Come Along [8] - Lantern Festival In Chiang Mai

The horizon full of twinkling flames floating down the rivers and drifting across the skies. What a beautiful sight to see. The whole reason I wanted to go to Thailand was see the Lantern Festival that happens once a year in November. In northern Thailand the two festivals are celebrated together and decorate the city with lights. Chiang Mai being the ancient capital was the ideal place to be.

Loi Krathong

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Loi Krathong means “to float a basket” and takes place all over Thailand and other asian countries under a different name on the twelfth month of the Lunar Calendar. For the celebration you float beautifully decorated baskets down the river as you make a wish.

Yi Peng

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Yi Peng means “ two, full moon day” which is celebrated on the full moon of the second month on the Lanna Calendar which is also is the twelfth month of the Lunar Calendar! For Yi Peng you launch lanterns high into the sky.

There are many places all along the river in Chiang Mai to release lanterns and float baskets. If you want to there is also an option to participate in a mass release for tourists which would make for more stunning pictures. I’ve participated in RISE a lantern release event that is thrown in the States so this time I just wanted to experience that authentic and cultural feel of it in Chiang Mai.

Because of the death of Bhumibol Adulyadej the festival still took place but in a more toned down manner since the country was still in a state of mourning. There were no fireworks but the parade still went on.

All around next to the river you can find little stands selling intricate floating baskets. Many were biodegradable and made out of leaves and flowers. I bought a floating basket and walked down towards the river to release it, being extra careful not to slip in the mud or tip my basket over.

Finding a lantern was a little bit harder so when we found someone selling it we bought all that we could. I had two tries to get this right. Holding the lantern low on the ground we lit the wick and watched as it slowly inflated. I was so excited to see my dreams float into the sky! We carried it over to the edge of the bridge and released! It floated slowly up and then proceeded to descend down to the abyss in the river and die. Not my epic moment to shine I’ve been imagining…. The second one I wrote all my dreams on it and really let it inflate. My heart was beating so fast as I finally let go on my lantern. Please float… And it did!!! Carried all my hopes and dreams with it.

It was a great way to remember my time in Chiang Mai and such personal significance to me for sparking me to take me solo trip around Asia. Yep, this was going to be a time of a lot of personal release of pre conceptions and ideals. As well as a time for hope, dreams and discoveries.

Thanks for Coming Along!
See you again in Pt 9

Xoxo SteemIt - Lilan

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Dangerous Market

Baby Elephants

Sticky Waterfall

Pt 1-Follow Your Heart
Pt 2- A Contrast in Realities
Pt 3- The Most Dangerous Market in Thailand
Pt 4- Overnight Train to Chiang Mai
Pt 5- Ancient Chiang Mai
Pt 6- Baby Elephant at the Jungle Santuary
Pt 7 - Climbing a Sticky Waterfall