When travelling to Chiang Mai for the annual Lantern Festival, there are many great ways you can make the most out of your trip. Apart from experiencing this amazing event, there are plenty of other things to see and experiences to be a part of.

As part of this festival of lights every year, you can experience other activities in Chiang Mai such as traditional Thai dance shows, handicraft sessions, live music down Tha Phae Road, and the official ‘Yee Peng Parade’ around the Old City gate.

You can also expect to see a lot of food vendors, fireworks, and many tourists with cameras taking selfies. 

There is also a Yee Peng ceremony for visitors, which is held about a week after the actual festival. It entails more mass lantern lighting and amazing photo ops.

Ticket prices include a full meal, transfers, and two lanterns. The location and dates are not confirmed until closer to the date, around the end of November.

About the Lantern Festival

Every year at the Lantern Festival, hundreds, if not thousands, of brightly lit lanterns are sent into the night sky to paint a beautiful picture.

According to the history books, this is the time when locals believe the rivers are at their peak and the moon is at its brightest – the ideal time to ‘make merit’ and set your floating Krathong off on the Ping River, or light your lantern and wish for good fortune in the new year.

Some people also opt for writing a message on the lantern. They then make a wish and release their lantern into the sky.

Thai people often give a small monetary donation to the Krathong but it’s not a requirement.

When you visit the Lantern Festival, be sure to bring bug repellant and a marker pen in case you want to write your name on your lantern. You can also bring a camera, a light jacket (especially during November bookings), and a lighter.

Children under eight years of age can enter free of charge and sit with a parent. They won’t receive a lantern but can have a dinner meal with the parent.

If you prefer not to be part of the hustle and bustle at the Ping River or Thapae Gate you can avoid the crowds and head to a rooftop bar like Oasis. Or you can always take a relaxing stroll down the candlelit lanes.

Temples and local houses decorate their entrances with flowers and coconut leaves, and the act of creating or donating khom loy and Krathong is important in Buddhist culture because it reflects the transition from darkness to light.

Hundreds, if not thousands, of brightly lit lanterns, rising into the night sky over Chiang Mai is an iconic picture of Loy Krathong – but an interesting fact is that these mass lantern lighting sessions are actually part of a smaller festival inside the larger Loy Krathong celebrations.

There is also a Yee Peng ceremony for visitors, which is held about a week after the actual festival. It entails more mass lantern lighting and amazing photo ops. 

Previously, tickets were $US100 (approximately 3,000 baht) and included a full meal, transfers, and two lanterns… the whole shebang. The location and dates will not be confirmed until closer to the event, which is scheduled for the end of November.

There is also a Yee Peng (sometimes called Yi Peng) ceremony for visitors, which is held about a week after the actual festival. It entails more mass lantern lighting and amazing photo ops.

It is celebrated on the full moon of the 12th month of the Thai lunar calendar (usually in November).

The “Festival of Lights” evolved from Brahmin traditions and has strong links to the ancient Lanna Kingdom. Yee Peng was historically celebrated as a separate event to mark the end of the monsoon season and the start of the cool season, but it is now celebrated in conjunction with Loy Krathong.

Although Yee Peng is celebrated in other towns and cities in northern Thailand, Chiang Mai is the best place to experience this truly magical festival.

When you plan on visiting the Lantern Festival in Chiang Mai, your experience will start at 16:30 pm. If you’ve booked a shuttle, there will be one leaving every five minutes from the Maya Shopping Mall. Your shuttle can also pick you up at your hotel.

If you haven’t booked a shuttle, you should try to be at the venue before 17:00 pm.

Here is an example of what your itinerary could look like:

Registration for the Lantern Festival is easy and can be done online. When you arrive, you can collect your printed ticket at the booth at the main entrance by showing your e-ticket.

That’s it! Now you can enjoy the beautiful and very popular Chiang Main Lantern Festival with friends and family as part of your holiday to the Far East.

Book today! Remember to travel safe and be respectful to others.

Lantern Festival

The Yi Peng 2021 Chiang Mai Lantern Festival is named after the full moon. ‘Yi’ means ‘two’ and ‘peng’ means full moon. The full moon will be visible on the night of the 2nd of the Thai Lanna Calendar. So the exact date changes every year.

