Is The Chiang Mai CAD Yi Peng Sky Lantern Festival Worth it?

The CAD Yi Peng Lantern Festival in Chiang Mai is considered to be the best and biggest lantern festival in Thailand, attracting thousands of visitors to join in on the celebrations each year.

I decided to write this review based on my personal experience after attending the event, to help anyone looking for all the necessary information before buying a ticket. Keep reading for all my thoughts!

Note: This honest review is based solely on my own experience. I paid for my own travel and tickets to attend the festival, and I was in no way hosted or sponsored by CAD or any other parties to write this article.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links for products or services that I personally endorse and love. Should you make a purchase, I may make a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Jess Eats The World!

What is the Chiang Mai CAD Yi Peng Sky Lantern Festival?

Yi Peng (also spelled Yee Peng) is a traditional Lanna festival of lights, associated with the city of Chiang Mai – the ancient capital of the former Lanna Kingdom in Thailand.

Traditionally, the Yi Peng Lantern Festival involves releasing khom loi (sky lanterns). People believe that releasing a lantern frees them from the troubles and bad luck of the previous year, as it floats away. The ritual cleanses the spirit to make good fortune wishes for the year ahead, and pays respect to Buddha.

Since it’s prohibited to release khom loi (sky lanterns) in the city of Chiang Mai, the Chiang Mai CAD Khomloy Sky Lantern Festival has grown to be the biggest lantern festival event in Thailand. The event is held on both days of Yi Peng at a spacious compound about 35km (22 miles) east of the city of Chiang Mai.

When is the Chiang Mai CAD Yi Peng Sky Lantern Festival?

The Yi Peng tradition is rooted in Buddhism, and it’s celebrated for three days, ending on the full moon day of the second month of the Lanna lunar calendar, which normally falls in November.

The next Chiang Mai CAD Yi Peng Sky Lantern Festival will take place on the 24th and 25th of November 2026.

In Chiang Mai, Yi Peng is uniquely celebrated alongside the national Thai festival of Loy Krathong. It involves the tradition of making krathong (small decorated baskets), which are then floated on a river to pay respect to one’s ancestors, and to the water goddess Phra Mae Khongkha (Ganga).

As part of the event activities, you can also experience the floating of krathong at the Chiang Mai CAD Yi Peng Sky Lantern Festival.

Honest Review of the Chiang Mai CAD Yi Peng Sky Lantern Festival

Purchasing tickets

Tickets for the Chiang Mai CAD Yi Peng Sky Lantern Festival usually go on sale at the start of the year.

I purchased my tickets at the start of April, as many advised to get tickets early as they sell out quickly. However, some of my friends found various ticket types selling out and then returning as available throughout the year. A friend of mine even got his Standard ticket just 10 days before the event!

While I don’t advise waiting until the last minute, it seems that the organisers release tickets in batches – so keep checking, in case you find your desired tickets sold out at any point.

Tickets for the Chiang Mai CAD Yi Peng Sky Lantern Festival can be purchased from Klook* or the official website.

*Use my code “JESSVKLOOK” for 10% off your first purchase, or 3% off for existing customers

Now, there’s no denying that the tickets for the Chiang Mai CAD Yi Peng Sky Lantern Festival are expensive, starting from 4,900 THB (GBP 115 / USD 150).

However, with the growing restrictions on the release of sky lanterns around Chiang Mai, it is currently one of the few safe options for experiencing this beautiful festival.

There are six different ticket types (Standard, VIP, Premium, Gold, Platinum, and Elite), and the main difference between them are the type of transfer (red truck or air-conditioned bus), buffet dinner seating type, and the seating/viewing platform from where you release your lantern.

Tip: If you are around Chiang Mai for both days of Yi Peng, I recommend attending the CAD Yi Peng Sky Lantern Festival on the first night, so that you can experience the Loy Krathong rituals and the Grand Krathong Parade in central Chiang Mai on the second day.

Booking Accommodation: Where to stay in Chiang Mai

Although the Chiang Mai CAD Yi Peng Sky Lantern Festival takes place about 35km (22 miles) outside of the city, I still recommend staying in the city centre of Chiang Mai around the festival dates.

Hopefully, you are visiting Chiang Mai to experience its culture alongside the Yi Peng and Loy Krathong celebrations, so this will leave you better located to explore all of its main sights. You’ll also be able to experience the atmosphere in the city, which is arguably one of the most beautiful times to visit!

I stayed at the Astra Sky River Chiang Mai apartments, and I highly recommend them for their affordable price and premium facilities: the building has one of the biggest infinity pools in Thailand, as well as amazing views over the city, a fitness centre, a spa, and a work lounge with meeting rooms.

