New Year’s Eve Lanterns in Chiang Mai: How It Works & What to Expect (video included)

New Years Eve in Chiang Mai, Thailand

How to Release Floating Lanterns on New Year’s Eve in Chiang Mai, Thailand 

We went to the RISE festival outside of Vegas a few years ago, lighting lanterns then floating them into the night sky. However, in Chiang Mai on New Year’s Eve, they take it to another level!

Releasing lanterns into the night sky is one of the most magical ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Chiang Mai, Thailand — but it’s also one of the most misunderstood experiences. When I first researched this years ago, I kept running into information about the Yi Peng Lantern Festival, which actually takes place in November, not on New Year’s Eve. It made planning confusing, and I wasn’t sure what to expect when December 31 rolled around.

In reality, New Year’s Eve lantern releases in Chiang Mai are a separate, informal tradition. Locals and travelers gather throughout the city to release lanterns as a way to welcome the New Year, make wishes, and let go of the past year. There’s no official festival, no tickets, and no set schedule — just a beautiful, spontaneous celebration.

This guide walks you through what it’s really like to release lanterns on New Year’s Eve in Chiang Mai, where to go, what to expect, and how this experience differs from the Yi Peng Festival, so you can plan your night with confidence.

Don’t forget to check out our video towards the bottom of the post! :)

New Year’s Eve Lanterns in Chiang Mai – Quick Guide

📍 Location: Chiang Mai, Thailand
🎆 When: December 31 (New Year’s Eve)
🏮 Festival: Not Yi Peng (informal lantern releases)
🎟 Tickets Needed: No
🌱 Eco Tip: Use biodegradable lanterns or release one as a group

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Tha Phae Gate Ancient City

Yi Peng vs New Year’s Eve Lantern Releases in Chiang Mai

Many travelers assume all lantern releases in Chiang Mai are part of the Yi Peng Lantern Festival, but this isn’t the case.

Yi Peng is a traditional lantern festival held in November, aligned with the Loy Krathong festival and Thailand’s lunar calendar. It includes official events, ticketed lantern releases, and cultural ceremonies.

New Year’s Eve lantern releases, on the other hand, are informal and celebratory. On December 31, locals and visitors release lanterns throughout Chiang Mai to welcome the New Year. While not an official festival, it’s still a magical experience and requires far less planning than Yi Peng.

Quick Comparison:

• Yi Peng: November · official festival · ticketed events

• New Year’s Eve: December 31 · informal lantern releases · no tickets required

This guide focuses specifically on releasing lanterns on New Year’s Eve in Chiang Mai, not the Yi Peng Festival.

RELATED: Book our favorite Viator Tour to see Chiang Mai - Doi Suthep Temple & Wat Pha Lat Hike

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WHERE TO GO FOR NEW YEARS IN CHIANG MAI

Not only is it a party in the streets of Chiang Mai, but lanterns are released everywhere ALL night long! 

 After our long day with the elephants at the Elephant Nature Park Sanctuary, we took a nap to gear up for NYE! As I woke up around 7p the sun had set and lanterns were floating in the air! We stayed at the De Chai The Colonial Hotel (blog post review) and could start to see some lanterns in the distance, but needed to get in the action!

We made our way from our hotel to the Tha Phae Ancient City gate where we found a mob of people. On the other side of the gate, there was a street fair full of vendors selling food and other merchant goodies. May I recommend you arrive around 10:30p if you want to grab a spot near the gate.

Filled with wall to wall people and completely overcrowded, Rachadamnoen Road was completely shut down, packed like a fish swimming upstream! 

Rachadamnoen Road New Years

Rachadamnoen Road CHiang Mai Vendors Glass blowing

Vendors sold all sorts of things: shirts, wallets, tchotchkes, food, jewelry, wood carved animals, you name it - they had it! 

I couldn't stomach the street food and we ended up going to another restaurant near-by where we could watch the lanterns sail by.

RELATED: If you’re a foodie, try this tour Northern Flavours Chiang Mai Food Tour with 15+ Tastings

Rachadamnoen Road Street Food

Marketplace Chiang Mai New Years Eve Lanterns Floating

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LANTERNS IN CHIANG MAI ON NEW YEARS EVE

WHERE TO GET A LANTERN IN CHIANG MAI

Lanterns were typically found in packs at random vendor carts, but we found a truck parked in an alley (it wasn’t as creepy as it sounds), that was selling lanterns 3 for 100 Baht.

PRO-TIP: A lighter is key! We bought one at a nearby 7-Eleven and glad we did, everyone was asking to borrow ours! 

