In Thailand, the Loy Krathong Festival (also known as the Festival of Lights) is an annual event and takes place on the evening of the full moon of the 12th month in the traditional Thai lunar calendar, thus the exact date of the festival changes every year. In the Western calendar, this usually falls in the month of November.
Loy Krathong Festival celebrates the end of the rice-growing season, and it’s an important event in Thai culture because it allows people to cleanse their spirits and prepare themselves for the coming new year.
The Loy Krathong Festival itself involves setting adrift large numbers of small lotus-shaped boats on rivers and lakes, which are lit up with candles, incense, and floating lanterns, which means you can enjoy plenty of festivities throughout the country.
Over the years, people have celebrated Loi Krathong across the canals and rivers to make these places a point of intrigue for most visitors worldwide celebrating the event.
Where did the Loy Krathong Festival come from? And what is a Krathong? What makes water central for Loy Krathong Festival celebrations?
We have written this article to help answer all your questions to help you know and learn about Loy Krathong.
Let’s get started:
Reasons to Love Thailand
Table of Contents
Thailand has a rich culture and is a beautiful country. It’s no wonder we love it so much!
Thailand has many different festivals, but one of the most popular is Loy Krathong, the Thailand sky lantern festival. Celebrating this holiday will give you a great opportunity to learn about Thai culture and have some fun in the process.
The Loy Krathong festival is celebrated annually in November, but you can celebrate anytime during November if you want.
Here are 4 reasons why to love Thailand and Loy Krathong celebrated:
- You’ll love to eat there! There are some delicious fruits that are only found in Thailand, such as mangoes and durian. And they have all kinds of noodle dishes from Pad Thai to Khao Soi, which are perfect for any appetite.
- They offer stunning architecture. The temples in Thailand were built hundreds of years ago and still look gorgeous today. Whether you’re looking for something Buddhist or Hindu, or maybe both (such as Wat Phra Kaew), there’s sure to be something for everyone.
- Their people are just lovely. If you need help finding anything or someone, all you have to do is ask a Thai person. They’ll never refuse your request.
- The weather there is perfect year-round. Yes, that’s right – at least one month out of every year in Thailand features 30 degrees Celsius temperatures (or 86 Fahrenheit). But even when it isn’t warm enough outside, they’ve got air conditioning, making their summers more bearable than in other countries.
Now get ready for some fun activities to celebrate the Loy Krathong festival!
What is Loy Krathong?
The Loy Krathong event is a traditional Thai holiday that occurs annually in November. The festival commemorates the end of the monsoon season ( on full moon night) and offers people an opportunity to make merit by releasing lanterns into the water. However, the dates vary, and the celebrations are an occasion for gratitude, joy, and new beginnings.
The tradition is typically celebrated by releasing krathongs (small, lotus-shaped boats) into natural bodies of water, such as rivers or lakes. After making a Krathong, people write their names on it and fill it with flowers and incense for good luck before setting it adrift in the water.
While some people make their own vessels, many people purchase these items at stores ahead of time so they can participate in this festive event.
Loy Krathong is a term made of two meanings “loy,” which means floating, and “Krathong,” which means a small and floating religious offering. The objective of the Loy Krathong Festival celebrations varies with customs and beliefs.
How To Celebrate The Grand Palace Bangkok Thailand at night
Loy Krathong Festival is one of Thailand’s most celebrated festivals, so if you’re in Bangkok or other places in Thailand during this time, you’ll be able to experience some truly beautiful traditions.
One tradition is to make a lantern out of banana leaves and a candle, which signifies that your worries should float away. It’s customary to set these off on water near a temple or shrine. There are many other fun activities to experience Loy Krathong events and Yi peng festival that takes place during this time of year, too.
Amazing places to Celebrate Loy Krathong in Thailand
Each year, many people visit Thailand to celebrate Loy Krathong or the Thai festival of light. This fun holiday takes place on the full moon of the 12th month in the traditional Thai lunar calendar and centres around floating handmade lanterns on the water after dark.
You create your floating lantern using just a few household supplies or purchase one from one of the many shops that sell them throughout Thailand during this time of year.
To find out where to celebrate Loy Krathong Festival in Thailand, continue reading below;
Chiang Mai
The best place to experience Loy Krathong is definitely Chiang Mai. It is the second largest city, thus an excellent place. The streets are lit with colourful lights and there’s a festive atmosphere everywhere you go.
