chiang Mai family holiday.
Explore the Lantern Festival food stalls
Lantern festival food is one of the great underrated pleasures of Yi Peng. The streets of Chiang Mai fill with night market stalls serving northern Thai specialities: khao soi (the rich, coconut curry noodle soup that is Chiang Mai's signature dish), sai oua (spiced pork sausage), mango sticky rice and grilled meats skewered and cooked over charcoal. The festival atmosphere transforms even simple street food into something celebratory. Eat as much as possible and try everything.
Watch the Grand Procession
The Yi Peng procession through Chiang Mai's old city is a spectacle of decorated floats, traditional Lanna costumes and illuminated temples that sets the scene perfectly before the main lantern release. It typically takes place on the evening of the full moon and draws large crowds. Arrive early to secure a good viewing spot along the route!
Book your Thailand Lantern Festival trip
Yi Peng is the kind of event that sells out accommodation months in advance, so if Chiang Mai in November is on your radar, starting to plan early is genuinely important. It sits alongside the Full Moon party in Thailand and the Songkran festival as one of the country's most unmissable annual events. Away Holidays can help you build the perfect Thailand itinerary around it, so get in touch with our team today and let's make it happen.
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