The Tha Phae Gate (ancient city gate) has the largest gathering of people who are setting off lanterns all over the place! We found a spot around 11:30pm and did a test lantern to make sure we would be pros by midnight!

As beautiful as they are, these lanterns are fueled by fire and can be dangerous. Be aware of your surroundings as so many people released them too soon, like this one that we caught (Yes, I am wearing elephant pants that I bought for $2!). Many lanterns ended up in trees and I am so glad nothing caught on fire or anyone got hurt.

SAFETY TIP: Always wait for the lantern to feel ‘heavy’ with hot air before letting go. If it’s sagging, it’s not ready and will likely crash into a tree or a person.

2025 Update: The Thai government has increasingly restricted lantern releases to specific zones and times to protect air traffic. Releasing them randomly near Tha Phae Gate is technically becoming more restricted. Mention that travelers should check for "Designated Release Zones" to avoid fines.

Related Post: See our FAVORITE hotel in Thailand, Cape Kudu Hotel

Catching lanterns

Safety Hazard Lanterns in trees

New Years Countdown

By the time midnight rolled around, we were ready to go. After you ignite the fuel bar, it takes about 3-5 minutes for these things to fill with air to take flight, we advise lighting around 11:55p to be ready by midnight!

The New Year countdown began... 5... 4... 3... 2... 1...

Lanterns light up Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai New Year’s Eve VIDEO:

See more videos in our Chiang Mai Story on Instagram

Amongst these beautiful lanterns, fireworks started to shoot off. I was officially in a Disney movie and the lost princess was saved (that is a Tangled reference with Rapunzel if you didn't catch that)!

Chiang Mai New Years Eve Lanterns and Fireworks

This night was truly breathtaking and one I'll never forget! 

Like I said in the beginning, it was really hard to find info for Chiang Mai on New Year’s Eve. Leave a comment below if you have ANY questions!

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Eco-Friendly Tips for Releasing Lanterns in Chiang Mai

While releasing lanterns on New Year’s Eve in Chiang Mai can be a beautiful experience, it’s important to be mindful of the environmental impact. Floating lanterns can create litter and may harm wildlife, livestock, and local ecosystems once they fall back to the ground.

If you choose to participate, consider these responsible travel tips:

• Choose biodegradable lanterns made from bamboo and paper, and avoid lanterns with wire or metal frames.

• Release one lantern as a group rather than multiple lanterns per person to reduce waste.

• Follow local rules and safety guidance, as restrictions are often in place to protect both people and the environment.

• Avoid releasing lanterns near farmland, water sources, or animals, where debris could cause harm.

Being a responsible traveler helps preserve Chiang Mai’s beauty and ensures this New Year’s Eve tradition can be enjoyed thoughtfully and respectfully for years to come.

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New Year’s Eve Lanterns in Chiang Mai: FAQ

Is New Year’s Eve the Yi Peng Lantern Festival?

No. Yi Peng is not held on New Year’s Eve. Yi Peng is a traditional lantern festival that takes place in November and is tied to Thailand’s lunar calendar. Lantern releases on New Year’s Eve in Chiang Mai are informal celebrations and are not part of the official Yi Peng Festival.

Why do people release lanterns on New Year’s Eve in Chiang Mai?

On December 31, locals and visitors release lanterns to welcome the New Year, make wishes, and celebrate fresh beginnings. While it isn’t a formal festival, lantern releases have become a popular and meaningful New Year’s Eve tradition in Chiang Mai.

Do you need tickets to release lanterns on New Year’s Eve?

No. New Year’s Eve lantern releases do not require tickets. Unlike Yi Peng, there are no official events or organized ceremonies. People gather in public areas and release lanterns on their own.

Where can you release lanterns on New Year’s Eve in Chiang Mai?

Lanterns are commonly released in open areas around the city, especially near rivers, bridges, and large outdoor spaces. Availability and rules can vary each year, so it’s important to follow local guidance and safety regulations.

Is New Year’s Eve lantern releasing as crowded as Yi Peng?

No. Yi Peng is significantly more crowded due to ticketed events and international visitors. New Year’s Eve lantern releases are more casual and spread throughout the city, creating a less structured but still magical atmosphere.

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A Day with Elephants at Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Elephant Nature Park

Everything you need to know before heading to Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai, Thailand

ELEPHANT NATURE PARK - 1 Ratmakka Road, Phra Sing, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand

My favorite day in Thailand was New Year’s Eve because not only did we see the sky light up with lanterns at midnight, but we also spent the day with elephants! I had only waited about a year for this day! When we booked our trip to Thailand, the elephant sanctuary was high on my list. I did a ton of research trying to find the best one and an ethical one; all roads lead to Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai! Let me breakdown things you should know…

What is a day at Elephant Nature Park like?

