Loy Krathong 2026 in Bangkok: Where to Go and What to Do
Loy Krathong 2026 in Bangkok: Where to Go and What to Do
Tuesday 24 November 2026 is the night Bangkok floats its candles. Where to go, how to float a krathong without trashing the river, why Chiang Mai is a different story, and where to dance once the candles burn out.
Loy Krathong is the night Thailand puts thousands of little floating baskets on its rivers, canals and lakes, each one lit with a candle and incense. It lands on the full moon of the 12th Thai lunar month, and in 2026 that’s Tuesday 24 November.
You’ll see some websites saying the 25th. Thai sources and the big hotels running events this year go with the 24th, so plan around Tuesday night. It’s a beautiful, calm, very photogenic evening, and it’s easy for visitors to join in.
What Loy Krathong is about
“Loy” means to float and a “krathong” is the little basket. The idea is simple: you send your worries, grudges and bad luck off down the water, and you thank the river goddess for the water you use all year. Couples float one together for luck in love. Families often share one.
Traditionally people add a small clipping of hair or nail to the krathong as a symbol of letting go of the bad stuff. It sounds odd, but nobody will look at you twice.
It’s a gentle festival. No water fights, no foam party. Think candles, music from the temples, food stalls, and a lot of people taking photos at the water’s edge.
How to float a krathong
Pick an eco one
The classic krathong is a slice of banana tree trunk wrapped in folded banana leaves, decorated with flowers, a candle and three incense sticks. That’s the best choice by far: it breaks down in the water.
Skip anything made of foam. Bangkok bans foam krathongs in its public parks and the city pushes hard for natural ones. Bread krathongs are sold as the “fish food” option, but the city discourages them in park ponds because leftover bread pollutes still water.
Where to get one
Street vendors set up near every pier, park gate and temple from the afternoon. Prices are low, so bring small notes.
The moment
Light the candle and incense, make a wish, and place it gently on the water from a pier or an official floating point. Don’t lean out over the edge or climb down banks, especially with kids. Staff at the big spots often help you put it in.
Best places in Bangkok
The 2026 city program wasn’t out when we checked, so here’s what Bangkok did last year. Expect a similar setup, and check the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and TAT channels in the week before.
Along the Chao Phraya
The river is the main stage. Piers near Wat Arun, Wat Pho and Tha Maharaj have hosted floating points with lights and shows, and the big riverside malls join in too. Asiatique The Riverfront and ICONSIAM are the easy picks for first timers: food, space, river views and boats nearby. Get there early, because the riverfront fills up after sunset.
City parks
In 2025 the BMA kept 33 public parks open until midnight for Loy Krathong. The central ones are the most useful for visitors:
- Lumphini Park: a big lake in the middle of the city, close to MRT Si Lom and Lumphini, and a short ride from Silom.
- Benjakitti Park: modern lake park next to the Queen Sirikit Convention Centre, near MRT.
- Santi Chai Prakan Park: on the river by Phra Sumen Fort, right next to Khao San Road. Lovely and very busy.
- Chatuchak Park: good if you’re staying up north.
Park rules last year: natural krathongs only, no alcohol sales, and no sky lanterns, fireworks or firecrackers.
On a boat
Dinner cruises on the Chao Phraya sell out for this night. If you want one, book now.
Yi Peng in Chiang Mai is a different thing
The photos of thousands of lanterns rising into the sky? That’s Yi Peng, the northern Lanna festival in Chiang Mai, held around the same full moon. It’s not what you’ll see in Bangkok.
Chiang Mai has strict lantern rules. In 2025, releasing sky lanterns was banned in large zones around the city and the airport, with penalties of up to five years in prison and fines up to 200,000 baht. The mass releases you see online happen at approved, ticketed events outside the city, and the airport cut and moved flights to keep planes away from the lanterns.
So: don’t buy a sky lantern in Bangkok and let it go. If you want the lantern moment, book an official Yi Peng event in Chiang Mai and check the 2026 rules before you go.
Etiquette
- It’s a respectful festival. Keep the noise down near temples and ceremonies.
- Cover shoulders and knees if you go into a temple.
- Don’t grab or touch other people’s krathongs on the water, even for a photo.
- Don’t drink in the parks. Alcohol sales are banned there on the night.
- One krathong per couple or family is what the city encourages. Less waste.
- Watch your bag in crowds and keep kids close to the water.
Bangkok nights after Loy Krathong
Loy Krathong is a Tuesday, and Bangkok’s house and techno clubs mostly run on weekends. Our tip: float your krathong on Tuesday, grab street food by the river, then go out properly on Friday 27 or Saturday 28 November. The weekend before (Fri 20 and Sat 21) works too if you’re only here a few days.
The underground scene sits in Silom, in the city centre, close to BTS Sala Daeng and Chong Nonsi, and only a short ride from the river spots above.
Mustache Bangkok
A house and techno club on Decho Road in Silom with a VOID Acoustics sound system, open Friday and Saturday. Melodic techno, techno, tech house and house, with international guests and local residents.
- Open
- Fri and Sat, 22:00 to 03:30
- Entry
- From 350 THB online, incl. 1 drink before midnight
- Getting there
- BTS Chong Nonsi, 5 min walk
- Door
- 20+, bring ID, no flip flops
Going harder? Subwerk, the hard techno club upstairs in the same building, plays hard techno on Fridays.
Want to plan the rest of your season? Our Thailand festival calendar 2026 to 2027 lists the big dates, and before a night out read our Thailand nightlife rules guide. Staying until December? New Year’s Eve in Bangkok is next.
FAQ
When is Loy Krathong 2026?
Tuesday 24 November 2026, the full moon night of the 12th Thai lunar month. Celebrations start around sunset.
Is Loy Krathong a public holiday in Thailand?
No. Offices, shops and transport run as normal, so evening traffic near the river is heavy. Use the BTS, MRT or river boats.
Where is the best place to celebrate Loy Krathong in Bangkok?
The Chao Phraya riverside (Asiatique, ICONSIAM, the piers near Wat Arun) and central parks like Lumphini, Benjakitti and Santi Chai Prakan. Check the 2026 BMA program for official floating points.
Can I release sky lanterns in Bangkok?
No. Sky lanterns were banned in Bangkok’s parks last year, and lantern releases near airports are restricted. The lantern festival is Yi Peng in Chiang Mai, at approved events only.
What is an eco-friendly krathong?
One made from banana trunk and banana leaves with flowers. Avoid foam. Bread ones are discouraged in park ponds.
Are clubs open on Loy Krathong in Bangkok?
It’s a Tuesday, and most house and techno clubs open on weekends. Go out on Friday 27 or Saturday 28 November and check what’s on.
