Chiang Mai Lantern Festival 2027
Gold-Ticket seats at the CAD Khomloy sky-lantern release, with a sunrise balloon and the Golden Triangle around it
- Where
- Chiang Mai
- When
- 12–16 November 2027
- Duration
- 4 nights / 5 days
- Party size
- Minimum 2 adults, twin share
What this package is.
This is a five-day Chiang Mai Lantern Festival 2027 programme built around Gold Ticket seating at the CAD Khomloy mass sky-lantern release on Saturday 13 November, with a sunrise balloon, the Golden Triangle and an ethical Karen elephant day around it. It is contracted and operated by Explera as a Thailand DMC for travel agents, from a minimum of two adults.
Explera DMC Thailand is an IATA-accredited ground handler (96215733) operating across all of Thailand with in-house transport, licensed guides and a 24/7 operations desk. We work with the trade only — reach us at b2b@explera.co.th or on WhatsApp +66 93 656 8090.
What your client actually gets.
- CAD Khomloy Gold Ticket — raised-platform seating facing the fireworks and the mass lantern release
- Sunrise hot-air balloon over the Chiang Mai countryside with a champagne toast on landing
- The Golden Triangle by boat, crossing to Don Sao Island in Laos
- A full day at a Karen elephant sanctuary, ethical contact only, with ATV
How this package is built
- The festival night is Saturday 13 November 2027 — the headline event runs roughly 17:00 to 23:30 with shared air-conditioned return transfers from CMECC.
- Rates are per adult on twin or double share, minimum two adults in one double room.
- Airport transfers are private SUV in both directions; the festival coach is shared.
The itinerary.
-
Day 1 12 November 2027 Friday
Arrive Chiang Mai — old town check-in
- Private SUV meet-and-greet and airport transfer
- Check in at U Chiang Mai in the moat district
- Evening at leisure — the Night Bazaar and the Lanna cafés are walkable
-
Day 2 13 November 2027 Saturday
CAD Khomloy Sky Lantern Festival — Gold Ticket
- Free morning
- Evening headline event, approximately 17:00–23:30
- Raised-platform Gold Ticket seating facing the fireworks
- Northern Thai dinner and Lanna performances
- The mass sky-lantern release
- Shared air-conditioned return transfer from CMECC
-
Day 3 14 November 2027 Sunday
Sunrise balloon, then the Golden Triangle
- Dawn hot-air balloon over the Chiang Mai countryside, champagne toast on landing
- Cross-border Golden Triangle boat tour to Don Sao Island, Laos
- The Mekong confluence where Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet
-
Day 4 15 November 2027 Monday
Karen elephant sanctuary and ATV
- Full day at a Karen-run elephant sanctuary — feeding and observation, no riding
- ATV session
- Return to Chiang Mai in the evening
-
Day 5 16 November 2027 Tuesday
Check out and depart
- Breakfast and check out
- Private SUV transfer to Chiang Mai airport
The experiences, in detail.
CAD Khomloy Gold Ticket
The mass release of thousands of illuminated khom loy during Chiang Mai's Yi Peng and Loi Krathong season, from raised-platform seating positioned for the fireworks.
- Gold Ticket raised-platform seating
- Northern Thai dinner
- Lanna cultural performances
- Fireworks and mass lantern release
- Shared air-conditioned return transfer
Sunrise hot-air balloon
Dawn flight over the countryside north of the city, with a champagne toast at the landing site.
- Balloon flight
- Hotel transfers
- Champagne toast and refreshments
Karen elephant sanctuary
A Karen-run sanctuary where contact is feeding and observation rather than riding — the only elephant product Explera contracts.
- Full-day sanctuary visit
- Feeding and observation
- ATV session
- Lunch
What is included, and what is not.
Included
- Accommodation in the hotel and room category quoted, on the meal plan and occupancy stated
- Daily breakfast at the hotel unless otherwise specified
- Meals as specified in the itinerary (CP = breakfast; MAP = breakfast plus lunch or dinner; AP = all three)
- All land transfers, sightseeing and transport in air-conditioned vehicles as per the itinerary
- English-speaking licensed local guide where specified
- Entrance fees to the sightseeing points listed
- Airport meet and greet on arrival by an Explera DMC representative
- Bottled drinking water, two bottles per person per day on touring days
- Tolls, parking, fuel and driver allowances
- Applicable government taxes and service charges on the above
- 24/7 Explera DMC operations support throughout the tour, on WhatsApp +66 93 656 8090
Not included
- International and domestic airfares unless expressly stated as included
- Visa fees, e-visa fees and travel authorisation fees, with any associated service charges
- Travel insurance of any kind — medical, cancellation, baggage or personal liability
- Tourist, environmental, city and heritage levies payable directly at destination
- Passport fees, locally payable airport departure taxes and excess baggage charges
- Meals not specified in the itinerary, and all beverages with meals unless stated
- Personal expenses — laundry, minibar, telephone, room service, spa, internet, medical costs
- Tips and gratuities to guides, drivers, porters and hotel staff
- Optional tours, activities and excursions not listed
- Early check-in and late check-out charges
- Peak season, festival, trade fair, gala dinner and blackout date supplements
- Camera, video and drone permit fees at monuments and attractions
- Costs arising from flight delay, cancellation, rerouting, medical evacuation, quarantine or force majeure
- Compulsory gala dinner supplements on Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve and local festival dates where hotels impose them
Good to know before you travel
- Standard check-in is 15:00 and check-out 12:00; early or late is subject to availability.
- Clients carry passport plus the voucher, printed or on a phone, for every redemption.
- Be in the lobby five to ten minutes before each scheduled pickup.
- Timings are indicative and shift with traffic, weather and operator schedules.
- Rates are nett, non-commissionable and confidential to the trade.
- Quotations are valid seven days from issue; space is held only on written confirmation with deposit.
Who this suits.
- Clients booking a bucket-list night who need seated, sightline-guaranteed tickets rather than general admission
- Agencies that need the festival date locked early — this week sells out first in the northern calendar
- Travellers who want an elephant experience they can defend ethically
The ground operation this runs on.
Every element on this page is delivered by Explera as your Thailand DMC services for travel agents — not brokered on to a third party. That is what lets one coordinator answer for the whole file, and what keeps the net rate stable when a detail changes.
Relevant to this programme:
- our Chiang Mai destination guide
- Chiang Rai and the Golden Triangle
- Thailand DMC tours and activities
- day excursions
- licensed guides
We handle agencies in 239 source markets and quote in your currency.
Asked by agents.
Which night is the lantern release?
Saturday 13 November 2027, running approximately 17:00 to 23:30. Gold Ticket holders have raised-platform seating facing the fireworks, and the return transfer from CMECC is shared and air-conditioned.
Is the Gold Ticket the same as a general admission ticket?
No. Gold Ticket is raised-platform seating with a sightline to the fireworks and the release, plus the Northern Thai dinner and the performances. General admission does not carry the platform position.
Is the elephant day ethical?
Yes — it is a Karen-run sanctuary and contact is feeding and observation only. Explera does not contract riding programmes anywhere in Thailand.
What happens if the balloon cannot fly?
Balloons only fly at dawn in suitable conditions. An operator cancellation is refunded or rescheduled within the stay where the itinerary allows — set that expectation with the client at the point of sale.
Send the dates and pax — a client-ready quote comes back fast.
Net rates, one invoice, and a 24/7 desk behind every booking — one Thailand DMC accountable for the whole file. We work with the trade only.