Every November, Chiang Mai fills with lanterns in the sky and baskets on the water, and almost everyone calls the whole thing by one name. In practice you are looking at two separate festivals that happen to land on the same full moon. Knowing which is which helps you plan what to watch, where to stand, and what you are actually allowed to do.
What is Loy Krathong?
Loy Krathong is a national Thai festival held on the full moon of the twelfth lunar month. People make a krathong, a small floating offering traditionally built from a banana trunk slice, folded banana leaves, flowers, a candle and incense, and set it on a river or pond. The act is symbolic. You float away the past year, pay respect to Phra Mae Khongkha, the goddess of water, and make a wish for the year ahead. It is celebrated across the whole country, from Bangkok to Sukhothai to the far south.
What is Yi Peng?
Yi Peng is a northern Lanna festival, specific to Chiang Mai and the surrounding region. The name comes from the old Lanna calendar: yi means second and peng means full moon, so Yi Peng is the full moon of the second Lanna month. Its signature is the khom loi, the paper sky lantern that is lit and released into the air. Homes and temples are decorated with hanging lanterns, candles line the walls of the old temples, and you see processions and lantern displays that you will not find in the rest of Thailand.
Why they overlap in Chiang Mai
Both festivals fall on the same full moon, and Chiang Mai was the capital of the Lanna kingdom, so the city runs the two together. The result is the scene Chiang Mai is famous for: krathong drifting down the Ping River while sky lanterns rise overhead. That overlap is exactly why the names get used interchangeably here, even though a person in Bangkok celebrating Loy Krathong will not be releasing a single sky lantern.
What you actually see and do
- On the water: floating a krathong on the Ping River, around the Nawarat Bridge and the old iron bridge, and at ponds inside the old city.
- In the sky: sky lanterns, with the large synchronized releases happening at organized paid events outside the city.
- In the streets: the parade and the stage at Tha Phae Gate, decorated lanterns through the old city, and candlelit temple grounds at places like Wat Phan Tao and Wat Chedi Luang.
For the temples worth visiting during the festival, see our guide to the best temples in Chiang Mai.
The rules on lanterns
This is where visitors get caught out. Mass sky lantern releases are restricted to licensed paid events outside the city for fire and air traffic safety. Releasing lanterns freely inside Chiang Mai, especially near the airport, is limited and can be fined, and flights are often cancelled or rescheduled around the festival dates. Floating a krathong on the water, by contrast, is open to everyone and free. If your heart is set on the photo of a thousand lanterns rising together, that is a ticketed event, not something you do off a city street.
How to take part respectfully
Both festivals are living religious traditions, not just a photo opportunity, and a little awareness goes a long way. A few things worth knowing:
- Choose an eco friendly krathong. Vendors now sell krathong made from bread, banana trunk or natural leaves rather than polystyrene foam. The natural ones break down in the water and are the responsible choice.
- Dress modestly at temples. If you visit Wat Phan Tao or Wat Chedi Luang during the festival, cover shoulders and knees, and keep your voice down during ceremonies.
- Mind the candles and crowds. The old city gets dense and full of open flames. Keep loose clothing and hair clear of lanterns, and watch children near the river edge.
- Take your rubbish with you. The clean up after the festival is enormous. Carry out what you carry in.
None of this is complicated, and locals are generous with visitors who join in with care. Floating a krathong and making a quiet wish is a lovely way to take part without needing a ticket to anything.
When is it in 2026?
Yi Peng and Loy Krathong fall on the full moon of the twelfth lunar month, in November 2026. The free temple events, the parade and the river floats run across that long weekend, while the big paid lantern releases are held on set dates announced each year. For the full festival breakdown, dates and viewing options, read our Yi Peng Lantern Festival guide, and for the venues see where to see lanterns in Chiang Mai, free vs paid.