How to Visit Yi Peng Chiang Mai in 2026: Dates, Access and Where to Stay

Yi Peng Chiang Mai 2026 runs from Monday 23 to Wednesday 25 November 2026, the dates fixed by Chiang Mai Municipality at its planning meeting on 23 September 2026 ². Chiang Mai Province confirmed the same three days on 7 October 2026 and named 24 November as Krathong Lek Day and 25 November as Krathong Yai Day ³. The full-moon night of Loy Krathong, Tuesday 24 November 2026, falls in the middle ^{4 6}.

The date moves every year because Yi Peng follows the Lanna lunar calendar. The name joins yi, meaning two, with peng, the full-moon day, so the festival is the full moon of the second Lanna month ¹². That lands in November most years, but the exact day shifts with the moon. In 2025 the city celebrated on 5 and 6 November, nearly three weeks earlier than in 2026 ¹¹.

Monday 23 November 2026 opens Yi Peng Chiang Mai with Lanna performances and phang prathip lamps in traditional dress ². Tuesday 24 November is Krathong Lek Day and Loy Krathong night, with the first lantern release window ³. Wednesday 25 November is Krathong Yai Day, when the Grand Krathong parade competes for the royal trophy ^{2 3}.

The two lantern release nights are 24 and 25 November 2026, from 19:00 until 01:00 the next morning ³. Smoke balloons, called wao hom, are allowed only on 24 November 2026 from 10:00 to 12:00 ³. The ticketed mass releases outside the city also run on 24 and 25 November 2026 ^{5 7}.

Tip: Arrive by the afternoon of 23 November and fly out after 25 November, since flights around the release nights are moved or cut ^{6 11}.

The hour-by-hour Municipality schedule, including the parade start time, is usually published about six weeks before the festival and is posted in Thai first ⁶. Check the Chiang Mai Municipality page again in the week before you travel.

Yi Peng Chiang Mai tickets are only needed for the mass sky lantern releases held outside the city; the parade, the Ton Lamyai stage, the temples and the riverbank are free. Because releasing lanterns inside the city is banned, these private sites are where visitors see thousands go up at once ^{2 5}.

The three best-known ticketed events for 2026:

• CAD Yi Peng Khomloy Sky Lantern Festival, CAD Cultural Center Lanna, Mae On, 24 and 25 November 2026, 4,900 to 16,900 THB ^{5 12}
• Yee Peng Lanna International, Tudongkhasathan Lanna near Mae Jo University, about 20 km from the Old City, 24 and 25 November 2026 ⁷
• Sky of Wishes 2026, Mungmana Farm, San Pa Tong, 24 and 25 November 2026, gates from 15:00, sold through Ticketmelon ⁸

The CAD event is the largest, with more than 25,000 visitors a night, and runs roughly from 13:00 to 20:45 ⁷. A transfer package has been compulsory since 2023, all purchases are final, and ticket links arrive within 24 hours of payment ⁵. Every tier includes a Lanna buffet dinner, a cultural programme and two lanterns, and the release is timed for around 20:15 ⁶.

Yee Peng Lanna at Mae Jo is quieter, with 3,000 to 4,000 people a night, monk chanting, meditation and candle-lighting before the release ⁷. In 2025 it ran on 5 and 6 November with commentary in English, Chinese and Japanese ¹⁸. Tour operator Odynovo lists its 2026 packages at roughly 170 to 380 USD ⁷. Sky of Wishes sells Standard, VIP, Premium and Elite tiers ⁸.

Tip: Buy from the organiser's own site, compare the same tier and night, and keep the confirmation; resellers often charge more than the listed price ⁶.

Drones are banned at both the CAD and Mae Jo sites ⁷. Prices on the official CAD page cover the 2026 season only, and the Elite tier was sold out by late October 2026 ⁷.

A sky lantern can legally go up around Chiang Mai only at a permitted site, on 24 or 25 November 2026, between 19:00 and 01:00 ^{3 4}. Inside the city it is banned outright: the Chiang Mai District Office has asked for a total ban on khom loi within city limits, and hotels are asked to warn guests ².

