Chinese New Year in Hong Kong
Sep 19th, 2004, 08:29 PM
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Chinese New Year in Hong Kong
We are thinking of a flight arriving HK on Feb 10th but are wondering if the hotels are all packed and particularly if they really raise their rates for New Years. If Chinese New Year is Feb 9th, how long do celebrations last ? Need help with these questions so we can book our flight ! !
Sep 19th, 2004, 09:09 PM
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Hong Kong is quiet during Chinese New Year. It's a time for rest and family gathering, not public celebration. There are a few events like the flower markets leading up to New Year, fireworks on the 2nd night of New Year, etc; but in general the city is quiet. Many residents use the opportunity to travel, or to visit families in China. Many local restaurants are closed for several days, as are some shops. Hotel rates should fall, not rise, during that time.
Sep 20th, 2004, 05:08 AM
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I think Chinese New Year is a great time to be in the city. Chinese New Year is generally celebrated over three days. The first and second day most shops and restaurants are closed (except hotel restaurants), a good number will reopen by third day. The skyscrapers will all be decorated with neon signs, so a view from the Peak or the Esplanade on the Kowloon side at about dusk is a spectacular sight. You may be able to see lion dances in front of shops and offices, which are performed by costumed teams with drummers to ward off bad spirits for the coming year. There is usually a parade along Salisbury Road and neighbouring streets on the second or third day (check with your hotel.) There is a flower market, but I believe most of it is done by the day before the first day of the holiday.
There are usually fireworks in the harbour on the evening of the second day which are great (check with your hotel). If your hotel does not have a harbour view, then the lobby of the Marriott hotel has a good view, as does the lobby and coffee shop restaurant at the Intercontinental. The Yu seafood restaurant in the Intercontinental as well as Felix at the Penn and Vong at the Mandarin would have excellent views for the fireworks, but would be a more expensive way to see them. They start about 9 pm. I would avoid being on the Peak or down on the waterfront on either side of the harbour during the fireworks as it is VERY crowded.
During the days on which shops and restaurants are closed you can still do a lot, like take the Star Ferry to Kowloon or Lamma or Lantau Island, walk the Esplanade along the Kowloon waterfront, go up the Peak Tram and do the loop walk around Laggard Road for wonderful views, take the bus up and over the hills down to Repulse Bay, Stanley Beach and/or Shek 0 beach. You can have tea at the Mandarin, Peninsula or the Intercontinental Hotel, and can have a meal in any of the great hotel restaurants in town. Walking around the Wan Chai and Causeway Bay areas are fun too. The weather is great then, and you can do walks in the green areas of Hong Kong Island like Mount Butler (not strenuous) or parts of the Dragon's Back (mostly strenuous). A great walk is to walk the length of Bowen Road, a flat pedestrian-only road in mid-levels with great views and also junglely bits. You can reach Bowen Road from Hong Kong Park (a good bit of uphill walking mostly on stairs), or you can take a cab or mini-bus to where Bowen Road begins at Magazine Gap Road. Out and back from the Magazine Gap or Hong Kong Park area would be about 3.5 miles. You can also walk one way and catch a bus where Bowen Road ends at Stubbs Road and get back down into Central.
You should not find hotels charging higher prices, as most Chinese do not travel at this time and it is not peak time for western tourists (despite the good weather), but you may find hotel restaurants more crowded as stand-alone restaurants will be closed.
There are usually fireworks in the harbour on the evening of the second day which are great (check with your hotel). If your hotel does not have a harbour view, then the lobby of the Marriott hotel has a good view, as does the lobby and coffee shop restaurant at the Intercontinental. The Yu seafood restaurant in the Intercontinental as well as Felix at the Penn and Vong at the Mandarin would have excellent views for the fireworks, but would be a more expensive way to see them. They start about 9 pm. I would avoid being on the Peak or down on the waterfront on either side of the harbour during the fireworks as it is VERY crowded.
