The spectacular sights of Thailand’s Lantern Festival

Thailand is renowned for its colourful and vibrant culture that has left visitors in awe time and time again. But the one festival that might just beat all of the others in terms of jaw-dropping beauty is coming up and if you have to see one thing in Thailand, it’s this.

Chiang Mai’s Yi Peng Lantern Festival is an annual celebration that sees tens of thousands of fiery lanterns float into the sky as a way for locals to pay their respects to Buddha. It’s celebrated each year on the full moon of the 2nd month of the Lanna lunar calendar, which works out to be the 22 November this year.

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Traditionally, the festival was used to mark to end of the monsoon season and the beginning of the cool season, however these days it is usually celebrated alongside another famous Thai festival, Loy Krathong, which sees leaf containers filled with flowers, candles or small offerings floated down the river.

The Festival of Lights is known for sending away bad luck and bringing in good fortune for anyone who takes part. According to legend, if your lantern floats into the darkness without losing its light, you’ll welcome good luck for the rest of your year. But be careful, because if you’re lantern crashes, your next year might not be so great. 

Yi Peng is exclusive to northern Thailand and is celebrated in plenty of cities and towns around the district, but none come close to the grand, awe-inspiring event held in Chiang Mai each year. Staying true to its name, lanterns fill the city on this special night as they decorate houses and temples and are carried around on sticks by locals.

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Upon attending the magical festival, you’ll receive a sky lantern made from a thin, rice paper fabric that is pulled over a bamboo frame. The candle is attached on the inside and when lit, acts like a hot air balloon as the trapped hot air forces it to float.  

The best place to head if you are looking to be absolutely engulfed in the orange and yellow lights is Mae Jo University, where the largest gathering of attendees in Chiang Mai is held. The in-demand location sells 4,000 tickets each year that are usually sold out in the first month or two of being on sale, so you’ll have to get in quick!

With the organised, simultaneous release of thousands of paper lanterns into the night sky, you can see why this area is the most popular. However, tickets to the festival aren’t exactly cheap with the price generally ranging from $235 – $526.

A more affordable option is to attend a private event. While there won’t be nearly as many people in attendance, tickets are definitely cheaper and the experience is still unlike any other.

You can also head to the free area of Nawarat Bridge, where you spend about $2 on a lantern to release them into the sky. While the atmosphere might not be the same, it’s definitely the cheapest option for those who simply want to participate in the festival on some level.

Along with the spectacular view, the cathartic festival is known to be a great place for attendees to release any stress, pain or anger from their past year and let it float away into the sky attached to their lantern. 

The unique experience is definitely something every traveller who craves memories over materials needs to go to. Not to mention, it’s a beautiful way to guarantee your good luck for the next year!