Loy Krathong & Yi Peng: Dates, Meaning, and Foods to Try

Ever paused on that photo of a thousand lanterns floating into a velvet sky and wondered where it was taken? In Thailand, that dreamlike scene sits beside two sister festivals that share the same moonlit season: Loy Krathong, when we float small leaf-and-flower boats on water, and Yi Peng, the Northern tradition of releasing sky lanterns. This year, Loy Krathong falls on Thursday, November 6, 2025, while Chiang Mai’s major Yi Peng events run November 5–6. One festival celebrates by rivers and ponds; the other lifts wishes into the night. Together, they’re about gratitude, letting go, and asking gently for good things ahead.

A moon, a river, a quiet wish

Loy Krathong is simple on purpose. Families and friends gather near water, light a candle, and float a handmade krathong—traditionally banana leaf and flowers, sometimes a coin or a short note. The ritual takes a minute; the feeling lingers. You don’t need much to join in, only a calm mind and water that moves slowly. For meaning and background, Thailand’s cultural orgs describe the night as a thank-you to waterways and a time to start fresh.

Eco tip, the short version: build with banana leaf (or banana trunk), skip foam and plastics, use bamboo picks, and keep flames small. Recent guidance from city and national agencies also discourages bread krathongs—aim for one biodegradable float per family and leave the shore cleaner than you found it. The easiest and most eco-friendly is simply having an iced block as kratong. If you’re in lantern country up North, only join permitted Yi Peng releases—local rules matter.

If you’re going out

Follow the glow to rivers, lakes, canals, or temple ponds. In Bangkok, parks and riverside promenades host big community nights; farther afield, Sukhothai Province’s historical park, where allegedly the first ever Loy Krathong festival occurred is a classic, lantern-soft setting among ancient ruins. Expect music, markets, and that good-natured bustle that makes Thailand feel like one long neighborhood.

What to eat tonight: the street-food way

The best way to do Loy Krathong is with one hand guarding a candle flame and the other holding a snack. Think of the market as a moving tasting menu—small, smoky, sweet, crunchy, plenty of sharing.

Start with smoke.
A skewer of moo ping (grilled pork) with warm sticky rice tucked into a palm-sized packet. Gai yang (grilled chicken) with a bright, limey jaew dip. If a vendor is fanning pla meuk yang (charred squid) until it curls, follow your nose.

Then something sizzling.
The griddle corner is where you’ll find khanom krok, tiny coconut custards with crisp edges and molten centers. A paper plate of roti—banana and condensed milk if you’re sweet-toothed. For theatrics, hoy tod (mussel omelette) hits the pan with a crackle.

Wok theater.
A proper festival has noodles flying. Pad Kra Pao (holy basil stir-fry) with a runny fried egg; Pad See Ew with that soy-kissed char; or Pad Thai bright with tamarind and crushed peanuts.

Up North? Add these.
If you’re in Yi Peng country, look for sai ua (herby Northern sausage), a warming bowl of khao soi with crunchy noodle toppers, and chili dips—nam prik ong or nam prik num—with blanched veg and pork crackling for scooping.

Sweet endings & sips.
When mango is around, it’s mango sticky rice. Otherwise try khao lam (sticky rice roasted in bamboo) or a handful of jewel-bright luk chup. Wash it down with an icy Thai Tea and take one more slow walk to the water.