November 2026 | Lantern Festivals | Thailand

Golden Grandeur | Temples, Rituals, and River Light

Highlights
Grand Palace and Emerald Buddha · Wat Pho · Lunch · Flower market visit · Wat Arun

This morning, we step into the royal and spiritual heart of old Siam.

At the Grand Palace, intricate mosaics and golden spires reflect centuries of history and tradition reveals a world of intricate mosaics, towering spires, and sacred courtyards history still lingers. Within its grounds, the Emerald Buddha sits as one of Thailand’s most revered figures, a symbol of protection and continuity.

Nearby, the immense Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho stretches in quiet grandeur, and the atmosphere shifts to something more contemplative.

After lunch, we move through the city to the flower market, where stalls overflow with orchids, marigolds, and lotus buds prepared for offerings and daily rituals. It is a vibrant and sensory glimpse into everyday life in Bangkok.

Crossing the river, we arrive at Wat Arun as the light begins to soften. Its delicate porcelain details catch the late afternoon glow, offering a final perspective on the city’s spiritual landscape as the river moves slowly below the temple steps as boats glide past and the city unfolds along its banks.

The evening is free to explore the neighbourhood streets, riverfront cafés, or night markets that bring the city to life after dark.

Inclusions
Breakfast · Guided temple visits · Lunch · Flower market visit · Accommodation in Bangkok

Sacred Traditions | Blessings and Lantern Craft

Highlights
Morning visit to a peaceful local temple for a monk blessing · Hands-on lantern-making workshop with local artisans

Morning light filters through the trees as we make our way to one of Chiang Mai’s serene temples. The city is quieter here. Incense drifts through open courtyards while monks move softly between prayer halls.

Inside the temple we take part in a traditional blessing ceremony. Chanting fills the air as sacred threads are tied gently around our wrists, a symbol of protection and good fortune. It is a moment of stillness that offers a deeper glimpse into Thailand’s spiritual traditions.

Later we step into the creative heart of the Yi Peng festival. Local artisans welcome us into their workshop to learn the delicate craft of lantern making. Paper frames take shape in our hands as we hear how these lanterns carry hopes and intentions into the night sky.

By evening the city begins to glow with anticipation. Lanterns appear in shop windows and temple courtyards as Chiang Mai quietly prepares for the celebrations ahead.

Inclusions
Breakfast · Temple visit · Lantern making workshop · Dinner · Accommodation in Chiang Mai

Lanterns in the Sky | Yi Peng Under the Full Moon

Highlights
Visit to Wat Doi Suthep overlooking Chiang Mai · Yi Peng lantern release ceremony

High above the Chiang Mai valley stands Wat Doi Suthep, the most revered temple in northern Thailand. This morning, we travel into the mountains to visit this sacred hilltop sanctuary, where the golden stupa rises above the forest canopy and prayer flags move gently in the breeze.

Climbing the temple steps, we join pilgrims circling the shrine in quiet reflection as temple bells echo across the courtyard. From the terraces, the Chiang Mai valley stretches far below, framed by distant hills and morning mist.

The afternoon is left open to pause before the evening ahead.

As night falls, we arrive at the lantern ceremony, the defining moment of the journey.

Fires are lit. Lanterns are prepared. Monks share the meaning behind the tradition, one of release, gratitude, and renewal.

Then, all at once, the sky begins to fill.

Thousands of lanterns rise together, lifting slowly into the darkness. The scale is immediate and overwhelming, a field of light expanding above you, silent, weightless, and impossible to ignore.

There is no single focal point. Wherever you look, the sky is alive with movement.

It is a moment that stops conversation, stops time, and holds everyone in it.

Dinner follows, shared beneath a sky still carrying the glow of the evening.

Inclusions
Breakfast · Guided visit to Wat Doi Suthep · Lunch · Festival lantern release ceremony · Dinner · Accommodation in Chiang Mai

Into the Forest | Elephants, Landscape, and Quiet Connection

Highlights
Ethical elephant sanctuary experience · Time observing elephants in their natural environment · Forest setting · Waterfall visit

Today, we leave the city behind and travel into the surrounding countryside, where forested hills and rivers shape a quieter rhythm of life.

We spend time at an ethical elephant sanctuary, where the focus is on observation and care rather than interaction. Here, elephants move freely through their natural environment as we learn about their behaviour, history, and the work being done to protect them.

It is a more considered experience, offering a deeper connection to both the animals and the landscape they inhabit.

At midday, we enjoy a simple, locally prepared lunch, allowing time to pause and take in the surroundings.

Later, we continue to a nearby waterfall, where there is time to walk through the forest, cool off, or simply sit and take in the atmosphere before returning to Chiang Mai.

We arrive back in the late afternoon, with the evening at leisure.

Inclusions
Breakfast · Elephant sanctuary experience · Lunch · Accommodation in Chiang Mai

River of Kings | Waterways and a Farewell in Light

Highlights
Domestic flight to Bangkok · Canal longtail boat experience · Riverside exploration · Farewell dinner

This morning, we leave Chiang Mai and return to Bangkok, where the rhythm of the capital unfolds once again.

By afternoon, we step away from the busy streets and take to the water, travelling by longtail boat through the city’s hidden canals. Wooden homes line the waterways, small temples sit quietly along the banks, and daily life moves at an unhurried pace.

As the light softens, we make our way toward the river, pausing to take in the changing atmosphere as day shifts into evening.

Tonight, we gather for a final dinner together in a beautiful riverside setting, with views across the water as the city begins to glow. It is a moment to celebrate the journey and the experiences shared along the way.

Inclusions
Breakfast · Domestic flight to Bangkok · Canal longtail experience · Farewell dinner · Accommodation in Bangkok