If Songkran is Thailand's loudest festival, Loy Krathong is its most beautiful. On the full moon of the twelfth lunar month — usually mid-to-late November — Thais float candlelit krathong on rivers and lakes to let go of the past year. In the north, Lanna culture adds Yi Peng, when thousands of sky lanterns rise together over Chiang Mai. It is the single most photogenic night in the Thai year, and demand far outstrips supply.
The date is lunar and moves each year (Loy Krathong typically falls in November; 2027 lands earlier in the month than 2026). Always confirm the exact night with Explera before contracting.
Why Chiang Mai is the hard sell
The mass sky-lantern releases — the images everyone has seen — happen at ticketed events around Chiang Mai, and capacity is genuinely limited. Tickets, transfers and nearby accommodation for that specific night sell out many months ahead. Agents who wait until autumn miss it. Explera contracts Yi Peng inventory and event access by mid-year.
Where to send clients
- Chiang Mai — the Yi Peng sky-lantern experience plus old-city krathong floating along the Ping River; the premium, must-book-early option.
- Bangkok — riverside hotels and Asiatique offer elegant krathong floating on the Chao Phraya, easier to source and great for a city stay.
- Sukhothai — the historical park hosts a stately, heritage-led Loy Krathong with light-and-sound; a refined alternative for culture clients.
- Ayutthaya & beyond — temple-side floating with fewer crowds.
What Explera builds in
- Event access secured early — the lantern-release experience, with transfers timed around road closures and a guide who explains the meaning, not just the photo op.
- Krathong-making — a hands-on, responsible session (biodegradable krathong only) that clients love.
- Responsible lanterns — we use sanctioned, organised releases that respect aviation rules and clean-up, never rogue launches.
- Accommodation on hold for the exact festival night, with realistic release dates.
Plan 2027 now
Because the date shifts and Chiang Mai capacity is fixed, 2027 lantern programs should be contracted up to a year ahead. Tell us the client profile and we'll secure the right city and the right night.
Send your November window to the Explera trade desk and we'll build a net-rate Loy Krathong / Yi Peng program your clients will remember for life.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I publish a fixed Loy Krathong date in my brochure?
Because the festival follows the lunar calendar and moves every year. Loy Krathong falls on the full moon of the twelfth lunar month, typically mid-to-late November, and 2027 lands earlier in the month than 2026. Confirm the exact night with the Explera trade desk before you contract or publish anything, rather than carrying last year's date forward.
My client wants the mass sky-lantern release — how early must I book?
Earlier than almost anything else you sell in Thailand. The mass releases happen at ticketed events around Chiang Mai with genuinely limited capacity, and tickets, transfers and nearby accommodation for that one night sell out many months ahead. Explera contracts Yi Peng inventory and event access by mid-year, and 2027 lantern programmes should be contracted up to a year in advance.
Chiang Mai is sold out for the festival night. What do I sell instead?
Three alternatives hold up well. Bangkok offers elegant krathong floating on the Chao Phraya from riverside hotels and Asiatique, and is far easier to source for a city stay. Sukhothai's historical park runs a stately heritage-led Loy Krathong with light-and-sound for culture clients, and Ayutthaya gives temple-side floating with fewer crowds.
How do you handle the responsibility questions clients raise about lanterns?
We only use sanctioned, organised releases that respect aviation rules and clean-up — never rogue launches. Krathong-making sessions are hands-on and use biodegradable krathong only. A guide explains the meaning of the night rather than just staging the photo op, which is usually what turns a sceptical client into a happy one.
