Loy Krathong & Yi Peng in Chiang Mai: 2026 Festival Guide for Nomads & Solo Travelers

Loy Krathong and Yi Peng in Chiang Mai fall on 23–25 November 2026. Loy Krathong's full-moon night is Tuesday, 24 November, when thousands of candle-lit baskets float down the Ping River. Yi Peng's ticketed sky-lantern releases happen on 24 and 25 November at venues outside the city.

The closest comparison that comes to my mind is Disney's Tangled — if you watched it, you can imagine and picture the feeling this festival is chasing. I got to see thousands of sky lanterns light up the sky and lotus baskets drift down the Ping River in November — and it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It's just something that makes your inner child so happy, because it's so magical and fairytale-ish.

I put all the details and tips in this guide, where you can find everything you need to plan it as a nomad or solo traveler: what each festival means, where to buy an eco-friendly krathong, the lantern rules, what to eat, and the best spots by vibe.

What is Chiang Mai Lantern Festival 2026 All About?

Important dates:

Water vs. Sky — the Quick Difference

I was very confused and couldn't understand that there are actually two big events happening one after another: Loy Krathong and Yi Peng. Quick explanation of the difference:

Where to find: Nawarat Bridge · Iron Bridge · Ton Lamyai Market Park (new main city venue) · Tha Phae Gate · Three Kings Monument · Wat Phan Tao · Wat Lok Moli

Loy Krathong vs. Yi Peng: Understanding the Spiritual Meanings

Loy Krathong and Yi Peng are two different festivals in Chiang Mai; they just happen to land on the same full moon.

That's because the old Lanna calendar of the north runs about two months ahead of the central Thai one. The 12th month in Bangkok is the 2nd month up here — so both full moons line up every year.

That coincidence makes it a city lit up from every direction: candles on the water, lanterns hanging from temples, and lanterns rising into the sky. Which is great, because if you travel during this period, you win this lucky chance to see both!

Loy Krathong (Floating Bad Luck Away on the River)

Loy means “to float,” and a krathong is the small basket you set on the water. It's celebrated all over Thailand on the full moon of the 12th lunar month.

A traditional krathong is a slice of banana tree trunk, wrapped in folded banana leaves and decorated with flowers, three incense sticks, and a candle. Some people tuck in a small coin as an offering to the river spirits.

Floating it is a way to thank the water for everything it gives, and to ask forgiveness for polluting it. It's also about letting go — you make a wish and let your bad luck drift away with the current.

On the Ping River, most celebrations start at dusk and run late into the night. The busiest time is usually between 8:00 PM and 10:00 PM, when the water fills with candlelight.

We headed to Ping River around 9:30 once we wrapped up some work, and it seemed like perfect timing as we were able to catch the most lively moment — everyone let their lanterns out; there were some really big and quirky ones, apparently let out by organizers. Since we were new to this celebration, we were planning just to watch the action from the side and walk along the river to get a good view of everyone else's lanterns. In the aftermath, I do regret not getting my one lantern — who doesn't want to float the bad luck away? (superstitions aside, it's just a fun way to be a part of a grand, nation-wide celebration).

Yi Peng (Northern Lanna Sky Lanterns)

Yi Peng is a Lanna tradition, specific to northern Thailand. The name comes from the northern Thai words for “two” (yi) and “full moon” (peng) — the full moon of the second Lanna month.

Its most famous symbol is the khom loi, a rice-paper sky lantern lifted by a small flame. Releasing one is a way of sending off misfortune and making a wish for the year ahead.

But Yi Peng is much more than the mass-release photos. Look out for khom khwaen (hanging lanterns strung across temple courtyards and streets) and phang prathip (small clay oil lamps lit along walls, doorways and shrines).

The mass sky-lantern releases are ticketed and held outside the city. Most tickets include two lanterns to launch, a lounge with a food market, and usually transport. Prices start at around 4,900 THB (~$145) and go up to about 15,900 THB (~$475), depending on the category.

