Loy Krathong Thailand 2026: Insider Tips for Experiencing Thailand’s Most Beautiful Water Festival
Loy Krathong falls on the full moon of the 12th Thai lunar month — 24 November in 2026 — and for one evening the country’s rivers, canals and lakes fill with candlelight. Thais release krathongs, small banana-leaf vessels carrying a candle, incense and a wish, onto the water; in the north, sky lanterns rise over Chiang Mai on the same nights. This guide covers what actually happens, where the festival is strongest — Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Sukhothai and Ayutthaya — and how to take part without fumbling the etiquette.
What is Loy Krathong?
Loy Krathong is an annual festival celebrated in Thailand, usually in November. It is a time of joy and thanksgiving, where people gather to release krathongs (floating vessels made from banana leaves) into rivers and lakes as a way of expressing gratitude for the blessings they have received throughout the year.
The word “Loy” means “to float” while “Krathong” refers to the small rafts that are used during this festival. The krathongs are decorated with flowers, candles, incense sticks and coins as offerings to the river spirits or goddesses of water. People also write their wishes on pieces of paper which they attach to their krathong before releasing it into the water.
On Loy Krathong night, Thais head to riversides and canals with handmade krathongs or buy one from the vendors who line the banks. At sunset, candles and incense are lit and the vessels are set afloat together, with fireworks over the larger waterways. At some venues the evening also brings ramwong — a traditional circle dance — with live music from local musicians.
The tradition has been passed down for centuries and remains one of the most widely celebrated nights in the Thai calendar, alongside Songkran in April.
Where is Loy Krathong Celebrated in Thailand?
Loy Krathong is an important festival celebrated all over Thailand. It’s a time for Thais to give thanks and make wishes for the future. The most popular places to experience this festival are Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Sukhothai and Ayutthaya.
Bangkok
In Bangkok, you can expect a lot of activities such as boat races on the Chao Phraya River and fireworks displays in many parts of the city. There will also be plenty of food stalls set up around town selling traditional Thai snacks like mango sticky rice or khanom bueang (Thai crepes). You can also find vendors selling krathongs – small boats made from banana leaves that are decorated with flowers and candles which people float down rivers during Loy Krathong.
Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai is another great place to celebrate Loy Krathong as it has its own unique traditions such as releasing sky lanterns into the night sky which symbolizes letting go of worries and making wishes for the future. This northern sky-lantern version is a separate Lanna festival held on the same nights — the Chiang Mai Lantern Festival (Yi Peng) — so Chiang Mai gets both krathongs floating down the Ping River and khom loi rising overhead. During this time there will be parades throughout the city featuring traditional dancers wearing colorful costumes accompanied by music from local bands playing drums, gongs and other instruments.
Sukhothai
Sukhothai is known for its ancient temples so it’s no surprise that they have their own special way of celebrating Loy Krathong here too. On this day people gather at Wat Mahatat temple where they light candles inside paper bags before floating them away in rivers while making wishes for good luck in life.
Ayutthaya
Ayutthaya is one of Thailand’s oldest cities so it makes sense that they would have their own unique way of celebrating Loy Krathong here too. In Ayutthaya locals release “floating umbrellas” into waterways instead of krathongs; these umbrellas are usually decorated with flowers or lights depending on how elaborate you want your wish-making ritual to be.
Each city celebrates differently, so pick by what you want from the night: river processions and fireworks in Bangkok, lanterns overhead in Chiang Mai, candlelit temple ruins in Sukhothai, floating umbrellas in Ayutthaya.
What Happens During Loy Krathong?
During this time, people will gather around rivers and lakes to release their krathongs into the water. A krathong is a small boat-like vessel made out of banana leaves and decorated with candles, incense sticks and flowers. It symbolizes letting go of all negative emotions such as anger, hatred and sorrow in order to start anew.
The ritual is simple: light the candle and incense on your krathong, make a wish — traditionally an apology and thank-you to the water goddess Phra Mae Khongkha — and set it on the water. Around the release points you’ll find traditional music performances and food stalls; the smell of grilled seafood skewers and incense smoke carries along the banks all evening.
The releases build through the evening rather than happening all at once, and in cities where lanterns are part of the night, the sky fills gradually after dark. The symbolism runs one way: whatever floats away on the krathong — worries, grudges, the past year’s bad luck — stays gone.
How Can I Participate in Loy Krathong?
Visitors are welcome to take part — this is one Thai festival where joining in, rather than watching, is the point.
Purchase or Prepare Your Krathong
The most important part of participating in Loy Krathong is having your own krathong ready. You can buy one from vendors around town or you can make your own using banana leaves, candles, incense sticks and flowers. If you choose to make your own, be sure that it’s not too big or heavy so that it will float easily when released into the water.
Releasing Your Krathong
Head to a river or lake around sunset with your krathong. Light the candle and incense, make your wish, and set it afloat — many Thais add a coin, a few hairs or nail clippings to send away the year’s bad luck with it. Stay after your own release: the water filling with hundreds of candle flames is the image the festival is famous for.
Insider Tip: Choose a krathong made from banana trunk and leaves, bread, or other natural materials — they break down in the water. Styrofoam bases still appear at some stalls and several cities now ban them; the natural ones cost about the same.
Where Can I Stay During Loy Krathong?
If you’re looking for a place to stay during Loy Krathong, there are plenty of accommodation options available in Thailand. Bangkok is one of the most popular destinations for this festival and has many hotels ranging from budget guesthouses to luxury resorts. Chiang Mai also offers great places to stay with its mix of traditional Thai-style accommodations and modern hotels. Sukhothai, where the festival’s most historic celebrations take place, provides visitors with a unique experience that includes temples, museums, and beautiful parks. Ayutthaya is another good destination for Loy Krathong, with some of the country’s most significant historical sites including Wat Phra Si Sanphet and Wat Maha That.
Check Loy Krathong accommodation options on Booking.com
Pro Tip: Book rooms well ahead for festival night — riverside hotels in Chiang Mai and Sukhothai fill weeks in advance, and rates rise closest to the date. A room within walking distance of the water beats a cheaper one that needs a taxi through festival-night traffic.
Is Loy Krathong worth planning a trip around?
Yes — it lands in November, the start of the cool dry season, which is already the best time to visit most of Thailand. Releasing a krathong on the river or watching the lanterns rise over Chiang Mai are each reason enough to time the trip to the full moon of the 12th lunar month; pair the festival night with a few days in Sukhothai or Ayutthaya and the ruins-by-candlelight version becomes the trip’s centrepiece.