During the days on which shops and restaurants are closed you can still do a lot, like take the Star Ferry to Kowloon or Lamma or Lantau Island, walk the Esplanade along the Kowloon waterfront, go up the Peak Tram and do the loop walk around Laggard Road for wonderful views, take the bus up and over the hills down to Repulse Bay, Stanley Beach and/or Shek 0 beach. You can have tea at the Mandarin, Peninsula or the Intercontinental Hotel, and can have a meal in any of the great hotel restaurants in town. Walking around the Wan Chai and Causeway Bay areas are fun too. The weather is great then, and you can do walks in the green areas of Hong Kong Island like Mount Butler (not strenuous) or parts of the Dragon's Back (mostly strenuous). A great walk is to walk the length of Bowen Road, a flat pedestrian-only road in mid-levels with great views and also junglely bits. You can reach Bowen Road from Hong Kong Park (a good bit of uphill walking mostly on stairs), or you can take a cab or mini-bus to where Bowen Road begins at Magazine Gap Road. Out and back from the Magazine Gap or Hong Kong Park area would be about 3.5 miles. You can also walk one way and catch a bus where Bowen Road ends at Stubbs Road and get back down into Central.
You should not find hotels charging higher prices, as most Chinese do not travel at this time and it is not peak time for western tourists (despite the good weather), but you may find hotel restaurants more crowded as stand-alone restaurants will be closed.
Sep 20th, 2004, 08:53 AM
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Thanks to both of you for your excellent replies. I had assumed that HK would be a place to avoid at New Years but it sounds quite the contrary. We'll look forward to being there. Great advice !
Sep 20th, 2004, 09:47 AM
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Yes, it's not a bad time to visit Hong Kong. Much less crowded than any time of the year.
Keep in mind that small fireworks are not allowed there. And <b>do not plan</b> to cross the border by regular train or bus to visit China during that time, as that's the busiest time of the year at the crossings, and they are extremely crowded, chaotic, and downright dangerous, if you ask me.
Keep in mind that small fireworks are not allowed there. And <b>do not plan</b> to cross the border by regular train or bus to visit China during that time, as that's the busiest time of the year at the crossings, and they are extremely crowded, chaotic, and downright dangerous, if you ask me.
Sep 22nd, 2004, 07:45 PM
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The three days of official public holidays are 9th, 10th and 11th. That means no work, stock market is closed, etc...
As Cicerone and I were explaning, there's really no huge public celebration as Chinese New Year is mostly a time for family gathering. And again, one of the main events will be the fireworks display on the 2nd night of the New Year, which is the 10th. So, get yourself ready for that.
On the 11th, if you're interested, you can go to the Che Kung Temple near the Tai Wai KCR train station. On that day, tens of thousands of worshippers will go there and try to "change their luck" for the new year.
Things will start to get back to normal by the 12th. Most restaurants and shops will reopen. Except school kids will not go back to school for another week or so, as Chinese New Year is a long term break.
But to answer your question, people start to prepare for Chinese New Year up to a month prior, and some small festivites may run up to 2 weeks after. The "three day" thing is mostly arbitrary, like saying Thanksgiving is a 4-day holiday.
As Cicerone and I were explaning, there's really no huge public celebration as Chinese New Year is mostly a time for family gathering. And again, one of the main events will be the fireworks display on the 2nd night of the New Year, which is the 10th. So, get yourself ready for that.
On the 11th, if you're interested, you can go to the Che Kung Temple near the Tai Wai KCR train station. On that day, tens of thousands of worshippers will go there and try to "change their luck" for the new year.
Things will start to get back to normal by the 12th. Most restaurants and shops will reopen. Except school kids will not go back to school for another week or so, as Chinese New Year is a long term break.
But to answer your question, people start to prepare for Chinese New Year up to a month prior, and some small festivites may run up to 2 weeks after. The "three day" thing is mostly arbitrary, like saying Thanksgiving is a 4-day holiday.
Sep 23rd, 2004, 03:53 AM
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I agree CNY is a fun and festive time to be in Hong Kong, but it is not a "normal" period and you will experience some disruption of services. Kind of like Manhattan at Christmas. When I lived there we always took a harbor view room at the Grand Hyatt for the fireworks. (This was years ago, I'm not sure how the view is now.) The rates definitely went up at least for the fireworks night and the service definitely went down (e.g. limited menu at the restaurant), but the fireworks display was really spectacular.
Cicerone, I'm so pleased to see your mention of Bowen path. I used to live on MacDonald Road and that was my favorite jogging trail. It's a special little bit of Hong Kong that really is east meets west.
Cicerone, I'm so pleased to see your mention of Bowen path. I used to live on MacDonald Road and that was my favorite jogging trail. It's a special little bit of Hong Kong that really is east meets west.
