Yi Peng lantern festival, Chiang Mai, Thailand Nov 15, 2024

Yi Peng lantern festival, Chiang Mai, Thailand

As twilight descends today, Chiang Mai, Thailand"s second-largest city, will come alive with thousands of glowing lanterns for Yi Peng. Held on the full moon of the second month of the Lanna lunar calendar, this celebration is about letting go of negativity and embracing new beginnings. The highlight of the festival is the release of "khom loi" or "khom loy"—floating paper lanterns—into the night sky, which becomes a sea of warm, golden lights. People often write their hopes and dreams on the lanterns. They gather around temples and palaces to send their wishes skyward, hoping for good fortune in the year to come.

© tampatra/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Nov 15, 2018‘Ocian in view! O! The joy.’
Nov 15, 2019Mesmerizing murmuration
Nov 15, 2020What’s blooming in New Zealand?
Nov 15, 2021Manatee Awareness Month
Nov 15, 2022River otters at Acadia National Park, Maine
Nov 15, 2023Rapa Valley in Sarek National Park, Sweden
Nov 15, 2025Irohazaka Road in fall, Nikko, Tochigi, Japan

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Feb 20, 2021An enduring vision
Nov 5, 2021Pont Rouge
Jan 19, 2019It’s Art Deco Weekend in Miami
Mar 10, 2020A festival of colors
Nov 18, 2020An aviation celebration
Feb 13, 2022American bison
Nov 4, 2020Caribou on the move
Aug 4, 2018‘Fringe’ takes center stage as Edinburgh celebrates the arts
Jan 16, 2025Anniversary of Pinnacles National Park, California
Mar 19, 2018Sanxiantai Dragon Bridge in Taitung, Taiwan
Oct 17, 2025Rock River Falls, Upper Peninsula, Michigan
Jul 26, 2020A path to access
Jul 12, 2019The ‘Night of Nights’
Jun 21, 2020Grab onto the handlebars, kid
Aug 16, 2019Shining like Klondike gold
Aug 23, 2019Harvest time in the Palouse
Dec 7, 2022National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
Dec 15, 2022Borovets ski resort in Bulgaria
Sep 23, 2022Golden jellyfish in Jellyfish Lake, Palau
Nov 4, 2018And they’re off!
Aug 1, 2023National Mountain Climbing Day
Apr 29, 2024Fujian Tulou, China
Dec 29, 2025St. Gregory Church in Ani Ruins, Kars, Türkiye
Dec 27, 2022Blue Lagoon spa, Grindavík, Iceland
Nov 12, 2020Upstate autumn
Nov 12, 2024Arches National Park anniversary
Aug 15, 2019It’s surströmming time
Sep 18, 2025Dunquin Pier, County Kerry, Ireland
Jul 22, 2025Badlands National Park in South Dakota
Dec 29, 2022Silver-studded blue butterflies