The apartments are clean and modern, including small kitchenette with a washing machine – which was very convenient when our clothes got dirty from the mud and rain.

While the apartments are not located within Chiang Mai’s City Walls, there is a 7-Eleven right across the street, as well as a coffee shop, a hairdresser, a luggage storage shop, and a shop selling tours and transfers.

Here are some other accommodations I recommend in Chiang Mai:

What to wear to the Chiang Mai CAD Yi Peng Sky Lantern Festival

As the festival is rooted in traditional spiritual beliefs, and includes a religious ceremony, the festival organisers recommend respecting a polite and modest dress code:

• Cover your knees and shoulders: Long trousers, maxi skirts/dresses, t-shirts, and capris or skirts/shorts past knee-length are acceptable. Avoid clothing that exposes the midriff or cleavage. Wearing traditional Thai or Lanna attire is also acceptable for a more immersive experience.

• Comfort is key: The weather in Chiang Mai around Yi Peng is usually hot and humid, so opt for breathable, light clothing. You may need to walk and stand on dusty or muddy ground from the rain, so make sure to wear comfortable, flat shoes.

• Check the weather: You may experience rain or colder weather later in the evenings. Check the forecast and bring a light jacket and a small umbrella or a waterproof rain poncho.

• Opt for white or light colours: Due to the spiritual nature of the festival, it is traditional and highly-encouraged to wear white or light-coloured clothing.

How to get to the Chiang Mai CAD Yi Peng Sky Lantern Festival

You can easily reach Chiang Mai by flying directly into Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) from Bangkok and other domestic Thai airports (Phuket, Koh Samui, Udon Thani), as well as from international destinations like Beijing, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Seoul, among many others.

If you’re travelling from farther away, you can find flights with layovers in Bangkok or other Asian destinations with direct connections to Chiang Mai.

Visiting Bangkok on your way to Chiang Mai? Check out my Perfect Bangkok 3-Day Itinerary for First-Timers!

All ticket types to the Chiang Mai CAD Yi Peng Sky Lantern Festival include round-trip transfers from Chiang Mai. However, you still need to travel to the designated meeting point – for this, I recommend using Bolt or Grab.

I suggest heading to the meeting point as early as possible (well before the 1 PM pick-up time, if possible), to avoid queueing and long waits to get on the trucks/buses. Make sure to bring water and do not be late – the transfers will not wait for you.

The journey to the festival area takes 45-60 minutes, and arriving early allows you to explore the Cultural Village and performances.

If you miss the free transfer, or decide to arrange your own transport (like we did, as we were late), I recommend using Bolt or Grab. However, be prepared for higher prices than usual, and expect longer travel times and a shortage of drivers available.

Make sure to request a drop-off at this entrance. Our driver, along many others, dropped us off at a different entrance, which wasn’t open, and this delayed us being able to get into the festival grounds.

You’ll need to request a wristband at the reception to be able to get a transfer back to Chiang Mai after the event. Make sure to ask for confirmation of the pick-up point for returning to Chiang Mai to avoid stress later on!

If you want to use your own transport to get back to Chiang Mai, you’ll need to ask your driver to wait for you, as there won’t be available drivers around the remote area of the event, once it ends.

Tip: During the two days of the Yi Peng festival, there may be road closures within Chiang Mai’s City Walls due to the Grand Krathong Parade. Make sure to request rides from outside the City Walls to avoid issues with your journey.

At the Lantern Festival: Activities & What to Do

Inside the festival grounds, there are many activities to enjoy, from the Cultural Village to the Arts and Crafts Zone, and the krathong-releasing areas. There are also performances and workshops taking place throughout the afternoon up until the main ceremony.

There are also small stalls selling handcrafts, art, snacks, any many other things. Make sure to take some time to walk around and participate in the activities to immerse yourself in the festival spirit.

Toilets and Facilities

There are several toilet facilities around the grounds, but don’t expect them to be fancy or very clean, especially towards the end of the day. It’s a good idea to bring some tissues or wet wipes, in case toilet paper runs out.

Food & Drink

Each ticket type has its own buffet area, with different menus and seating arrangements. I recommend heading to the buffet area as soon as it opens, to avoid the longer queues for food.

Upon entry to the Standard buffet area, we were given a paper cup, plastic cutlery, and a free bottle of water. Our seating included floor mats and cushions, but other ticket types enjoyed bamboo chairs or tables and cushioned seating. There was also a krathong-releasing area and toilets inside the buffet zone.

Despite the first set of stalls you see when you enter the dining area, there are more stalls at the back, serving the same food. I recommend using those, as most people queue at the first ones.

I was very pleased with both the variety and quality of the food: we had khao soi, papaya salad, stir-fried beef with holy basil, fried banana, chips, various Thai desserts, and much more! There were also vegetarian and vegan options available, which was great to see.

Main Ceremony & Seating

Making our way to the seating area for the main ceremony was relatively easy. Again, I recommend starting to make your way there early, to avoid crowds and to allow ample time to find your seat.

Each seat is set with two lanterns and one torch for every couple of seats (so two people can use the same torch for lighting their lanterns). We had Standard ground-level tickets, and I thought there was sufficient space between rows to safely release lanterns.

The main ceremony starts with a traditional drum and candle dance performance, followed by a religious ceremony with chanting monks. Everyone is requested to remain silent for this part, out of politeness and respect.

Lantern Release

The religious ceremony is followed by a demonstration of how to safely light up and release the sky lanterns.

It is very important to watch this demonstration, especially if you are unsure of how to release a lantern. The most common issues at Lantern Festivals involve lanterns catching fire or falling quickly due to being set up improperly or released too soon. Stay vigilant of your surroundings and of others around you.

Once the demonstration is over, the go-ahead for releasing the lanterns is given, and the magic starts.

As thousands of people release their lanterns, the sky fills with twinkling lights. I recommend taking any photos first, as the fireworks show happens only at the start of the release.

Enjoy the experience, make good fortune wishes, and release your lantern safely into the sky.

Returning to Chiang Mai

This was probably the most chaotic part of the day for me.

Since we had arranged our own transport to the event, we didn’t know where to catch the transfers back to Chiang Mai. So, we wandered around for a long time trying to find the right shuttles. This was made worse by the large number of private tour groups with buses parked by the entrance, whose guides wouldn’t help us with any information.

Tip: I highly recommend asking for confirmation of the return shuttle pick-up point right when you arrive at the event, to avoid stress later in the evening.

Eventually, we found the parking area for the Standard red trucks. However, there was little order or organisation around who got into which van. We resorted to just jumping into the first truck that had room for us, in an effort to at least make it back to the city.

We arrived in Chiang Mai without a problem, albeit quite late at night. Please remember that the shuttles will drop you off at one of the designated return points, so you’ll need to arrange onward transportation back to your accommodation (I recommend using Bolt or Grab).

The Chiang Mai CAD Yi Peng Sky Lantern Festival overcomes part of this problem by taking place on an officially-authorised rural, spacious compound about 35km (22 miles) east of the city of Chiang Mai.

Regarding the release of krathongs, I was very pleased to see that the small decorated baskets were made from banana leaves and flowers. The release area is a man-made canal on the festival grounds, so no baskets are released onto a flowing river causing pollution. Staff remove the released baskets often and they are then reused for other people to release them again.

I also encountered event staff members by the recycling bins near the dining areas, helping sort out litter.

While the event claims to use biodegradable lanterns made from rice paper and bamboo, I will be honest in saying that I could not be sure that 100% of the lantern materials were biodegradable. I did, however, witness the cleaning crew at work, picking up fallen lanterns as soon as the event was over.

According to the organisers, the sky lanterns are only meant to last for about 8 minutes before burning and falling to the ground, preventing them from landing too far away from the event area and reducing safety and fire risks.

Of course, any fallen lanterns still cause pollution. The organisers state that, after the event, they pay teams to collect lanterns in surrounding communities. Villagers in nearby subdistricts are also encouraged to collect stray lanterns and sell them back to the organisers, regardless of the brand or origin.

Whether much of this happens in practice or not, it is very much outside the view of anyone attending the festival. Therefore, it is worth considering before going.

Finally – is the Chiang Mai CAD Yi Peng Sky Lantern Festival worth it?

In my opinion – yes – but it really depends on what you’re expecting.

It is important to know that this festival is primarily aimed at those seeking the experience of watching thousands of lanterns going up in the sky all at once, which is becoming increasingly rare to witness elsewhere, due to the safety restrictions and sky lantern bans in Thailand.

If you are looking for a more authentic and local celebration of the tradition, this is likely not the right event for you. Instead, check out other options in my full guide on how to celebrate Yi Peng in Chiang Mai.

Personally, I brought incredible memories from attending the Lantern Festival, as I considered it a once-in-a-lifetime experience (but I may be biased, as my fiancé ended up proposing to me during the lantern release!). We tried our best to enjoy the celebrations respectfully and safely, and as a result, we had a great time.

Objectively, Yi Peng truly is a beautiful celebration that’s unique to Chiang Mai at this scale, and I hope that this review is helpful if you are considering experiencing it.

Off to other parts of Thailand? Check out my guides below:

• Perfect Bangkok 3-Day Itinerary for First-Timers (+ FREE Map!)

• Complete Koh Lipe Travel Guide (The Maldives of Thailand)

• How To Fly a Drone in Thailand… Legally!