Loy Krathong and Yi Peng 2026: Thailand's Festival of Lights, and Staying Connected in the Crowds

For two nights a year, Thailand's rivers fill with candlelit flowers and the sky over Chiang Mai fills with lanterns. It is one of the most beautiful festivals in the world, and one of the busiest nights to travel in Thailand.

In 2026, Loy Krathong falls on Wednesday 25 November, and Chiang Mai's Yi Peng lantern festival runs on 24–25 November. Confirm local schedules with the Tourism Authority of Thailand nearer the time, as programmes are published late.

Two festivals, one week

Loy Krathong is celebrated all over Thailand. People float a krathong, a small basket of banana leaves, flowers, incense and a candle, on a river or lake to let go of the past year's bad luck.

Yi Peng is the northern Lanna festival, centred on Chiang Mai, where paper lanterns (khom loi) are released into the night sky. In Chiang Mai the two run together, and the old city is decorated with candles and lanterns for days.

Where to celebrate

• Chiang Mai: the Ping River, Nawarat Bridge and the Tha Phae Gate area are the heart of it. The famous mass lantern releases are ticketed events outside the city and sell out early.
• Sukhothai: Loy Krathong is said to have begun here. The historical park hosts a multi-day festival with light-and-sound shows among the ruins.
• Bangkok: riverside parks and piers along the Chao Phraya, plus lakes like Lumphini Park, get busy with krathongs and fireworks.

Lantern releases are regulated. Release them only at organised events or where local authorities allow it, and never near the airport flight path.

Your phone on festival night

The riverbanks and old-city gates are packed on the main nights, and the local networks slow down under the load. To stay in control:

1. Agree a meeting point with your group before you go out. Messages can arrive minutes late.
2. Download offline maps of Chiang Mai's old city and the riverbank so navigation works even when data is slow.
3. Book transport in advance. Grab and Bolt surge heavily on festival nights, and red songthaew trucks fill up quickly.
4. Bring a power bank. You will be filming lanterns for longer than you think.

Staying connected in Thailand

Your HOAM eSIM connects to AIS and dtac, two of Thailand's major networks, with strong coverage in Chiang Mai, Bangkok and Sukhothai. Install it at home before you fly: your plan starts on first use in Thailand, not on installation.

If your trip continues after the festival, add the next country to the same plan: Thailand + Vietnam or Thailand + Cambodia. A multi-country plan costs the same as the most expensive country in it.

In an emergency, call the Tourist Police on 1155 (English-speaking) or 1669 for an ambulance.

Related reading: Winter sun escapes: Thailand, the Canaries, Egypt and Dubai · Southeast Asia: eSIM vs local SIMs

Going to Thailand for the festival? See plan sizes and prices on the Thailand eSIM page.