Loy Krathong 2026: Dates, What to Expect & Staying Connected
Loy Krathong is held on the full moon of the twelfth Thai lunar month - late November in 2026 - and it is the most photogenic night of the Bangkok year. Thais float candlelit krathongs (banana-leaf baskets with a candle, incense, and flowers) on rivers, canals, and park lakes to thank the water goddess and let go of the year's misfortunes. In Bangkok that means enormous crowds along the Chao Phraya at Asiatique and the banks facing Wat Arun - and a mobile network that grinds exactly when you are trying to find your group in the dark. Here is the on-the-ground plan, because a Thailand eSIM from $4.99 is far cheaper than roaming and works the moment you clear immigration.
When exactly is Loy Krathong 2026?
Loy Krathong always falls on the full moon night of the twelfth Thai lunar month, usually mid-to-late November. In 2026 that full moon lands in late November - most calendars place it around 24-25 November - but the Tourism Authority of Thailand (tourismthailand.org) publishes the official programme closer to the date, so treat late November as the planning window and confirm the exact night before locking flights around it.
Two timing realities worth knowing:
- It is one main night, not a week. Riverside venues run events the evening before and after, but the floating itself happens on the full moon night, mostly between sunset and midnight.
- The same full moon powers Yi Peng in Chiang Mai - the famous sky-lantern festival happens the very same nights up north. If your dream photo is thousands of lanterns rising into the sky, that is Yi Peng; Bangkok's magic is on the water.
What should a first-timer actually expect in Bangkok?
A city-wide, family-friendly street party centred on water. Joining in is cheap: buy a krathong from a riverside vendor for roughly 30-150 baht, light the candle and incense, make a wish, and set it afloat.
The honest caveats:
- The big riverside spots are rammed. Asiatique, ICONSIAM, and the piers facing Wat Arun draw shoulder-to-shoulder crowds from about 6pm; riverside tables and dinner cruises sell out days or weeks ahead.
- Go eco with the krathong. Bangkok fishes hundreds of thousands of krathongs out of its waterways the next morning - buy banana-leaf or bread versions, never styrofoam.
- Sky lanterns are not the Bangkok thing. Releasing khom loi is restricted in the capital, especially near the airports. Float, do not launch.
- Quieter alternatives exist. Benjakitti and Lumphini park lakes let you float without the riverfront crush - better with small children.
Why does your phone struggle on the Chao Phraya riverbanks?
Because Loy Krathong concentrates an enormous share of Bangkok's population into a thin ribbon of riverfront for about five hours. The stretch from Asiatique up past Wat Arun and ICONSIAM becomes one continuous crowd, everyone live-streaming candlelight, sharing location pins, and calling friends lost in the dark. Thai networks (AIS, True) are excellent, but a few cell sectors serving hundreds of thousands of simultaneous users will congest anywhere on earth - data slows to a crawl and calls drop right at peak floating time, around 8-10pm.
What actually works that night:
- Agree a physical meeting point before you split up - a named pier, a mall entrance, the Asiatique Ferris wheel. Do not count on live location sharing mid-evening.
- Text, do not call. Short messages and voice notes squeeze through congestion far better than live calls.
- Download offline maps of Bangkok before the evening; finding your way back to a BTS station should not depend on a signal bar.
- Upload later. The river videos will post beautifully from hotel Wi-Fi at midnight; uploading riverside just drains battery against a jammed network - and carry a power bank, because a phone hunting for signal in a crowd burns battery fast.
What is the best connectivity setup for Loy Krathong?
A Thailand eSIM installed before you fly. Roaming day passes commonly cost 5-12 EUR per day for the same congested festival signal, and airport SIM counters mean queueing after a long-haul flight. A prepaid Thailand eSIM gives you a fixed data bundle on a local host network at local rates:
| Data | Duration | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1GB Data | 7 Days | £2.49 |
| 3GB Data | 30 Days | £3.17 |
| 5GB Data | 30 Days | £4.68 |
| 10GB Data | 30 Days | £7.40 |
| 20GB Data | 30 Days | £11.33 |
| 1 Day | 1 Day | £2.59 |
| 2 Days | 2 Days | £5.19 |
| 3 Days | 3 Days | £7.78 |
| 4 Days | 4 Days | £10.20 |
| 5 Days | 5 Days | £12.93 |
| 6 Days | 6 Days | £15.67 |
| 7 Days | 7 Days | £18.41 |
| 8 Days | 8 Days | £19.78 |
| 9 Days | 9 Days | £21.83 |
| 10 Days | 10 Days | £23.20 |
| 11 Days | 11 Days | £25.25 |
| 12 Days | 12 Days | £27.30 |
| 13 Days | 13 Days | £28.67 |
| 14 Days | 14 Days | £30.04 |
| 15 Days | 15 Days | £32.09 |
| 16 Days | 16 Days | £33.46 |
| 17 Days | 17 Days | £34.15 |
| 18 Days | 18 Days | £35.51 |
| 19 Days | 19 Days | £37.57 |
| 20 Days | 20 Days | £38.94 |
| 21 Days | 21 Days | £40.30 |
| 22 Days | 22 Days | £40.99 |
| 23 Days | 23 Days | £41.67 |
| 24 Days | 24 Days | £42.36 |
| 25 Days | 25 Days | £43.04 |
| 26 Days | 26 Days | £43.73 |
| 27 Days | 27 Days | £44.41 |
| 28 Days | 28 Days | £45.09 |
| 29 Days | 29 Days | £45.78 |
| 30 Days | 30 Days | £47.15 |
Install the QR code at home on Wi-Fi, switch it on when you land, and you are online in the arrivals hall - which matters, because your Grab ride into the city needs data before anything else. Dual SIM keeps your home number live for calls and bank codes.
