The Loy Krathong festival 2026 falls on the full moon of Tuesday 24 November, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), with events across the country from 15 to 29 November.
In Phuket, the official celebration is the Phuket Traditional Tourism Festival, "Loi Krathong by the Sea", at Saphan Hin in Phuket Town from Monday 16 to Wednesday 25 November.
TAT has not published event times or prices yet. Below: what the festival is, where to float a krathong in Phuket, how to plan the evening and where to stay.
What Loy Krathong is
On Loy Krathong night, the water fills with small points of light. Thousands of krathongs, little floats of banana leaf folded into petals and crowned with flowers, a candle and incense sticks, drift away from the shore while families crouch at the water's edge to send them off.
TAT describes the festival as a way of showing gratitude to water. It is held on the full moon of the twelfth month of the Thai lunar calendar, which is why the date moves every year.
Some travel guides give 25 November for 2026. TAT's official calendar, published on 5 November, says the full moon falls on 24 November, and many events run over several days around it.
Krathong and Yi Peng: not the same thing
A krathong floats on water. The sky lanterns many people picture belong to Yi Peng, the northern festival that coincides with Loy Krathong in Chiang Mai.
TAT lists the CAD KhomLoi Sky Lanterns Festival on 24 and 25 November at the CAD Cultural Center Lanna in Mae On District, Chiang Mai. In Phuket, the tradition is the krathong on the sea.
Loy Krathong 2026 in Phuket: Saphan Hin
Picture the waterfront at dusk, when the heat drops and the sea turns pewter, and the first candles start bobbing along the shore. That is the setting of Phuket's official celebration.
What: the Phuket Traditional Tourism Festival, Loi Krathong by the Sea, listed by TAT among the southern events of the season.
When and where: from Monday 16 to Wednesday 25 November 2026 at Saphan Hin, the seafront park on the southern edge of Phuket Town. The full-moon night, Tuesday 24 November, falls inside these dates.
What is not published yet: daily times, the stage programme and any entry conditions. Check TAT's newsroom and the official TAT channels before you set out.
Combine it with Phuket Town
Saphan Hin sits on the same side of the island as the old Sino-Portuguese streets, with their pastel shophouses and lanterns. An afternoon walk through the old town followed by sunset at the waterfront makes one easy outing.
Our guide to Phuket Old Town covers the streets, the Sunday market and where to eat before the festival.
Floating a krathong at the beaches
Outside Saphan Hin, many visitors float their krathong on the beaches of the west coast, where the night sea is darker and quieter. Hotels on the island often organise their own Loy Krathong evenings for guests.
The gesture is simple. You buy or make a krathong, light the candle and incense, make a wish and let it go on the water. A krathong made only of natural materials, such as banana leaf, banana stem and flowers, is the better choice for the sea.
TAT's calendar also mentions banana-stem krathongs at the Mae Klong festival in Samut Songkhram, a reminder that the traditional materials are the ones that break down.
Practical tips for the evening
Plan the full-moon night as your main evening and arrive before sunset: the light is best then, and roads into Phuket Town are busier on festival nights.
Carry small cash for krathongs and street food, a light rain layer for late-season showers and something to keep your phone dry near the water.
Be careful at the water's edge after dark, and keep children close on crowded piers and steps.
Other Loy Krathong events in the south
Phang-nga: 19 to 28 November at Somdet Phra Srinagarindra Park, according to TAT. It is the province just north of Phuket.
Hat Yai and Trang: TAT lists "U-Tapao River Lights" at Bang Hak Pier in Hat Yai on 23 and 24 November, and an event in Trang's Sa Kaphang Surin Public Park on 24 November.
Sukhothai: if you are combining Phuket with the north, the Sukhothai Historical Park festival runs from 15 to 24 November.
The weekend before: Laguna Phuket Triathlon
On Sunday 15 November, the day before the Saphan Hin festival starts, the Laguna Phuket Triathlon takes place at Laguna Phuket in Cherngtalay, according to the organiser. Expect race traffic around Bang Tao that morning.
Where to stay for Loy Krathong in Phuket
Phuket Town: the most practical base if Saphan Hin is the reason for your trip. You can walk or take a short ride to the waterfront and spend the rest of your stay in the old town.
West coast beaches: better if you want a beach holiday with one festival evening. Float your krathong where you stay, or plan a taxi to Phuket Town and back on the full-moon night.
See our selection of hotels in Phuket and the area-by-area advice in where to stay in Phuket. For beaches, food and day trips, the Phuket Island City Guide has the rest.
What Loy Krathong means for hosts and local businesses
For Phuket, the 2026 calendar is easy to read. The Saphan Hin festival covers ten nights, from 16 to 25 November, and the full moon falls on Tuesday 24 November, a weekday rather than a weekend.
Demand and minimum stays
The nights of 23 to 25 November are the natural peak for guests who want to be in Phuket Town on the full moon. US Thanksgiving follows on Thursday 26 November, so American travellers may stretch a long weekend from that date.
For small hotels and short lets near Phuket Town, these are the nights where a minimum stay is easiest to justify; the earlier festival nights suit flexible offers.
Information guests will ask for
Guests will ask two things: which night, and what time. Give them the official dates, 16 to 25 November at Saphan Hin with the full moon on the 24th, and say clearly that TAT has not yet published times.
A short note on natural-material krathongs, rain gear and transport back from Phuket Town will save questions at the front desk. Beach properties can tell guests whether they host their own krathong evening.
For longer stays and life on the island, see our Living in Phuket page.
Loy Krathong 2026: frequently asked questions
When is Loy Krathong 2026?
The full moon falls on Tuesday 24 November 2026, according to TAT. Events across Thailand run from 15 to 29 November, on different dates in each place.
Where is Loy Krathong celebrated in Phuket?
The official event is Loi Krathong by the Sea at Saphan Hin, Phuket Town, from 16 to 25 November 2026. Many beaches and hotels also hold their own celebrations.
Can you release sky lanterns in Phuket?
Sky lanterns belong to Yi Peng in the north, not to Phuket's festival on the sea. If you want lanterns, TAT lists the CAD KhomLoi Sky Lanterns Festival in Chiang Mai on 24 and 25 November.
Programmes can change: check the organiser's page before you go.
Official sources, checked on 8 November 2026: TAT Newsroom, Loi Krathong 2026 lights up Thailand's rivers and historic cities (5 November 2026) and Laguna Phuket Triathlon, official race page.
Photo credits: cover by Fabio & Muri (Chiang Mai), Chiang Mai lanterns by Maurice Gerhardt and Sukhothai Historical Park by CJ via Unsplash; krathongs in Bangkok by Oleg Prachuk via Pexels. All with light colour and detail finishing by Holiplanet.
