Loy Krathong
Time to thank the Water Goddess

Loy Krathong

The Loy Krathong festival falls every year, in the 12th lunar month (usually in November), at the end of the rainy season. This is the time to thank the Water Goddess for a year’s worth of her abundant supply, as well as apologize for polluting the waters. 

The evening of Loy Krathong is a lively and impressive festival in Thailand. Large numbers of people gather around rivers, canals or ponds with their Krathong, beautiful lotus-shaped rafts made of banana trunks (or bread), decorated with flowers, candles and incense sticks. They release or float their krathong on the water to pay respects to the goddess of water, Pra Mae Khongkha

You will find small festivals all over the country near any body of water, but one of the most popular spots in Bangkok to celebrate this festival is Wat Saket.  Otherwise known as the Golden Mountain, Wat Saket is host to an enormous temple fair called, Tedsakarn Ngan Wat.  The celebration, which has been hosted for more than 100 years here, lasts for more than a week and begins well ahead of the full moon (this year from 04-13 November 2019). During this period, Wat Saket’s golden stupa is wrapped with red cloth, with a candlelit procession to the top of the Golden Mount marking the start of the week-long festivity. Colourful lanterns and decorative flags, as well as food vendors and fairground games are all part of the festivities. Huge crowds pack the temple grounds from early evening to midnight for the entire week.  

If you are interested in seeing this very special tradition, but are not sure you’d like to venture out on your own, Taste of Thailand is also getting in on the action by offering visitors a chance to experience this festival with one of our guides, in a private tour!  Please contact info@tasteofthailand.org for inquiries and details.