達人推薦
2024-11-11 Loi Krathong (Loi Krathong; ลอยกระทง) is a traditional Thai festival, combining the Yi Peng (YI Peng; ยี่เป็ง) festival in Northern Thailand, where lanterns are hung to offer blessings. Sukhothai, Nakhon Pathom, and Chiang Mai host celebrations with distinctive local characteristics, creating a vibrant and lively atmosphere! It attracts foreign tourists to participate. Travel expert Thai Traveler will take you to explore the 2023 Loi Krathong Festival, experiencing the charm of lanterns and the traditional Lanna culture.
Sukhothai
Sukhothai is not only the birthplace of Thai culture but also the first capital of the Thai Kingdom, with splendid remains of ancient temples and palaces.
Loi Krathong originated in Sukhothai, and the most exciting events take place at the Sukhothai Historical Park. From November 18-27, 2023, a series of the grandest and most spectacular celebrations will be held. (This year's event runs from November 8-17).
Most performances take place at night, utilizing the backdrop of the Buddha towers, palaces, and surrounding lakes in the Sukhothai Historical Park. Under the night lighting, the performances come to life.
Upon entering the park (free of charge), visitors can take a sightseeing tram. However, Thai Traveler prefers walking, first heading to the OTOP market where local specialties are sold. Many traditional Thai clothes are available, and many women wear Thai dresses.
Near the lake, torches light the path with their flickering flames, and lanterns adorn the trees, creating an ancient and nostalgic atmosphere!
When reaching the park's landmark, small oil lamps light the lake, with a sign showing "Sukhothai" at the entrance. Lanterns hang under the trees, and the surrounding Buddhist pagodas create a stunningly beautiful scene, making it a must-visit photo spot.
Continuing to the statue of King Ramkhamhaeng, a small pond in front displays water lanterns. Visitors can also pray and release their own lanterns. Around the area, there are street vendors selling various types of water lanterns, priced from 10 to 50 baht.
To the right, there's the Wamai Market, where you can sample many local delicacies.
Following the crowd, you’ll pass through different areas featuring local dance performances, food stalls, traditional art performances, and more. Deeper into the area around the large lake, there’s a display of Buddhist artifacts, an annual Miss Loi Krathong beauty contest stage, and colorful flower lantern cars. The event also occasionally sets off fireworks above the lake.
Turning around and heading to the COWRIE Market, you can enjoy traditional foods while watching live music performances.
To the left, you'll find the ruins of Wat Mahathat, where the oil lamp decorations form the shape of Buddha, casting a serene and sacred atmosphere. Additionally, there's an impressive light and sound show not to be missed, showcasing Sukhothai's long history. This event has been held for 38 years and promises to be grander and livelier than ever before this year.
On the way back, carrying a variety of delicious foods, you’ll encounter a "good luck" moment as riders in traditional Thai costumes guide elephants along the path.
This year’s Loi Krathong festival will once again attract tourists from all directions to Sukhothai for an unforgettable experience!
Nakhon Pathom
The festival in Nakhon Pathom is centered around Phra That Hariphunchai Temple (Phra That Hariphunchai Woramahawihan), surrounded by four roads, showcasing authentic Lanna Thai architecture with over a thousand years of history.
At the eastern archway, two lions with open mouths stand at the altar, following ancient northern beliefs.
Passing through the archway, you’ll come to a magnificent temple.
The most famous feature is the central stupa, built to house the hair relics of Buddha. It is one of the eight largest stupas in Thailand, standing at 25 meters tall, with a lotus-shaped base that is 25.25 meters wide. The stupa's top has nine layers of golden umbrellas, made from nearly 6,500 grams of gold, making it a perfect example of Lanna-style Thai stupas.
The Loi Krathong Festival here is the grandest traditional celebration, lasting from October 4 to November 27, 2023. From November 8 to 15, several exciting events were held, and there was no entry fee during this period.
