Loy Krathong & Yee Peng Lantern Festival in Chiang Mai

The Loy Krathong Festival attracts thousands of excited tourists to Chiang Mai, eager to experience this incredible festival of light.

We had ensured that our visit to Chiang Mai coincided with the Loy Krathong Yee Pang Lantern Festival after hearing how amazing it was from many travel blogs.

After spending a week in Chiang Mai, then a few days in Chiang Rai, we returned to Chiang Mai for the festival, noticing how much busier it had become. It is probably best to book in advance if you want to stay in the city during the Chiang Mai Lantern Festival. The festival is held on the full moon of the twelfth lunar month every year, meaning the exact date changes each year.

Typically of Thailand, it is not easy to find exact details of events, even for the biggest celebration of the Thai year! Various web sites give different details; it is probably best to ask a local.

Lanterns Are Not Banned

One official web site informed us that khom loy (lanterns) are no longer allowed and that only the Krathong (decorated baskets) on the rivers would be allowed. Whilst understanding the reasons why they would be banned, I have to admit we were still disappointed not to be able to witness the mass release of the lanterns.

Two days before the festival, the information had changed. Now lanterns WOULD be allowed but only at special ticketed events. We had visited the area around the River Ping the night before and saw someone set off a lantern and the police were full on trying to find the culprit! It seemed they meant business.

Official Chiang Mai Lantern Festivals

On the first day of the event, the host of our hostel (Like Home) told us that she was offering transport to one of the official events and when we arrived she knew how to get us in for free, where we could enjoy the mass release of the lanterns and all the free food we could eat. All for 300 baht. It sounded too good to be true. We took her up on this offer.

Around 5 pm, we took off in a songthauw to the event, which was about an hour or so drive outside Chiang Mai. When we arrived, the driver left us at the main entrance and disappeared. We made our way to the entrance to be told that we needed tickets and they were 4000 baht! This was more than we paid for the whole week accommodation. A phone call to the hostel didn’t help as no-one could understand each other.

Getting In Loy Krathong For Free

Slowly, our group began to dissolve. People would walk off and not return. It seemed people were making their own way in. I went to the toilet blocks next to the main entrance to find the fence was easily climbable. On further investigation, we discovered that on the other side of the toilet block, you could literally just walk straight in to the festival. It felt too easy but within seconds we found ourselves mingling with the other festival goers and no-one seemed to bat an eyelid!

Free Food

Once inside, we took advantage (with a slight twang of guilt) of the free food. There were all kinds of traditional Thai desserts, curries, noodles, rice dishes and more. We filled our bellies then went to sit and watch the entertainment.

Luckily, we were just in time for a 15 minute recital by some monks. 🙂 It was a special moment, witnessing the Thai crowd praying and enjoying this most special of nights.

Releasing The Lanterns At The Loy Krathong Festival

After the monks had finished, it was time for the lanterns. We didn’t have ours as we left them at the entrance (a 500 baht fine for bringing your own and we really didn’t want to attract attention to ourselves, having not paid and everything!). Everyone started to light the lanterns and wait for the countdown.

The sight of thousands of lanterns being simultaneously released is something to behold. You could feel the excitement in the air as the local Thai people enjoyed the most special moment of the year. The festival has faced increasing opposition over the years due to the environmental implications. That is understandable but it also has to be balanced with the cultural, economical and traditional aspects of the festival. The lanterns are made from rice paper and bamboo (though also wire) and they can only be released in certain areas and at certain times, so the local governments are trying to reduce the environmental damage.

Releasing Krathongs

The following night, we headed to the River Ping for the public event. We followed the carnival from Tha Phae Gate, up Thaphae Road to the river. There were literally thousands of people here and tonnes of street food stalls as well as vendors selling the homemade krathongs (decorated basket). We bought a basket for 30 baht and headed to the river where we lit the candle and incense, making a wish as we placed it on the water, hoping it would take away any negative vibes as it floated away.

We then visited a food market and ate some great snacks before having a few beers and watching the many hundreds of lanterns being released over the river. The police were not watching now; the local mayor had now allowed the release of lanterns in this area between specific times. Sitting enjoying a beer watching hundreds of lanterns make their way over the river towards the full moon was a truly amazing experience and one I’ll never forget.