Chiang Mai
By Evi Goossens, a travel storyteller, certified tour guide, and photographer from The Netherlands. Updated November 2024
Reading time: 6 min
Ultimate Guide to Chiang Mai’s Lantern Festival: Yi Peng & Loy Krathong
One of the larger cities in Thailand... Chiang Mai. Many people absolutely love Chiang Mai and often return to it during their backpacking trips. My experience with Chiang Mai, however, was quite different. Don’t get me wrong, I thought it was a nice city, but for me, it wasn’t as hyped as other cities in Thailand.
This was mainly because I visited Chiang Mai during the Yi Peng Festival, which usually takes place at the end of November. As a result, the city was overcrowded with tourists, which admittedly gave me a biased judgment of the place. That being said, it also provided me with the insights to create the ultimate guide for you during this period!
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| TABLE OF CONTENTS
How many days in Chiang Mai
What is the Loy Krathong and Yi Peng Festival?
Do I need to buy a ticket for the big release?
Cooking Class
Muay Thai Lesson
Jungle Tours
Night Market
What NOT to do in Chiang Mai: Elephant Sanctuary
FUN TIP: Scootering from Chiang Mai to Pai
Where to: Stay/eat/ go out
Need-to-Know Nuggets 💡
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Train: From Bangkok, there's a train route that takes you to the center of Chiang Mai in just a few hours. Be sure to book a few days in advance to guarantee a seat. The train runs both during the day and at night, so you can choose whichever option suits you best.
Bus: There are also buses to Chiang Mai from Bangkok, but they take a long time. While they might be slightly cheaper than the train, the difference isn't significant.
Flight: If you're on a tight schedule, you can choose to fly to Chiang Mai. Flights are available from Bangkok, as well as from Vietnam, Laos, or southern Thailand.
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If you’re visiting during the Loy Krathong and Yi Peng festivals, I’d say 5 to 6 days is enough.
If you’re visiting outside of the festival, 3 to 4 days should be plenty.
If you're really short on time, you could opt for 1 to 2 days. Opinions vary, but personally, I found Chiang Mai a bit underwhelming and thought other places in Thailand were definitely more worth the visit.
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As in many cities across Asia, Grab is very popular—it’s basically the Asian version of Uber. It’s cheap, safe, and fast, often even more affordable than tuk-tuks. However, tuk-tuks are definitely more fun to ride in! You can book a Grab anywhere in the city, and it will take you wherever you need to go.
Additionally, you can rent a scooter to get around. Just be sure it's a scooter and not a motorbike, as you're not insured if you ride a motorbike in Asia without a proper motorcycle license. Always carry your international driver’s license with you; otherwise, you could get fined $50.
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Cooking class in Chiang Mai 👩🏽🍳
Loy Krathong and Yi Peng Festival info
What is the Loy Krathong and Yi Peng Festival?
Both are traditional festivals in northern Thailand, especially in Chiang Mai. The festivals are often celebrated together and take place in November. The date varies each year based on the moon's cycle, as they are celebrated on the full moon. In the days leading up to the festivals, Chiang Mai is already filled with tourists and beautifully decorated with amazing ornaments.
Loy Krathong
The Loy Krathong festival kicks off first, starting the day before the full moon. "Loy" literally means "to float," and "Krathong" refers to a small vessel, often made of leaves, shaped like a lotus flower. This is a ritual festival where people ask for forgiveness from the water god.
Yi Peng
The Yi Peng festival takes place the day after Loy Krathong and is celebrated in the sky. It’s a way to release all misfortunes. People believe it is a symbolic act to let go of bad luck and troubles as they enter the new lunar year. The festival is characterized by lanterns that are released into the sky.
Do I need to buy a ticket for the big release?
No!
It’s not necessary to buy an expensive ticket for the big lantern release. Every year, there is an event in Chiang Mai that organizes a massive lantern release. Tickets for this release must be purchased months in advance and are quite expensive. There are plenty of places where you can release lanterns, and many of them are free. At the free release, I found it to be more intimate, with a stronger focus on the festival's true meaning, rather than just launching a beautiful lantern into the sky. I was there during the release!
Tip: Arrange a taxi a few days in advance through your hostel/accommodation. The city gets very busy, and many taxi drivers are quickly booked up.
