Loi Krathong and Lantern Festival Package (4 Days)

30 Oct - 3 Nov 2020

4 days tour in Chiang Mai during Loi Krathong (Yee Peng) Festival

Itinerary:

• 30 Oct 2020: Pick-up from airport and check-in at your hotel

Our English-speaking guide will pick you up from Chiang Mai International Airport and take you to your hotel in an air-conditioned van. Your check-in will be taken care of by your guide.

The rest of your day is free. You may relax in the pool, sauna, jacuzzi, or work out at the fitness center on the fourth floor of the hotel.

Enjoy a Thai set menu dinner at a restaurant. Explore the Night Bazaar on your own after dinner.

• 31 Oct 2020: City Tour and Lantern Festival

Free yoga class and buffet breakfast at the hotel

09:30 Pick up and leave for a local market or handicraft center to shop for souvenirs.

After your shopping spree, treat yourself with lunch at a local eatery before visiting temples in the Old City, including the famous Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phra Singh.

Return to your hotel for a brief rest to prepare for an evening you’ve never experienced before.

15:30 Pick up and drive to site for the Lantern Festival festivities.

Enjoy a Lanna and Thai style dinner with many choices of food and desserts before participating in the Loi Krathong and lantern festivities. You will be provided with a “krathong” and lantern to release during the festival.

You’ve seen pictures of thousands of lanterns rising into the sky and this is your opportunity to experience it firsthand.

Note: A “krathong” is a float made from a piece of banana trunk, decorated with flowers, banana leaves, candles, and incense sticks. “Loy” means to float so Loy Krathong is a festival where the banana trunks are floated in the water.

After an exciting evening, we will drop you off at your hotel.

• 1 Nov 2020: Elephant experience

Free yoga class and buffet breakfast at the hotel.

08:00 Your guide will pick you up in a private van for the full-day experience at the Maerim Elephant Sanctuary.

Please bring a change of clothes as you will get wet during your interaction with the gentle giants. You will be able to shower before the drive back to your hotel.

Dinner will be a local style family meal where everyone shares common dishes. It will give you a real feel of how a local Thai family dines together.

• 2 Nov 2020: Doi Suthep Temple Tour

09:30 Your guide will pick you up in a private van for the excursion to Doi Suthep.

Doi Suthep is one of the most important temples in Chiang Mai. You can climb the 309 scenic steps to the temple or pay a nominal fee to take the elevator. The climb will be worth it as you will be awed by magnificent pagodas when you reach the temple. There are also beautiful statues, bells, a museum, and shrines.

The temple also offers a panoramic breath-taking view of Chiang Mai. On a clear day, you will be able to enjoy an amazing view of the beautiful city and its surroundings. Be sure to bring your camera!

You will also visit Wat Pha Lad which is known as the Jungle Temple which is serene and ideal for relaxation and meditation.

Please remember to dress appropriately as you would do when you visit any temple in Thailand. Respectful behavior is also expected as it is a sacred place.

After the excursion, you will return to your hotel for a rest.

After dinner, your guide will show you around the night market where you can shop for more knick knacks and souvenirs.

• 3 Nov 2020: Transfer to Chiang Mai airport

Buffet breakfast at your hotel before your guide picks you up for the transfer to Chiang Mai International Airport.

Safe travels!

Includes:

• English speaking guide
• Tickets for Loi Kra Thong Festival, elephant experience and temples
• Airport pick-up and send-off accompanied by your guide
• Bottled drinking water
• Travel insurance during the trip
• English speaking guide
• 4 x Buffet Breakfast at hotel (31 Oct - 3 Nov 2020)
• 3 x Lunch (31 Oct - 2 Nov 2020)
• 4 x Dinner (30 Oct - 2 Nov 2020)
• 4-star hotel accommodation - Deluxe room, twin sharing with buffet breakfast.
• Fees and tax

Excludes:

• Other tours not mentioned in the above itinerary
• Personal expenses
• Beverages

Loy Krathong

The evening of Loy Krathong is when Thai people gather around lakes, rivers, and canals to pay respect to the Goddess of Water, Phra Mae Khongkha. They do this by releasing “krathongs” which are beautiful lotus-shaped rafts usually made from a piece of banana trunk, decorated with candles, incense, and flowers onto the water.

While some use styrofoam krathongs, it is not the accepted kind as it is not biodegradable.

Yee Peng Festival

Yee Peng, which is also referred to as Yi Peng, is celebrated on the full moon of the 12th month of the Thai lunar calendar, usually in November. Traditionally, it was an event celebrated to mark the end of the monsoon season and the beginning of winter in northern Thailand.

These days, it is celebrated together with Loy Krathong, and Chiang Mai is the best place in the north of Thailand to witness and participate in this unique event.

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep

Wat Phra That is one of the most important temples in Chiang Mai. The Theravada Buddhist temple is a sacred site for many Thai people. The temple is said to be built by a Burmese architect in 1383. Over the years, the temple expanded with many more holy shrines built.

“Wat” means temple in Thai, “Phra” refers to an honorific Buddha image, and “That” means a relic. “Phra That” therefore means that there is a relic of Buddha in the temple. In this case, it's a relic of half of Buddha's shoulder bone, which is found in the rounded portion of the Chedi. The holiest structure on the temple grounds is the original gold plated chedi. Also found on the site are pagodas, statues, bells, a museum, and shrines. Wat Pra Singh

Wat Phra Singh is the second most revered temple in Chiang Mai after Wat Phra That on Doi Suthep. It was constructed by King Pha Yu in the 14th century. It is located in the old city. Most prominent are its Lanna-style roofs and elegant assembly hall (“viharn”).

The viharn showcases murals depicting the lives of locals hundreds of years ago. It also houses the Phra Singh (Lion Buddha).

Wat Chedi Luang

Wat Chedi Luang is one of Chiang Mai’s most important temples. Also known as “The temple of the Great Stupa”, it initially consisted of two more temples named Wat Ho Tham and Wat Sukmin that were later merged into one. It’s most prominent feature is the massive and very impressive chedi. It is 85 meters in height with a width of 44 meters. The chedi was ordered to be constructed by King Saen Muang Ma to enshrine the ashes of his father. The construction which began in the late 14th century was completed in 1475. In the main sanctuary is Phra Chao Attarot, a revered standing Buddha statue flanked by two disciples. There is a huge reclining Buddha and a handsome seated Buddha on the grounds. There is a daily Monk Chat in English, where visitors can find out more about Thai culture and Buddhism.