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⚲ FESTIVALS

 

Thailand’s Twin Festivals of Light and Water

 

Every November, when the full moon rises over Thailand, the country transforms into a glowing wonderland. Rivers sparkle with candlelit floats and the northern skies shimmer with lanterns lifting into the night. These are the magical twin festivals of Loy Krathong and Yee Peng, celebrations that capture the soul of Thailand—gratitude, renewal, and the eternal dance of light over darkness.

 

 

A Story Rooted in Tradition

The story of Loy Krathong is woven from many threads. Some trace it back to ancient Brahmin rituals in India, where floating lamps were released to honor river deities. In Thailand, the practice merged with Buddhist traditions, becoming an act of offering light to the Buddha while symbolically letting go of sorrow, misfortune, and mistakes. Folklore tells us that Nang Noppamas, a lady-in-waiting in the royal court of Sukhothai, first crafted a krathong to delight her king. Whether or not the story is true, it lives on in the beauty of the floating offerings we see today.

 

In the north, the ancient Lanna kingdom developed its own luminous ritual. Known as Yee Peng, it is celebrated in harmony with Loy Krathong and tied to the Lanna lunar calendar. Here, instead of floating lanterns on water alone, people send glowing lanterns into the night sky, creating a breathtaking connection between the earthly and the spiritual.

 

 

Following the Moon

Both festivals are guided by the lunar cycle. Loy Krathong always takes place on the night of the full moon in the twelfth lunar month, usually in November. In the Lanna tradition, Yee Peng aligns with the full moon of the second month of their own calendar, which often coincides with Loy Krathong. In 2025, the celebrations fall around November 5–6, marking the end of the rainy season and the beginning of a new cycle of renewal.

 

Rituals of Light and Letting Go

To take part in Loy Krathong, people craft small, delicate floats from banana leaves, flowers, and slices of banana tree trunk. A candle and incense sticks crown each krathong, and some families add nail clippings or a lock of hair to symbolize the release of personal misfortunes. Once lit, the krathong is gently placed into a river or pond, carrying away regrets and carrying forward hopes.

 

Yee Peng, meanwhile, fills the air with light. Lanna-style lanterns are made from rice paper stretched over bamboo, lifted by the heat of a small flame. As they ascend into the night, wishes are carried skyward. Around temples, the glow multiplies: lanterns hung in trees, thousands of candles lit along walkways, processions of light illuminating the night.

 

 

Yet it is important to know that in many urban centers, including Chiang Mai city, the release of sky lanterns is now prohibited for safety reasons. Fire hazards and risks to air traffic have made authorities limit or ban lantern launches. If you dream of experiencing the true Yee Peng lantern spectacle, Lamphun and other nearby areas still host organized and safe events.

 

Where to Witness the Magic

Loy Krathong is celebrated across Thailand, but some places offer truly unforgettable experiences. In Bangkok, the Chao Phraya River becomes a stage of lights, with glittering temples and thousands of krathongs floating past. Ayutthaya and Sukhothai bring a sense of history to the celebration, their ancient ruins reflecting the glow of candles and floats.

 

Chiang Mai’s streets and temples burst with decoration, though the true lantern releases are now found in surrounding towns. Lamphun, just south of Chiang Mai, has become the heart of the Yee Peng Lanna Festival, offering a more intimate northern-style celebration where both krathongs and lanterns create a luminous harmony of water and sky.

 

 

Insider Tip :  Today, many Thais emphasize using eco-friendly krathongs made from natural or biodegradable materials, avoiding plastic or Styrofoam altogether. Visitors are encouraged to honor these traditions with the same care.

 

Step Into the Light

If you are dreaming of taking part in Thailand’s most enchanting night of the year, let us guide you. Float into the heart of Bangkok on a Loy Krathong river cruise along the Chao Phraya, watching the temples and city skyline glow while your krathong drifts downstream.

 

Book your LOY KRATHONG RIVER CRUISE in Bangkok online here.

 

Here are our HOTEL OPTIONS IN BANGKOK.

 

Or journey north to the Yee Peng Lanna Festival 2025 in Lamphun, where the night sky becomes a living canvas of lantern light on November 5 and 6.

Reserve your YEE PENG LANNA FESTIVAL 2025 tickets in Lamphun here.

 

Here are our HOTEL OPTIONS IN CHIANG MAI.

 

And if you would like to go beyond the festivals and dive deeper into authentic Thai culture, your Thai Insider is here to craft a tailor-made itinerary, designed around your passions and travel style. Let us design your journey and make your festival of light the start of something truly unforgettable.

Recommend by your Thai Insider.

𝗔𝗨𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗖 𝗝𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗡𝗘𝗬𝗦.
𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘲𝘶𝘦. 𝘐𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦.

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𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘴, 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘸𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘢 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘵 𝘯𝘰 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘳𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘴 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘭𝘴 𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵.