Your Guide to the Chiang Mai Lantern Festival 2024 (2024)

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One of the main reasons travelers and locals flock to the north of Thailand in November is the Chiang Mai Lantern Festival. If you want to join and celebrate with a sky lantern and a floating lantern in the river, read on.What the Festival of Lanterns in Chiang Mai is all about, how to plan your trip, and where to release a sky lantern in this post.

How to plan your trip to the Chiang Mai Lantern Festival

• What is the Festival of Lanterns Chiang Mai?
• When is the Chiang Mai Lantern Festival 2024?
• Where can I release Sky Lanterns?
• Tips for traveling during the Lantern Festival in Chiang Mai

What is the Festival of Lanterns Chiang Mai?

The Chiang Mai Lantern Festival is actually two festivals in one. Their names Yi Peng and Loy Krathong seem to be used interchangeably and while that is of course not quite correct we will just go with it.

If you want to differentiate the two, know that Yi Peng or Yee Peng is unique to Chiang Mai and known for the release of sky lanterns, the khom loi. These are supposed to carry away any bad luck and also pay respect to the ancestors in heaven.

In addition, you will see thousands and thousands of little clay candles everywhere in Chiang Mai. The phang prateep are lit based on a Lanna tradition to make your life shine as brightly as the candles.

Loy Krathong on the other hand is a Buddhist festival celebrated all over Thailand and is known as the Floating Lantern Festival. The so-called krathong made from wood, banana leaves, and flowers are released into a river or lake to honor the Goddess of Water.

When is the Chiang Mai Lantern Festival 2024?

The Chiang Mai Lantern Festival dates for Loy Krathong are based on the Thai lunar calendar. It usually takes place in November as it is set for the full moon night on the 12th month of the calendar. Yi Peng is based on the Lanna lunar calendar and takes place on the full moon in November. Its name literally translates to “full moon of the second month”.

Most years those dates are the same or so close that it becomes simply known as the Lantern Festival in Chiang Mai even though it is actually two festivals.

Loy Krathong 2024 is on November 16th and will be celebrated all over Thailand. Yi Peng Chiang Mai will be on November 15th & 16th and as the name implies only be celebrated in Chiang Mai.

What is happening where during Yi Peng & Loy Krathong?

There will be plenty of celebrations all around town. It can be a bit tricky to get an exact program but here are some ideas for you to check out based on my experience during the 2023 Lantern Festival in Chiang Mai.

For the exact program, you should check the Thailand Tourism Authority website a bit closer to the dates as they will publish the itinerary for 2024. In general, there are various performances, pageants, and ceremonies in and around town. Some have a religious background, some are traditional displays, and others are purely for entertainment.

Ping River

Most of the action for Loy Krathong is along the Ping River where people go to release their krathong in the water. As far as I could tell you are not allowed to release them in the moat around the Old City so this is where people go. You will see floating docks along the river which is the place to be to release yours.

By the way – you can buy a krathong anywhere and everywhere. I bought mine from my hostel owner’s little nephew who was handmaking them. But really, they are hard to miss during the days of the festival in Chiang Mai.

You will also see a few people releasing sky lanterns on the bridges though this is not something I would recommend. If you do, it is at your own risk – both in terms of bodily safety and for legal reasons. It is not allowed to release them here!

In general, there will be plenty of stuff to do and see by the Night Bazaar and all the way along the river on both nights. That said, it gets incredibly crowned. If you like me don’t care for crowds this might not be the best place though it rarely gets rowdy.

Three Kings Monument

The Three Kings Monument is in the center of the Old Town Chiang Mai and the whole square was full of bamboo structures where people could light and leave their own phang prateep candles. On the side there were various boards explaining the customs and traditions behind the Chiang Mai Lantern Festival as well as a table with candles.

In addition, they had some beautiful animal lanterns made from paper as decoration. I didn’t stay long so I am not sure if there was some sort of presentation or show but it is a nice enough and fairly relaxed place to start your evening.

Tha Phae Gate Square

On the night of Loy Krathong, I ran into a parade starting at the Tha Phae Gate. There is a stage on the square right outside the gate and if you come at the right time you will see the parade which is marching up the street from the south.

The parade was actually quite fun with different traditional performances, music, and outfits. I made my way past the bystanders along the moat until I found a bar right by the side of the road with some empty tables. I paid a premium price for a Singha but had an uninterrupted view and a seat for the rest of the parade.

