Coming to Chiang Mai for Loi Krathong and Yi Peng this November? There is one thing worth knowing before you plan your nights: the celebrations along the Ping River and the famous mass sky lantern releases are two different experiences.
You can enjoy the city’s public festival, temple lights, parades, and riverside traditions without buying an event ticket. If you want to watch hundreds of sky lanterns rise at once, you will need to arrange a separate, permitted event outside the city.
Here is what is happening in 2026, where to go, and how to make the most of it.
If your schedule allows, spend November 24 by the river and keep November 25 open for the parade. Program details and road closures can change, so check local announcements again before heading out.
Loi Krathong is celebrated across Thailand. People float small decorated rafts, usually made from banana leaves and other natural materials, on rivers or ponds. For many, it is a moment to thank the water, reflect on the year, and let go of something they would rather leave behind.
Yi Peng comes from northern Thailand’s Lanna traditions. You will see temples and streets lit with hanging lanterns and small clay oil lamps, known locally as phang prateep. Sky lanterns, or khom loi, are another well-known part of the tradition, but they are not the whole story.
The two festivals fall around the same full moon, which is why Chiang Mai feels especially lively at this time of year.
1. Ton Lam Yai Market Public Park: The main 2026 festival hub
This is the big update for 2026. Chiang Mai has moved the main municipal celebration from Tha Phae Gate to the public park by Ton Lam Yai Market, near the Ping River. Expect cultural activities, lantern displays, competitions, and an opening ceremony in this area. It is the first place we would check for the public program.
2. The Ping River: For floating a krathong
The Ping River is central to the Loi Krathong experience. The riverfront near the Chiang Mai Municipal Office is among the planned locations for riverside activities. Watch for designated access areas rather than trying to float a krathong from a crowded bridge or an unsafe riverbank.
You will find krathongs for sale in many places. Choose one made from natural, plastic-free materials, and follow any on-site guidance about where and how to release it.
3. Tha Phae Gate and the Old City: For the parade and street atmosphere
Tha Phae Gate is still worth visiting. The planned grand krathong parade on November 25 follows a route from the gate toward the Municipal Office, and the gate area is also due to host displays and other activities. Just remember that it is no longer the main municipal festival venue in 2026.
Around the Old City, look for hanging lanterns and small oil lamps at gates and corners. Those quieter details are part of Yi Peng, too.
4. Three Kings Monument and temple areas: For Lanna traditions
The city has planned traditional Buddhist activities near the Three Kings Monument, along with oil-lamp displays at Old City landmarks. Temples may have their own services and decorations, so check what is open to visitors and give worshippers room to take part.
For a temple visit, dress respectfully and avoid stepping into ceremonies just to get a photograph.
5. Ticketed sky lantern events: Outside the city
The postcard image of hundreds of lanterns rising together usually comes from organized events outside central Chiang Mai. One example is CAD’s Yi Peng event in Mae On District, which has advertised programs on November 24 and 25. Tickets and transportation are handled separately from the free municipal celebration.
Do not count on reaching an out-of-town venue in a quick 45-minute ride during festival traffic. Check your ticket’s meeting point, shuttle arrangements, and return transportation before you book.
Not in the city. Chiang Mai authorities have announced strict no-release areas covering Mueang Chiang Mai, including the central city. Elsewhere, releases are allowed only in approved places and during permitted time windows. For November 24 and 25, the provincial rules specify 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. as the authorized release period.
So if someone sells you a lantern near Tha Phae Gate or the river, do not assume you are allowed to light it there. The easiest option is to attend a licensed event with clear instructions.
There is plenty to enjoy here outside the festival crowds, too. On our Chiang Mai After Dark tour, you ride with an experienced Vespa driver and local guide through neighborhood streets, night markets, and food stops, with a stretch along the Ping River and live music later in the evening.
It is a city night tour, not a ticket to a mass lantern release. If you will be here during festival week, ask our team about tour schedules and any route changes before booking.
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