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Light a Candle for Loy Krathong
Country: Thailand
City or Region:
Everywhere
Cost: Under $50
Themes: Budget, Sightseeing - Popular Attractions, Romantic, Festivals, Unique Experiences and Nightlife
Suitable for: Everyone
Website: http://www.phuket.com/festival/loy_krathong.htm
It looks like a fantastical scene out of Harry Potter or as though a child dreamed it up from a fairy tale, but J.K. Rowling and Hans Christian Anderson had nothing to do with this religious Thai tradition. In an ode to Buddha, Siddhartha Guatama, and the Goddess of Water, people release thousands of candles into the night sky and onto rivers with the belief that the wind and water will carry away sin, misfortune, and anger. As they let go, they make a wish. Called Loy Krathong (meaning literally “to float a light in a leaf cup”), the festival takes place at the end of harvest season, on the twelfth day of the twelfth month of the Thai calendar – in other words, on the full moon of November. Many towns also celebrate with a parade and fireworks.
Transport information and advice
Loy Krathong is celebrated all over Thailand, and many markets and shops sell krathongs during the days leading up to the festival. It is free to attend, but the “Under $50” label is just if you want to purchase a krathong for yourself. If you want to send yours up into the air, look for paper lanterns. Krathongs for the water are more cup-like and may be made of leaves and flowers.
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