If you want to experience the charm of Thai culture and immerse yourself in the identity of the Thai way of life, Loy Krathong is the Thai Festival you cannot miss. Bangkok River Festival 2025 is an event related to the celebration of this annual Thai festival in Bangkok. This year the event will be presented under the concept “Color of The Full Moon”.
What is Loy Krathong?
Loy Krathong is one of the main Thai festivals and is celebrated to honor the Goddess of the river. This annual celebration gets its name from the floating basket decorations or ornaments that are traditionally lit and floated on rivers all over Thailand. Loy Krathong comes from two Thai words. First, loy, means to float, while krathong is a type of small floating basket made from banana trunk. Local Thais typically create their own krathongs with folded banana leaves, flowers, candles, and incense sticks. Modern krathongs are mainly made of bread, biodegradable or edible for fish. The Krathongs are floated on the river as an offering to the water goddess Pra Mae Khongkha.
In Thailand, Loy Krathong festival is held every year on the full moon night of the 12th month in the traditional Thai lunar calendar and this year Loy Krathong Festival falls on Wednesday 5 November 2025.
What is Bangkok River Festival?
Bangkok River Festival 2025 is one of the best and most popular events in Bangkok related to Loy Krathong. This unique cultural celebration will continue for 3 days and 3 nights, from 3 to 5 November 2025.
This year, Bangkok River Festival 2025 is ready to offer you fun once again with a variety of activities. During the festival everyone can experience nighttime merit making and Krathong floating ceremonies as well as immerse into Thai culture with the riverside communities. Additionally, the festival is inviting to dress in Thai costumes to participate in activities.
Bangkok River Festival Venues and Activities
The 10 venues taking part in Bangkok River Festival 2025 and activities offered there are listed below.
Temples in Bangkok
Bangkok River Festival venues include 5 important historical temples along the Chao Phraya River, where you can join merit-making activities, called Loy Prateep (Light the Lanterns) believed to bring prosperity to life, as well as see various traditional performances.
1. Wat Pho
Activities:
- Pay homage to the Phra Budha Theva Patimakorn.
- Pay homage to the Reclining Buddha.
- Float Krathongs and aromatic candles in an environmentally sustainable manner.
- Explore the traditional market featuring community shops.
- Enjoy traditional dances, cultural performances, and music.
2. Wat Arun
Activities:
- Pay homage to Phra Phuttha Thammitsararat Lokkathat Dilok.
- Seek blessings from Luang Por Ruang Arun.
- Walk around the tour pagodas in reverence.
- Enjoy eco-concious floating ponds.
- Savor traditional Thai food stalls.
- Experience cultural performances at Lan Arun.
3. Wat Rakhang
Activities:
- Pay homage to Phra Prathan Yim Rub Fa. the principal Buddha image of Wat Rakang.
- Offer respects to the statue of Somdet Phra Phutthacharn (Luang Por Toh Phromrangsi).
- Float Krathongs and aromatic candles in an environmentally sustainable manner.
- Explore community shops.
- Enjoy musical performances from educational institutions and cultural shows.
4. Wat Kalaya
Activities:
- Pay homage to Luang Por Toh. also known as Phra Phuttha Trai Rattana Nayok (Sam Po Kong).
- Pay respects to the Buddha statue in the Parileyyaka posture.
- Make merit at the treasure chest for good fortune and prosperity.
- Enjoy Chinese opera performances, including dragon and lion dances
- Float Krathongs and aromatic candles in an environmentally sustainable manner.
- Explore community shops.
- Enjoy musical performances from educational institutions and cultural shows.
5. Wat Prayoon
Activities:
- Pay homage to Phra Phutthatama Wichettha Satsada.
- Paying Respects to Luang Phor Phuttha Nak Noi.
- Float aromatic candles and pay homage to Buddha relics.
- Pay respects to Phra Borommathat Maha Chedi.
- Explore community shops.
- Enjoy musical performances from educational institutions and cultural shows.
Other Festival Venues in Bangkok
There are also other 5 Contemporary Culture riverside venues of Bangkok River Festival 2025, including Asiatique The Riverfront, Sooksiam at ICONSIAM, Tha Maharaj, Ong Ang Canal-Damrong Sathit Bridge, and Khlong Prem Prachakon.
