Witness the Loi Krathong lantern festival

“I loved every single moment of it: lighting the lantern, patiently waiting for the warm air produced by the flame to fill the balloon, feeling the air and the pressure making sure it was ready to be carried away by the wind, letting it go, and, finally, look at it going up and up into the dark sky. It really felt like a cleansing ritual, but one full of happiness, hope, and beauty.”

“The atmosphere felt exciting at first, like a proper celebration. But as we walked past the main gate and headed towards the river, things quickly started to feel a bit… off. People were releasing lanterns right there on the streets. No designated launch areas, no guidance, just crowds of people lighting lanterns wherever they could. We saw locals selling both sky lanterns and krathongs and loads of tourists trying to figure out how to use them. It was chaotic.”

“My friends and I mingled with the throngs of tourists and locals that poured into the streets. We peeked into temples to see young monks lighting lanterns, stopped by food stalls to buy one too many portions of mango sticky rice, witnessed a parade in which Thais showcased their elaborate floats and stopped every so often to enjoy street performances that ranged from girl scout songs to Hare Krishna chants. The vibe was electric and festivities lasted till the wee hours of the morning. [...] But first, we each bought a paper lantern, walked to the water’s edge and, on the count of three, released the floating orbs of light into the sky.”