HK101: Here’s Your Itinerary for an Authentic Chinese New Year in Hong Kong

Get ready to roll into the most spectacular time of the year for local Hong Kongers — Chinese New Year! It's that time when Hong Kong transforms into a kaleidoscope of traditions, family gatherings, and grand feasts. Falling somewhere between late January and mid-February, the whole city bursts into dazzling scenes of vivid reds and golds, bright lanterns, and florals all around for luck and prosperity.

Complete with joyous festivities brimming with deep symbolism and hearty cheer, Chinese New Year in Hong Kong is a cultural extravaganza not to be missed. Check out this list of the top Chinese New Year activities in Hong Kong for the perfect itinerary to usher in the Year of the Dragon with authentic experiences over flashy tourist gimmicks.

Our hand-picked checklist is your golden ticket to the city's most buzzing events, starting the 2024 Lunar New Year on a note of cultural richness and oodles of good vibes!

Visit Hong Kong’s Chinese New Year Flower Markets

Comprising a section of the iconic and beloved annual Victoria Park Chinese New Year Fair, this festive flower market is one of the largest and most popular in Hong Kong. Stroll through the bustling lanes to shop for auspicious flowers like gladiolus and peach blossoms that symbolize good luck and prosperity. If you’re looking to fill the air with some romance, Chinese tradition believes that walking in a circle around a peach blossom tree three times in the clockwise direction will help you find your future love in the year ahead! If you are already happily involved with a special someone, circle the tree once to enhance your connection.

At the market, visitors can also discover a variety of zodiac-related items and keepsakes at the dry goods stalls, perfect for gifting or as personal mementos.

Pray For Good Fortune at a Nearby Temple

Step into the heart of tradition with one of Hong Kong's most cherished Chinese New Year rituals – the first incense offering. It's believed that being the first person to offer incense at a temple will receive extraordinary blessings, and nowhere is this more fervently pursued than at the Wong Tai Sin Temple, one of the city’s most famous sites of worship.

Another highlight of the lunar new year temple rituals, held on the second day of Chinese New Year, is the one at Che Kung Temple. Worshippers gather in droves, offering incense sticks to Che Kung, a legendary military commander from the Southern Song dynasty.

Nearby, an iconic fortune-changing fan-bladed wheel awaits. Give it a clockwise turn and set yourself up for a year of good fortune and smooth sailing. You can also grab a pinwheel souvenir to take a piece of the blessings home!

Watch the Chinese New Year Night Parade

Experience the vibrant Cathay International Chinese New Year Night Parade as it welcomes the Year of the Dragon under the theme 'Good Fortune All Around Hong Kong'. Taking place on the first day of the Lunar New Year, the parade showcases dazzling floats and exhilarating performances that symbolize prosperity and good luck.

From 8 PM, the streets of Tsim Sha Tsui will burst with life as the parade unfolds. Magnificent floats and dynamic performers will traverse the main streets, spreading joy and fortune to all allowing you to embrace the vibrant energy and traditions of this auspicious holiday. The parade route begins at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza, meandering through Canton, Haiphong, and Nathan Road, and culminating at the Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel and Towers. Free viewing is available along Canton, Haiphong, and Nathan Roads, while spectator seats at key locations offer an enhanced experience.

Watch the Chinese New Year Fireworks

Mark the arrival of the Year of the Dragon with Hong Kong’s famous skyline, illuminated with extra firepower. This highly anticipated annual firework extravaganza captivates thousands of spectators on both sides of the harbour, promising an awe-inspiring spectacle.

The fireworks display will begin at 8 PM on the second day of the 2024 Chinese New Year festivities. To ensure optimal viewing for all, a fleet of barges will be strategically positioned in the heart of Victoria Harbour, between Tsim Sha Tsui and Central, serving as a central launching point for the fireworks.

The city's iconic towers on either side of the harbour will also participate in this synchronized extravaganza, amplifying the splendor of the occasion. The Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront, the Central and Western District Promenade, and Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai provide excellent vantage points to witness the dazzling array of colors and patterns illuminating the night sky.

Go Chinese New Year Shopping

In the week leading up to Lunar New Year, Hong Kong comes alive with a multitude of vibrant new year markets and fairs scattered across the island, Kowloon, and the New Territories. These markets, varying in size and number of stalls, are a result of the government's autumn auctions where plant nurseries, small businesses, and food vendors compete for a coveted spot to showcase their offerings during the busiest time of the year.

You'll discover specialty delicacies, sweets, and snacks unique to this festive period, decorations to adorn your home, as well as stalls offering novelty items and gifts that span the spectrum of imagination. Hong Kong’s biggest malls will also be showing off Chinese New Year displays for photo-opportunities you won’t want to miss, accompanied by slashed prices at almost every large shopping district – such as apm, Citywalk, Festival Walk, Harbour City, Langham Place, New Town Plaza, Pacific Place, Time Square, 1881 Heritage. So, if you’ve got the coin to spare, now is the time to spend it!

Try Your Luck on the Racetrack

Test your luck for the year ahead at Happy Valley Racecourse's Blossom Nights, a dazzling fusion of tradition and fun. Perfect for families and friends, this event promises a unique celebration to start the new year with a bang.

Head into the wonderland of colorful cherry blossoms, a symbol of prosperity and new beginnings, set against a backdrop of lucky gold coins and glowing red lanterns. Amidst this festive ambiance, feel the thrill of live horse racing, a cornerstone of Hong Kong's vibrant culture.

Plus, nonstop entertainments are poised to stun each night. With top live acts, culminating in a stunning LED-lit lion dance on Feb. 15, ushering in good fortune. The party keeps going with dynamic ribbon dancers, rocking local bands, and blessings from the God of Fortune himself.

Make a Wish at the Wishing Trees

Drawing throngs of people from all corners of the world to the historic village, locals and tourists alike all flock to Lam Tsuen village’s historic tree to make wishes for the new year. Here's the fun part: you get to write your deepest desires and hopes onto placards tied to oranges, and toss them onto the tree, hoping to land a branch. It's like making a basketball shot, but instead of points, you're scoring a chance at good fortune and dream fulfillment for the year! As night falls, the festival transforms into an ethereal realm with the lighting of wishing lanterns that get gently sent off to float along the water.

How many of these have you already ticked off from your Hong Kong bucket list? For more of the latest events in Hong Kong, check out The Beat Asia’s directory here.