November is when Chiang Mai switches from rainy season to cool season, and it is also the month of Yi Peng, the northern Thai lantern festival that fills the city with lights. That combination makes it one of the busiest times to visit, so a bit of planning goes a long way.

The Yi Peng Festival falls on 24-25 November 2026, with the full moon on the night of 24 November. November weather in Chiang Mai is dry and comfortable, with average highs around 31°C and lows around 20°C. Plan to fly in before the festival nights because the airport cuts evening flights, and only release lanterns at a licensed event outside the city.

1. Free city celebration or ticketed lantern release?

There are two very different ways to experience Yi Peng, and it helps to decide early which one you want.

• Free city celebration – Lanterns hang over the Old City streets and temples, parades with lit floats move through town, and people float krathong on the Ping River. It costs nothing, but crowds are heavy around Tha Phae Gate and the river bridges, and you should not expect to release a sky lantern yourself in the city.
• Ticketed mass release – Organised events outside the city where thousands of people release lanterns at the same time. The CAD Yi Peng Khomloy festival lists its 2026 event on 24 to 25 November with tickets from ฿4,900 to ฿16,900, a compulsory transfer package and a strict no-refund policy. Tickets for these events tend to sell out well before November.

If your budget is tight, the city celebration alone is worth the trip. If releasing a lantern is the whole point of your visit, a licensed event is the only legal way to do it near Chiang Mai, so book that first and plan everything else around it.

2. Lantern rules you need to know

Chiang Mai International Airport sits right next to the city, and burning lanterns are a real danger to aircraft. That is why the rules are strict. In 2025, lantern and firework releases were banned in the air safety zones covering six districts and 39 subdistricts around the airport (via Khaosod English report). Releasing a lantern without permission can lead to up to five years in prison, a fine of up to ฿200,000, or both.

Outside the safety zone, releases have been limited to approved time windows on the festival nights, and community organisers need permission from their district in advance, according to Bangkok Post. In practice, a vendor selling you a lantern in the Old City does not make releasing it legal. Enjoy the lights in town and save your own lantern for a licensed event.

3. Plan your flights around the festival nights

This is the part many visitors miss. During Yi Peng 2025, the airport moved its schedule so the last flight left by 7 p.m. A total of 161 flights were affected: 65 cancelled and 96 rescheduled, with 44 extra flights added after the festival for people heading home, according to the airport’s general manager in the same Khaosod report.

Expect something similar in 2026. The safest plan is to arrive by 23 November and leave on 26 November or later. If you have to fly on 24 or 25 November, choose a morning or early afternoon flight and avoid tight connections. Check your booking again in mid-November, once the airport has confirmed its schedule.

4. November weather and what to pack

November is one of the most comfortable months of the year in Chiang Mai. Based on the 1991 to 2020 climate normals from the World Meteorological Organization, the average high is 30.8°C, the average low is 19.9°C, and the city gets about 40.9 mm of rain over roughly three rainy days. Days are warm and mostly sunny, and evenings are pleasant for walking around the night markets.

Pack light clothes for the day, a thin long-sleeve layer for mornings and festival nights, and something warmer if you plan to visit the mountains. Bring comfortable shoes too, because the Old City gets very crowded on festival nights and walking is often the easiest way to get around.

5. What to do in the rest of November

Yi Peng only lasts a few nights, but November is a good month for Chiang Mai in general. The air is usually clear at this time of year, well before the smoke season. In 2026, the haze started in January and got bad enough that Chiang Mai was declared an emergency disaster zone in April, so November is a much better time for outdoor plans.

• Old City temples – Walk between the temples inside the moat early in the morning before it gets hot. Several temples hang Lanna-style lanterns around the festival.
• Doi Suthep – The hilltop temple above the city is an easy half-day trip, and the clear November air gives better views over Chiang Mai.
• Doi Inthanon – Thailand’s highest mountain makes a full-day trip from the city. It is much cooler at the top than in town, so bring a jacket.
• Ping River – The riverside is the main place for floating krathong on Loy Krathong night, and it is a nice area for an evening walk on other nights too.

FAQ

Is Yi Peng the same as Loy Krathong?

No, but they happen on the same full moon. Loy Krathong is celebrated across Thailand by floating small decorated baskets on water. Yi Peng is the northern Lanna tradition of lighting and releasing lanterns. In Chiang Mai you get both at once.

Can I release a sky lantern in Chiang Mai’s Old City?

Not legally in most cases. The Old City is inside the airport’s safety zone, where releases have been banned in recent years. To release a lantern yourself, join a licensed event outside the city.

When should I book accommodation for Yi Peng 2026?

As soon as you know your dates. Rooms near the Old City and the river are in the highest demand for the nights of 23 to 26 November, and they get harder to find as the festival gets closer.

Is November a good time to visit Chiang Mai?

Yes. The rain has mostly stopped, the air is cleaner than in the first months of the year, and the temperature is comfortable. Visiting in early November also means fewer crowds than festival week.

Final thoughts

Chiang Mai in November gives you good weather and one of Thailand’s most beautiful festivals in the same trip. Lock in your accommodation and any lantern event ticket now, keep your flights away from the festival evenings, and check the official schedule again in mid-November once it is published.