A Festival of Lights

Each November, Thailand’s waterways come alight with floating candles as communities celebrate Loy Krathong, or the Festival of Lights. It’s one of Thailand’s most famous cultural events — but no one’s quite sure of its origins. Here, we explore the stories behind Loy Krathong, as well as how you can join the celebrations at COMO Point Yamu in Phuket.

The name ‘Loy Krathong’ derives from the Thai words ‘loy’, meaning ‘to float’, and ‘krathong’, meaning ‘small religious offering’. Each year, on the night of the full moon in the 12th month of the lunar calendar, communities across Thailand gather together; accompanied by Hindu and Buddhist prayers, they wish for good fortune, gratitude and happiness. Participants shape a krathong using banana leaves and flowers, then place a candle inside their creation. As night falls, families flock to beaches, rivers, canals, and lakes, where they set the krathongs adrift in a sea of flickering candles. 

In Buddhism, it began some 700 years ago in the ancient Thai kingdom of Sukhothai. A beautiful woman, Nang Noppamas, hoped to catch the eye of King Ramkamhaeng. She spent hours crafting a lotus-shaped offering, then filled it with intricately carved fruit, placed a lit candle in its centre, and floated her creation downriver to the King’s palace. When he saw the offering, the King fell in love instantly. He was so captivated he decreed that once a year, his subjects should craft and release their own offerings. The act would serve as thanks to Buddha, as well as to the goddess of water, Phra Mae Khongkha, for bringing the King and his consort together. 

For Hindus, Loy Krathong has a slightly more ambiguous resonance, with roots in an ancient religious ritual transported from India. Krathong are offerings to the mythical naga, serpent-like creatures that live in bodies of water. The naga can bring both favour and misfortune, so it’s important to appease them by showing due reverence. Whatever the truth, the practice of making krathong or their equivalent has spread throughout Southeast Asia, to Cambodia and as far north as China, reflecting a shared cultural reverence for spiritual and natural elements.

At COMO Point Yamu in Phuket, Loy Krathong is a particularly special celebration, bringing together families as well as different cultures and faiths. It’s a chance to immerse yourself in the spiritual resonance of Thai culture, to enter a world of goddesses and sea creatures.  On the day of the festival – November 15th – children joining Play by COMO will have the chance to create and decorate their own krathong, and play traditional Thai games. As evening approaches, they’ll float their homemade krathong on our pond. Once their ceremony is over and night has truly fallen, you might choose to approach the clifftop for another sighting of local krathong washing out to sea – small specks of light, carrying hopes for seasonal renewal and the favour of the gods. 

This year, Loy Krathong will be celebrated on November 15th. For more information on celebrations at COMO Point Yamu, please speak to the concierge.