Experiencing the Nighttime Ubon Ratchathani Candle Festival

My wife Taew and I had been to the Ubon Ratchathani Candle Festival twice before. While we'd enjoyed both visits, we wanted to experience the nighttime celebrations to complete the picture. So, in July 2026, we booked a hotel and turned it into a 24-hour adventure by adding a few other attractions along the way.

Proper Planning

We had been limited in our previous visits to the festival. Visiting the city by car and finding a parking spot would be extremely difficult due to the sheer volume of traffic and the number of attendees. We took the train and then a songthaew at the other end, as described in "Experiencing the Ubon Ratchathani Candle Festival".

This time, to enjoy it fully, we booked a hotel and stayed overnight. Even that is not as easy as it sounds, such is the demand for rooms. It is highly advisable to make a reservation as soon as the dates for the following year are released. I left it until six months beforehand, and our options were very limited.

Knowing that we had somewhere with parking was a great relief. It also allowed my good lady to see what else we could include in our trip by spending time studying the Google Maps app on her phone. I think she came up trumps.

A Youngster Having Fun at Muansurn Café

Turning Back the Years

I thought that driving south of Ubon through Warin Chamrap on the road towards the Laos border to Muansurn Café would be a simple stop for coffee and a bite to eat. When will I learn never to presume in Thailand?

While the business indeed provided us with fine coffee in a smart café, there was much more to it than that. More aimed at families with youngsters, we were still keen to have fun. The most miniature of miniature railways took us around for a couple of laps and let us feed the large fish in the pond.

Over the pond, around 50 metres in length, was a zip line from a small tower. I have seen signs for age restrictions before, but this was different. The lady selling tickets told Taew I was too big! While I acted disappointed, I was delighted with the news, so I wasn’t scared, or even worse, deposited into the muddy water. She had fun while I filmed instead.

We were going to have a go on the quadbikes, but the track was in such a state with it being rainy season, we decided to give it a miss. The excellent portions of tasty food in the bistro were a decent alternative, especially as they served beer. 

All in all, it was certainly worth the ride. We laughed and got the day off to a great start, offering it as an option for somewhere to take the extended family and their kids on a future trip.

The Packed Crowds Gather

Traffic Congestion

Taking the ring road around the city, we soon saw just how busy Ubon was going to be on the first of the three days of the festival. Cars were being parked at the side of the road around a 30-minute walk from where the parade was taking place.

Any concerns about whether our hotel would be up to scratch were soon dispelled. The Nartsiri Hotel had a spacious car park, a plush reception area and attentive staff. The room was large, clean, and comfortable, complete with a huge TV and sofa. It was certainly worth 1,200 THB (£27) including breakfast.

Unprecedented Crowds

We enjoyed a nice rest, relaxing before heading out for the evening. We came across something that I had not experienced crowd-wise since I was on the banks of the Thames in central London on Millennium Eve.
The numbers increased along the narrow streets, with walking along pavements nigh on impossible until we reached Chayangkul Road, where the parade was to take place. As the old song went, “We Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet”.

I was wary of losing Taew in the crowd, as I was trying to film at the same time for my YouTube Video, concentrating not to trip over youngsters or any cables. It was chaos with a capital C. I remained calm but was starting to get concerned as to where we would watch the procession from.

My YouTube Video of Our Adventure

Every seat was taken in the temporary seats. Taew asked if we could pay and enter the reserved areas, but they were sold out. In previous years we’d come in from the other end and found somewhere, so I didn’t give up hope. But it was to no good. Even the areas around the street stalls and markets were hard to navigate.

It made sense. As well as the visitors to the city on a public holiday, some had finished work in time to enjoy their night out. There was only one for it. We looked at the wax sculptures on the roads around Thung Sri Mueang, which were also congested and then moved on.

The streets as we walked through the old town were busy, with restaurants doing a roaring trade. As we got near the riverbank, we saw families who were delighted to have found a parking spot heading towards the throng. I sincerely hoped that they wouldn’t be disappointed. 

