agoda.com, a leading global hotel booking site, is offering an array of hotel specials in Chiang Mai in celebration of the Yi Peng festival.

Yi Peng showcases the picturesque mountain city of Chiang Mai during one of Thailand’s most culturally significant events. The northern Thai city’s version of Loy Krathong, its takes place on the 12th full moon of each year – this year November 10.

Loy Krathong involves the act of floating (loy) small banana-leaf baskets (krathong) on rivers and canals as a mark of respect for Phra Mae Khongkha, the goddess of the waters. The act of floating the krathong symbolizes a release of the bad luck of the past year and a wish for good luck for the coming year. A fingernail clipping and a snippet of hair are sometimes placed into the krathong, and to make merit, coins can also be included. In Bangkok, fireworks and countless krathong light up the Chao Phraya River on this special night.

In Chiang Mai, celebrations take place around the beautiful Ping River. People release a krathong into the river, as in other parts of Thailand, but the real highlight is the launching of thousands of floating lanterns into the night sky. While the practice of releasing floating lanterns happens year-round all over the country, the sheer number of lanterns released during Yi Peng makes a truly unforgettable sight. Visitors to Chiang Mai are encouraged to join in and release their own krathong or lantern to wish for good luck.