Yi Peng Festival 2026: Dates, Meaning & Whether It's Worth It

Curated by Cindy Tang Updated Sep. 27, 2026
Seasonal travel planning

For two nights in November, the sky over Chiang Mai fills with lanterns. That's Yi Peng — the northern Thai tradition of releasing khom loi, floating sky lanterns, into the dark. It falls on the same full moon as Loy Krathong, Thailand's water festival, and the two run together.

This page covers what Yi Peng is, the confirmed 2026 dates, what to expect in 2027 and 2028, where you can be without paying anything, what a ticketed release actually includes, and whether it's worth the money.

What Is Yi Peng?

Chiang Mai CAD Mass Lantern Release

Yi Peng (also written Yee Peng) is a Lanna tradition from northern Thailand. The name refers to the full-moon day of the twelfth month in the Lanna lunar calendar. Releasing a lantern is traditionally a way of making an offering and letting go of misfortune from the past year.

You’ll often see these three types of lanterns mentioned together, but they are not the same:

• Khom loi. The floating sky lantern, made from rice paper with a bamboo ring and fuel cell. This is the type subject to restrictions in Chiang Mai.
• Khom fai. Paper lanterns hung along streets, gates and temple grounds. These are mainly decorative and free to see.
• Phang prathip. Small clay oil lamps lit at temples and around homes.

Yi Peng is a northern Thai tradition, particularly associated with Chiang Mai. Loy Krathong is celebrated across Thailand on the same full moon, but it has different origins and traditions. The two festivals overlap in Chiang Mai, which is why they are often treated as one event.

When Is Yi Peng? 2026, 2027, and 2028 Dates

The date comes from the full moon of the twelfth lunar month. That’s why it changes every year. Yi Peng runs two nights in Chiang Mai and ends on the full-moon night. Loy Krathong is that same full-moon night, nationwide. 

The ticketed releases run over two nights; the city's decorations and temple ceremonies usually begin several days earlier.

 The 2026 and 2027 dates are confirmed by CAD. 2028 is a projection based on the lunar calendar — the Tourism Authority of Thailand publishes the official programme closer to the date, so confirm before you book flights.

Where You Can Be Without a Ticket

The mass releases happen at authorised venues roughly 30 km outside Chiang Mai. Inside the city, you can see the decorations, ceremonies and lantern displays, and that part is free.

• Wat Phan Tao. A teak hall, a reflecting pond, hundreds of khom fai overhead, and monks chanting in the evening.
• Wat Chedi Luang. Next door to Wat Phan Tao. Thousands of lanterns set against a 15th-century brick stupa.
• Wat Phra Singh and Wat Lok Molee. Candle ceremonies and chanting, generally quieter than the first two.
• Tha Phae Gate Plaza. The civic stage, with the float parade, pageants, and opening ceremony.
• Three Kings Monument. Candle dancing and cultural performances.
• Nawarat Bridge. Over the Ping River, where krathongs are released on Loy Krathong night and lanterns drift overhead.

Most temple decorations go up several days before the main nights, so arriving in Chiang Mai early gives you a chance to see them before the biggest crowds.

(The following photos are from our time in Chiang Mai’s Old City during the 2025 Yi Peng Festival.)

Is Yi Peng Worth It?

For me, yes. I've been four times, and I'd still go again.

A few thousand people count down together before releasing their lanterns into the night sky. Within seconds, hundreds of glowing lanterns are rising around you, stretching into the distance like a galaxy. Nearby, people are dancing together, hugging, kissing, or simply standing quietly and watching. It still gets me every time.

People call a lot of travel experiences "once in a lifetime." I rarely use the phrase, but Yi Peng is one of the few times I would.

Here's the part that actually matters when deciding whether it's worth it: the venue makes a big difference. What I've described above is CAD. Not every venue puts on an evening like this, and the differences between them are bigger than the difference in ticket price might suggest. When someone comes away from Yi Peng disappointed, the venue is often the reason.

At CAD, a ticket gets you into the mass release itself: the countdown and thousands of lanterns going up together. The rest of the evening is filled with Lanna dance and music on the main stage, a northern Thai dinner, and rows of stalls selling lanterns, handicrafts, and food.

Children have plenty to do, including krathong-making and painting. There are also massage stalls on site, which can be welcome after a long day.

The venue also handles transfers and cleanup. At CAD's 2026 prices, USD 150 to USD 500 depending on the tier.

See what each CAD tier includes and current availability.

A spectacular moment at the 2025 CAD Lantern Festival.

A romantic moment at the CAD Lantern Festival

A traditional Lanna performance at the CAD Lantern Festival.