Always Have a Plan B

Taew and I were phlegmatic about it all. We’d seen a couple of festival processions, and this time saw most of the exhibits. It was hot and far too crowded. Anyway, as usual, we had a Plan B.

As described in “Discovering Food, Drink & Nightlife in Ubon Ratchathani”, we had found an excellent place by the Mun. Experience had told us that while alcohol should not be sold on the first day of Buddhist Lent, some establishments appear to be exempt from the regulation.

Jum Saap Rim Mun served us their speciality Chim Chum Thai hotpot on the balcony overlooking the river, drinking Singha beer. The popularity of the establishment was maintained, with the boss keeping his staff on their toes. 4 large bottles of beer, plus the hotpot with added ingredients came to 660 THB (£14.65).

The Excellent Jum Saap Rim Mun Restaurant

Our Marvellous Grab Driver

Delighted with our evening, which included making plans for future adventures, I ordered a Grab taxi. I was immediately struck that it was double the price for a similar distance as last time. And there was a 25-minute wait.

The driver, when he arrived, couldn’t have been more courteous, taking us through the old town and remaining calm in the snarled-up traffic. It gave me a chance to note down some places for future reference that looked worth a visit.

It was great to see so many businesses doing well, with restaurants busy. He took us a route back further along the river and dropped us at the hotel. He was well worth the tip we gave him, before we relaxed with beers on the sofa to round off a wonderful day. The only sad note to end the evening was the breaking news on television that the body of the superb young Thai YouTuber Hlun Solo had been found.

Khampun Museum - Quality but Expensive

Time for Morning Adventure

The excellent buffet breakfast rounded off an excellent hotel stay, where again the staff were top-drawer. There were no traffic issues as we headed to the ring road, where we turned right at the intersection rather than in the direction of home.

I’d also done some research and wanted to take Taew to Khampun Museum, just a few minutes away, which we’d passed unnoticed several times in the past. What we found was certainly worth a look, even if it cost nearly as much as the entire previous evening.

The café had staff waiting as we walked through the door, with chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, pristine furniture spread around the large room, and a marble counter. A man, who seemed to be the boss of the entire operation, made us welcome and gave us a menu.

How Much!

I told Taew to look at the bags and woven cloths made on site, and I would treat her. She sat down and waited until the manager was out of earshot before telling me the price. A small handbag was 5,000 THB (£110), with the cloths twice as much. I told her to wait until next time as we both tried to suppress laughter.

Finishing our drinks, I was determined that we would see everything. The small museum, where ladies were weaving using traditional methods, was interesting enough and cost us another 100 THB each.

Inside Khampun Museum

By now our car was blocked in by lots more coming to visit, hopefully with more expendable cash than we had. The friendly attendant told us not to worry, walking us to the front gate, and pointing along the main road to where some traditionally dressed youngsters were manning another entrance.

Along we walked, where we were charged another 100 THB each to enter more grounds belonging to the museum, including a temple. It transpired that we had chosen a Charity Day, so at least our cash was going to a decent cause. I’ve no idea which one, but the thought comforted me a little.

Everyone was pleasant, with a school choir singing, and lots more ladies weaving, and others trying to sell the finished products. I took lots of photos and filmed so I could try to get my money’s worth. We are not tight with our money, but this was a little bit out of our league.

We must have been in a good mood as we tipped the car park attendant, who did a fine job, as we left laughing away, and imagining which of our friends, who are on the cautious side when spending money, we could recommend it to.

A Few Tips for Attending the Ubon Candle Festival

• Book accommodation as soon as festival dates are announced.
• Reserve parade seating if you want the best views.
• Expect very large crowds on the first evening.
• Have alternative evening plans if the parade is too crowded.
• Allow extra time for Grab taxis and expect to pay a bit more.
• Turn it into a longer stay by visiting other attractions around Ubon.

To Conclude

The popularity of the annual Ubon Ratchathani Candle Festival speaks for itself. It's one of Thailand's great cultural celebrations and well worth experiencing at least once. Stay overnight, plan, be prepared for huge crowds, and you'll come away with memories that will last for years.

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.