Later this month, all across Thailand but particularly in Chiang Mai, thousands upon thousands of floating paper sky lanterns will be set free by massive crowds of locals and tourists alike.
The northern Thai festival is known as Yi Peng—literally “two full moon day,” corresponding with the full moon day in the second month according to the Lanna lunar calendar—and it is part of the wider Loi Krathong festival that Wikipedia would be more than happy to educate you on.
There is a lot of tradition and information there, but the short version is this: you’ll want to be in Thailand the week of November 22nd, ready to experience one of the most beautiful festivals you’ll ever set your eyes on.
However, if you (like one sad 500px Editor I know) won’t be able to make it, these 21 incredibly beautiful photos captured by 500px users who have made it out to the festival in the past few years should help ease the pain a tiny bit… or possibly make it worse:
To see more breathtaking lantern festival photos, click here and browse until your heart aches to be there in person.
And if you have your own photos from this or any other lantern festival around the world, upload them and drop a link in the comments! We’d love to see them and live vicariously through you.
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