The 2026 rules from Chiang Mai Province set out the details ^{3 4}:

• Release only on 24 and 25 November 2026, from 19:00 to 01:00 the next day ³
• Smoke balloons only on 24 November 2026, from 10:00 to 12:00 ³
• Lanterns must meet the community product standard 808/2552 and stay airborne no more than 7 minutes ³
• No firecrackers may be attached to a lantern ³
• Anyone releasing must apply through the Bamphen app to the district chief and sign an agreement on safety conditions ⁴

A special monitoring zone surrounds Chiang Mai International Airport, with areas where release is banned and others where a permit is needed in advance ⁴. In 2025, Time Out Chiang Mai listed Mueang Chiang Mai, Hang Dong, Saraphi, San Sai, Mae Rim and San Pa Tong as red zones, plus a flight safe area reaching 15 km either side of the airport ¹⁰. Licensed events operate under their own permits, so booking a ticket is the simplest way to release a lantern legally.

Penalties are serious. The CAD organiser warns that an illegal release can bring up to 5 years in prison and a 200,000 THB fine ⁵. Time Out Chiang Mai adds that penalties roughly double if the lantern starts a fire ¹⁰.

Note: Street vendors around Tha Phae Gate still sell khom loi. Buying one is legal; lighting it in the Old City or by the Ping River is not ^{2 6}.

In the city, light comes from the ground: khom fai paper lanterns, khom khwaen hung in temples, khom thue carried on sticks and khom pariwat that turn in the candle heat ¹².

Getting to Yi Peng Chiang Mai is short once you land: Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) sits about 4 km southwest of the centre, roughly 10 minutes by road ¹⁴. The airport is in Suthep subdistrict of Mueang Chiang Mai district ¹⁹.

Ways from the terminal into town, as listed in October 2026 ¹⁴:

• Airport taxi desk: flat 150 THB to any city address ¹⁴
• Meter taxi: about 100 to 120 THB plus a 50 THB airport charge ¹⁴
• Shared red songthaew outside the gates: 40 THB per person, or 200 THB for the whole truck ¹⁴
• Tuk-tuk: about 100 to 150 THB after bargaining ¹⁴

Tha Phae Gate, on the east side of the walled Old City at 18.78778 N, 98.99333 E, is the anchor for the city programme ¹⁷. From the gate, Tha Phae Road runs east towards the Ping River, which is the route of the Grand Krathong parade to the Municipality office ¹. Ton Lamyai Market park and Warorot Market sit on the river side of this district, with Warorot on Wichayanon Road in Chang Moi ¹⁶.

On festival evenings, roads around the moat and the river slow to a crawl. Walking between Tha Phae Gate, Warorot and Nawarat Bridge is faster than any vehicle once the parade lanes close.

Tip: For the CAD release, plan around its compulsory shuttle: Standard to Gold tiers leave from the Chiang Mai International Exhibition and Convention Centre and Platinum or Elite from MAYA Lifestyle Shopping Center, about 50 to 60 minutes each way ⁷.

For Yee Peng Lanna at Mae Jo, an optional shuttle runs from Central Festival Chiang Mai in about 30 minutes ⁷. Sky of Wishes in San Pa Tong lies south of the city; check the organiser's Ticketmelon page for transport ⁸.

The three nights build from quiet temple light to the Grand Krathong parade, and each one has a different place to be. For 2026 the main stage moves from the square at Tha Phae Gate to Ton Lamyai Market park ¹.

What the Municipality has planned for 23 to 25 November 2026 ¹:

• Opening ceremony, Khom Yi Peng lantern contest, Yi Peng children's contest and Thep and Thepbut contest at Ton Lamyai Market park
• Sapao Lanna boat-craft contest at Ton Lamyai
• Ceremonies at the Municipality office and Chedi Khao
• Krathong release on the Ping River in front of the Municipality office
• Dhamma chanting at the Three Kings Monument
• Candle-lighting at the city gates and moat corners
• Light, sound and media exhibition at Tha Phae Gate

Province-wide, streets are dressed with pratu pa forest-gate arches, phang prathip lamps are lit and temples hold the Tang Tham Luang sermon of the Maha Chat ³. That sermon, the Vessantara Jataka, was once the heart of Yi Peng ¹². Phang prathip are small clay lamps traditionally offered to the Five Buddhas of the present era ¹².

The best temple scenes are at Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phan Tao, both hung with thousands of khom fai and lamps ¹². Arrive at Wat Phan Tao just after dark, before the tour groups.

On Krathong Lek night, 24 November 2026, families float krathongs on the Ping River and the first lantern window opens at 19:00 ³. On 25 November 2026 the Grand Krathong parade carries lit floats and dancers from Tha Phae Gate to the Municipality office to compete for the royal trophy ^{1 2}.