Other Activities in Chiang Mai
Cooking Class
If you want to fully immerse yourself in Thai culture, a cooking class is a must! You can arrange one through various organizations. I personally took one through my hostel, and it was very well organized! All cooking classes are quite similar. First, you head into the city to gather ingredients with your group. During this time, you learn about the food, and you usually have some time to leisurely explore the market. Then, you are driven to a location where the actual cooking class begins.
You often need to decide in advance what dishes you want to prepare. We had the choice of several appetizers and main courses. Be sure to go to the class on an empty stomach, as you'll be eating a lot today!
For each dish, you’ll get an explanation about the ingredients and how to prepare it. You do this together with your instructor and the rest of your group. It’s not only a fun way to learn how to cook Thai food but also a great opportunity to meet fellow backpackers! After the fun cooking session and delicious meal, you’ll be dropped back at your hostel.
Muay Thai Lesson
A trip through Thailand wouldn’t be complete without trying a Muay Thai lesson. Everywhere in Thailand, you’ll find great Muay Thai schools, and Chiang Mai is no exception. You can join a class here for just a few euros.
But be prepared... this is an intense lesson. Especially after a few months of traveling, you might need to get back into the swing of things to give it your full effort. But it’s totally worth it. You’ll get a good workout and learn about the different techniques. It’s incredibly fun to try, whether you're a beginner or have some experience.
Jungle Tours
Around Chiang Mai, there are various adventurous activities to try. You can go on a multi-day jungle trek, enjoy zip-lining, or visit different adventure parks. If you're an adrenaline junkie, you’ll have a blast here! You can book a tour through various tour operators, and you can discuss with them what you’d like to do and what sounds most fun. These tours can often be arranged at your hostel or through local tour operators, which are usually cheaper and well-organized.
Night Market
There are several night markets, and they’re always a lot of fun. You’ll find different stalls where you can buy souvenirs and food stalls offering tasty snacks. Sometimes, you’ll just stumble upon one while walking in the evening, and other times, you might go looking for one. We experienced the first and ended up at the Street Food Night Market by chance. Link to map.
At this market, there were a few stalls with delicious food and some where you could make your own jewelry. Super fun!
What NOT to Do in Chiang Mai: Elephant Sanctuaries
There are many elephant sanctuaries around Chiang Mai, but unfortunately, not all of them treat the animals well, even though many claim to do so. It’s important to note that it is NOT okay to feed or bathe the elephants. If you are allowed to do so, it's often a clear indicator that it’s NOT a good sanctuary. If you want to read more about this, you can visit this website.
However, there are also sanctuaries around Chiang Mai where you are not allowed to feed or bathe the elephants, and they treat the animals well. So, make sure to do thorough research before visiting any elephant sanctuary.
FUN TIP: Scootering from Chiang Mai to Pai
Among backpackers, another adventurous activity that’s incredibly fun to do in Chiang Mai is scootering to Pai. Pai is likely your next destination after Chiang Mai. There are many tour operators in Chiang Mai that will help you drop off your large bag in Pai, while you ride a scooter through the mountains to get there. Not only is this a fun way to reach your next stop, but it’s also one of the best ways to get to Pai.
The road to Pai consists of hundreds and hundreds of winding curves. Many travelers feel quite nauseous because of it, and a lot of people take travel pills for it. However, you can also enjoy the journey in a fun way by traveling to Pai on a scooter!
Where to stay
There are many great hostels in Chiang Mai. I stayed at the Mad Monkey Hostel. Even though Mad Monkey is famous all over Southeast Asia, I didn’t think it was the best. The nice thing is that they organize a lot of activities, but if you’re in Chiang Mai, I would recommend looking for a different hostel.
Book your hostel: https://www.hostelworld.com
Chiang Mai is a big city, so there are plenty of great restaurants. If you like Indian food, I definitely recommend going to Grill of Punjab in Chiang Mai. This was my first time having Indian food, and oh my god, it was so delicious! Additionally, there’s a lovely breakfast/lunch spot right in the city center. It’s also a great place to work, and it’s called Stories Cafe in Chiang Mai.
Where to eat
Zoey in Yellow is the club/pub you need to visit. There are several fun spots around it, so if you don’t like one, you can always hop to another bar. You’ll see a lot of fellow backpackers from Chiang Mai, so there’s no shortage of good vibes!