They happen together in the North — here's how they differ and how to experience both. In 2026, Yi Peng falls on November 24–25 and Loy Krathong on November 25.
In Chiang Mai the two festivals overlap so completely that most visitors leave believing they saw one event. They are different traditions with different objects, different origins, and different rules — and knowing which is which changes what you plan for.
Loy Krathong: the one on the water
Loy Krathong is national. On the full moon of the twelfth lunar month, people float a small decorated vessel — the krathong — on a river, canal or pond, usually with a candle, incense and a coin, as an act of thanks to the water and of letting go of the past year.
Traditional krathong are built on a banana trunk slice with folded banana leaf and flowers. Bread-based ones dissolve, and foam ones do not, which is why many municipalities now ban foam outright.
Yi Peng: the one in the sky
Yi Peng is Lanna — northern Thailand, centred on Chiang Mai — and falls on the full moon of the second month of the Lanna calendar, which lands at the same time as Loy Krathong. Its signature object is the khom loi, the paper lantern lifted by hot air.
Houses and temples in the north also hang khom fai lanterns and set up decorated arches, and the temple fairs run for several nights. The lanterns are the famous part, but they are one element of a broader Lanna festival.
The lantern reality check
Mass lantern releases are not a free-for-all. Chiang Mai releases are regulated because the lanterns interfere with flight paths, and there are annual restrictions and designated timings around the airport. The large synchronised releases most people have seen photographs of are ticketed private events held outside the city, and they sell out months ahead.
Releasing a lantern outside permitted times and areas is an offence, and the fine is not symbolic. Check the current year's announcement before you plan anything around it.
How to experience both properly
Do the water side in the evening at the Ping river or a temple pond, where families float krathong without any of the tourist pricing. Then walk the Old City for the lantern decorations, the parades along Tha Phae, and the temple fairs.
Book accommodation early. This is the busiest week of the Chiang Mai year, and prices roughly double.
Dates
Both festivals follow lunar calendars, so the dates move every year and are usually confirmed a few months ahead. Do not book flights against a guessed date — wait for the provincial announcement.
