Yi Peng 2026 in Chiang Mai: A Calm Visitor’s Guide to the Festival of Lights
Every year the Old City fills with paper lanterns, the Ping River glows with tiny candlelit rafts and the whole town seems to slow down and look up. Yi Peng and Loy Krathong are the most beautiful nights on the Chiang Mai calendar, and they are also the busiest. This guide covers the 2026 dates, where to go, the rules that matter and a few tips from our team for enjoying the festival without the stress.
Yi Peng 2026 Dates in Chiang Mai
Both festivals follow the lunar calendar, so the date moves every year. In 2026 the full moon of the twelfth Thai lunar month falls on Tuesday 24 November, and Chiang Mai has announced its Yi Peng festival for 23 to 25 November 2026:
Monday 23 November: decorations go up and the Old City lights its lanterns. A gentle first night.
Tuesday 24 November: Loy Krathong night, the main night for floating krathongs on the river.
Wednesday 25 November: the grand krathong procession, with illuminated floats moving through town in the evening.
Programmes and exact times are published closer to the date, so check the municipality’s announcements before you plan each evening. If you are flying in, book early: hotel rooms in town go fast for the 24th and 25th.
Yi Peng and Loy Krathong: What Is the Difference?
The two festivals share the same full moon, which is why Chiang Mai celebrates them together.
Loy Krathong is celebrated across Thailand. People float a krathong, a small raft traditionally made from banana trunk and banana leaves, decorated with flowers, a candle and incense. Letting it drift away is a way of giving thanks to the water and letting go of the past year’s troubles.
Yi Peng is the northern Lanna festival. Its symbols are lanterns: khom fai hanging lanterns that decorate temples, homes and the city walls, and khom loi, the floating sky lanterns that most visitors have seen in photos.
For many local families it is also a time for merit-making at the temple, so you will see people in their best clothes visiting wats in the early evening.
Where to Go: Free Spots in and Around the Old City
Tha Phae Gate decorated with Lanna lanterns for the festival.
You don’t need a ticket to enjoy Yi Peng. Some of the best moments happen in public spaces a short walk from the Old City:
Tha Phae Gate: the gate and walls are hung with colourful lanterns and the square becomes a meeting point. If you enjoy an evening stroll, our guide to the Chiang Mai moat loop at dusk is a lovely route for the quieter first night.
The Ping River and Nawarat Bridge: the classic place to float a krathong and watch thousands of candles drift past.
Temples in the Old City: Wat Phan Tao, Wat Phra Singh and Wat Chedi Luang are often decorated with lanterns. Go early, dress respectfully and move quietly.
The procession route: on the 25th the floats usually pass through the city centre towards the river. Find a spot well before it starts.
If your trip also includes a Sunday, the festival week is a great time to combine with the market. Our Sunday Walking Street survival guide has tips for handling the crowds.
Floating a Krathong: Simple Etiquette
A natural banana-leaf krathong with marigolds, orchids, a candle and incense.
Floating a krathong is open to everyone, and locals are usually happy to see visitors join in. A few pointers:
Choose a natural krathong. Banana leaf, banana trunk or bread krathongs break down in the water. Avoid foam ones.
Buy from a local stall. Krathongs are sold all over town in the days before the festival, often made by hand that morning.
Light the candle and incense, make a wish, then place it gently on the water. Don’t throw it.
Be patient at the riverbank. Steps can be wet and crowded, so take your time, hold on to your phone and let families go first.
Sky Lanterns and Fireworks: Know the Rules
This is the part many visitors get wrong. Releasing sky lanterns is tightly controlled in Chiang Mai because of fire risk and air traffic. In recent years the authorities have asked people not to release lanterns inside the city, and where releases are allowed, it is only in set time windows with approved lanterns. The famous photos of thousands of lanterns rising together usually come from ticketed events held outside the city.
Check the current official notice before you buy or release anything.
Never release a lantern near buildings, trees, power lines or the airport approach.
Expect flight changes. The airport has adjusted schedules during lantern nights in past years, so confirm your flight times with your airline.
Be careful with firecrackers. Streets are crowded and some revellers get carried away. Keep a little distance, especially with children.
Tips for a Calm Festival Night
The festival is magical, but it can also be loud, hot and very crowded. A few things our team has learned over the years:
Go early, leave early. The calmest time to see the lanterns is just after sunset, before the main crowds arrive.
Walk, don’t ride. Roads near the river and the Old City are often closed or gridlocked. Walk, or book a car and agree a pickup point away from the crowds.
Drink water and pace yourself. A long night outdoors is easier with water, comfortable shoes and a quiet break now and then. Our calm evening routine for Chiang Mai has some simple ideas.
Agree a meeting point with your group in case you get separated and phone signal drops.
A Note for Adult Visitors
Yi Peng is a cultural and spiritual festival, and the crowds include families, monks and elderly people. If you choose to use cannabis while you are in Thailand, keep it private and off the festival grounds:
No smoking in public spaces, near temples, at the riverbank or in crowds. Our guide to cannabis etiquette in Thailand explains why this matters so much locally.
Never ride or drive after use. Festival roads are busy and police checkpoints are common. Read our post on cannabis and driving laws in Thailand before you plan your night.
Adults only. Cannabis shops serve adults aged 20 and over, and staff may ask for ID.
Say Hello During Festival Week
Our Haze Buds shops at Sunday Walking Street, Chiang Mai Gate and the Night Bazaar are all close to the festival action. Pop in before or after the lanterns for a friendly chat and local tips on where to watch the procession. Bring your ID, take your time and enjoy one of the most beautiful weeks of the year in Chiang Mai.
