Planning a visit to the Yi Peng lantern festival in Chiang Mai should be fairly straightforward. Find the dates, check what’s happening, decide where to go. Except… good luck with that second part.
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With candlelit temples, colourful lanterns and celebrations across the city, Yi Peng is a beautiful time to be in Chiang Mai. But finding useful information about it? Surprisingly difficult. After experiencing the festival 3 times, I know how frustrating getting clear answers can be – and that’s exactly why I started writing these guides.
In this post, I’ll explain how Yi Peng and Loy Krathong fit together, when they happen, whether you need tickets, and where you can release a lantern. Plus, a few honest observations about the crowds and organization – to help you enjoy it with a little less confusion.
Sounds good? Let’s shed some light on Yi Peng!
But before we get into it, here are a few essentials to help you plan your trip to Chiang Mai.
Before you go
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If you’ve read my other Yi Peng posts, you might be thinking, “It’s so boring, I know this already. Lanterns up, baskets down.” Haha! But for anyone joining us here, let’s start with the basics.
1. What’s the difference between Yi Peng and Loy Krathong?
Chiang Mai celebrates both festivals at the same time, but they’re two different traditions.
Yi Peng is a northern Thai festival rooted in Lanna culture and Buddhism. Its name refers to the full moon of the second month of the Lanna lunar calendar, which usually falls in November. Lighting candles, hanging lanterns and releasing sky lanterns are ways of making merit, symbolically letting go of misfortune and wishing for good fortune. While the sky lantern releases get most of the attention, decorated temples, prayers and candle-lighting ceremonies are also important parts of the celebrations.
Loy Krathong is celebrated across Thailand on the full moon of the twelfth month of the Thai lunar calendar, usually in November. People float small baskets called krathongs, traditionally made from banana stalks and leaves and decorated with flowers, candles and incense, onto rivers, lakes and ponds. The tradition honours the water goddess, Phra Mae Khongkha, expresses gratitude for water and symbolically lets go of bad luck and negativity. Many people also make a wish as they set their krathong afloat.
In Chiang Mai, you can experience both: lanterns and candlelit temples around the city, and floating krathongs along the Ping River.
2. When is the Yi Peng lantern festival in Chiang Mai in 2026?
Yi Peng usually takes place in November, but the dates change each year because it follows the lunar calendar.
In 2026, the Yi Peng lantern festival in Chiang Mai runs from 23 to 25 November, with the main celebrations on the 24th and 25th. Those are also the two nights when the CAD mass lantern release takes place.
Some events in the city begin a day before the official dates you can find on the internet (24-25 of November), that’s why I’d arrive by then if you can – you don’t want to miss the first evening of celebrations!
So again – the celebrations of Yi Peng Lantern Festival 2026 in Chiang Mai will take take place from the 23rd until the 25th of November!
3. Do you need a ticket to celebrate Yi Peng in Chiang Mai?
No! You can enjoy Yi Peng in Chiang Mai without buying any tickets. There’s plenty happening in the city: candlelit temples, colourful decorations, traditional performances and parades. And thanks to Loy Krathong, you can also float a krathong on the Ping River.
Tickets are for the separately organized mass lantern release events outside the city, such as CAD. I’ll explain those below, because celebrating Yi Peng and releasing a sky lantern aren’t quite the same thing.
4. How to celebrate Yi Peng in Chiang Mai itself?
After experiencing Yi Peng three times, I can confidently say that there is definitely more to Yi Peng than releasing a lantern and the city celebrations are worth coming for in their own right. You can spend your evenings wandering between decorated temples, watching ceremonies and performances and stopping whenever something catches your eye.
My personal favourite is Wat Lok Moli, where you can buy a lantern, write a wish on it and hang it at the temple. Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phan Tao are also worth checking out, while the parades bring a completely different atmosphere: colourful floats, music and plenty of cheerful chaos.
To help you decide where to go, I’ve put together a guide to the best places to celebrate Yi Peng in Chiang Mai. And if you’d like some help putting those stops in order, my Yi Peng itinerary suggests how to spend the festival days.
Speaking of schedules and itineraries… this is where planning gets a little frustrating.
5. Why is Yi Peng so difficult to plan?
The last-minute official schedule
Chiang Mai Municipality publishes an official programme of the city celebrations, but don’t expect to have it months in advance. Two years in a row now, it came out just one day before the festival.
Things hardly ever start on time
And even once you have the schedule, don’t get too attached to the times – based on my experience, things hardly ever start when they’re supposed to.