In northern Thailand, the traditional Yi Peng Lantern Festival is held every year before the Loi Krathong Festival. The combination of both festivals makes the celebrations even grander, turning Wat Haripunchai into a popular pilgrimage destination.
At the entrance of the temple, beautiful music plays, and colorful lanterns are hung both inside and outside, creating a stunning scene. This area is a popular spot for taking beautiful photos.
To visit the temple, flowers, incense, and candles can be purchased at the entrance, but the lanterns must be bought inside the temple. There are seven different colors, each representing a specific birth month. Each lantern costs 99 Thai Baht. Write your wish on the lantern and hang it in the designated area, where it will remain for seven days.
Next, pay respects at the 12 Zodiac Relic Stupa to accumulate merit and enhance your luck and wealth.
After your prayers, strike the gong to complete the worship ceremony!
With such a beautiful atmosphere inside the temple, photography enthusiasts definitely shouldn't miss this spot.
Chiang Mai
The Loi Krathong Festival in Chiang Mai is the largest in Thailand. It features a grand parade with water lanterns, beauty contests, fireworks displays, and the release of both water and sky lanterns. Locals stay for four days (from the 24th to the 27th), and this year’s event will be held from November 14 to 17.
Temples
The Yi Peng festival, named after the Lanna dialect, where "Yi" means "two" and "Peng" means "full moon day," refers to the second full moon of the Lanna lunar calendar, which is also when Chiang Mai's Loi Krathong Festival is celebrated.
For the people of Chiang Mai, celebrating traditional festivals revolves around the temples, and the Loi Krathong Festival is no exception, especially at the famous temples.
Wat Phra Singh — The largest Buddhist temple in the Old City of Chiang Mai. During the Yi Peng Lantern Festival, in addition to the activity of hanging lanterns for blessings, there is also a prayer ceremony where senior monks chant sutras, attracting many devotees to participate.
Wat Phan Tao — An ancient Lanna Buddhist temple, with a Buddha statue under the shade of a tree. During the Yi Peng Lantern Festival, candles are lit here, and a prayer ceremony is held. The scenery is beautiful, making it a must-visit place for tourists.
Wat Chedi Luang — This large chedi temple is also the venue for the Lantern Festival activities organized by the Tourism Authority of Thailand. After hanging lanterns for blessings, visitors can casually explore the temple's relics.
Tha Phae Gate
During festivals, there are always events at Tha Phae Gate (Tha Phae Gate) in the Old City of Chiang Mai, and the Yi Peng Lantern Festival is no exception. During the festival, various performances and lantern competitions take place.
Khua Lek Bridge
During the Yi Peng Lantern Festival of 2023, the old Khua Lek (ขัวเหล็ก) iron bridge was decorated with lanterns and neon lights, making it a stunning sight at night and a popular spot for photos.
In 2024, the focus of the decorations shifted to the Klong Mae Kha canal community in Chiang Mai.
Ping River
The Yi Peng Lantern Festival in Chiang Mai takes place along the Ping River. You can have dinner at a riverside restaurant (like AT KHUA LEK Cafe & Restaurant) and enjoy the view of the lanterns on the river, or even release your own lanterns.
The Nawarat Bridge area near the Warorot Market is a popular spot for releasing lanterns. Along the street, there are many affordable food stalls, and the area is decorated with vintage Lanna-style lanterns. Occasionally, fireworks are set off to add to the festive atmosphere.
Many foreign tourists follow the local custom of buying water lanterns to release, experiencing Thailand's traditional cultural practices.
Sky Lanterns
On the main day of the Yi Peng Lantern Festival (November 27, 2023, and November 15, 2024), Chiang Mai holds a large-scale sky lantern release event, with thousands of people participating (the cost is approximately 130 baht). For Thai locals who want to release sky lanterns, they can head to the road bridge leading from Tha Phae Gate to the Old City. Around 7 p.m., the bridge will be closed off for the event.
Many foreign tourists, already prepared with their sky lanterns, light them, raise them high, and wait for the moment to release them. Then, they count down together and release the lanterns into the sky, watching as they slowly disappear into the night.
