Vietnam Lantern Festival vs Thailand Lantern Festival: Key Differences

Lantern festivals are magical, immersive experiences of light, culture and community. But when comparing the Vietnam Lantern Festival vs Thailand Lantern Festival, we find that despite the superficial similarity of “lanterns in the night”, they differ significantly in origin, form, timing, meaning and experience. In this blog we’ll dive into those differences, show you what makes each special — and help you choose (or combine!) your next trip.

1. Comparing: Vietnam Lantern Festival vs Thailand Lantern Festival

Before we jump into differences, let’s clarify what each phrase covers.

1. By Vietnam Lantern Festival we primarily refer to the well-known celebration in Hoi An (Central Vietnam) where lanterns are released or displayed monthly on full-moon nights.
2. By Thailand’s Lantern Festival we refer to the major lantern-and-light events in Thailand, especially the Yi Peng Festival and the Loy Krathong festival, which together form the key “lantern festival in Thailand” experience.
3. Note: The phrase “lantern festival in Thailand” is thus used to mean the Thailand’s Lantern Festival experience (the sky lanterns of Yi Peng + the floating lanterns of Loy Krathong).
4. Throughout this article, I will refer back to Vietnam Lantern Festival vs Thailand Festival as the focus key phrase.

2. Origins & Cultural Meaning

Vietnam Lantern Festival

In Hoi An, the Lantern Festival takes place on the 14th day of each lunar month (the night of the full moon) in the ancient town.
The lantern tradition here dates back to the town’s trading port era (16th-17th century) when Chinese & Japanese merchants brought lantern craft, and the craft evolved locally.
Spiritually, the festival is tied to full-moon nights, ancestor-worship, Buddhist vegetarian evenings, offering incense, and making wishes by releasing lanterns on the river.
It is less about mass spectacle and more about ambience, slower rhythm, local craft, and reflection. For a broader look at traditional events, explore our guide to Vietnamese festivals.

Thailand Lantern Festival

In Thailand, the festival experience has two major components:

1. The Yi Peng festival: sky lanterns (khom loy) released in the night sky in northern Thailand (especially Chiang Mai) as an act of letting go of bad luck and inviting good fortune.
2. The Loy Krathong festival: floating lanterns or baskets (krathongs) released on rivers, lakes or canals, honoring the water-goddess and releasing past mistakes.
   Thus the “lantern festival in Thailand” mixes sky lanterns, water lanterns, and large public festive atmosphere.

Summary of Meaning

1. Vietnam Lantern Festival: monthly, reflective, rooted in local craft & full-moon ritual.
2. Thailand Lantern Festival: annual large-scale events, release of lanterns (sky & water), high-tourist-visibility.
   For a traveler choosing between Vietnam Lantern Festival vs Thailand Lantern Festival, these underlying meaning differences will shape the experience. For example, the monthly full moon dates often coincide with the Vietnamese Moon Festival (Tết Trung Thu) if you travel in autumn.

3. Timing & Frequency

Vietnam Lantern Festival

1. Takes place on the 14th day of each lunar month in Hoi An. For example, in 2025 the dates include January 13, February 12, March 13 … December 3.
2. Because it occurs monthly, visitors have flexibility to plan, though the “biggest” evenings are often the first full moon of Lunar New Year and the Mid-Autumn Festival.
3. No elaborate ticketing or massive crowds (though still busy on prime dates).

Thailand Lantern Festival

1. The lantern festival in Thailand is less frequent, tied to the full moon of the 12th month of the Thai lunar calendar for Loy Krathong and the second month of the Lanna lunar calendar for Yi Peng.
2. It’s seasonal (usually in November, although the exact date varies each year).
3. High demand: For example, Yi Peng tickets often sell out months ahead for the mass lantern release in Chiang Mai.
   Therefore: comparing Vietnam Lantern Festival vs Thailand Lantern Festival: Vietnam offers more frequent (monthly) nights; Thailand offers fewer but bigger-scale nights.

4. Location & Setting

Vietnam Lantern Festival

1. Takes place in the historic town of Hoi An (a UNESCO World Heritage site). The old town is lit by thousands of silk lanterns, electric lights turned off, boat rides on the Hoai River, etc.
2. The setting is intimate, charming, pedestrian-friendly, quiet lanes decorated with lanterns, riverbank releases of small floating lamps. You can experience the charming Hoi An Nightlife every evening, but the full moon is special.
3. Ideal for couples, slow travel, photography, craft lovers.

Thailand Lantern Festival

1. For the lantern festival in Thailand, major events happen in Chiang Mai (for sky lanterns) and other parts of Thailand for water lanterns (Bangkok, Sukhothai, Ayutthaya) but Chiang Mai is the iconic one.
2. The setting is larger-scale, often ticketed venues, huge crowds, mass releases of lanterns into the sky, plus side events.
3. For travellers wanting the “wow” moment and spectacle, the Thailand Lantern Festival wins in scale.

