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

Loi Krathong falls on the full moon of the twelfth Thai lunar month, which in 2026 is 24 November. Chiang Mai's Yi Peng sky-lantern events run across 24 to 25 November 2026. A few sources list the full moon as 25 November, so confirm the exact night against the Tourism Authority of Thailand before you book flights, since the date shifts every year.

No, though Chiang Mai celebrates them together. Loi Krathong is the nationwide festival of floating a candle-lit krathong down the river, and it happens all over Thailand. Yi Peng is the older Lanna festival of the north, when thousands of khom loi sky lanterns are released into the sky. They share the same full moon, so in Chiang Mai you see both, floating candles on the water and lanterns rising overhead.

The famous synchronised release of thousands of lanterns at once happens at ticketed venues in the Mae Jo and San Sai area, north of the city, not in the Old City itself. Operators such as CAD Khomloy run these events with a compulsory transfer included. Inside the city you will still see plenty of lanterns going up, but not the single rising wave, which is the ticketed event.

The city celebration is free. Floating a krathong on the Ping River, watching the Tha Phae Gate parade and joining the candlelit temple ceremonies at Wat Phan Tao all cost nothing beyond a few baht for your krathong. You only pay if you want a ticket to a mass sky-lantern release outside the city, which is a separate, staged event.

Budget community releases start around 2,500 THB, roughly Rs 7,150. Mid-tier events like Yee Peng Lanna International run about 4,800 THB, roughly Rs 13,700. The official CAD Khomloy release runs from about 4,900 THB (around Rs 14,000) for standard up to 15,900 THB (around Rs 45,500) for the top tier, with transfer and often dinner included. Figures use a rate near 2.86 to the baht; reconfirm at booking.

Only in the right place at the right time. Chiang Mai restricts where and when khom loi can be launched because burning lanterns are a hazard near the airport, and flights are cancelled over the festival. Release lanterns only at licensed venues and officially permitted zones and nights. Setting one off randomly in the Old City or near the airport can be illegal and dangerous, so check the current municipal rules.