Where can I release Sky Lanterns?

Chances are you came inspired by the beautiful images or videos of the sky lantern release for Yi Peng and want to know – where can I release a sky lantern in Chiang Mai? You would think with a whole festival centered around them this is an easy question to answer alas it is not.

Can you light a sky lantern in Chiang Mai? Technically not. Years ago the city of Chiang Mai made the city and riverside a no-lantern zone. Considering how easily they go up in flames this was probably a wise idea. That said, some people still do it but I was told you get fined heavily if caught.

There are, however, a few places outside of Chiang Mai now that organize a paid mass release of lanterns. The most famous one is the CAD Yipeng Khomloy Sky Lantern Festival. It happens on both evenings during the festival in a field in the Mae On district about 40 km outside of Chiang Mai.

How much are tickets for the Sky Lantern Festival?

Ticket prices range from 4,600 to 6,400 baht (about $130-180). They will include your roundtrip transfer from Chiang Mai, entrance to the festival with an assigned seat, a dinner buffet, a show with Lanna dancers and chanting monks, and of course your lanterns for the big release.

The more expensive tickets are VIP tickets that have you seated closer to the circular stage, give you a more private dining area, and better transfer. However, I recommend you just get the basic ticket. Why? As far as the transfer goes, you will need to wait to leave the location as it is. Even the VIP transfers will be stuck in traffic and I am not sure the extra comfort of a minivan over a songthaew is worth the price difference.

When it comes to seats, I recommend you stick to the sides aka the last row. True, your view of the stage won’t be as good but honestly, you came here for the lanterns and not for a dance show, right? Being on the side you can easily get out once everything is done and you won’t be in the midst of all those lanterns being lit. They easily catch fire and having a spot off to the side will be much more enjoyable when it inevitably happens somewhere around you.

I can see your face and you will ask me – wow, that is a lot of money. Is it worth it?

And I am here to tell you – yes, yes it is so worth it! It will be the most beautiful thing you will ever see and chances are you will laugh and cry at the same time and congratulate yourself on the most magical night of your life.

This is the endorsem*nt of someone who usually hates fireworks and does not like crowds or waiting in traffic jams. I don’t use the phrase once in a lifetime experience lightly but it really is. You have come all the way to Chiang Mai for the lantern festival, you might as well get the full experience. This is it!

There are also a few other organizers now for mass releases and those are even more expensive.

Can I release Yi Peng lanterns for free somewhere? Yes, though I can’t speak for the experience. Apparently, there is a free event at the Doi Saket Lakes. You would just need to organize your own transfer and buy your lanterns when you get there. This is, however, not an organized mass release but rather a type of carnival event where everyone releases their lanterns as they see fit.

The nice thing: since you are by a lake you can do both and release a sky lantern as well as a krathong in the lake.

Tips for traveling during the Lantern Festival in Chiang Mai

• Book early. I cannot stress this enough. The Festival of Lanterns in Chiang Mai is peak travel season not only because of the festivals but also because the weather is usually glorious in November.
• I was quite late with my hotel booking and had slim pickings. I ended up staying at Like Home which was lovely and inexpensive but I got lucky. And chances are if you wanted something a bit fancier than a hostel you need to book a few months in advance.
• Be careful when selecting a location. I would avoid anything close to the Tae Phae Gate or the river. These areas get the most crowded during the festivities and traffic will be madness. I would stay towards the center of the old town or on the south side of the moat so you are in walking distance but not in the thick of things.
• Last year evening flights were cancelled last minute during the festival due to safety concerns. While this might have been a good call I don’t know why they were scheduled in the first place. I recommend you arrive a day or two in advance to find your bearings. I flew from Koh Samui to Chiang Mai a week prior and had no issues whatsoever.
• For train tickets, it is even more imperative that you book early. I was looking to go from Chiang Mai to Bangkok by train after the festivities but could not get a ticket and had to book a flight instead.

• If you do fly even a day or two after the festival make sure to get to the airport early. As in really really early. I was there over 2 hours before my domestic flight and eventually the Air Asia crew had to pull me and others from the check-in line to get us to the counter to drop our luggage. It was absolute mayhem.

Complete Chiang Mai Travel Guide