Yi Peng 2026 in Chiang Mai: Dates, Free Spots and a 3-Day Plan

Yi Peng 2026 in Chiang Mai runs from Monday 23 to Wednesday 25 November. Chiang Mai Municipality announced the three days in September, with the grand krathong procession on the 25th. Loy Krathong itself, the full moon night, falls on Tuesday 24 November. If you only have two nights, make them the 24th and the 25th.

This guide covers what is confirmed so far, what is still waiting on an official programme, where you can watch for free, and a simple three-day plan you can adjust once the venue list comes out.

Yi Peng 2026 dates at a glance

• Mon 23 Nov: first night of the municipal festival. Lanterns and decorations go up around the Old City, and the stage events start.
• Tue 24 Nov: Loy Krathong. This is the night people float krathongs on the Ping River. The full moon rises in the evening.
• Wed 25 Nov: the grand krathong procession, where communities compete with large decorated floats for the royal trophy.
• Thu 26 Nov: the festival is over. A good day to fly out.

What is not published yet: the detailed venue list, stage times and the exact procession route. In recent years the municipality released its full programme two to three weeks before the festival, so expect it in early November. Until then, treat any very precise schedule you see online as last year's programme.

Loy Krathong is not a public holiday in Thailand. Shops, banks and offices keep normal hours on the 24th.

Yi Peng vs Loy Krathong: what's the difference

The two festivals happen on the same full moon and get mixed up a lot.

Loy Krathong is celebrated across Thailand. People float a krathong, a small raft traditionally made from banana trunk and leaves, with a candle, incense and flowers. It is a way of giving thanks to the water and letting go of bad luck.

Yi Peng is the northern, Lanna version of the full moon festival of the twelfth lunar month. In Chiang Mai it means paper lanterns hung outside houses and temples, candles along walls and gates, and khom loi, the sky lanterns most visitors come to see.

In practice, Chiang Mai combines both. You get krathongs on the river and lanterns in the streets over the same few nights.

Photo: John Shedrick / [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Thai_people_setting_their_candle-lit_krathongs_in_the_Ping_river_at_night_during_Loy_Krathong_2015-10_(22715933524).jpg), [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)

Sky lanterns in 2026: the rules that matter

This is the part that catches visitors out.

• No sky lanterns in the city. Mueang Chiang Mai district, which covers the Old City and the riverside, is a no-release zone. The district repeats this every year and asks hotels to tell their guests.
• Permitted times only. For 2026, sky lanterns are allowed on the evenings of 24 and 25 November, from 7 pm to 1 am, at permitted sites outside the city. The provincial meeting on 7 October repeated these hours.
• Flights are affected. In past years, Chiang Mai airport stopped or retimed flights during the lantern hours on the main nights. The 2026 aviation notice was not out at the time of writing. If you fly in on the 24th or 25th, land well before evening, and plan to leave on the 26th.

Most photos of a sky full of lanterns come from ticketed events held outside the city. If you want that experience, see the section on ticketed releases below.

Free places to watch in the Old City and along the river

You do not need a ticket to enjoy Yi Peng. Some of the best parts are free and walkable.

Tha Phae Gate. The eastern gate of the Old City is the usual focus of the municipal festival, with a stage, decorations and crowds from early evening. It also tends to be where the procession starts or passes, though the 2026 route is not confirmed yet.

Photo: Jakub Hałun / [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:20171105_Tha_Phae_Gate_Chiang_Mai_9784_DxO.jpg), [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)

The moat and the old walls. Candles and lanterns are set along the moat and the city gates. A slow walk along the eastern and southern sides is a good way to see it without standing in one crowd all night.

Temples in the Old City. Many temples hang hundreds of paper lanterns in their grounds. Wat Phan Tao, next to Wat Chedi Luang, is well known for its lantern displays and gets very busy after dark. Go early in the evening or accept a slow shuffle.

The Ping River. On the 24th, people float krathongs along the river. The area around Nawarat Bridge and the Iron Bridge is central and busy. Vendors sell krathongs near the river, so you do not need to bring one. Choose ones made from natural materials; foam ones are discouraged.

The procession route on the 25th. The parade of large floats is free to watch from the roadside. Arrive early for a spot near the start.