The day goes by so fast and you can expect to feed, pet, and bathe elephants! Elephants have prickly little hairs when you pet them! There was a lot of walking so wear comfy shoes. We’d walk to different areas and meet all the elephants. Our guide knew each elephant’s name, age, and story (Meet the herd). They had elephants ranging from 2 to 100 years old!

Here’s a video commemorating our day (don’t forget to follow us on YouTube):

How much is it and how do you get to the Elephant Nature Park?

There are quite a few options to spend the day with the elephants, but we opted for the single-day ticket which was 2,500฿ per adult (children prices are half off at the moment - Sept 2020). We paid a deposit of 2,000฿ and had a balance of 3,000฿ upon arrival. That said, it was about $80 per person - which included transfers, lunch, and an amazing day with the elephants! Book far in advance to make sure you get a spot! You can even volunteer or spend the night at a great rate.

Pick-up and drop-off were included with the price of our ticket. They have a very nice vehicle complete with leather seats and air conditioning! Definitely better than sitting in the back of a tuk-tuk or truck! They picked us up promptly at 8:30a from our hotel in Chiang Mai (see our review Hotel De Chai The Colonial) and it’s about an hour's drive from there. We made a stop at 7-Eleven for coffee, some breakfast items, and a bathroom then proceeded to the park!

What to wear to an elephant sanctuary

What should you wear and pack for the Elephant Nature Park?

We wore loose workout clothes to keep cool since it was pretty humid and there’s a lot of walking around. We brought a backpack and only packed things we needed for the day. There aren’t lockers or anything, so I wouldn’t bring anything too valuable.

Here’s what you should bring to the elephant park:

• Hat

• Sunscreen

• Bug repellant

• Comfortable shoes and socks

• Sunglasses

• Water and snacks - the sanctuary had water and lunch but we packed them to keep hydrated

• Camera(s) - we took our Sony A7, GoPro, and iPhones (there was wifi but it wasn’t great)

• Tip money for guide(s) - our guide took tons of pictures and videos of us. Tipping is important in Thai society and they will be grateful whether it is 20 baht or 200! We gave 500 baht from each of us.

• Admission fee - check your email for the balance you owe

• Money (Thai baht) for souvenirs

If you’re going to bathe the elephants (water is about knee height) bring the following:

• Towel

• Flipflops

• Wear anything you don’t mind getting a little wet (see the video above on how I got splashed!)

• Back-up clothes - Just in case!

Elephant roaming in the jungle

Are there real ethical elephant sanctuaries in Thailand?

Many ask if is it ethical to go to elephant parks or sanctuaries in Thailand? Here’s the thing, the elephants at Elephant Nature Park have either been injured or were orphans that didn’t have a chance in the wild. This is a rescue and sanctuary to keep them safe.

It is unethical to ride an elephant and that is not offered at Elephant Nature Park. Most of the elephants roam free on the grounds and there is a TON of room for them to feel like they aren’t in a small zoo pen. However, some are in closer quarters if they are dangerous to other elephants or people as they acclimate to the sanctuary.

Elephants treated well at ethical elephant sanctuary

Are the elephants treated well in Thailand?

Yes, the elephants are treated VERY well at Elephant Nature Park. They roam free all day across acres of land, have access to a stream, are well fed, and are safe from predators.

You can also find plenty of cats, dogs, buffalo, and many other rescued species at the park!

Is it worth seeing the elephants?

OF COURSE IT’S WORTH VISITING THE ELEPHANTS IN THAILAND! Elephants are so important to Thai culture, you have to visit these majestic creatures!

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Please note this is not a sponsored post and based on my own personal experience, all thoughts are my own.

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New Year's Eve Celebrations Around the World!

We’ve celebrated New Year’s Eve in many different countries! My favorite part is seeing how the different cultures come together and the unique traditions to ring in the New Year. Fireworks always ended with a bang for all New Years’ festivities!

Lanterns on New Year’s Eve in Chiang Mai

Sending Lanterns off New Years Eve in Chiang Mai - Thailand

As soon as the sun went down on the last day of the year, lanterns started to light up the sky. Vendors all over the city sold lanterns and they were released all over the city! The biggest gathering was at the Tha Phae Ancient City gate. On the other side of the gate, there was a street fair on Rachadamnoen Rd full of vendors selling food and other merchant goodies.

