Loy Krathong Festival Chiang ma 2024
Where: Chiang Mai And All Thailand. When: 15-16 November 2024
Every year, in full moon during the month of November the Loy Krathong festival is celebrated across all of Thailand,
which is more known to foreigners and tourists as the festival of lights, lanterns or candles.
Especially in northern Thailand, the locals celebrate the Yi Peng holiday (the Lanna version of Loy Krathong)
which is what makes these days very special in several districts in northern Thailand where this festival takes place.
You may find an album with photos that we took in Chiang Mai during the festival in 2013 - press HERE. And another one from the year 2010 - press HERE.
The most astonishing and exquisite experience of the festival in all of Thailand is in Chiang Mai.
So what exactly is this holiday, how, when and where is it celebrated?
This is a Buddhist holiday, it is also celebrated in a few countries neighboring Thailand but each country has its own tradition.
One of the characteristics and symbols of this holiday is gratitude to the Gods of rain for another season of blessing with water,
and november is the period when this season comes to end.
Celebration of Loy Krathong (specifically) in northern Thailand and Chiang Mai:
During the days of the festival the city of Chiang Mai is home to religious ceremonies, colorful parades and events, from the morning until the midnight.
The streets are decorated with many flags, signs and traditional ornaments. And from the evening on you may find small candles in every corner,
every street and every business, lined in order on the Tha Pae Gate and across the walls of the old city and of course in the various temples.
The atmosphere and the sights inside the city are as taken from a mvie,
an experience you can not miss!
There are many temples in Chiang Mai, hence it is not important what area you choose to stay, there will always be a temple nearby to enjoy a beautiful view. It is overwhelmingly recommended to visit the temples during this time. All day long, the temples offer the most intriguing and exciting experience during the holiday and specifically these two:
Wat Chadi Luang and Wat Phra Singh, both located in the center of the city, not far from each other therefore making it easy to travel by foot from one to another. It is recommended to visit the temples during the morning hours, as well as the noon and especially the evening (19:00-20:30) which is the time when monks are praying in big groups.
Another symbol of the holiday and festival is the release of big fire baloons to the sky, from all directions during the evening and night, the locals and of course the tourists likewise release paper baloons which have a small flame at the bottom which levitates them to the sky. An astounding sight!
Watching the locals do it will make it easy for you to simply follow them and join the crowd, the best places to do it are the Tha Pae Gate and the Warorot or Iron Bridge nearby the Ping river.
Another ceremony of the holiday the release of banana leaves with flowers and a candle in the center by the Ping river.
Thousands of people gather every evening during the festival to do that. You would usually see many romantic couples who have those leaves in shape of hearts, families with children and basically everyone. Those flower bouquets are called Krathong hence the name of the holiday.
