Loy Krathong is on the full moon of the 12th lunar month — November 25 in 2026. Thais float banana-trunk rafts to release the past year. Krathongs cost 20–100 THB at any street stall. Common mix-up: Yi Peng (Chiang Mai sky lanterns) is a separate northern tradition on the same date, not the same festival.
The Loy Krathong festival that Thailand puts on every November is the one night I'd tell anyone living here to clear their plans for and just walk to the water. Full moon, thousands of candles drifting down the river, incense and grilled food in the air, the whole city exhaling whatever it accumulated this year. I live in Bangkok and have celebrated it both here and up in Chiang Mai for Yi Peng. Below — what it actually is, how the northern festival differs from the nationwide one, where to watch in Bangkok, and what to expect from the crowds and transport.
The festival lands on the full moon of the 12th month in the Thai lunar calendar, which almost always falls in November. "Loy" means "to float," and a "krathong" is a small raft made from a banana tree trunk, decorated with folded leaves, flowers, a candle, and three incense sticks.
The idea is simple and beautiful: send everything bad from the past year — grudges, failures, irritation — out onto the water, and thank Phra Mae Khongkha, the goddess of water, for keeping the country fed and watered. A lot of people drop a coin, a strand of hair, or a clipped nail into their krathong — a symbolic piece of themselves they're letting go of along with the rest.
This isn't a tourist show — that hit me the first time I went. Thais come to the water with their families, parents and kids together, and you can see in their faces they're not there for the photos.
The most common mix-up I see in friends' posts: people think Loy Krathong is "the festival where they launch lanterns into the sky." It isn't.
Loy Krathong is nationwide, and it's about water. Krathongs float on rivers, ponds, canals, even mall fountains — anywhere there's water, there's the festival.
Yi Peng is a northern tradition, mostly Chiang Mai and the Lanna region. It's about the sky. Paper lanterns (khom loi) on hot air go up by the thousands, and that's the imagery everyone has seen on Instagram. The dates of Loy Krathong and Yi Peng overlap, which is where the confusion comes from.
In Bangkok, you won't see a mass lantern release. It's banned because of the airports — Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang are both active, and burning paper drifting over a runway is nobody's idea of a good night.
In 2026, the main night is Wednesday, November 25. Up in Chiang Mai, Yi Peng runs across two evenings — November 24 and 25. That's the peak: official ceremonies, mass lantern releases, parades.
The date shifts every year because it follows the lunar calendar. If you're planning a trip, double-check the specific year — the festival can land in early November or mid-month.
Plan to be in town at least a day ahead. Flying in the morning of the festival is a bad idea — traffic, packed hotels, frayed nerves.
Water is everywhere in Bangkok, and there are plenty of spots. I've tried a few, here's what I think.
The Chao Phraya riverfront — the main event. The most atmospheric spots are around Asiatique the Riverfront, near Saphan Taksin, and at the central piers. Lights, fireworks, boats, music. And a crowd you genuinely struggle to move through.
Benjakitti Park — my pick if you want the atmosphere without the crush. Big artificial lake, lights, families with kids, room to breathe. Since the renovation it's become a great spot for events like this.
Lumpini Park — the classic. Central, has a pond, plenty of people but more space than along the river.
Asiatique — touristy, more expensive food, but convenient: everything in one place, you can buy a krathong on site, and there's a Ferris wheel and shows.
A ready-made krathong in Bangkok costs 20–100 baht depending on size and decoration. A nice small one made from banana trunk with flowers is around 50.
I went up to Chiang Mai specifically for Yi Peng. The city changes for the festival: temples lit up, parades through the old town, lanterns lining the moat, and yes — the mass khom loi release everyone goes for.
I liked Chiang Mai more than Bangkok that night. Just because of the space. Bangkok during Loy Krathong is genuine chaos: getting outside is hard, getting anywhere is harder. Chiang Mai is more compact, calmer, and the atmosphere is no less intense for it.
Honest moment: the year I went, the mass lantern release at Yi Peng was cancelled for safety reasons. It happens — weather, wind, an official call. I didn't get the shot I went for. I'll go again.
If you commit, book hotel and flights at least two months out. Prices in Chiang Mai double on those dates. The paid ceremonies with organized lantern releases (Yi Peng Lanna International, that tier of event) run from around $100 to $300+ per person and sell out early.
Transport in Bangkok that evening is its own quest. The MRT and BTS get packed, especially the riverside stations: Saphan Taksin, anything heading toward Asiatique, the central lines. Grab surges hard, drivers cancel a lot, and they often can't even get close to the center.
What I do:
Small things: bring cash. Krathongs, street food, the small stalls — all cash. Charged phone, power bank, comfortable shoes. And give yourself more time than you think you need.
A note on the environment. Thais are aware of the problem — styrofoam krathongs in the river are trash. Bread and ice krathongs are common now — they dissolve or melt, and fish finish off the bread. Markets sell them next to the regular ones for a bit more. If you have the choice, go for one of those, especially on smaller bodies of water.
The strongest impression isn't the visual — it's the energy. If I compare it to a European New Year's Eve, there's nothing close to the energy of Loy Krathong night. The festival has a specific philosophy you feel physically: you stand at the water, light your candle, let your krathong go, and watch it drift off with hundreds of others. One of the most powerful festivals I've been to.
I've always bought a ready-made krathong so far. I've watched people make them — the process is beautiful and meditative, and I want to try myself next time. It's a piece of the atmosphere I've been skipping.
The advice I've settled on: it depends on what you want from the night. Want energy, crowds, fireworks — go to the river in central Bangkok, Asiatique, the piers near Saphan Taksin. Want it slower, less crushed, with kids or just at your own pace — pick a park or a less central pond. The energy is in both places, just at different densities.
And yes — on the day of the festival, you have to rebuild your routine in Bangkok. Some neighborhoods are simply out of reach, restaurants are full, deliveries take forever. Plan your route ahead and don't schedule serious meetings or errands for that evening.
If you're in Thailand in November 2026, get to at least one Loy Krathong — Bangkok, Chiang Mai, or Ayutthaya, where I've only done a day trip so far (people say the evening there is also beautiful — I haven't checked yet) (Ayutthaya is its own topic). And if you're thinking about Bangkok more broadly — see the Bangkok guide for expats or the wider Thailand collection.
The date shifts every year because it always falls on the full moon of the 12th month in the Thai lunar calendar, almost always in November. The next one is November 25, 2026 (Wednesday). In Chiang Mai, Yi Peng runs across two evenings — November 24 and 25.
Loy Krathong is the nationwide Thai festival where people float small banana-trunk rafts on water. Yi Peng is a northern tradition, mostly in Chiang Mai, where paper lanterns are released into the sky. Those iconic photos with thousands of lights in the sky are Yi Peng — not Loy Krathong across the rest of the country.
If you want lanterns in the sky, yes — Bangkok doesn't do that. But flights and hotels spike on those dates, so book at least a couple of months ahead. And keep in mind: the mass lantern release can be cancelled due to weather or safety. That's exactly what happened to me.
Cash for a krathong (20–100 baht) and street food, a charged phone, comfortable shoes — you'll be standing and walking a lot. The MRT and BTS get packed, Grab prices jump several times over. If you live in Bangkok, plan your route in advance — some neighborhoods are basically unreachable that evening.
Part of the series
Bangkok Expat Guide 2026: Long-Term Living in the City