At 11:30p, people flooded the area in front of the gate lighting their lanterns. People wrote wishes, hopes, and dreams, on their lanterns, hoping the new year would make them come true. At midnight the sky was completely full of lanterns and fireworks! It was a magical sight and an unforgettable night!

See our full post here New Years in Chiang Mai

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New Year’s Eve in Sydney

Fireworks on New Year’s Eve in the Sydney Harbor - Australia

We watched the Sydney Harbor light up on New Year’s Eve! The first set off fireworks went off as a family show at 9pm, so kids could go to bed and not have to wait up. In this show, fireworks were launched from 4 barges while they played the songs of the year, which exclusively included "Let it Go." Although some might be sick of hearing Elsa sing, it was PERFECT fireworks music.

At midnight, there were panoramic views of fireworks that shot off on the bridge, the barges and near the Opera House! My favorite part was when they played Sia’s, “Chandelier!”

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Northern Lights on New Year’s Eve in Norway

Northern Lights on New Year’s Eve in Norway

It may have been 20 degrees and below but we spent all night outside watching the Northern Lights from our cabin in Norway! The locals shot off fireworks at midnight, and apparently there is a friendly rivalry among the neighborhood as to who will have the best fireworks show! We watched the fireworks light up the sky for a while then went inside. At about 2am, the Aurora Borealis came through with bright green colors dancing across the sky! The northern lights were here and grew stronger and stronger until 6am! Definitely a New Year celebration we won’t forget!

See more in our post: 5 Days in Norway Itinerary

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Aruba New Year’s Eve Celebration

Fireworks along the beach on New Year’s Eve in Aruba

Fireworks are legal in Aruba so they were going off all day along on Dec 31st with these giant firecrackers that people would set up randomly in the streets. We sat and watched as people set off sparklers and small fireworks around us.

We asked our cab driver where the place to be is at midnight on New Year’s Eve, to which he said, “right in front of your hotel!” Perfect. We stayed at the Hyatt Regency Aruba in Palm Beach and right at midnight, fireworks shot off on barges in the water up and down the coast! It was spectacular, the whole beach was lit up from this amazing display!

See more about Aruba and how we spent Dec 31st here: 6 Day Aruba Itinerary

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Las Vegas Strip on new Year’s Eve

The Strip lighting up on New Year’s Eve in Las Vegas

I grew up spending a few New Years in Las Vegas! No matter where you go there will be a party! The Las Vegas Strip shuts down in the afternoon and people start celebrating! You can drink in the street and even buy beers from street vendors! At midnight, the Las Vegas Blvd lights up with fireworks shooting off tops of the hotels!

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New Year’s Eve in TImes Square

Watching the ball drop in Times Square - New York City

I think everyone has seen the ball drop on New Year’s Eve in Times Square on TV with Ryan Seacrest or Dick Clark, but it is a completely different experience seeing it drop in person! Times Square is filled with people that start lining up early in the day to get a prime spot for midnight!

As soon as the countdown starts, the energy rises and the excitement of the countdown begins! The ball drops, fireworks shoot off and confetti fills the square!

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Ice Cream Review: Ice Love You Ice Cream in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Ice Love You Ice Cream

• Location: 5"N Rachadamnoen Rd Soi 7, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand

• Website/Menu: Ice Love You Facebook

• Price/Value: Best value is to get the tower - 3 scoops!

• Vegan Options: Lots of vegan options

When we were in Thailand, we made a trek across Chiang Mai (literally 3 miles) to try out this superhero ice cream themed cafe and it was tasty! 

"Make all things with love," was their motto and they meant it. 

The theme of this place seemed to be anything that is trendy and popular goes. There were superheroes and minions everywhere. I work for Marvel, so I'm used to seeing Marvel characters but this place was interesting. Spiderman and Captain America seemed to be the most popular.

Their menu was large and confusing with 270 different flavors. It took me 20 minutes to figure out what I wanted! I had never seen so many flavors in my life! The man who owned the shop made all the flavors. I asked which ones were the best or most popular but they all had a tea or weird flavor. I just wanted regular ice cream today, however, all of their ice cream was vegan. Josh is still convinced this is not real ice cream.

Josh and I both went for the Ice love you tower - 3 scoops of ice cream with cereal at the bottom! In the picture below, on the right: Spider-Man (sorbet), mint chip, Chocolate almond. Tower on the left: Vanilla cookies and cream and milo chocolate.

The mint chocolate ice cream was a blue color instead of a mint color, regardless, it was still delicious! I have to admit, I was nervous when I found out it was vegan but it all worked out! :-)

If you're in Thailand, check out the Ice Love You Café in Chiang Mai before or after going to the Doi Suthep! 