This year the festival will be celebrated on 19-20 November 2021. Locals go to the temple to listen to the monks praying, while they decorate their houses with hanging lanterns that light up the sky and give praise to Buddha.

Hundreds, if not thousands, of brightly lit lanterns, rising into the night sky over Chiang Mai is an iconic picture of Loy Krathong – but an interesting fact is that these mass lantern lighting sessions are actually part of a smaller festival inside the larger Loy Krathong celebrations.

There is also a Yee Peng ceremony for visitors, which is held about a week after the actual festival. It entails more mass lantern lighting and amazing photo ops. 

Previously, tickets were $US100 (approximately 3,000 baht) and included a full meal, transfers, and two lanterns… the whole shebang. The location and dates will not be confirmed until closer to the event, which is scheduled for the end of November.

Hundreds, if not thousands, of brightly lit lanterns, rising into the night sky over Chiang Mai is an iconic picture of Loy Krathong – but an interesting fact is that these mass lantern lighting sessions are actually part of a smaller festival inside the larger Loy Krathong celebrations.

There is also a Yee Peng ceremony for visitors, which is held about a week after the actual festival. It entails more mass lantern lighting and amazing photo ops. 

Previously, tickets were $US100 (approximately 3,000 baht) and included a full meal, transfers, and two lanterns… the whole shebang. The location and dates will not be confirmed until closer to the event, which is scheduled for the end of November.

As part of the day experience, couples will be picked up and taken to the beautiful Karen Hilltribe Elephant Sanctuary. There, they will learn more about the elephants, interact with them, feed them, and enjoy a truly memorable experience.

Let’s take a closer look at what the day looks like.

The tribe now provides wonderful elephant encounters to visitors, enabling their elephants to wander freely in their natural environment and providing people with the opportunity to engage with and care for these magnificent creatures.

The experience includes feeding the elephants, taking a fun mud-filled water bath with them, before changing into traditional Karen clothing, and enjoying a delicious afternoon meal.

These daily elephant experiences are perfect for tourists looking for a great outdoor experience while being surrounded by these animals.

The night bazaar is a must-see part of the Chiang Mai experience. It is the largest shopping venue in Chiang Mai, if not all of Thailand. The epicentre of this nightly commerce extravaganza is at the intersection of Chang Khlan and Loi Khor Road, but it extends for two blocks in either direction.

The market starts at around sunset (usually around 18:00), and shopping continues until about 22:30, with a few vendors staying open even longer.

The night bazaar is made up of a slew of stalls that line the sidewalks and spill out onto the street. Vendors sell almost anything you can think of!

Some of the items available include CDs, DVDs, clothing, shoes, Thai silk, handcrafts, wallets, watches, luggage, housewares, furniture, and more. You can even buy auto parts, and a range of local souvenirs, even a few beautiful samuraI swords! Not to mention all the paintings and jewellery.

The quality varies by vendor, but the low prices ensure that you almost always get good value for your money.

If you are a real foodie and looking for a unique experience, you can visit the Best Thai Cooking School. You’ll be working with highly experienced cooking instructors and take professional cooking classes!

The Best Thai Cooking School can be found 13 kilometers from the bustling Chiang Mai, in quiet and relaxing surroundings. They cultivate many of the herbs and spices used in their classes right there, making it a great and authentic cooking experience.

They have an open-air kitchen in a farm setting where you’ll get your own cooking station, knife, wok, and meticulously clean utensils. Here you can make all of your own delicious sauces and traditional Thai dishes.

Along with cooking courses, you’ll also get to enjoy elephant tours, which can last for a full day.

Temples

Chiang Mai’s Old City is a veritable living museum. Its winding streets are lined with beautiful temples, old shophouses, and historical structures, all surrounded by crumbling ancient walls and the moat.

It’s a tiny, compact city, so you can get around on foot without getting tired, allowing you to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and interesting scenery. The temples are, unsurprisingly, the Old City’s main draw.

