Yi Peng and Loy Krathong Festival in Chiang Mai

Yi Peng and Loy Krathong Festival in Chiang Mai

Happy Loy Krathong to all our Thai friends and also other friends who celebrate this festival. Today, I am going to share my experience celebrating Yi Peng and Loy Krathong Festival in Chiang Mai. The Yi Peng and Loy Krathong festival in Chiang Mai is different than other cities and hence I wanted to share this experience.

Yi Peng is the northern Thai (formerly Lanna Kingdom) festival and it coincides with Loy Krathong. Yi means ‘two’ (like Chinese) and peng means ‘full moon day’. The uniqueness of Yi Peng is the festival is meant a time to make ‘merit’.

To celebrate Yi Peng, the locals will release sky lanterns as floating lanterns into the sky. The sky lantern or known as ‘khom loi’ are made from thin fabric like rice paper and bamboo or wire frame. The candle is attached and when it is light up, it will result hot air trapped inside the lantern and lift it up to float in the sky.

Now, many tourists join the locals for to float sky lanterns for Yi Peng Festival in Chiang Mai. Due to Yi Peng, the airport is closed for one night as there were too many sky lanterns in the sky.

When I was in Chiang Mai, I can’t believe my eyes as the night sky is lit up with thousands of sky lanterns as well as the full moon. The locals will also lit up firecrackers and fireworks.

There are many khom loi sold by the roadside by locals at affordable price. You just need to buy one and lit the sky lantern at a safe place.

Loy Krathong begun in Sukhothai Kingdom by a court lady named Nopphamat. Loy Krathong is celebrated in Thailand and also in other South East Asia countries including Malaysia. The locals celebrate the festival by making krathong (decorated baskets) and float it in the river to thank the Goddess of Water.

You can find many krathong sold by the roadside in Chiang Mai. You just need to purchase them, lit up the candle and let it float by the river. Please make sure you slipped and fall into the river.

Due to the popularity of Yi Peng and Loy Krathong festivals in Chiang Mai, flight tickets and hotel rooms are usually sold out during that period of time.

This is the reason Why You Should Visit Chiang Mai During Loy Krathong Festival Once In Your Lifetime.

There are twelve months to go for you to plan for Yi Peng and Loy Krathong Festival in Chiang Mai in 2022.We hope there will be lesser COVID cases next year and more relax travel rules too for vaccinated travellers. Travel safe and take care everyone!

This is Yi Peng and Loy Krathong Festival in Chiang Mai.