Experiencing the Ubon Ratchathani Candle Festival

It is surprising just how little is known about the many festivals staged around Thailand, even by expats living there or regular visitors. I'm a prime example. Despite visiting the Land of Smiles nearly 30 times before moving here, I had no idea events such as the Ubon Ratchathani Candle Festival even existed.

What is the Candle Festival

The festival takes place each July, although the exact dates change each year as they are based on the Buddhist calendar to mark the beginning of Lent. It is an annual celebration in Thailand that features giant intricately carved wax sculptures mounted on lorries, traditional dances, and festive parades. The main area used is around Thung Si Mueang Park and the roads leading off it, with the parades running along the main Chayangkun Road that runs through the city.

Many temples or local communities have a float or dancers that take part in the procession. The wax sculptures are prepared over several months before the event, and visitors can watch their progress at many of the participating temples. Temporary grandstands with canopy covers are assembled along the route of the procession.

Our First Visit – July 2024

Being the inquisitive type and wanting to enjoy all that our Isan region has to offer since we moved to the northeast, I would often ask my wife Taew if she knew of any forthcoming events. She mentioned the festival in Ubon and started to research. It was certainly something I knew I’d enjoy. Its popularity immediately became obvious as all the hotels in the city were fully booked, ending any hopes of staying overnight.

That wasn’t a great problem, as Ubon is only an hour away from us in the car. However, I had a better idea in mind. We parked at Kanthararom railway station on the Saturday of the event. After a relaxing coffee, we boarded the busy local service from Nakhon Ratchasima, which called at Sisaket before picking us up.

Heavy Traffic

The journey took around 40 minutes and cost just 7 THB (£0.16). When we alighted, we found songthaews waiting outside. The station at Ubon is south of the city, across the Mun River in the town of Warin Chamrap, a 10-minute journey on a day without any traffic.

The traffic was fine until we neared the first of the two bridges that cross a large tributary and then the main river, with vehicles gridlocked bumper to bumper. It wasn't too much of a concern, though, as we thought we had plenty of time, and we weren’t entirely sure what to expect when we got off after paying 15 THB each for the ride.

Taew spoke to some ladies who pointed us in the right direction up the main road when we alighted at the Fountain Roundabout, where the songthaew circled, then went back to collect more passengers at the station.

A Fantastic Spectacle

The procession had begun, but we hadn’t missed too much of it, as it joined the main route when coming out of Phalorangrit Road on the north side of the park. The colourful sights and sounds soon got us in the mood as we walked along before finding spaces in one of the grandstands.

It was a warm early afternoon as we sat next to a gentleman visiting the event from Japan. Volunteers walked along giving out free cartons of water, while one of the sponsors gave away hand-held foldable fans. Music played, participants danced, and everyone enjoyed the spectacle of beautifully crafted wax floats, which had water sprayed on them occasionally to stop them from melting.

There was commentary in Thai and English to keep spectators informed. All in all, I thought it was an excellent way to spend around 90 minutes. Especially as we then had the chance to go and see all the floats as they parked up in the streets so they could be photographed and admired at close quarters.

Food and Drink Options

There were also lots of market stalls set up selling the usual street food snacks and soft drinks, as well as items to attract the kids and clothing for adults. We sat down to eat pork noodles and take in the atmosphere.

We ascertained that the nighttime parade started around 7.30 pm. The last train was an hour later, so we decided to head back earlier and try to visit another time after booking accommodation. But before that, we headed through the narrow streets of the old town, which has lots of interesting independent shops and cafes, down to the banks of the river.

We'd spotted a couple of riverside places on Google Maps that looked ideal for a drink, but on the way, I remembered the restrictions associated with Buddhist Lent. Alcohol sales are generally prohibited, so I wasn't expecting much luck. At an open-fronted establishment, I spotted the telltale signs of people drinking from large paper cups, relaxing with contented smiles.

