Every year, travellers write to us asking about "the lantern festival in Chiang Mai". They have seen the photo: a dark sky full of glowing paper lanterns. The photo is real. But it hides the fact that there are really two festivals, on the same nights, doing two different things. Part of the celebration is free and happens across the city. The most famous part is usually a ticketed event outside the centre.
Our team lives on Koh Phi Phi, not in Chiang Mai. We plan trips to the north for our guests and work with local guides we book directly. This explainer is what we tell guests before they commit to flights and hotels. The most important thing comes first: the dates move every year, so never plan around a date you saw for last year.
Yee Peng and Loy Krathong in Chiang Mai: the short answer
Yee Peng (also spelled Yi Peng) is the northern Thai, or Lanna, festival. It is about lanterns: lanterns hung in temples, streets and houses, and sky lanterns released into the night.
Loy Krathong is celebrated all over Thailand. People float a krathong, a small offering, on a river, lake or canal. It thanks the water and lets go of bad luck.
In Chiang Mai the two overlap. They happen around the full moon of the 12th Thai lunar month, usually in November. That is why people search for them together, and why Chiang Mai is the place many travellers choose for this time of year.
Lanterns in the sky: what Yee Peng really is
The sky lanterns are called khom loi. They are paper lanterns on a light frame, lifted by a small flame. Releasing one is meant to carry away worries and make a wish for the year ahead.
Yee Peng is also about lanterns that stay on the ground. Temples and lanes are decorated with hanging lanterns, and small candles and oil lamps appear in front of homes and shrines. In the Old City, inside the moat, this is often the most beautiful part, and it costs nothing to see.
This is a Buddhist and Lanna tradition first, a photo opportunity second. Temples hold ceremonies and monks take part. Watch quietly, keep shoulders and knees covered at temples, and ask before photographing people praying.
Lanterns on the water: what Loy Krathong really is
A krathong is a small float, traditionally made from a slice of banana trunk and folded banana leaves. It is decorated with flowers, with a candle and incense sticks on top. You light it, make a wish, and set it on the water.
In Chiang Mai, the Ping River is the natural place to do it. You will also see krathongs on ponds and canals. Vendors sell them along the way, so you do not need to make your own, although making one is a lovely activity.
Our honest tip: choose a krathong made from natural materials, like banana leaf or bread. Foam floats pollute the river long after the festival ends. Locals appreciate visitors who notice this.
What is free and public, what is ticketed
Most of the festival is open to everyone:
- Free: walking the Old City and the riverside, seeing temples decorated with lanterns, floating a krathong on the Ping River, watching processions and the general atmosphere in the streets.
- Usually ticketed: the mass sky lantern releases, where a large crowd lets go of lanterns at the same moment. These are organised events where a large crowd releases lanterns together. See the tour page for what this year's event includes.
If the sea of lanterns in the photo is your dream, plan for a ticketed event. You can see our Yee Peng lantern festival experience: the tour card shows the live price and what this year's event looks like.
Who the ticketed event is NOT for: travellers who hate crowds or want a spontaneous evening. It is organised, popular and planned in advance. If you prefer quiet moments, the free temple and river side of the festival may suit you better.
Why you must check this year's dates
The festival follows the Thai lunar calendar, not the Western one. The full moon of the 12th lunar month falls on a different day each year. Usually it is in November, but the exact nights move.
We will not give you a date here, on purpose. A date that was right last year can be wrong this year. Check this year's dates first, then book flights and hotels.
The simplest way: look at our Yee Peng festival tour, which is updated for the current festival. Ticketed events also announce their own programme, and it does not always match the main festival night exactly.
Releasing lanterns respectfully and safely
A sky lantern is a small open flame that drifts wherever the wind takes it. It can land on roofs, trees, dry fields and power lines. Only release lanterns where it is clearly allowed, and follow local instructions.
Our rules for guests are simple:
- Release sky lanterns only in designated areas or at organised events. Never from your hotel balcony, a rooftop or a random street.
- Follow the instructions of the staff or your guide. Hold the lantern until it is fully filled with hot air.
- Do not release a lantern in strong wind or near trees and wires.
- Floating a krathong on the water is the safe, traditional way to join in if you are not at an official release.
Respect the rules even if you see someone else ignoring them. The fire risk is real, and the festival only survives if it stays safe for the people who live there.
Flights and the airport during the festival
Lanterns and aircraft do not mix, so if you fly during the festival, check with your airline close to departure.
What this means for you: if you fly in or out during the festival, check directly with your airline close to departure. Do not book a tight connection on the main festival night. Arriving a day or more early is calmer and gives you time to enjoy the city before the busiest nights.
Chiang Mai is a short domestic flight from Bangkok, and night trains and buses also run if you prefer the ground.
How to plan your trip around the festival
Book early. This is one of the busiest periods of the year in Chiang Mai, and the city fills up. Once you know this year's dates, secure your stay and any ticketed event first.
Build a few days around the festival, not just one night. The Old City temples are at their most beautiful decorated with lanterns, and a guided visit like our Old City temples tour helps you understand what you are looking at. For evening ideas between festival nights, our guide to Chiang Mai night markets and walking streets helps you choose.
November is in the cool season in the north. Bring a warm layer for the evenings, and especially for any trip up into the mountains. For a full plan, see our Chiang Mai itinerary guide and the wider list of things to do in Chiang Mai.
Combining the festival with the islands
Many of our guests come north for the lanterns, then fly south to the sea. The timing works well: November is the start of high season on the Andaman coast, with calmer sea and clearer water.
The usual route is a flight from Chiang Mai towards Phuket or Krabi, then a boat to Koh Phi Phi, since the island has no airport. Our guide on getting from Chiang Mai to Koh Phi Phi explains the options.
On the island, our team can then take care of the rest of your trip. Lanterns in the north, sunrise at Maya Bay in the south: it is a combination that works well.