Tip: Take a spot on Tha Phae Road near the gate for the parade; the stretch by Nawarat Bridge gets crowded first ⁶.

Off-programme, MAYA Lanna Lantern 2026 at MAYA Lifestyle Shopping Center shows a Long Sapao boat installation by Lanna artist Vassana from 1 to 25 November 2026 ⁹.

The best time to visit Yi Peng Chiang Mai in 2026 is the evening of 24 November, when the krathong float, the first lantern window and the full moon line up ³. Come for 25 November too if the parade matters more than the river.

Late November is the start of Chiang Mai's cool dry season. At Chiang Mai International Airport, average highs fall from about 30.6°C to 29.4°C across November, and lows fall from about 21.1°C to 17.8°C ¹³. The chance of a wet day drops from 21% at the start of the month to 5% at the end ¹³. Sunset comes early, around 17:45, the earliest of the month on 25 November ¹³.

In 2025, Chiang Mai expected more than 120,000 tourists for the festival ¹¹. Afterwards the province reported about 184,800 visitors and 2.76 billion baht in spending ¹².

Tip: Get to the riverbank near Nawarat Bridge by about 17:00 on 24 November for a place on the steps ⁶.

Evenings by the Ping River feel cool after sunset, especially on a long night at an outdoor release field. A light long-sleeved layer also helps at temples, where shoulders and knees should be covered ⁶. The steps down to the river get slippery and crowded; wear shoes with grip rather than flip-flops ⁶.

For Yi Peng Chiang Mai, the area between Tha Phae Gate and the Ping River puts you closest to the floats, the parade and Ton Lamyai Market park. Rooms in the Old City and by the river fill first ⁶.

How the main areas compare:

• Tha Phae Road and the Night Bazaar side: on the parade route, walking distance to Ton Lamyai and Nawarat Bridge ¹
• Old City inside the moat: quiet lanes, temples such as Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phan Tao on foot ¹²
• Riverside, east bank: views of krathongs from the Municipality office side, but bridges jam on the release nights
• Nimmanhaemin and the MAYA area: calmer nights and the Platinum and Elite CAD shuttle start at MAYA ⁷

Tha Phae Gate was first built in 1296 by King Mangrai as part of the city wall; the present gate is a reconstruction ¹⁷. On Sundays the walking-street market begins at the gate and runs along Ratchadamnoen Road, so a Sunday arrival adds a busy night market to the trip ¹⁷.

Book as early as possible. In 2025, Chiang Mai hotels expected full occupancy and rates about 10 to 15% higher over the festival ⁶. Check that the room is outside the parade's closed lanes if you arrive by car.

Tip: If you have a CAD ticket on Standard to Gold tiers, a room with easy access to the Chiang Mai International Exhibition and Convention Centre shortens the pickup ⁷.

Families with young children or older relatives do better inside the moat near Wat Phan Tao, where the temple lights are a short walk away and a hotel break is easy between the afternoon and the evening crowds.

Phone signal on parade and river nights in Chiang Mai is unreliable, because tens of thousands of people crowd a few blocks between Tha Phae Gate and the Ping River at the same moment ⁶. Messages stall and maps load slowly just when friends get split up.

Data use at Yi Peng is driven by the evening: photos and video of lanterns and floats, live maps between Ton Lamyai and the gate, calls to find each other and ride-app bookings at midnight. Public Wi-Fi in cafés on Tha Phae Road cannot serve a parade crowd.

What to have working before the festival:

• Offline map of the Old City, Tha Phae Road and the Ping River bank
• Translation app with Thai, since Municipality updates appear in Thai first ⁶
• Airline app with notifications on, because flights are moved on release nights ¹¹
• The emergency numbers: 191 for police, 1669 for ambulance and 1155 for Tourist Police ¹⁵

A Thailand eSIM installed before the flight to Chiang Mai International Airport means data on landing, no SIM queue and the hotel address ready for the taxi desk.

Tip: Agree a fixed meeting point, such as the inner side of Tha Phae Gate, for the moment signal fails ⁶.

Keep valuables in a front pocket in the crowd and hold small children's hands on the river steps. Fire is the main safety risk on these nights: keep candles and lanterns away from hair and loose clothing ⁶. The Chiang Mai Tourist Police line is 053-248-130 ¹⁵.