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Hotel Review: Hotel De Chai The Colonial - Chiang Mai, Thailand

Hotel De Chai The Colonial - The best hotel in Chiang Mai

Address: 6/3 Thapae Rd Soi 4, ตำบลช้างคลาน Amphoe Mueang Chiang Mai, Chang Wat Chiang Mai 50300, Thailand

Website: http://www.dechaihotel.com/

Hotel de Chai - Chiang Mai

Booking hotels in Thailand is definitely overwhelming. Everything is relatively cheap but is there any place worth staying? I have to say, I LOVED our hotel in Chiang Mai. With a central location, it was easy to get in and out of the city! We even got a free night using one of our credit cards. Find the best rate to visit Chiang Mai by booking your room through Booking.com. Not only will you find the best rate out there but by clicking this link and booking a night, I receive a commission at no additional cost to you! PLEASE support our blog and bookmark this link! :-) Thanks! 

Hotel De Chai seemed like it was either new or had a facelift! The rooms were very modern with Thai accents. Our room was a great size with a huge bathroom. I could have done cartwheels in there. Could have.

The staff was very accommodating for all of our needs and always gave us water when we asked nicely!

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LOBBY

Sawasdee (hello in Thai)! The lobby was small, but no need to be any bigger, really. There were plenty of chairs to wait or hang out in.

Lobby - Hotel de Chai - Chiang Mai, Thailand

As we waited to check-in, we had a seat next to the koi pond and they brought us fancy juice. We sent the Thaismile Connect (pocket wifi) to our hotel and it was there when we arrived! Hooray! It was about $5 USD a day, check them our here: http://www.thaismileconnect.com/

Initially, our room wasn't ready, so we locked our bags with our Luggage Locks and I packed my little crossbody travel bag with a few things and we ready to go out to explore, but the room was suddenly ready for us (isn’t that always the way?)!

Here was the view down to the lobby koi pond from outside our room on the third floor.

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HOTEL ROOM

Guest Room - Hotel de Chai - Chiang Mai, Thailand

The bedroom was rather large! We booked a Superior Room which was plenty of room for the 2 of us and had 3 closets. 2 closets had room for our carry-on suitcases and the other one had a mini refrigerator, water bottles, and snacks in it. One day we had Oreos and the next day we had KitKat Bars... It was like Santa came! We'd ask the front desk for fresh water bottles constantly. Don't drink the tap water in Chiang Mai! 

Chiang Mai is an older city, so there aren't really pretty views, but at least there is a bird’s eye view! However, sunrises make it spectacular! 

Views - Hotel de Chai - Chiang Mai, Thailand

Also, it was pretty great when I looked out and saw lanterns floating on New Years Eve!

So I guess you could say the views are great from the De Chai The Colonial Hotel in Chiang Mai!

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BATHROOM

The bathroom was large and had plenty of room to spare. It was also covered in wall to wall windows which we kept most of them closed because others could kind of see in. We were up high enough that it probably didn't REALLY matter. 

This place felt new. Even if had been renovated, they did a great job at making it feel like everything had been replaced.

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RESTAURANT

There was a restaurant off the main entrance of De Chai where we had free breakfast every morning. You could order eggs any style and waffles, pancakes, potatoes, meat (sausage or bacon) fruit, yogurt, etc. were found at the buffet. There was also traditional Thai food - noodles, rice, curry… Great way to start the day!

Restaurant - Hotel de Chai - Chiang Mai, Thailand

They served lunch and dinner as well as a happy hour but we were always out exploring!

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POOL & BAR / MASSAGES

There was a very nice pool and a bar but we never really saw anyone there. We were waiting for our pool/beach time for Koh Yao Noi, we had a lot of temples to see in Chiang Mai! 

There was also a spa off of the lobby. We didn't use their services since we found options when we were meandering through the city. There are a lot of cheap places to get massages all over Thailand!

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Getting Around

It was about 15 minutes from the Chiang Mai Airport and a very inexpensive private taxi cab ride (don’t pay more than 300 baht).

We even were picked up for our Elephant Sanctuary tour from the hotel. See our full Elephant Nature Park post.

See our full post on the Floating Lanterns in Chiang Mai on New Year’s Eve!

I can’t wait to go back to Thailand, we’d stay here again in a heartbeat! Find the best rate to visit Chiang Mai by booking your room through Booking.com.

Please note this is not a sponsored post and based on my own personal experience, all thoughts are my own.

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