Finding information shouldn’t be this difficult
In previous years, I literally walked from place to place asking whoever I could find – including security guards – what would be happening at a particular temple and when. Sometimes I got an answer. Sometimes I got several different answers. Sometimes the conversation looked like: – “What time is the next event here? – At 7 pm. – But it’s 7:20 now. – Ohh, then I don’t know.” So yes, the celebrations are beautiful, but the organization and communication leave quite a bit to be desired.
Useful information in English has also been hard to come by. I got tired of digging through Facebook groups and scattered posts in Thai, trying to piece everything together, which is why I started writing these Yi Peng guides in the first place. Even now, finding clear information about other lantern release events can be a struggle.
My advice?
Use the schedule as a starting point, leave room for delays, and ask around when you’re there. A little flexibility will save you a lot of frustration.
My small request
And please don’t hate me if something doesn’t happen where or when I suggested it would! My recommendations in my Yi Peng 2026 itinerary are based on previous years, and unfortunately, I’m not a mind reader – while the main events usually follow a similar pattern from year to year, smaller ceremonies can change days, times or locations. I’ve spent enough festival evenings running from place to place asking what’s happening and I don’t think I’ll be repeating that this year – it gets a bit too stressful.
You can also browse my Instagram story highlights from previous years to see what the celebrations actually looked like.
And now one of the most important pieces of information…
6. Can you release a sky lantern in Chiang Mai city?
No! Releasing sky lanterns in Chiang Mai’s city centre IS NOT allowed. And has been forbidden for years. So if you’re picturing yourself buying one by Tha Phae Gate and sending it into the sky, you’ll need to adjust that plan.
You might still spot the occasional lantern floating above the city, but that doesn’t mean releasing them is permitted. To release one yourself, you need to attend an organized lantern event outside the city.
You can, however, hang a lantern with a written wish at temples such as Wat Lok Moli, or float a krathong on the Ping River. Different experience, still a lovely way to take part.
7. Where can you release a sky lantern during Yi Peng?
If releasing a lantern is a must for you, you’ll need to head outside Chiang Mai to one of the organized lantern events. CAD is the best-known option, but it isn’t the only one. Other paid events include:
- Amazing Lanna Sky Lantern Festival
- Loy Krathong Festival at Horizon Village & Resort
- CNX Loy Krathong Sky Lantern Festival at Miracle Land
These are alternatives to look into rather than a personal recommendation – I haven’t attended them myself…because I refuse to pay a hundred bucks (or more) to release a lantern. Haha
But…
If I had to choose, I’d probably go with the festival at Horizon Village. From what I’ve seen, it looks the most authentic, and I seem to remember readers messaging me last year saying they went and enjoyed the whole experience. But again, that’s just my impression – I haven’t attended it myself.
Whichever you choose, allow plenty of time. Transfers, queues, food, performances and waiting for the lantern release can take up most of your afternoon and evening. This isn’t something you can quickly squeeze between temple visits! CAD, in particular, has a reputation for being poorly organized.
There also used to be a free lantern festival in Doi Saket, which I attended myself in 2023. Unfortunately, that event isn’t happening this year, so it’s no longer an option I can recommend.
Important info about the free Doi Saket Lantern Festival 2026!
The free lantern festival in Doi Saket is definitely not happening in 2026. Despite misleading posts online claiming otherwise – and even people selling tickets! – the district authorities have issued an official announcement confirming that the event will not take place. Don’t buy tickets or plan a trip there expecting this festival!
You can read the official statement and find out why the festival was cancelled in my blog post.
Important info about lantern festivals in general!
Whichever lantern festival you’re considering, double-check – or honestly, triple-check – that the event is legitimate and confirmed for this year before buying tickets. Look for announcements from the organizers or local authorities, rather than relying only on FB posts, social media ads or ticket sellers.
Also, don’t take the promotional images too literally. Some festival posters I’ve seen use AI-generated scenes, complete with beautiful temples that aren’t even at the venue.A dreamy image of lanterns floating above a peaceful temple courtyard tells you very little about what you’re actually booking. Look for real photos and videos from previous editions and expect a few more people, queues and noise than the poster suggests.
8. Want the big lantern “wow” moment? Consider CAD
If your main goal is to release a lantern yourself, one of the smaller organized events could be enough. But if you’re coming for that view of thousands of glowing lanterns filling the sky, then – as much as it pains me to say it – CAD looks like the strongest option.
I haven’t attended CAD myself, so this is based on photos and videos I’ve seen from the different events. CAD’s mass release appears to deliver that huge, dramatic scene that draws so many people to Yi Peng in the first place. The smaller festivals may offer a lovely experience too, but I wouldn’t book one expecting the same scale.
So think about what you’re actually hoping for before choosing: the experience of releasing a lantern, or the spectacle of a sky full of them. If it’s the latter, CAD is the one I’d look into first – while making peace with the price and organizational chaos.
