Loi Krathong and Yi Peng Festival in Chiang Mai (2026)

Loi Krathong and Yi Peng in Chiang Mai 2026: At a Glance

The whole answer in one table, before the detail.

Yi Peng vs Loi Krathong: What Is the Difference?

This is the question everyone asks, because in Chiang Mai the two blur together. The short version: Loi Krathong floats on water and happens all over Thailand, while Yi Peng flies into the sky and belongs to the Lanna north. They land on the same full moon, so Chiang Mai celebrates them side by side. Everywhere else in the country you mostly get Loi Krathong on its own.

One thing worth knowing before you go: the postcard image of a thousand lanterns rising in perfect unison is the mass release, a staged, ticketed event outside the city. In the city itself you will see plenty of lanterns going up in ones and twos, along with all the floating krathong, but not the single synchronised wave. Decide which picture you are after, because it changes where you need to be.

When Is Loi Krathong in 2026 (and Beyond)?

Loi Krathong has no fixed calendar date. It lands on the full moon of the twelfth month in the Thai lunar calendar, which usually falls in November, so it shifts by a couple of weeks each year. For 2026 that full moon is 24 November, and Chiang Mai's Yi Peng events cluster on the 24th and 25th. Because the date moves, always confirm the exact night for your year before you lock flights.

Dates above are indicative and shift with the lunar calendar; confirm each year against TAT Chiang Mai.

Where to Watch in Chiang Mai

The festival spreads across the whole city, from free riverside spots to the ticketed release out of town. If you want the floating candles and the parade, stay central near the Ping River and Tha Phae Gate. If you want the single mass wave of sky lanterns, you need a ticket to a venue in the Mae Jo area, roughly 45 minutes north.

A practical note. The famous images of a perfectly synchronised sky full of lanterns almost always come from the ticketed Mae Jo releases, not the free city events. Both are worth doing, but only one of them gives you that single rising wave.

Tickets and Cost in Rupees

Here is what the festival actually costs an Indian traveller, since no other guide converts the baht for you. The city celebration is essentially free; you only pay for a krathong and, if you want it, a ticket to a mass sky-lantern release. Rupee figures use a rate of about 2.86 to the baht, so treat them as a guide and reconfirm at booking.

Two honest caveats. The official releases now bundle a compulsory transfer, so you cannot just buy a lantern seat and make your own way. And prices climb the closer you book to the date, which is another reason to sort a ticket by early October. For the ticket-by-ticket breakdown and what each tier includes, see our Loi Krathong entry fees page.

Free vs Paid: See It on Any Budget

You do not need a ticket to have a real Loi Krathong. The entire in-city festival is free, and for many travellers it is the more moving half.

• Do it free. Buy a krathong for a few baht by the Ping River, light the candle, make a wish and set it on the water. Walk the Tha Phae Gate parade, then slip into Wat Phan Tao after dark for the candlelit temple ceremony. You will still see plenty of sky lanterns going up around you.

• Pay for the wave. The one thing money buys that the free city cannot is the single synchronised release of thousands of lanterns at once. That only happens at the ticketed Mae Jo venues. If that specific image is why you are coming, book it; if it is not, save the money for the city.

A good middle path is to spend one night on the river doing the free ritual and, if the budget allows, the other night at a mass release. In Chiang Mai the two festivals run across both nights, so you rarely have to choose just one.

Lantern-Release Rules, Etiquette and Safety

Releasing a sky lantern is not a free-for-all, and getting this wrong can mean a fine or worse. Chiang Mai restricts where and when khom loi can be launched, because burning lanterns near the airport are a genuine hazard. The airport imposes flight cancellations and airspace closures over the festival, so release lanterns only at the licensed venues and on the permitted nights, never near the airport or from your hotel roof on a whim. Confirm the current municipal rules before you go.

• Release only where it is allowed. Stick to the ticketed venues and officially permitted riverside zones and nights. Random releases in the Old City can be illegal and unsafe.

• Float a biodegradable krathong. Choose one made of banana leaf and bread or natural materials, not styrofoam, so it does not choke the river. Vendors selling the eco versions are easy to find.

• Mind the flame. Sky lanterns carry an open fire. Keep them clear of trees, wires and thatched roofs, and never release in strong wind.

• Respect the ceremonies. Inside the temples the mood is quiet and devotional. Watch the candle rituals and blessings without turning them into a photo scramble.

For Indian Travellers: Reaching Chiang Mai for Loi Krathong

Late November is one of the best times to be in Chiang Mai, cool and dry, which is also why the festival dates get booked out early. There is no direct flight from India to Chiang Mai; you connect through Bangkok (sometimes Kuala Lumpur or Singapore) and take a short hop to Chiang Mai International (CNX), about 3 km from the Old City. For the full route, airlines and fares from your city, see our guide on how to reach Chiang Mai, the festival timings for each night, and our planning tips on what to wear and carry.

Two practical points. Book six to ten weeks ahead: the mass-release tickets, the November flights and the Old City hotels all firm up fast around the festival. And confirm your Thailand entry paperwork early, since the rule for Indian passport holders changed more than once across 2025 and 2026. If you would rather not juggle a connecting ticket, a mass-release booking and a peak-season hotel hunt, a Thailand tour package can bundle the flights, the Bangkok to Chiang Mai leg and the hotels into one booking. If you are timing a wider trip, the other big Chiang Mai celebration is Songkran in April, and there is plenty more to plan on the Chiang Mai travel hub.

What Our Chiang Mai Desk Tells Travellers

"If you only have one night, do the free river ritual on the Ping and catch a temple ceremony, then buy the mass-release ticket for the second night. Book that ticket by early October or it is gone."

The 2026 dates, venues and ticket prices on this page are checked by our Thailand desk against the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the official Khomloy programme.

By the TravelTriangle Thailand Team. Last updated August 2026. Based on 200,000+ Thailand trips planned for Indian travellers.