Not sure how much you need? Grab rides, maps, translation, and a steady stream of river photos add up fast - estimate it:
How do you get to the riverfront and home again?
Getting there is easy; getting home is the trap. Take the BTS to Saphan Taksin, directly on Sathorn Pier - from there, Chao Phraya Express boats and the free ICONSIAM and Asiatique shuttles run up and down the river. Expect long pier queues from late afternoon: boat traffic is intense on the night, and boarding a crowded pier takes patience.
The way back is where plans fail. Boats and the BTS get crushed after the fireworks, and Grab prices surge sharply once the lanterns finish around 10-11pm, with pick-ups gridlocked near Asiatique. Honestly ranked: leave slightly before the finale, walk 10-15 minutes away from the river before requesting a Grab, or accept the surge and the wait. All of it needs working data. The BTS runs until midnight; do not cut it fine.
Should you do Loy Krathong in Bangkok or Yi Peng in Chiang Mai?
The honest answer: they are different festivals sharing one full moon, and you cannot do both in one night. Chiang Mai's Yi Peng is the sky-lantern spectacle - mass releases at paid events (often 100-200+ USD for the famous organised ones, which sell out months ahead) and flight schedules adjusted around lantern debris. Bangkok's Loy Krathong is free and water-based. Chiang Mai celebrates both at once, so if sky lanterns are the priority, base yourself north and float a krathong in the Ping River the same evening. Either way, one Thailand eSIM covers both cities if you split the week.
The bottom line
Loy Krathong 2026 falls on the November full moon - late November, with the exact night confirmed by Thai tourism authorities nearer the date. Buy a biodegradable krathong, pick a meeting point before the riverbank swallows your group, leave before the Grab surge peaks, and land with connectivity sorted: a Thailand eSIM from $4.99 installed at home means you are online from the arrivals hall to the last BTS home, with no roaming line on next month's bill.
What date is Loy Krathong in 2026?
Loy Krathong always falls on the full moon of the twelfth Thai lunar month, which in 2026 means late November - most calendars point to around 24-25 November. The Tourism Authority of Thailand confirms the official dates closer to the season, so check before booking anything date-critical.
Is Loy Krathong free to attend?
Yes. The festival happens on public riverbanks, piers, and park lakes, and joining in costs only the price of a krathong - roughly 30-150 baht from riverside vendors. You only pay more for a dinner cruise or riverside table, both of which sell out well ahead of the night.
Will my phone work during Loy Krathong in Bangkok?
Yes, but expect slow data and failed calls at peak floating hours along the Chao Phraya, when a huge share of the city crowds a few riverfront cell sectors. Texts beat calls in congestion, offline maps beat live navigation, and a local-rate Thailand eSIM beats paying roaming prices for the same jammed signal.
Can I release a sky lantern in Bangkok during Loy Krathong?
Generally no - sky lantern releases are restricted in Bangkok, particularly near airport flight paths, and fines apply. Sky lanterns belong to Yi Peng in Chiang Mai and the north, on the same full-moon nights. In Bangkok, the tradition is floating krathongs on the water.
How do I get back from the riverfront after the festival?
Slowly, if you do not plan. Grab fares surge and pick-ups gridlock near Asiatique once the crowds break up around 10-11pm, and the piers and BTS get packed. Leave a little before the finale, or walk 10-15 minutes away from the river before requesting a ride - and remember the BTS stops around midnight.
Land in Bangkok already online
A Thailand eSIM from eSIMpass installs before you fly - local-rate data on a Thai network for Grab, maps, and the full-moon night on the river, with your home number kept via dual SIM.
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