Chiang Mai has announced a new ticketed lantern festival: Chiang Mai Voyage of Light 2026 (CMVOL 2026), set for 24-25 November 2026 in Doi Saket, east of the city. The announcement landed on 1 July 2026, and it adds a major new option to the November festival calendar alongside the free Loy Krathong and Yi Peng celebrations in town. Tickets are already on sale from 5,900 baht, per the official festival site (accessed 7 July 2026).
What is Chiang Mai Voyage of Light 2026?
CMVOL 2026 is a premium cultural festival built around the Yi Peng lantern tradition, reinterpreted through the Tai Lue heritage of the Doi Saket district. According to TTR Weekly (1 July 2026, accessed 7 July 2026), the program combines a mass sky lantern release with traditional Lanna performances, artisan workshops, local cuisine, and eco-friendly activities in the mountain setting of Doi Saket. The official site adds a Lanna orchestra and a heritage zone called the VOL Village. Ceremonial lamps are made from hand-spun cotton, and the organizers say the event runs on a zero-waste circular model.
The venue is the Chiang Mai Valley of Light near Wat Phra That Doi Ku in Doi Saket, a mountain setting rather than a city rooftop or riverside.
When is it, and how does it fit the Yi Peng calendar?
The festival runs the evenings of 24 and 25 November 2026, timed to the Loy Krathong full moon period. That matters for planning: the free city celebrations, the paid mass-release events outside town, and now CMVOL all cluster into the same week. Hotels in the Old City and Nimman fill early for that window every year, so if this festival is on your list, lock accommodation now, not in October.
How much are tickets and what do you get?
Three tiers are published on the official site: Standard at 5,900 baht, VIP at 9,900 baht, and Elite at 14,900 baht per person. Every ticket includes two sky lanterns, one krathong, a dining experience, and the main show at the Golden Nawa stage, where thousands of lanterns rise together with fireworks. Standard and VIP include round-trip air-conditioned coach transfer from Chiang Mai; Elite upgrades to van transfer and the closest seating to the main stage. TTR Weekly also reports a CMVOL Golf Experience on 23-26 November pairing three championship courses with VIP festival access; the official site lists Chiang Mai Highlands, Alpine Golf Resort, and Gassan Legacy as the courses.
Is it worth it compared with the free city celebrations?
Both are worth doing, and they are different products. The free celebrations around Tha Phae Gate and the Ping River give you parades, temple ceremonies, and krathong floating at no cost. The coordinated mass sky lantern release, the postcard image most visitors come for, is what the ticketed events outside town are built around. CMVOL is a new entrant in that category with a stronger cultural program than most, so expect first-year demand to be high.
How should you build a trip around it?
Treat 24-25 November as your anchor evenings and keep daytimes free for the region. Late November is peak season: cool, dry, clear skies, the best conditions of the year. A half day at Doi Suthep temple with a Hmong village visit gives you the classic golden chedi before the crowds, and a half day elephant experience at a Karen hill tribe sanctuary fits neatly into a morning. If you want a deeper cultural thread to match the festival, a Thai cooking class at Siam Garden Cooking School covers the northern dishes you will see at the festival's food stalls. Browse the full range on our tours page or start with the Chiang Mai travel guide.
As a licensed local operator, we run daytime tours year-round through festival week and can schedule pickups around your festival evening. We do not sell CMVOL tickets; buy those only from the official site and keep the confirmation email for entry.
Frequently asked questions
When and where is Chiang Mai Voyage of Light 2026?
The festival runs 24-25 November 2026 at the Chiang Mai Valley of Light in Doi Saket, near Wat Phra That Doi Ku, east of Chiang Mai city. It is timed to the Loy Krathong and Yi Peng full moon period. Standard and VIP tickets include round-trip air-conditioned coach transfer from the city, so you do not need to arrange your own transport to the site.
How much do Voyage of Light 2026 tickets cost?
Published prices are 5,900 baht for Standard, 9,900 baht for VIP, and 14,900 baht for the Elite Experience, per person. Every tier includes two sky lanterns, one krathong, a dining experience, and the mass lantern release with fireworks at the Golden Nawa stage. Elite adds the closest seating to the main stage and van transfer. Book through the official site only and keep your confirmation.
Is this the same as the free Yi Peng celebrations in Chiang Mai city?
No. The city celebrations around Tha Phae Gate, the Ping River, and the Old City moat are free and organized publicly. Voyage of Light is a separate ticketed event in Doi Saket with a coordinated mass lantern release, similar in format to the other private lantern release events held outside town each November. You can do both, since the city festivities span several nights around the full moon.
Frequently asked questions
When and where is Chiang Mai Voyage of Light 2026?
The festival runs 24-25 November 2026 at the Chiang Mai Valley of Light in Doi Saket, near Wat Phra That Doi Ku, east of Chiang Mai city. It is timed to the Loy Krathong and Yi Peng full moon period. Standard and VIP tickets include round-trip air-conditioned coach transfer from the city, so you do not need to arrange your own transport to the site.
How much do Voyage of Light 2026 tickets cost?
Published prices are 5,900 baht for Standard, 9,900 baht for VIP, and 14,900 baht for the Elite Experience, per person. Every tier includes two sky lanterns, one krathong, a dining experience, and the mass lantern release with fireworks at the Golden Nawa stage. Elite adds the closest seating to the main stage and van transfer. Book through the official site only and keep your confirmation.
Is this the same as the free Yi Peng celebrations in Chiang Mai city?
No. The city celebrations around Tha Phae Gate, the Ping River, and the Old City moat are free and organized publicly. Voyage of Light is a separate ticketed event in Doi Saket with a coordinated mass lantern release, similar in format to the other private lantern release events held outside town each November. You can do both, since the city festivities span several nights around the full moon.
