The Ubon Ratchathani Candle Festival is one of Thailand’s most famous Buddhist celebrations, and once you see the enormous candle sculptures on display, it’s easy to understand why.
Held around Buddhist Lent, the festival combines religious tradition, art, music and plenty of Thai-style celebration. For several days, the center of Ubon comes alive with elaborate wax creations, cultural performances and crowds coming to admire the incredible craftsmanship.
More Than Just Candles
Calling them “candles” doesn’t really do them justice.
These are enormous works of art, painstakingly carved and sculpted from beeswax. Some are decorated with incredibly intricate patterns, while others depict Buddhist stories, religious figures, mythical creatures and scenes from Thai culture.
The amount of detail is remarkable. Up close, you can spend several minutes looking at a single section of a sculpture and still discover something you hadn’t noticed before.
And these aren’t small displays sitting on a table. Some of the floats are enormous, towering over the people standing nearby and requiring teams of artists to create them.
The competition between temples and communities adds another dimension to the festival. Each group wants to produce something more impressive than the others, resulting in a spectacular collection of sculptures.
The Candle Procession
The highlight of the festival is the traditional candle procession, when the elaborate candle floats make their way through the streets of Ubon.
This is where the festival really comes alive.
The streets fill with people, music and performers, while the massive floats slowly make their way through the city. Traditional dancers and performers accompany many of the floats, adding color and movement to an already spectacular scene.
It’s one thing to walk around and look at the sculptures when they’re parked in an exhibition area. Seeing them moving through the streets as part of a huge cultural celebration is something completely different.
A Festival With Deep Roots
The Candle Festival isn’t simply a tourist attraction. It has deep religious and cultural roots.
The celebration is connected with the beginning of Buddhist Lent, known as Khao Phansa, when monks traditionally begin a period of retreat during the rainy season.
Historically, people offered candles to temples so monks would have light for studying and performing religious duties. Over time, that simple tradition evolved into the elaborate candle sculptures and artistic competition that Ubon is now famous for.
Today, the festival attracts visitors from throughout Thailand and around the world.
The Ubon Experience
What I enjoyed most was seeing the festival as a local event rather than something put on solely for tourists.
There were families everywhere, people taking photographs, vendors selling food and drinks, children watching the performers and plenty of people simply enjoying being out in the middle of the celebration.
And, of course, no Thai festival would be complete without food.
Street vendors seemed to be everywhere, making it easy to wander around, stop for something to eat and then continue exploring the displays.
Backpack Benji’s Best Bets
- If you’re visiting Ubon Ratchathani during the Candle Festival, don’t just show up for the procession and leave. Give yourself plenty of time to see the candle sculptures up close before the parade.
- The craftsmanship is incredible, and you really need to see the details from close range to appreciate how much work goes into these enormous creations.
- Then find a good spot for the procession and be prepared for crowds. The atmosphere is a huge part of the experience.
For me, the Ubon Candle Festival was another reminder of why I enjoy traveling around Thailand. You can visit the same country again and again and still find completely different experiences.