Where Can You Release a Lantern?

There are three main types of venue, all outside the city:

• CAD (Chiang Mai CAD Khomloy Sky Lantern Festival). The largest and most organised, with synchronised releases, cultural shows, transfers and dinner. We're CAD's largest ticket agent, with our own allocation, so we can check availability against live numbers rather than relying on a reseller's estimate.
• Mae Jo University. The most traditional, with a stronger Buddhist character and more emphasis on the religious side of the festival. It's also the most expensive of the three. (From my experience: I was pretty disappointed with the food—it was really basic. Considering the ticket price (higher than the other two), I honestly didn't think it was worth it.)
• Smaller temple and resort venues. Smaller gatherings with far fewer people, for those who want to release a lantern without the scale of a mass event.

They're outside the city because they have to be. Sky lantern releases are not permitted inside Chiang Mai because of aviation and fire-safety restrictions, with penalties of up to 200,000 baht and up to five years' imprisonment depending on the offence. Free public mass releases ended years ago, and city-centre releases have been banned since 2020. So advice to release one at Tha Phae Gate, which still appears in some older blog posts, is outdated.

The ticket pays for a permitted launch at an authorised site, as well as the event itself.

And if you stay in the city instead, the public programme usually includes clay-lamp workshops in the days beforehand, an opening ceremony with candle dancing at Three Kings Monument, lantern pageants at Tha Phae Gate Plaza, and a grand float parade through the Old Town on the main night. The 2026 schedule will be announced closer to the festival, and we’ll publish it here when it’s available.

How Long Does It Last?

• The ticketed mass releases. Two nights (24 and 25 November in 2026), a few hours each including transfers.
• The countdown itself. Minutes. This is the thing people misjudge: you're paying for an evening, and the lanterns go up in one short burst near the end of it.
• The city's celebrations. Several days. Decorations go up early, temple ceremonies run through the week, and the parade and pageants happen on the main nights.

If you have two nights, I’d split them: the ticketed release on November 24, and the city celebrations on the 25th.

Loy Krathong falls on the second Yi Peng night, November 25. The main experience is around the Ping River and Nawarat Bridge, with the parade and thousands of krathongs floating on the water. A ticketed Yi Peng venue may include a small krathong-making activity, but that’s very different from experiencing Loy Krathong along the river.

Travel Tips for Yi Peng Festival

• Book early – Hotels and flights fill up quickly during festival week.
• Stay near the Old City or Riverside for easy access to Loy Krathong events.
• Respect local customs – Dress modestly when visiting temples and avoid releasing lanterns in restricted areas.
• Arrive early to events and parades — roads are often closed and traffic can be heavy.

FAQs About Yi Peng

Q: What is the Yi Peng festival in Thailand?
A northern Thai (Lanna) tradition of releasing floating sky lanterns, or khom loi, on the full moon of the twelfth lunar month. It's centred on Chiang Mai and falls on the same nights as Loy Krathong.

Q: When is Yi Peng 2026?
24–25 November 2026, in Chiang Mai. Loy Krathong's full-moon night is 25 November.

Q: Where is the Yi Peng lantern festival held?
In and around Chiang Mai. The ticketed mass releases take place at authorised venues about 30 km outside the city. Inside the city you get the parades, temple decorations and ceremonies, which are free.

Q: Can tourists attend Yi Peng?
Yes. The city celebrations are open to everyone and free. To release a sky lantern you need a ticket to an authorised venue outside the city. Releasing one inside Chiang Mai is illegal.

Q: How much does Yi Peng cost? The city celebrations are free. Ticketed mass releases through CAD run from USD 150 to USD 500 in 2026, depending on tier, and include transfers, dinner and the cultural programme.

Q: Is there a dress code for Yi Peng?
No, Yi Peng itself has none. The only rule is covering shoulders and knees when you enter a temple. Some guides recommend white or cream, but that's about photographs rather than etiquette: pale colours catch the lantern light at night. Flat shoes and a layer for the evening, since you'll be outdoors for hours.

Planning to Join Yi Peng 2026?

We've been helping travelers experience Yi Peng since 2018 — from arranging tickets for the CAD Lantern Release to planning private trips across Thailand.

We can arrange your Yi Peng evening, including:

• Premium tickets to a major sky lantern release
• Private transfers from Chiang Mai
• Krathong-making and Lanna cultural activities
• Full-moon dinner
• Traditional Thai costume and make-up

Looking for tickets only? Get your official Yi Peng Festival tickets here.

Planning a longer trip? We can tailor-make your Thailand itinerary around Yi Peng, Chiang Mai, and the other places you want to experience.

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