It’s also the perfect time of year for a holiday, so join the locals and tourists as they take part in this Thai tradition. From floating lanterns to vibrant celebrations, there are plenty of things for you to see and do during this festival.
You can get involved by taking part in the making of these beautiful sky lanterns or joining some locals as they make offerings at temples.
Another popular way to celebrate Loy Krathong is to release balloons into the sky, and then watch them float up until they’re out of sight. If you’re looking for something more relaxing though, head over to one of the many riverside restaurants and enjoy a drink while watching people drift by on their banana boats.
Bangkok
Bangkok is a vibrant, exciting city that is overflowing with festivals and celebrations like the Yee Peng festival. One of the most popular celebrations you should experience while in Bangkok is the Loy Krathong festival. This event is known worldwide, honours water spirits, and celebrates the end of the rainy season.
The festivities are held across Bangkok at both public spaces and private residences. At the Grand palace, Wat Phra Kaeo (the Temple of the Emerald Buddha), a huge open-air stage has been constructed for folk music performances, where they play traditional songs all evening long.
Another famous place in Bangkok is the Chao Phraya River, where you can find these celebrations. And for unique experiences, there is the Chao Phraya Cruise and Loy Krathong dinner cruise. Visiting these places allows you to see rivers filled with many Krathong.
Phuket
Phuket is the island you want to be on for this time of year. Beautiful beaches are abundant in Phuket, and it’s also home to one of the most iconic events in Thai culture – The Loy Krathong Festival.
If you want a more local experience, Suan Luang park, Saphan Hin Park, Karon Beach, and Kata Beach are some of the greatest places to visit.
If you’re looking for a more secluded spot to release your boat, head north and enjoy Bang Tao beach or Mai Khao with its breathtaking backdrop of lush green forest. You can also visit Similan Island, a marine national park with pristine white sand beaches surrounded by spectacular coral reefs and waterfalls.
Sukhothai
The celebration of the Loy Krathong Festival has been a tradition for centuries and is one of the most popular celebrations in Thailand. Sukhothai is one of the amazing places to celebrate this event – Loy Krathong.
Sukhothai remains the unique place behind the birth of this festival and a place you can experience a joyful event. In this place, the celebrations take place for five days, and most people celebrate inside the Sukhothai Historical Park.
Other activities include folk music performances, parades, gorgeous Sukhothai lights, beauty contests, and sound shows.
Fun Facts You Didn’t Know About Loy Krathong
Let’s take a look at five fascinating facts about Loy Krathong that you probably didn’t know…
Coin collectors are common.
Coin collectors are common in Thailand during the Loy Krathong festival. Most people will float their coins while coin collectors dive into the water to prevent Krathong from taking those coins.
It is an appalling act to some people. Others consider this act positive and merit when the collectors take those coins.
Some countries usually celebrate Loy Krathong
In Thailand, for example, Loy Krathong is a national celebration on the full moon of the twelfth lunar month. It is usually celebrated at night and takes place during the full moon of the twelfth lunar month.
Other countries are known to celebrate this tradition. These include Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, and other parts of Malaysia, such as Kedah and Kelantan.
Decoration at Loy Krathong is; how you want it.
The Loy Krathong festival is celebrated on the evening of the full moon in November. The name translates to Festival of Lights in English, and it coincides with the end of a three-month Buddhist period.
People gather at rivers, ponds, lakes, or other bodies of water to float flowers and small boats known as Krathongs out onto the water and offer them to the river goddess.
However, the decorations depend on the individual. Krathong is prepared using a banana tree trunk, which is shaped like a lotus with folded banana leaves. You then use flowers to decorate. The reason for using bananas is that they are tropical plants and biodegradable.
Is Loy Krathong Thailand’s valentine’s day?
Loy Krathong is one of the most popular and widespread festivals in Thailand. Most couples hold the festival and wish themselves long-lasting happiness and love. They will light incense sticks and candles.
Conclusion
Loy Krathong Festival is one of the most beautiful and symbolic festivals in all of Thailand. It’s a holiday that’s celebrated by wearing traditional Thai clothing, burning incense sticks, lighting krathongs, and floating them on rivers, lakes, or canals. If you’re travelling to Thailand during this Loy Krathong Festival, be sure to visit some of these incredible destinations where you can celebrate Loy Krathong. Families from around the country gather at either Tha Tien Pier or Wat Arun Pier to watch boats laden with candles and krathongs bob up and down on the water. Visitors are encouraged to bring their own Krathong, too.