We got the full ticket, but decided to drive ourselves on the bike — just to avoid waiting for the transfer there and back, and to be a little more flexible with arrival and departure times. Expect a long day either way: with transfers, it can take most of the afternoon and evening.

Nomad Community Hubs: Pre-Loy Krathong × Kad Mua at Alt_PingRiver

If you're arriving solo and want to celebrate with people rather than squeeze into the crowds alone, start with the nomad community.

Alt_PingRiver, a co-living and co-working space near the Ping River, is hosting Loy Krathong × Kad Mua the evening before the full moon. Kad Mua is a relaxed, Northern Thai–style community market.

You'll get local food and desserts, games, and a DIY krathong workshop — so you go into the full-moon night with your own handmade basket. Advance tickets bought by 21 November also go into a prize draw. You can register for the Kad Mua evening on their website (opens in new tab), and find Alt_PingRiver on Nomad Babe.

If you're planning a longer stay, I break down neighborhoods, co-working and co-living in my Chiang Mai digital nomad guide.

Festival Preparation: What to Buy & Where to Shop

Eco-Friendly Krathongs vs. Plastic Rules

Every year, the city clears tonnes of krathongs out of the Ping River the morning after. That's why officials push hard for natural materials.

Foam krathongs are strongly discouraged across Thailand, and some venues ban them outright. Local officials have also asked families in past years to float just one krathong per family rather than one each — a small, easy way to cut the waste.

Where to Buy (Warorot Market, Nawarat Bridge, Local Temples)

You won't need to hunt for a krathong — stalls appear everywhere in the days before the full moon. The three easiest places:

• •Warorot Market (Kad Luang) & Ton Lamyai (opens in new tab) — the market area right by the river, east of the Old City. Stalls sell krathongs through the evening, and it's one of the best street-food areas in the city.
• •Nawarat Bridge & the riverbank (opens in new tab) — the walking path between Nakorn Ping Bridge and the Iron Bridge is lined with vendors and food stalls, plus small bamboo docks built so you can safely lower your krathong into the water.
• •Local temples — sometimes, we saw krathongs being sold in the temples around Chiang Mai.

It's mostly cash-centered, and it might be hard to find stalls that would take cards.

City Regulations on Sky Lanterns

This is the most important rule to know: you can't release a sky lantern wherever you like in Chiang Mai.

The airport sits right next to the city, so lantern releases are tightly controlled for aviation and fire safety. Releasing one inside the city — including the Old City and Tha Phae Gate — isn't allowed. Lanterns can only go up at venues that have official approval for their specific event.

Seeing lanterns for sale on the street doesn't mean you're allowed to launch them there.

A few practical points:

• •Want to release one yourself? Book a licensed, ticketed event and follow the safety briefing.
• •Flying in or out on 24–25 November? Thailand's aviation authority has flagged lantern activity on both nights, and flights have been cancelled or rescheduled in past years. Check your flight status with your airline.
• •If a lantern lands near you, make sure the flame is out.
• •The hanging lanterns, temple candles and clay lamps around the city are all free to enjoy — no permit or ticket needed.

Festival Street Food: 6 Must-Try Loy Krathong Snacks

Every night, and especially on festival nights, Chiang Mai's streets transform into a busy, noisy, and bubbly version of themselves. Everywhere you go, there's a stall frying something mouthwatering. My best advice: it's essential to come hungry!

1. 1
   Khao Lam — sticky rice cooked with coconut milk and beans inside a bamboo tube. You peel the bamboo back and eat it as you walk.
2. 2
   Kanom Krok — little coconut pancakes cooked in a dimpled cast-iron pan. Crispy on the outside, custardy in the middle.
3. 3
   Sai Oua — Northern Thai sausage, packed with lemongrass, chilli and herbs, grilled over charcoal.
4. 4
   Moo Ping — grilled pork skewers marinated in garlic and coconut milk, usually paired with a bag of sticky rice.
5. 5
   Roti — thin, pan-fried dough folded around banana or egg and drizzled with condensed milk. Pure sugar, but also pure joy (this is my favourite dessert by far!).
6. 6
   Khanom Tian — a Northern Thai sweet of sticky rice flour wrapped around a sweet filling and steamed in a banana-leaf cone. Serving looks very interesting, with a very rich taste and a gooey centre.