Speaking of chaos…
9. Chiang Mai gets seriously busy during Yi Peng
Expect packed streets, heavy traffic and plenty of people trying to get to the same places as you. Booking a Grab or Bolt in the evening can be a struggle. In previous years, I even had readers messaging me asking if I could help them find a taxi after they’d been trying for hours. Unfortunately, travel blogger is still not the same job as taxi dispatcher. Haha!
The good news is that many of the city celebration spots are within walking distance of each other, especially around the Old City. Walking between them is often easier than trying to find a ride and then sitting in traffic.
Wear comfortable shoes, grab your reusable water bottle, leave yourself time to get around and don’t plan too many stops in one evening. If you need transport to somewhere further out, arrange it ahead of time – and allow extra time for the journey.
Little tip!
If you’re taking a Grab or taxi from the airport or the train station to your accommodation, ask the driver for their mobile number. Most of them are happy to share it, and you’ll have a friendly driver “on hand” who might be up for taking you around during your stay
You’ll want data for maps, checking festival updates and booking a ride when your feet have had enough. Get a Saily eSIM for Thailand so you can stay connected without hunting for Wi-Fi.
So next, let’s cover…
10. Where to stay in Chiang Mai during Yi Peng
The obvious choice is the Old Town, where you’ll be close to many of the temples and city celebrations. But it’s also one of the busiest places to stay during the festival, so expect crowds as soon as you step outside.
I’d personally recommend Nimman. It’s a little removed from the main festival crowds, with plenty of great cafés and restaurants for your daytime plans. You can still walk to the Old Town, although reaching the celebration spots means a longer walk – check your hotel’s location before booking.
For my accommodation picks, check out my guide to where to stay in Nimman, Chiang Mai.
11. Fireworks can get a little too close for comfort
Along with the lanterns and candles, expect a much louder side to the celebrations: fireworks. In previous years, I’ve seen people setting them off right on the streets around Chinatown and the Ping River, in front of the temples, sometimes just a few steps away from others.
I’m not saying this to put you off, but it’s worth knowing if you’re expecting a peaceful evening by the water. Stay aware of what’s happening around you, give anyone lighting fireworks plenty of space, and move somewhere quieter if it feels too much.
A little preparation helps with the unexpected – including travel insurance. Check out SafetyWing for get your cover sorted before heading to Thailand.
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12. What to do in Chiang Mai before the lanterns light up
Most Yi Peng celebrations begin after dark, so you still have your days free to explore Chiang Mai or spend a suspicious amount of time drinking coffee. Both are valid plans.
For my favourite temples, markets and other places worth visiting, check out my local’s guide to Chiang Mai. And for your caffeine stops, have a look at my Chiang Mai coffee guide.
And if you’d rather have all those places handy on your phone, I’ve put them together on a map:
It’s packed with my favourite temples, markets, cafés and local gems – all neatly pinned and ready to use!
13. There’s more to Yi Peng than the photos and lanterns
With all the attention on lantern releases and spectacular photos, it’s easy to forget that Yi Peng and Loy Krathong also have spiritual meaning for many Thai people. While you might be there for the pictures, someone next to you could be praying, making merit or taking a quiet moment to remember a loved one.
Enjoy it, take your photos – I certainly do – but give people space, avoid interrupting ceremonies and remember that you’re sharing the celebrations with people who may be there for very different reasons.
A quick reminder:
If you’re visiting temples, dress appropriately too: cover your shoulders and knees, even if you’re mainly popping in for photos. Don’t walk around half naked – it’s so disrespectful.
That’s it!
I hope this guide helps you make sense of the Yi Peng lantern festival in Chiang Mai and enjoy it with a little less confusion. I’ve poured everything I’ve learned from three years of experiencing Yi Peng into this guide and my other festival posts. Yes, it can be chaotic, but there are some beautiful moments to be found between the crowds and questionable schedules.
For specific places to visit, check out my 11 places to celebrate Yi Peng in Chiang Mai. And if you’d like help planning your evenings, my suggested Yi Peng itinerary for 2026 brings those stops together.
Have a lovely time, leave a little room for things to go off-plan, and hopefully you’ll come home with good memories as well as good photos! I don’t think I’ll be attending this year – or at least not all the events – so let me know how it goes. I’d love to hear what you enjoyed and what surprises the schedule had in store this time. Haha!
Hi, it’s Aga, the author of this blog. If you found this blog post interesting, entertaining or useful, please think of buying me a virtual coffee to support the site’s running costs. But if you know me, I might actually spend it on coffee. Thanks!
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