6. Asiatique The Riverfront
Activities:
- Float Krathongs in an environmentally sustainable way.
- Explore community shops offering a variety of foods.
- Enjoy a contemporary temple fair with game booths.
- Thai art and cultural performances.
- Krathong sale stalls by students.
More information about the venue: Asiatique the Riverfront.
7. ICONSIAM
Activities:
- Float Krathongs in an environmentally sustainable manner from 1-5 November 2025 at the Southern Zone Pond.
- Enjoy Thai cultural performances: Khon, Joe Louis Puppet Show, Thai Boxing Performance and Poeng Mang Khok Battle Performance (Membranophoe) 1-5 November 2025 at 15:00
- Join a Mini Krathong Sculpting Workshop with Thai Clay on 3-4 November 2025 at 13:00
8. Tha Maharaj
Activities:
- Float Krathongs and aromatic candles in the pond.
- Play various game booths for special prizes: Lucky Egg Draw, Ring Toss, and Basketball Shooting.
- Enjoy a live music performance by the Chao Phraya River.
- Shop, taste, and enjoy a wide variety of food and drinks from numerous shops.
9. Ong Ang Canal-Damrong Sathit Bridge
Activities:
- Cultural performances and musical entertainment.
- Community shops and stalls offering a wide variety of food.
- Admire the vibrant Street Art Water & Colour exhibition along the waterway.
- Stroll along the canal and enjoy the festive atmosphere.
10. Khlong Prem Prachakon
Activities:
- Little Noppamas Beauty Pageant.
- Noppamas Beauty Pageant.
- Sea Boxing Performance.
- Thai Art and Cultural Performance.
- The RPST Duo Shots Knockout Photography Contest.
Bangkok River Festival 2025 Schedule
Bangkok River Festival 2025 will be celebrated on 3-5 November 2025 with the following schedule:
- 3 November 2025, from 16:00 to 22:00
- 4 November 2025, from 16:00 to 22:00
- 5 November 2025, from 16:00 to 24:00
The schedule listed above is the operating hours of the festival shuttle boats. Various activities at different venues will have different timings that will normally fit within these hours.
How to get to Bangkok River Festival?
Depending on where in the city you are staying, you can reach the piers of Bangkok Riverside by BTS, MRT, or taxi, and then board the shuttle boat to travel between the venues of the festival.
The nearest pier to Bangkok MRT is Wat Pho Pier. To get there, you need to take MRT Blue Line train to Sanam Chai Station.
For getting to the festival venues by Bangkok BTS, there are two decent options:
Taking BTS Silom Line train to Saphan Taksin Station, and then boarding one of the public ferries going from Saphan Taksin Pier to Asiatique or ICONSIAM.
Taking BTS Silom Line train to Krung Thon Buri Station, where you can change to BTS Gold Line going to ICONSIAM.
Free Shuttle Boat
There will be a free shuttle boat throughout the piers from 16:00 to 22:00 on 3 and 4 November 2025, and from 16:00 to midnight on 5 November 2025, which is the main day of Loy Krathong Festival in Thailand.
You can get on the free shuttle boat at any of the piers, just choose the nearest to you.
Departure of the shuttle boat is normally every 30 minutes.
Cross River Ferry Service
Those who don’t want to wait for complimentary shuttle boats can use a paid cross river ferry service on the following routes:
- Wat Arun Pier - Tha Tien Pier (Wat Pho)
- Tha Maharaj Pier - Wang Lang Pier
- Asiatique Pier - Saphan Taksin Pier
- Tha Chang Pier - Wat Rakhang Pier
- Saphan Taksin Pier - SOOKSIAM @ ICONSIAM Pier
For more information about using cross river ferries in Bangkok check: Bangkok Cross River Ferries.
Tips
Other good places to celebrate the festival in Bangkok are listed here: Loy Krathong Festival in Bangkok.
If you want to participate in Bangkok River Festival and looking for the place to base, the best area to stay is around the Bangkok Old Town, as you will be in a short distance from the pier. As the area is very popular during Loy Krathong, Book Your Hotel Now!
