A dated calendar of Southeast Asia travel experiences
Festivals · Thailand
Loi Krathong and Yi Peng
Loi Krathong is Thailand's November full-moon festival of floating offerings on rivers and ponds. In Chiang Mai it coincides with Yi Peng, the northern festival of sky lanterns. The two together draw some of the largest crowds of the year to the north, and the lanterns now come with rules that affect flights and hotels.
The dates
The disagreement for 2026 is a calendar question, not a typing error. The Thai lunar calendar has its own rules for the length of months and for leap days, so the official full-moon day can be a day off the astronomical one. Treat 24 November as the likely main night, plan to be in place on the 23rd, and keep the 25th free. For 2027, wait for the official Thai calendar before you fix anything non-refundable.
Sources: Thai Holiday Guide — Loy Krathong (independent guide); Ume Travel — Loy Krathong and Yi Peng dates (travel company guide); Wikipedia — Loi Krathong; Tourist Bucket lunar and sun calculations (PyEphem, UTC+7), cross-checked with a Chinese-calendar library · last checked .
What happens on the night
A krathong is a small float, traditionally made from a section of banana trunk and banana leaves, carrying flowers, incense and a candle. People release them on rivers, canals and ponds as an offering, and the whole country takes part, with the largest public events in historic towns and along rivers. Guides suggest choosing krathongs made from natural materials such as banana leaves or bread, rather than plastic or polystyrene.
In Chiang Mai, Yi Peng adds lanterns: hanging lanterns decorate homes, temples and lanes, and sky lanterns, thin paper or fabric over a light frame lifted by a flame, are launched into the night. A procession passes Tha Phae Gate on the full-moon night, and the Ping River near the Nawarat and Iron bridges is where many people float krathongs; small folded lanterns are sold nearby for about 30 baht.
Sources: Ume Travel — Loy Krathong and Yi Peng dates (travel company guide); Two Wandering Soles — Yi Peng travel guide (travel blog); Wikipedia — Loi Krathong · last checked .
The lantern rules in Chiang Mai
Sky lanterns are a fire risk and a hazard to aircraft. In 2017, lanterns led to 78 cancelled flights at Chiang Mai airport, and lantern debris was found on the airport grounds. Bangkok bans the public use of sky lanterns and fireworks.
For Yi Peng 2025 the Chiang Mai authorities declared no-lantern and no-fireworks zones covering the air safety zone and other designated areas: all of Mueang Chiang Mai and Hang Dong districts, and subdistricts of Saraphi, San Sai, Mae Rim and San Pa Tong. Releasing lanterns or fireworks without permission was punishable by up to five years in prison or a fine of up to 200,000 baht. Lanterns may be released only on authorised nights and at set times, and mass releases happen at licensed, ticketed venues outside the city.
Zones, times and penalties are announced each year. Read the provincial announcement for the year you travel rather than relying on the previous year's rules.
Sources: Khaosod English — Chiang Mai airport adjusts flights for Yi Peng; Wikipedia — Loi Krathong; Thai Holiday Guide — Loy Krathong (independent guide); Two Wandering Soles — Yi Peng travel guide (travel blog) · last checked .
Flights and rooms
Chiang Mai airport changes its schedule on the lantern nights. For 2025 it reported 161 affected flights: 65 cancelled and 96 rescheduled, with the last departure brought forward to 19:00, before lantern releases were permitted. It added 44 extra flights after the festival for returning visitors, and expected more than 32,000 passengers a day around the festival, about 17 percent above normal.
That has three consequences for travellers. An evening flight booked months ahead may be cancelled or moved. Morning flights on the day after the festival fill early. And rooms in the old city fill well before the festival; one travel blogger describes arriving without a bed for two nights. Arrive at least a day before the main night and leave at least a day after, by daytime flight or by road.
Sources: Khaosod English — Chiang Mai airport adjusts flights for Yi Peng; Two Wandering Soles — Yi Peng travel guide (travel blog) · last checked .
Ticketed lantern releases
The images of thousands of lanterns rising together usually come from ticketed events at temples and venues outside the city. One widely reported event near Mae Jo, about 15 km north of Chiang Mai, was quoted at USD 100 to 300 per person. Prices, venues and whether a given event is licensed change from year to year.
- Check that the event is listed as licensed by the provincial authorities for that year.
- Read the refund terms: weather, wind or a late change in the rules can cancel a release.
- Allow for transport back to the city late at night, when roads around the venues are congested.
Sources: Two Wandering Soles — Yi Peng travel guide (travel blog); Thai Holiday Guide — Loy Krathong (independent guide) · last checked .
Outside Chiang Mai
Loi Krathong is a national festival, and many travellers prefer to see it somewhere other than Chiang Mai. Sukhothai is often described as the origin of the festival and holds traditional ceremonies with a light and sound show; guides advise booking accommodation there early as well. In Bangkok, the riverbanks and parks are the focus, without sky lanterns.
Sources: Ume Travel — Loy Krathong and Yi Peng dates (travel company guide); Wikipedia — Loi Krathong · last checked .
Who should skip it
- Anyone who wants to launch a sky lantern freely in the city: this is restricted and penalised.
- Travellers who cannot move their flights: evening departures on the release nights are cut or rescheduled.
- People who dislike very large crowds and road closures in a small old city.
- Visitors with breathing problems who are sensitive to smoke from candles, incense and fireworks.
Common questions
Questions readers ask
When is Loi Krathong in 2026?
The main night is Tuesday 24 November 2026 in the principal published calendar, with Yi Peng events in Chiang Mai on 24 and 25 November. One guide gives 25 November, so keep both evenings free.
Can I release a sky lantern in Chiang Mai?
Only where and when the provincial authorities permit it. In 2025, releases without permission in the declared zones carried penalties of up to five years in prison or a fine of up to 200,000 baht.
Will my flight to Chiang Mai be affected?
Evening flights on the lantern nights may be cancelled or rescheduled. In 2025 the last departure was moved to 19:00 and 161 flights were affected.
When is Loi Krathong in 2027?
Guides give 14 November 2027, with Yi Peng on 13 and 14 November. Confirm with the official Thai calendar.
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