Some of the beautiful must-see temples in Chiang Mai include:

• Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
• Wat Chedi Luang
• Wat Phra Singh
• Wat Suan Dok
• Wat Umong

The Wat Phra That Doi Kham is also one of the most popular temples, famous for its huge seated Buddha. The Giant Buddha frame, painted in bright white and gold, towers nearly 20 meters into the air. The entire temple complex dates back more than 1,000 years, with plenty of shrines, pagodas, and artifacts to discover in the tropical garden region in the DoI Suthep Mountain range’s foothills.

The beautiful Wat Sri Suphan temple has a shiny coat of silver paint that glistens brilliantly in the sunshine and stands out from the crowd. The stupas’ tips are solid silver, and at night, a neon light show transforms the temple into a rainbow of colors – a truly breathtaking sight.

These are just some of the great things you can do on your Chiang Mai holiday in 2021 and beyond. These activities are ideal for group trips or family holidays, allowing you to see some of the best attractions that Chiang Mai has to offer. Don’t miss out on these incredible experiences – book today!

About The Karen Hilltribe Elephant Sanctuary

The Karen Hilltribe Elephant Sanctuary is located in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Here, the Karen tribes have rented their elephants out to Elephant Camps for the last 20 years as they were no longer legally allowed to use them for logging work.

But after seeing how some of the elephants were treated, they decided to stop renting out their elephants and have started to care for them at their homes with the support of the Save the Elephant Foundation. 

The tribe now offers wonderful elephant experiences to tourists, allowing their elephants to roam free in their natural habitat while offering people the opportunity to interact with, and care for, these wonderful animals.  

There are daily elephant experiences available and this is perfect for couples looking for a great outdoor experience while being surrounded by these animals.. 

The Karen tribe is committed to a single goal; striving for interaction between humans and elephants that is beneficial and enjoyable for both. They don’t ride or use hooks on their elephants or do anything else that may harm them. 

The Karen Hilltribe Elephant Sanctuary is a family-owned business that has been looking after elephants from generation to generation – not simply when it became profitable to do. They are heavily reliant on their community for the success of the sanctuary, and as such, are committed to giving back to the community and school in the village.

As part of the day experience, couples will be picked up and taken to the beautiful Karen Hilltribe Elephant Sanctuary. There, they will learn more about the elephants, interact with them, feed them, and enjoy a truly memorable experience.

Let’s take a closer look at what the day looks like.

The Itinerary for the Day

Couples will be picked up from their hotel in Chiang Mai and then taken to a local food market en route. When they arrive at the Karen Hilltribe Elephant Sanctuary, which is about a 30-minute drive, they will be greeted by the elephant keepers and get all the necessary information about the day and what to expect from the elephants.

They will be taught about the history of these elephants, how they were rescued from the logging industry, and why they have holes in their ears (people used to control them with metal hooks while they rode them). Each elephant has one keeper who takes care of them and makes sure they are well looked after.

Visitors to the sanctuary will also be told how they can donate and contribute in different ways to help these elephants as well as the tribe looking after them. Donations are accepted on behalf of the sanctuary by the Serengeti Foundation, which also allows people to claim 501(c) tax relief.

Couples can also choose to sponsor an animal in this park or another sanctuary, which is a great way to ensure that the elephants and other animals in these parks are taken care of. With less than 30,000 Asian elephants remaining in the world, contributing to this cause will go a long way to help preserve them.

The Karen Elephant Experience allows more elephants to roam free in their natural habitat without riding, which is why tourists are encouraged to visit the sanctuary and play their part in helping these elephants flourish.

Feeding the elephants is undoubtedly the highlight of the day and couples will get to experience this first-hand. Part of this amazing experience is getting to enjoy a muddy water hole with the elephants and walk to the water with them to enjoy a fun water wash down afterward.

Book Your Visit at the Elephant Sanctuary

A visit to the Karen Hilltribe Elephant Sanctuary in Thailand is ideal for couples who are looking for a great new adventure or something unique. It’s a one-of-a-kind experience in nature, and definitely ideal for couples or groups looking to get up close with these majestic animals.

Apart from enjoying a magnificent trip, you can also get the opportunity to donate and help the tribe look after the elephants.

Book your trip today and experience the thrill of feeding elephants up close while supporting a great cause.