A few practical tips:

• Roads in and around the Old City close or jam in the evening. Walking is often faster than a car.
• Keep valuables in a front pocket or a small bag you can hold. Crowds are dense near the gate and the bridges.
• Fireworks and firecrackers are common in the streets. Keep a distance if you are with small children.

Ticketed mass lantern releases: are they worth it

Ticketed events offer the classic scene: thousands of people letting lanterns go at the same moment, usually in a field outside the city. They come with transport, a seat or mat, food and a lantern or two.

Before you buy, check:

• That it runs on a permitted night and site. Only the 24th and 25th, 7 pm to 1 am, outside the city.
• Who is selling. Prices and quality vary a lot, and some resellers mark tickets up heavily. Buy from the organiser or a known agent, and read the refund policy.
• How you get there and back. Most venues are a long drive from the Old City. Traffic after the release can take hours.
• What you give up. A ticketed event takes most of an evening, so you will miss part of the city celebrations that night.

If the price feels too high, you can still have a full Yi Peng trip with the free events in the city. Many people also see lanterns drifting into the sky from outside the no-release zone.

A 3-day Yi Peng plan

This plan assumes you arrive on the 23rd and leave on the 26th. It keeps days light so you have energy for late nights.

Day 1, Mon 23 Nov: settle in and see the Old City

• Arrive in the morning or early afternoon.
• Visit Wat Phra Singh and Wat Chedi Luang in the daytime, when it is quieter.
• Have an early dinner, then walk to Tha Phae Gate for the opening night and wander along the moat.

Day 2, Tue 24 Nov: Loy Krathong night

• Keep the morning free or take a cooking class or a short trip up to Doi Suthep before the crowds build.
• In the late afternoon, buy a krathong near the river.
• Float it on the Ping River after dark, then walk back through the lit streets. If you booked a ticketed lantern event, this is the usual night for it, so skip the river walk and go straight to your pickup point.

Day 3, Wed 25 Nov: the grand procession

• Take a slow morning. Nimman or the riverside cafes are good for a break from the Old City.
• Find a spot on the procession route in the late afternoon. Check the municipality's programme for the route once published.
• Have a late dinner and stay out for the last night of lanterns.

Thu 26 Nov: leave or stay on

• Fly out or continue your trip. If you have extra days, the 3 days in Chiang Mai itinerary covers the main sights at a calmer pace.

Booking ahead

• Rooms: the 24th and 25th are the hardest nights to book. If you have not booked yet, look for refundable rates now and narrow it down later. Our dusitD2 Chiang Mai notes cover one option near Tha Phae Gate.
• Flights: avoid evening arrivals on the 24th and 25th. Many people combine Chiang Mai with Bangkok; the 3 days in Bangkok itinerary works before or after the festival.
• Plan your days: put the festival nights in fixed slots first, then fit temples, food and day trips around them. You can copy a ready-made trip into RoamerPlanner and move the days around the festival dates.

FAQ

When is Yi Peng 2026? From 23 to 25 November 2026 in Chiang Mai. Loy Krathong is on the 24th, and the grand procession is on the 25th.

Can I release a sky lantern in Chiang Mai's Old City? No. The Old City and the rest of Mueang Chiang Mai district are a no-release zone. Sky lanterns are only allowed on the 24th and 25th, from 7 pm to 1 am, at permitted sites outside the city.

Is Yi Peng free? The city events, decorations, temple lanterns, river krathongs and the procession are free. The large mass lantern releases are ticketed events outside the city.

Which night is best if I only have one? The 24th, for Loy Krathong on the river and lanterns in the streets. The 25th is best if you want to see the procession.

Will flights be cancelled? In past years some flights were stopped or retimed during the lantern hours. Check your airline and arrive before evening on the main nights.

Sources: Chiang Mai Municipality's Yi Peng 2026 announcement (23 September 2026), as reported by local travel sites, and the provincial lantern rules from the 7 October 2026 meeting. Details like venues and the procession route can change. Check the municipality's programme before you go.

Cover photo: Nik Cyclist / [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Yi_Peng_lanterns_in_Chiang_Mai_(11067469754).jpg), [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)