Yi Peng Lantern Festival

Yee Peng Festival in Chiang Mai (sometimes written as ‘Yi Peng’) is celebrated on the full moon of the twelfth lunar month ever year, which normally means mid-way through November, but this can vary. The Yee Peng lantern festival is held in November every year. Yi Peng is the event most people recognise for its floating sky lanterns known as khom loi.

The most elaborate Yi Peng celebrations can be seen in Chiang Mai, the ancient capital of the former Lanna kingdom, where now both Loi Krathong and Yi Peng are celebrated at the same time resulting in lights floating on the waters, lights hanging from trees/buildings or standing on walls, and lights floating in the sky. The tradition of Yi Peng was also adopted by certain parts of Laos during the 16th century.