Pattaya in November: Diwali on the beach Nov 7-15, then Loy Krathong and fireworks
Pattaya celebrates three festivals of light in a row in November 2026: Indian Diwali on Nov 7-15, Loy Krathong on Nov 24 and the fireworks festival on Nov 27-28. Here is how they differ and how to catch all three in one trip.
In November 2026 Pattaya celebrates light three times in a row, and the first festival is one many people don't expect here - Indian Diwali. The Tourism Authority of Thailand is holding the Amazing Thailand Grand Diwali Festival from November 3 to 29 in Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket, and Pattaya gets two venues.
Where to see Diwali in Pattaya:
1. Evenings by the Sea - November 7-15 at Central Festival Pattaya Beach on Beach Road.
2. Beach Road celebration - November 13-15, along the promenade.
The programme includes puja with lighting of clay diya lamps, Bollywood dance, Indian street food, sweets and a market with fabrics and henna. The main night of Diwali itself in 2026 is November 8, right on the festival's first weekend. Organisers have not yet published the hour-by-hour schedule.
Why Diwali in Thailand: more than two million Indian tourists visit every year, and a festival that all of India celebrates has now arrived on Thai beaches too. Diwali celebrates the victory of light over darkness and honours Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity. The lights are lit on the new moon, and homes and streets are decorated with diyas and rangoli patterns made of coloured sand.
Loy Krathong is a different story altogether. It is a Thai festival held on the full moon of the twelfth lunar month: people float krathongs - small rafts made of banana trunk with flowers, a candle and incense - to thank the water spirits and let go of grudges. In 2026 the main night of Loy Krathong is November 24. So Diwali greets the dark moon and Loy Krathong the full one, two weeks apart.
The month ends with the Pattaya International Fireworks Festival on November 27-28. The fireworks go up over the sea opposite Central Beach after sunset, and entry is free.
A plan for November if you want to see it all:
1. November 7-15 - Diwali at Central Festival and on Beach Road.
2. November 24 - Loy Krathong. Krathongs are no longer floated in the sea in Pattaya; where to celebrate is in our Loy Krathong guide.
3. November 27-28 - fireworks over the bay; where to watch is in our fireworks festival news.
There are three weeks between the first lamp and the last firework, so renting an apartment is more convenient than a hotel. Our Pattaya rental catalogue has apartments from 8,500 baht a month; each owner sets their own minimum term, which you can check in the chat on the listing page. And to see the city lights from the water, take the evening Tiffany All Star cruise with a show and dinner, from 1,800 baht, transfer included.
Forward this to friends heading to Pattaya in November: let them book flights so they catch at least two of the three festivals.
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