And if you haven't tried Khao Soi yet, eat it before the festival — it's Northern Thailand's iconic coconut curry noodle soup. My favourite spots are in my guide to the best things to do in Chiang Mai.

Best Locations to Experience the Festival by Vibe

High Energy & Crowds (Nawarat Bridge & Iron Bridge)

• •Nawarat Bridge (opens in new tab) — the most popular spot on Loy Krathong night. The crowds are big, but the view along the river is worth it.
• •The Iron Bridge (Sapaan Lek) (opens in new tab) — just south of Nawarat, pedestrian-friendly, and a fantastic viewpoint to see the river glowing with candles. Very popular for launching krathongs.
• •Nakorn Ping Bridge to Iron Bridge riverside (opens in new tab) — the whole riverbank path between these bridges, with vendors, food stalls and bamboo docks for floating your krathong.

The busiest period is between 8:00 PM and 10:00 PM. If you want a spot near the water, arrive before 7:00 PM.

Solo tip: pick a meeting point before you go in if you're joining friends. Mobile data slows down noticeably when thousands of people are in one place, and Grab and Bolt get hard to find between about 9 and 11 PM — so plan to walk part of the way home. My Chiang Mai safety guide for solo female travelers has more on getting around after dark.

Spiritual & Photo Moments (Wat Phan Tao & Wat Lok Moli)

• •Wat Phan Tao (opens in new tab) — a teak temple in the Old City, next door to Wat Chedi Luang. Its courtyard and pond are hung with lanterns, and it's one of the most photographed places of the festival. Go around sunset, before the evening crowds build.
• •Wat Lok Moli (opens in new tab) — just outside the northern moat, one of the city's oldest temples. Its tall brick chedi is floodlit after dark, and it's much calmer than the river — perfect if the crowds have worn you out.

Each temple arranges its own decorations and ceremonies, so displays change from year to year. Cover your shoulders and knees, take your shoes off before entering, and keep your voice down.

Parades & Cultural Shows (Tha Phae Gate & Three Kings Monument)

New for 2026: the city has moved its main Yi Peng stage from Tha Phae Gate (opens in new tab) to Ton Lamyai Market Park (opens in new tab), beside the Ping River near Warorot Market (opens in new tab). That's where the opening ceremony, the Lanna hanging-lantern competition and the Yi Peng pageants are planned. It's about a 15–20 minute walk east from Tha Phae Gate.

• •Tha Phae Gate (opens in new tab) — still part of the programme, with light-and-sound displays. The grand krathong procession — huge illuminated floats and dancers from Chiang Mai's districts — sets off from here on 25 November.
• •Three Kings Monument (opens in new tab) — the square in the middle of the Old City and a traditional setting for Lanna ceremonies and clay-lamp lighting. Crowds are lighter here than at the river or the gate.

Where to Stay: Hotels Walkable to the Festival

All three picks are within walking distance of the Ping River and Nawarat Bridge.

Away Chiang Mai Thapae Resort

$$

A boutique resort a short walk from Tha Phae Gate. Pool, clean design, and right in the middle of the action — you can walk to the river, the Old City temples and Nawarat Bridge without needing a ride.

Book now (opens in new tab)

The Moment Chiangmai

$$

A calm, well-designed hotel close to the river. Comfortable rooms, good wi-fi, and a quiet base to come back to after the festival crowds — without the premium price of the Old City options.

Book now (opens in new tab)

Por Kotchasarn

$

A budget-friendly guesthouse in the Nimman / Old City area, popular with long-stay nomads. Simple, clean, and close enough to walk or take a quick tuk-tuk to the river during the festival.

Book now (opens in new tab)

FAQ

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