Most people know Yi Peng from one photo: thousands of glowing paper lanterns rising into a dark sky. That does happen, but not in the way many visitors expect. You can't just walk to the Old City and let a lantern go. This guide explains what Yi Peng is, where to see it, what the ticketed events cost, and the rules you need to follow.
What Yi Peng is
Yi Peng is a Lanna festival, from the old northern kingdom whose capital was Chiang Mai. In the Lanna calendar "yi" means two and "peng" means full moon, so the name means the full moon of the second month. That's the same full moon as Loy Krathong, which is why the two festivals happen together in the north.
Lanterns are at the heart of it. People hang paper lanterns outside homes, shops and temples, light candles and oil lamps, and make merit at the temples. Sky lanterns, called khom loi, are the best-known part. A lantern floating away is said to carry your bad luck with it.
Yi Peng dates
| Dates | |
|---|---|
| City events in Chiang Mai, 2026 | Tue 24 to Thu 26 November |
| Ticketed lantern releases, 2026 | Tue 24 and Wed 25 November |
| Loy Krathong, 2026 | Tue 24 November |
| Yi Peng, 2027 | Around Sat 13 November (Loy Krathong night), not yet confirmed |
The city and the province publish the exact programme, and the permitted lantern zones and times, closer to the festival. For more on the dates, see our Loy Krathong guide.
Where to see Yi Peng in Chiang Mai
In the city (free)
The Old City and the riverside are where most of the free celebrations happen:
- Tha Phae Gate and the Old City. Lanterns hang over the gate, the lanes and the temple grounds, and there are stalls and performances in the evening.
- The temples. Wat Phan Tao, next to Wat Chedi Luang, is lit with candles and lanterns and is one of the prettiest spots on the festival nights. Arrive early, because it gets packed.
- The Ping River. People float krathongs from the bridges and banks around Nawarat Bridge and the Iron Bridge.
- Parades. Parades of giant illuminated krathongs and lanterns go through the city on the festival nights. The route and times are published with the programme.
You won't see a mass sky-lantern release in the city, because it isn't allowed. What you'll see is lanterns everywhere else, on the ground and on the water.
The ticketed mass releases (outside the city)
The big releases happen at licensed events outside the city, in zones and time windows the province approves each year. The best known is the CAD Khomloy Sky Lantern Festival at the CAD Cultural Center Lanna in Mae On, on 24 and 25 November 2026.
- Price. Standard tickets cost about 5,500 baht (around US$168) in 2026. The organiser's own site lists tiers from 4,900 up to 15,900 baht.
- Transfers. Transport from the city is part of the package and compulsory.
- What you get. A lantern release with thousands of other people, cultural shows, food and drinks. More than 20,000 people take part each night.
- Refunds. Tickets are non-refundable and sell out, so book early and buy from the official site or a licensed agent.
Other operators also run ticketed releases. Moonlight Sky Lantern holds one on the same two nights at Wat Ton Muen in Lamphun province. Before you pay, check that the event is in an approved zone, because the penalties apply to you as well as the organiser.
The lantern rules
Sky lanterns are a real hazard for planes, and a lantern that comes down still burning can start a fire. So Chiang Mai controls them tightly.
How to join in
What to wear and bring
Light, breathable clothes for a warm evening, a layer to cover shoulders and knees for the temples, comfortable shoes for standing in crowds, and a bag you can keep in front of you. If you've booked a ticketed release outside the city, bring your booking confirmation and ID, since some events check names at the gate.
Tips for solo travellers
- Book your room early. The Old City and Nimman sell out first, at higher prices.
- Keep your bag in front of you. Crowds on the bridges and at the gate are dense.
- Mind the fireworks. Firecrackers go off all evening, sometimes right next to the crowd.
- Go with people you've met. The ticketed releases are more fun in a group, and most tours will happily seat solo travellers together.
Yi Peng and our trips
We run a trip built around this festival: seven days from Bangkok through Sukhothai to three nights in Chiang Mai for Loy Krathong and Yi Peng's two main nights. The ticketed sky lantern release outside the city isn't included, but the Trip Host can point you to how to book one yourself.
Our Thailand & Laos Slow Boat trip spends three nights in Chiang Mai before a mid-afternoon flight to Luang Prabang, well clear of the lantern nights. A departure in the right week can put you in Chiang Mai for Yi Peng and Loy Krathong too, and the trip page says so next to the date when it applies.
Our Thailand Express covers Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Koh Phangan. It doesn't run in November, when the Gulf islands get their heaviest rain.