We enquired, and sure enough, we were offered a selection of beers. We went upstairs onto the open balcony overlooking the river to enjoy drinks and some snacks while chilled-out music played. I’ve been in more celebrious bars, but this was perfect for what we needed.

Getting a taxi on the apps was a forlorn task, with none being available. Instead, we walked back to the roundabout, going past Talad Yai Market, and then caught a regular songthaew service over the river. An older local gentleman assisted and told us where to get out for the station, which was a few minutes' walk away. A good day out indeed.

Return and a Birthday Treat – July 2025

As things worked out, we missed the deadline for hotel bookings once more. The first of the three days of the festival was a Wednesday, and it fell on Taew’s birthday, so we decided to follow a similar pattern to the previous year.

Again, the train was busy on the bank holiday, but this time the station seemed far better organised. Plenty of staff were on hand to provide information and guide us to the waiting line of songthaews into the city.

Once more we found an excellent vantage point and enjoyed the parade. While similar to the previous year, I still enjoyed it, possibly because I knew what was going on and what to look out for. I certainly appreciated the work that went into the sculptures, having called into a couple of the temples on my regular visits to Ubon throughout the year, either taking guests around or on my way to watch football.

What we did differently this time was we crossed the road at the end of the procession and had a proper look around the stalls and impromptu markets that had been set up, allowing me to treat Taew on her special day. The atmosphere was heartwarming, with lots of families enjoying the fun, while there were quite a few farangs also buying into the experience.

My YouTube Video for the 2025 Festival

After looking at the floats and me filming lots of coverage for the video I was making for my YouTube Channel, we again headed towards the river. While I thought our location was excellent a year earlier, Taew had somewhere else in mind.

The local delicacy of fried moo yor, a type of savoury sausage, was one of my favourites; it was to be Jaew Hon that was the choice of my wife, upstairs in an air-conditioned room at Nuehom Restaurant. They were selling beer, so that was good enough for me.

I thought the meal she ordered was Chim Chum, an Isan hotpot, where ingredients are added into a large pot of continually heated water as the juices create a soup while they cook. It is a meal I always enjoy. However, the two separate smaller bowls confused me on this occasion.

I later discovered it was Jaew Hon rather than Chim Chum. While both are Isan hot pots, Jaew Hon is known for its rich herbal broth and fiery dipping sauce packed with roasted rice powder, herbs and chillies. Diners cook the raw ingredients in the broth before serving them into individual bowls.

I think the idea of having two of them is so that separate dishes can be made, so diners get a fuller experience. I was watching Taew add sauces and herbs, quite looking forward to tasting. The first bowl contained quite possibly the spiciest thing I have ever eaten, but I gradually got used to it, aided by liberal mouthfuls of ice-cold beer.

Taew asked me if I wanted to try the other pot. Why not, I thought. It was something I won’t be doing ever again. It was beyond me. A lesson learned, as they say. We took our time finishing the food; this time I got lucky with a taxi on the Grab app picking us up.

Because I’d allowed extra time, we were left waiting for the train. Opposite the station is a row of basic restaurants and stalls. Taew enquired at the first, where the owner pointed us in the direction of another one a couple further along, where we were sold a beer to share before we clambered on board and returned to Kanthararom.

Perfect Planning

Onto 2026. This time I was determined not to miss out, and we managed to book a hotel room, a 10-minute walk from the park, so we could go to enjoy the nighttime activities. See how we got on by choosing the related article below.

To Conclude

The Ubon Ratchathani Candle Festival is one of the most enjoyable events I've attended in Thailand. The combination of spectacular wax sculptures, traditional dancing, music and a friendly atmosphere makes it well worth the journey.

If you're planning to visit, book accommodation as early as possible because hotels fill up quickly, and be prepared for both hot sunshine and the possibility of heavy rain.

If you enjoyed this story, feel free to check out my YouTube Channel, where I share videos about everyday life in Thailand, local football, and travel across the country.

Thanks for reading.