0333 121 7001
Enquire Now
0333 121 7001
Enquire NowCreated for you
Create your own
Multi destination
Hotels
Our customers love us!
Lanterns have a way of making the world feel magical. As soft lights float into the night sky or shimmer across rivers, they carry with them stories of hope, remembrance, and renewal. From ancient Asian traditions to modern celebrations of art and light, lantern festivals around the world draw travellers who crave a blend of wonder, culture, and connection.
Let’s take a trip across continents to explore the most captivating lantern festivals — and the local flavours and traditions that make each one shine.
Yi Peng and Loy Krathong – Chiang Mai, Thailand
If there’s one festival that captures the spirit of Thailand, it’s the twin celebrations of Yi Peng and Loy Krathong. Taking place in November, these festivals combine floating lanterns in the sky and flower-adorned baskets drifting along rivers — a breathtaking fusion of light and reflection.
Chiang Mai, the cultural heart of northern Thailand, becomes the epicentre of celebration. Streets fill with parades, music, and traditional Lanna dance performances. As night falls, thousands of paper lanterns are released simultaneously, turning the sky into a galaxy of glowing orbs.
Cultural Insight:
Yi Peng is rooted in Lanna tradition, symbolising the release of negativity and renewal of spirit. Loy Krathong, meanwhile, is an offering to the water goddess, expressing gratitude and apologies for humanity’s dependence on rivers.
What to Eat:
Festival-goers indulge in khao soi, a rich coconut curry noodle soup topped with crispy noodles, and mango sticky rice, which somehow tastes even sweeter under lantern light. Don’t miss grilled banana pancakes from a street vendor — a perfect midnight snack while you watch lanterns drift away.
Nagasaki Lantern Festival – Japan
Every February, Nagasaki celebrates its Chinese heritage with a dazzling lantern festival that paints the entire city in colour. Originally marking the Lunar New Year for the local Chinese community, it has grown into one of Japan’s largest winter events, featuring more than 15,000 lanterns.
Strolling through Chinatown or along the Megane Bridge, visitors encounter glowing dragons, zodiac animals, and intricate paper sculptures — all illuminated in vibrant reds and golds. Cultural performances, from lion dances to traditional music, fill the air with energy.
Cultural Insight:
The festival highlights Nagasaki’s historical connection as a port city open to foreign trade during Japan’s isolation era. It’s a reminder of how cultural exchange can light up history — quite literally.
What to Eat:
This is your chance to try champon, Nagasaki’s signature noodle dish, born from Chinese influences — thick noodles in a creamy pork broth with seafood and vegetables. Pair it with castella cake, a soft sponge dessert introduced by Portuguese traders, for a sweet finish.
Diwali – The Festival of Lights, India
While not always featuring floating lanterns, Diwali — celebrated across India and beyond — is perhaps the most luminous festival on Earth. Homes, temples, and streets are lit with millions of clay lamps (diyas), fireworks burst in every neighbourhood, and families gather to celebrate the triumph of light over darkness.
In cities like Jaipur and Varanasi, the atmosphere is electric. Markets overflow with marigolds, sweets, and colourful decorations. In the holy city of Varanasi, the Ganges River becomes a shimmering reflection of thousands of floating lamps, while priests perform evening aarti ceremonies under a sky bursting with fireworks.
Cultural Insight:
Diwali’s significance varies across India — in the north, it celebrates Lord Rama’s return from exile; in the south, it honours the victory of Lord Krishna over a demon king. But everywhere, the message is the same: light brings renewal, hope, and joy.
What to Eat:
Sweet lovers rejoice. Diwali is a sugar-coated dream, with treats like gulab jamun (fried milk dumplings in syrup), barfi (sweet milk fudge), and jalebi (crispy orange spirals soaked in honey syrup). Pair them with spiced masala chai for the ultimate festive indulgence.
The Rise Festival – Nevada, USA
In the Nevada desert, just outside Las Vegas, the Rise Festival brings a modern twist to the ancient tradition of lantern releases. Thousands of participants gather each October to write personal messages on biodegradable lanterns and release them into the crisp night air.
Unlike the more spiritual festivals of Asia, Rise is a celebration of collective intention — people come to let go of past struggles, celebrate new beginnings, or simply stand in awe of a glowing horizon. The event emphasises sustainability, ensuring every lantern is collected after descent.
Cultural Insight:
Though a newer festival, Rise reflects a universal human desire: to connect, to hope, and to share light with others. Many attendees describe it as an emotional experience — part concert, part meditation, part shared humanity.
What to Eat:
Food trucks line the desert grounds offering everything from vegan tacos to craft burgers and cold brew coffee. As the lanterns rise, most people sit back with a warm drink, soaking in the silence and glow.
Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival – Taiwan
In the quiet hills of northern Taiwan, the town of Pingxi transforms once a year into a glowing sea of light. Every Lunar New Year, thousands of sky lanterns are released into the night, each one carrying handwritten wishes for health, love, and success.
Travelers often describe it as a surreal experience: standing shoulder to shoulder with locals and tourists alike, watching hundreds of lanterns rise in unison against a velvet sky. The air hums with excitement and soft gasps as hopes literally take flight.
Cultural Insight:
The festival’s origins date back to the 19th century, when villagers used lanterns as signals of safety during bandit raids. Over time, it became a spiritual ritual — sending wishes to the heavens for good fortune.
What to Eat:
No Taiwanese festival is complete without a food market. In Pingxi, visitors feast on grilled squid skewers, bubble tea, and peanut ice cream wraps — a local favourite made by rolling ice cream, shaved peanut candy, and cilantro into a thin crepe. Grab one before heading to Shifen Old Street, where you can light your own lantern along the railway tracks.
Seoul Lantern Festival – South Korea
Every November, the Cheonggyecheon Stream in downtown Seoul becomes a glowing river of creativity. The Seoul Lantern Festival blends tradition and modernity, with illuminated sculptures that depict everything from mythical creatures to K-pop icons.
Families and couples stroll along the stream, taking photos and writing wishes on small paper lanterns. The air smells faintly of roasted chestnuts and street snacks, while K-pop music drifts from nearby speakers.
Cultural Insight:
Lanterns in Korea have long symbolised wisdom and enlightenment. The festival also aligns with Seoul’s push to celebrate sustainability and innovation — many installations are made from recycled materials or powered by renewable energy.
What to Eat:
You can’t go wrong with tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) and hotteok (sweet pancakes filled with brown sugar and nuts). For something more filling, grab a bowl of sundubu-jjigae — spicy soft tofu stew — at a local diner near Jongno.
The Universal Language of Light
Whether it’s a centuries-old ritual in Asia or a modern celebration in the desert, lantern festivals share a common thread: light as a symbol of hope, unity, and renewal. In every culture, the act of lighting and releasing a lantern carries meaning — it’s a quiet wish, a shared moment, a reminder that even the smallest light can brighten the darkest night.
Lantern festivals invite travellers not just to watch, but to participate — to write a wish, light a flame, and let it go. Because sometimes, the most beautiful journeys are the ones that remind us how connected we all are — one lantern, one hope, one glowing night at a time.
