We arrived in the city of Chiang Mai at the start of the Loi Krathong and Yi Peng festivals. These festivals of lights are an important part of Thai and Buddhist cultures and takes place every year during the full moon of the 12th month of the lunar Buddhist calendar. The festivities last for 3 days, from November 13 to 15 of 2016 and during evenings, the city of Chiang Mai is lit with tens of thousands of lanterns floating on water and onto the sky. Colorful lanterns are hung as well in homes, temples and other important sites. To make it even brighter, an epic super moon, one that happens once in a lifetime, hung in the sky on the night of November 14. The festival is usually filled with fun activities like parades, contests, pageants, music, dancing, singing and fireworks. But that year, it took a more subdued and respectful tone, as the nation continued to mourn the recent passing of Rama IX, His Majesty The King Bhumibol Adulyadej. For three nights, waves of locals and tourists gathered outside the Old City gates and released their khom loi (lit lantern) from the bridges and beside river banks and floated their krathongs (illuminated basket offerings) at the Mae Ping river. These lanterns and baskets are adorned with silent or written prayers and wishes and this religious tradition dates back to centuries old. On November 14th, we attended a mass lantern release in Mae Jo University. Located 16 kilometers from the Old City, an estimated of more than 6,000 people converged to participate in the releasing of lanterns. There was a lot of local food, from pad thai to rice cakes, traffic jam, tour buses, and hordes of tourists and locals from different ages eagerly awaiting the highlight of the night – the release of thousands of floating lanterns all at the same time. It was a spell-binding and awe-filled moment you don’t want to miss. If you would like to catch a similar mass release but are not able to get a ticket for the event in Mae Jo, hang out at the bridges of the Mae Ping River, where a non-stop flow and ebb of people, fly their lanterns. This makes for a continuous procession of lights floating to the sky that last throughout the night. Just a tip, buy your lanterns before proceeding to the bridge. A lantern costs about 50 to 60 Baht each at the market. To get around, ride a songthaew or tuktuk but be prepared for the traffic jam. For shorter distances, you can walk or hire a bicycle. Another awe-inspiring sight to catch during the three-night fest is the ceremony of the monks at the Wat Phan Tao temple (inside the Old City; near the Three Kings Monument). A group of monks sit on a mound under the trees in front of Buddha, colorful lanterns hang on trees, flickering candles illuminate the scene and a still body of water surrounds them and paints a clear reflection of the scene. Photography enthusiasts flock the event to capture the other-worldly sight. While the festival of lights comes alive at night, be prepared to get little sleep because there are several activities that go about during the day. There’s krathong-making workshops hosted by your guest-home, inn or hotel, where you can learn to fashion your own krathong out of banana leaves and flowers, placed with small offerings and a candle. Chiang Mai has many ancient and important temples or Wat so hop on a bicycle and temple-hop. A couple of notable temples to visit are the ancient Wat Chedi Luang inside the Old City and a most sacred and main temple, the Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, situated at the mountain side outside the city. Thai cuisine is super fresh, fragrant and rich in exotic spices so go on food trips and try a bowl of Khao Soi (curry and coconut based noodle soup) and a glass of ice-cold Thai milk iced tea. You can visit the Elephants at the sanctuaries and have a meaningful day feeding, bathing and walking alongside the pachyderms. There are various companies that offer a “No-riding” interaction with the elephants. Please support these types of companies because they promote ethical and sustainable eco-tourism in Thailand. By supporting them, you provide a better quality of life and care that these noble elephants deserve. Aside from elephants, you can also visit the tigers at the Tiger Kingdom, where you can learn about tigers and meet these magnificent, albeit rather terrifying animals up-close in a safe environment. The Loi Krathong and Yi Peng festivals happen yearly so don’t forget to visit Chiang Mai in 2017 (November 3 to 5). We would recommend plotting a minimum of 4 day to a week’s trip to the city, plan and book ahead to avoid the rush, and to take Air Asia that flies to Chiang Mai from Kuala Lumpur for the best fares.
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AuthorI'm Anna and I will be sharing with you my Love for Three things - Fashion, Travel and Food. I hope you find this blog enjoyable as I feature Archives
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