Loy Krathong in Bangkok

The festival of floating lights

Loy Krathong is one of the most beautiful nights of the Thai year. Held on the full-moon night of the twelfth lunar month — usually in November — it sees people across the country float small decorated rafts, called krathong, onto rivers, canals and ponds. Traditionally made from a slice of banana-tree trunk and folded banana leaves, studded with flowers, incense and a candle, each krathong carries away the past year's misfortunes and pays respect to the goddess of water. The act is quiet and personal: you light the candle, make a wish, and set the little raft adrift to join thousands of others glowing on the water.

In Bangkok the effect is magical. The riverside near the old city — the stretch around Wat Arun, the piers of Rattanakosin and the lit-up spires reflected in the dark water — is especially atmospheric, as are the waterfront promenades at Asiatique and ICONSIAM and the ponds in the city's big parks. The whole evening is gentle and romantic, the antithesis of Songkran's exuberance, which makes it a favourite for couples. Many places hold parades, light displays, traditional music and beauty pageants alongside the floating, and the cool-season air makes it comfortable to linger.

Because it falls early in the cool season, the weather is reliably pleasant — but that, plus the festival's popularity, means the best riverside spots fill fast. Arrive before dark to claim a place near the water, buy your krathong from one of the stalls that pop up everywhere in the days beforehand, and settle in for one of the loveliest evenings the city offers.

• Held on the full-moon night of the twelfth lunar month, usually in November.
• Float a candle-lit krathong to carry away misfortune and honour the water goddess.
• Gentle and romantic — the antithesis of Songkran, a favourite for couples.
• Parades, light displays, music and pageants often accompany the floating.

Bangkok in November

Cool-season weather and where Loy Krathong falls in the calendar.

The river

The Chao Phraya, the heart of Bangkok's Loy Krathong.

Bangkok events calendar

Where Loy Krathong sits in the festival year.

Where to celebrate — and the eco-friendly krathong question

The riverside is the classic stage. Along the Chao Phraya, the old-city piers, the promenade at Asiatique the Riverfront and the riverside terraces at ICONSIAM all give you direct access to the water and a view of floats drifting past the lit-up skyline. Both Asiatique and ICONSIAM run free shuttle boats from Sathorn pier (under BTS Saphan Taksin), making them easy to reach without driving into festival traffic. For green space, the ponds at Lumphini and Benjakitti parks host calmer, family-friendly celebrations away from the river crush. And for the most romantic version of all, a Chao Phraya dinner cruise puts you on the water itself amid the glowing floats.

One important note: the festival has a real environmental cost. Tens of thousands of krathong are collected from Bangkok's waterways the morning after, and floats made of polystyrene foam are a serious pollutant. The responsible — and now widely encouraged — choice is a biodegradable krathong: traditional banana-trunk-and-leaf designs, or the bread-based floats that dissolve and feed the fish. Many stalls now sell these, and skipping foam is a small, easy way to enjoy the festival without harming the river it honours. Some people float a single shared krathong per group rather than one each, which is both meaningful and gentler on the water.

• Chao Phraya riverside, Asiatique and ICONSIAM — direct water access and skyline floats.
• Asiatique and ICONSIAM run free shuttle boats from Sathorn pier (BTS Saphan Taksin).
• Lumphini and Benjakitti park ponds — calmer, family-friendly celebrations.
• Choose a biodegradable krathong (banana trunk, leaves or bread) — never foam.

Best sunset spots

Riverside vantage points that double as Loy Krathong viewpoints.

Romantic things to do

Why Loy Krathong is the year's most romantic Bangkok night.

Dinner cruise

Float among the krathong on a Chao Phraya cruise.

Crowds, transport and timing

Loy Krathong draws large crowds to the water, so plan around them. The riverbanks, bridges and piers get dense and stay that way well into the night, and the roads near the river clog. Lean on the Chao Phraya boats and the free shuttle ferries rather than taxis, and arrive early — both to claim a riverside spot and to beat the worst of the crowds. Near the water in the dark, mind your footing on slick steps and embankments and keep a close eye on children; the combination of crowds, water and candles calls for care.

If you'd rather avoid the densest crush entirely, the park ponds and the hotel and venue events offer a calmer celebration, and a dinner cruise lets you enjoy the floats from the comfort of the water with dinner and a clear view of the floodlit temples. Whatever you choose, the festival is worth building a Bangkok November around: it is, for many returning visitors, the single most beautiful evening the city offers all year. Confirm the exact date before you book, since it shifts annually with the lunar calendar.

• Use the river boats and shuttle ferries; the roads near the water gridlock.
• Arrive before dark for a riverside spot and to beat the worst crowds.
• Mind your footing near the water and watch children closely after dark.
• Park ponds, hotel events and dinner cruises offer calmer alternatives.

The river

How to use the Chao Phraya boats on a busy festival night.

Getting around Bangkok

Boats and trains beat taxis when the riverside roads clog.

Loy Krathong FAQ

When is Loy Krathong? It's held on the full-moon night of the twelfth Thai lunar month, which usually falls in November but moves each year — confirm the current date before you plan.

Where's the best spot in Bangkok? The Chao Phraya riverside near the old city, plus Asiatique and ICONSIAM (both with free shuttle boats), are the most atmospheric. Park ponds at Lumphini and Benjakitti are calmer and good for families; a dinner cruise is the most romantic.

Is it the same as Yi Peng (the lantern festival)? No — Yi Peng, the floating-sky-lantern festival, is a separate northern tradition centered on Chiang Mai, though the two overlap on the calendar. Bangkok's celebration is about floating krathong on the water. Which krathong should I buy? A biodegradable one — banana trunk, leaves or bread — never polystyrene foam.

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