Joanna James
Loy Krathong is one of Thailand's most beautiful festivals and the picturesque celebration takes place around rivers, canals and lakes. Here's how you obtain blessings from the Goddess of Water.
Before getting onto a list of where to float your krathong, it is best to know the background of this beautiful festival. Loy Krathong is an end of harvest, ceremony, which gives thanks to the River Goddess, for her endless supply of bounty. It is also in part an apology for any polluted waterways. Floating a krathong, made out of leaves, decorated with flowers and containing a lit candle, symbolises letting go of your past grudges and anger. A lock of hair or fingernail is added to the krathong, and if it disappears along a waterway with the candle still burning, it symbolises good luck.
Since 2013, Asiatique The Riverfront has been the main venue to celebrate Loy Krathong. Before this, the festival was celebrated along the banks of the river at the Wat Saket, located in the Old City; this venue is still a popular place to celebrate Loy Krathong. Many Bangkok hotels too offer guests a chance to experience Loy Krathong at the poolside. If you are a guest at Anantara Sathorn Bangkok Hotel, Asiatique will be just 20 minutes away, if you are interested in trying your hand at floating a krathong and experiencing all the excitement of the festival, like a true local. There are in addition, a number of lakes, ponds and riverside locations for one to choose from; listed below are some of the more popular venues.
If you are not staying at a riverside hotel, there will be plenty of other venues to try your hand at floating a krathong or to even experience the scenic festival. One of the more popular venues, right within the city centre is the Lumpini Park Lake which is easy to reach from a Sathorn hotel, Bangkok has to offer; it also provides visitors and locals with a quiet respite in the folds of beautiful greenery. Other parks in the city for floating a krathong include the lakes at Benjasiri Park and Benjakiti Park; both located in Sukhumvit are popular amongst those celebrating Loy Krathong.
Asiatique, as mentioned before, is definitely the most popular venue for experiencing the festival in full bloom. Also included to riverside locations are the Wat Saket, Phra Athit Pier and the Maharaja Lifestyle Mall. All three venues are located within the Old City and tend to get crowded, as they are popular traditional places to give thanks to the River Goddess.
A krathong will be described as a small boat, vessel or container; you can buy readymade krathongs in the days leading up to the festival. In the past, these crafts were fashioned out of banana tree barks and decorated with coconut palm leaves to look like a lotus. Today's krathong designs are very innovative, with some fashioned from coconut shells, potato slices, baked bread and colourful flowers.
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A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
