Loy Krathong and Yi Peng 2026: Dates and How to Enjoy Them (Chiang Mai, Sukhothai, Bangkok)

Key Dates for 2026

Loy Krathong is held on the full-moon night of the 12th month of the Thai lunar calendar. In 2026 that is Tuesday, November 24. Some sites wrongly list the 25th, so plan around the night of the 24th.
Chiang Mai City has announced that its Yi Peng festival will run for three days, November 23 to 25. The 24th is the full-moon night, and a grand krathong procession takes place on the 25th.
The Thai government events calendar lists the Sukhothai Loy Krathong and Candle Festival for November 15 to 24, and the Loy Krathong Sai festival in Tak province, where 1,000 krathongs are floated, for November 21 to 24.
In Bangkok, Vijit Chao Phraya 2026, a light festival along the Chao Phraya River, runs from November 13 to December 13, so the riverside night views are especially spectacular during the festival period.

Loy Krathong is a nationwide festival where people float krathongs, small rafts made of banana leaves and flowers topped with candles and incense, on rivers and ponds. It is a way to thank the water goddess and let go of the year's bad luck.
Yi Peng is the lantern festival of the northern Lanna region. Lanterns are hung at homes and temples, and sky lanterns (khom loi) are sent into the night sky. In Chiang Mai, both festivals take place on the same nights.
In its 2026 festival guidelines, Thailand's Ministry of Culture encourages wearing traditional Thai dress and joining in safely and in an eco-friendly way. Choose krathongs made from materials that break down in water, such as banana stalks and leaves, rather than styrofoam.

Central Chiang Mai lies close to the airport flight path, so every year it is declared a no-lantern, no-fireworks zone. Even if vendors near Tha Phae Gate or the Ping River bridges sell lanterns, do not release them in the city.
Sky lanterns may only be released on the dates, at the times and in the places permitted by the province. The famous scenes of thousands of lanterns rising at once are paid, ticketed events held at venues outside the city, and the 2026 events are scheduled for November 24 and 25.
In the city you can enjoy lantern decorations around Tha Phae Gate, krathong floating on the Ping River and candlelit temple events for free. Detailed schedules and road closures are announced just before the festival, so check again before you go.

Sukhothai is known as the birthplace of Loy Krathong. For ten days, Sukhothai Historical Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is decorated with candles and hosts light-and-sound shows.
In Bangkok you can float krathongs from riverside hotels and malls along the Chao Phraya and at ponds in city parks. Riverside hotels sell separate dinner, cruise and fireworks packages, so check them early.
Piers and nearby roads get extremely crowded on the full-moon night. Use the BTS or MRT and leave plenty of time to get back.

During the festival, hotels in Chiang Mai's Old City and along the Ping River, as well as Bangkok to Chiang Mai flights, fill up fast. Once your dates are set, book your stay first.
Chiang Mai Airport is close to the city and easy to reach by Grab, but traffic jams form on festival nights because of road closures. Staying near the festival venues lets you get around on foot.
You will be using maps and ride-hailing apps late into the night, so having an eSIM ready in advance makes things easier.

Last updated: 2026-10-30. Rules and regulations can change, so check the official websites again before you go.