5. Experience & Activities

Vietnam Lantern Festival

Experience highlights include:

1. On full-moon night, lights in Hoi An’s ancient town are turned off, and the silk lanterns light the streets.
2. You can buy floating lanterns (paper lotus or boat shapes) on the Hoai River, light a candle, whisper a wish and set it afloat.
3. Lantern-making workshops: visitors can learn the craft of silk lanterns in Hoi An.
4. Slower pace, fewer crowds (though can still be busy on major nights), great for photo-walks and cultural immersion.

Ready to experience the Vietnam Lantern Festival in Hoi An? Get in touch with our team and we’ll tailor your stay to catch the magic at the right moment.

Thailand Lantern Festival

Experience highlights include:

1. Mass sky‐lantern release: in Chiang Mai during Yi Peng you’ll see thousands of lanterns rising simultaneously into the night sky.
2. Water lantern release: during Loy Krathong, locals and visitors release floating krathongs on rivers.
3. Tickets and organization: many of the “big” events are ticketed and organized by tour operators.
4. Large crowds, high energy, big spectacle, special photography moments.

Want to witness the iconic lantern festival in Thailand with VIP access and local guidance? Let we secure your tickets and design a seamless Thailand Festival experience for you.

6. Key Differences at a Glance

Here’s a comparative table for Vietnam Lantern Festival vs Thailand Lantern Festival:

When comparing the Vietnam Lantern Festival vs Thailand Lantern Festival, you’ll notice that one is about immersive cultural nuance (Vietnam) and the other about grand spectacle (Thailand).

7. Which Should You Choose? (Or Do Both)

Choosing between the Vietnam Lantern Festival vs Thailand Lantern Festival depends on your travel style, budget, timing and what kind of memory you want.

Choose Vietnam Lantern Festival if you:

1. Prefer less tourist-crowded nights and a more authentic, local-feeling atmosphere.
2. Want flexibility: monthly occurrence means you can plan at many times.
3. Value craft, culture, slower pace, romantic or contemplative setting.
4. Are visiting Vietnam anyway and want to add a magical night.

Choose Thailand Lantern Festival if you:

1. Want a “bucket-list” type experience: thousands of lanterns floating up or onto water, huge visual impact.
2. Don’t mind the crowds and higher logistics (tickets, hotel bookings early).
3. Are comfortable with a large tour-style event and perhaps want to combine other Thailand highlights.

Why not do both?

If your schedule and budget allow, combining both gives you a rich contrast: the reflective charm of the Vietnam Lantern Festival followed by the grand spectacle of the Thailand Lantern Event. Contact Sun Getaways Travel (WhatsApp) to design a multi-destination itinerary to capture both.

8. Practical Travel Tips & Considerations

Booking & Timing

1. For the Thailand Lantern Festival (lantern festival in Thailand) you’ll want to book months ahead for accommodation, event tickets, and transportation.
2. For the Vietnam Lantern Festival in Hoi An you still want to plan (especially on major full-moon nights) but you have greater flexibility. You can also explore other ways to experience Vietnam Nightlife in other cities while in Vietnam.

Cost & Crowd

1. Expect higher costs and bigger crowds during the Thailand Lantern Festival nights.
2. For Vietnam Lantern Festival you’ll still deal with crowds on big dates, but generally lower cost and less competitive.

Respecting Culture & Environment

1. Whether Vietnam or Thailand, releasing lanterns has cultural meaning; act respectfully (dress modestly, observe local customs, dispose of lanterns responsibly).
2. In Hoi An the full-moon nights often include turning off electric lights — embrace the experience of subdued modern lighting.

Photography

1. For the Thailand Festival: aim for vantage points (early arrival) for sky-lantern releases. Some commercial events offer designated photo spots.
2. For the Vietnam Lantern Festival: A boat ride on the Hoai River gives beautiful reflections; also walking the old town’s lantern-lit streets is photo-gold.

Travel Route Ideas

1. Vietnam only: Stay in Hoi An 2-3 nights, include full-moon night, explore lantern-making workshops, river ride.
2. Thailand only: 3-4 nights in Chiang Mai around Yi Peng + Loy Krathong, mix other northern Thailand experiences (temples, hill).
3. Combined: Fly into Vietnam (Hanoi or Danang) → Hoi An for Lantern Festival → then fly to Thailand (Chiang Mai) to catch the lantern festival in Thailand. Let we coordinate the regional logistics.

Final Thoughts

When you set out to compare Vietnam Lantern Festival vs Thailand Lantern Festival, you’re really deciding between two beautiful but distinct ways of experiencing light, culture and celebration.

1. If you want quiet, magic, craft and local charm — go with Vietnam Lantern Festival in Hoi An.
2. If you want dramatic skies, thousands of lanterns, unforgettable crowd energy — choose the lantern festival in Thailand.
3. If you can, why not embrace both? The contrast makes the entire journey richer.

If you’d like help planning either or both — from choosing dates, securing tickets, customizing your experience — our team is ready to tailor a tour for you. Let’s craft a trip you’ll remember for a lifetime.