Today is Loi Krathong which was my reason for being in Chiang Mai at this time. It’s a really pretty festival with fireworks (for days and all day and all night) and Chinese lanterns and a chance to float a decorated Krathong down the river Ping as a symbol of floating away ill fortune and as a sign of respect to the spirit of the waters.
This is all due to happen later in the day though so beforehand Amanda and I head up to Wat Suthep, one of the norths most sacred temples and it was busy up there! I‘m not sure if it was more busy because of the festival but wow there was a lot of people up there. The temple sits atop Doi Sutheps summit and is just around a 20 minute van ride from the city and then 300 steps up to where the temple is. It was very pretty and all decorated with lanterns for the festival.
Wat Suthep
Amanda and I at Wat Suthep
Wat Suthep
This was a little friend I picked up on the van ride back from the Wat, he stayed there for around 10 minutes before flying off!
Back in the city we found a place for pizza, I’m not sure either of us know quite why we went for this particular place, it was lunchtime or just after and totally empty. Not always a great sign but it didn’t seem to stop us! It was fine, not the best but certainly not the worse.
This evening is when all the festivities really occur so we met around 6 and headed off to the main gate where it all seemed to be happening. There was a market set up and a stage and a VIP area (clearly not for us) and millions and millions of lanterns hanging up and so many people! I didn’t think there were this many people in Thailand.
Pretty lanterns
The procession was already in full flow and just seemed to go on and on, there were some amazing costumes and floats and all along the street it was jam packed with spectators.
The procession was heading towards the Ping river where people would float the krathongs. The closer we got to the river the more and more people there seemed to be, if that was at all possible, and the more vendors there seemed to be selling just about everything. All along the street people were launching hundreds of Chinese lanterns into the sky, it was really pretty.
Launching Chinese lanterns
When we arrived at the river it was just incredible. There was a huge market/fun fair scene going on complete with ferris wheel! Then as we turned left to go along the river side it was even more packed with flower stalls after flower stalls after flower stalls all making the krathongs, all different sizes and colours and all for around 20 Bht, which is about 45 pence, absolutely incredible! An awful lot of orchid flowers came to an end that night.
Krathongs
Flowers for the Krathongs
After a little deliberating we each choose a krathong paid our money and set about finding a suitable place to launch them along the river. Each krathong is totally different but they all seem to have incense sticks and usually a candle to light before they’re set off. We managed to fight our way down to the river side and down onto one of many bamboo platforms which appeared to be sinking under the weight of all the people, health and safety clearly hasn’t got anywhere near this festival.
After a bit of negotiation we each managed to light and float the krathongs and it was really lovely to be able to be a part of such a pretty, crazy and busy festival.
The girls with their Kathrongs
There were fireworks going off in all directions and the procession was still coming, I did wonder at one time if it was on a loop but it seemed it wasn’t, it was just very very long.
All those tiny dots are Chinese lanterns!
Part of the procession
We made it to where the action seemed to be going on but it was really really busy and after trying to take some good pics we made our way back into the old city for a very late dinner and a drink.
Back at my guesthouse the area was having its only little party with some of the locals setting off loads of fireworks and lanterns. There was one guy who I tried to get a pic of but failed who was very very drunk and had a gun looking implement which he kept putting fireworks in and shooting it off into the sky, he was pretty hilarious and amazingly drunk!
I was surprised the party didn’t go on all night really although I think the lantern launching went on for quite a while.
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