Your guide to celebrating Chinese New Year in Hong Kong
Things to do
Lunar New Year Fair by Central Market
Central Market will host “Ode to Good Old Hong Kong: a Prosperous Lunar New Year Fair by Central Market” at the century old vintage building in Central. The market will run until January 31 and feature traditional Hong Kong-style festive flower boards and “lost but not forgotten”green street stalls. An exhibition around the theme “Lunar New Year Culture” in partnership with the Hong Kong Society of Illustrators will blend local creativity and kick start the Year of the Rabbit.
Clean up
Homes are thoroughly cleaned in the run-up to the festivities. It is considered bad luck to clean your home during the week of Lunar New Year. Sweep dust into the middle of the room and out the door to symbolize the sweeping away of bad luck. Going one step further, some homeowners paint door frames and windows in order to encourage good luck to enter.
Visit a flower market
Brighten up your home with a bunch of flowers or a Mandarin tree for Chinese New Year which are believed to bring good luck around this time. There are more than a dozen Chinese New Year flower markets taking place across the city. The biggest and most popular is the Lunar New Year flower market at Victoria Park in Causeway Bay which will take place from January 16-22 and feature hundreds of stalls offering food, drinks, toys and, of course, flowers.
Lam Tsuen Well-Wishing Festival
Head to Lam Tsuen in the New Territories to wish for good luck for the New Year. It is customary to write your wishes on a card and tie it to a mandarin (considered an auspicious fruit) and then toss this over the tree aiming for a sturdy branch. A number of events and parades will take place here throughout Chinese New Year including, lion dances and firecrackers.
Enjoy new year displays
Malls and shopping plazas across the city are lit up with Chinese New Year displays to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit. Explore a secret garden full of sunshine and flowers and meet beloved cartoon rabbit Miffy at Cityplaza’s “The Year of Blossoms” display. Meanwhile, Times Square joins hands with local toymaker URDU to design Disney characters Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck as auspicious Maneki-neko and Daruma. Both displays run until February 5.
Fight off bad luck at Man Mo Temple
It’s not all fireworks and feasts. Ward off the negative vibes by paying a visit to Man Mo Temple on The Third Day of the Lunar New Year. It is customary to burn incense, candles and joss paper for protection and to encourage good fortune. If you are not sure what to do, the helpful staff at the temple will show you the ropes. Man Mo Temple, Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan.
Go veggie
Legend has it that going vegetarian for the first day of the Lunar New Year (February 1) enhances longevity and helps purify and cleanse the body. Visit one of the city’s many vegetarian restaurants or create your own homemade vegetarian feast.
Check out Hong Kong’s best vegetarian Chinese restaurants
Hop to it at Ocean Park
Join the team at Ocean Park to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit. From January 19 until February 5, the park is hosting Ocean Park Lunar Fiesta 2023 with a range of packages to enjoy over the holidays. The InFUNity Entry Pass priced at $498 for adults, $420 for students and $$348 for children allows multiple admissions until March 31.Bunnies will appear at every corner of the park and Baby Shark is also making its way to Ocean Park for an eco-party with children during this festive season.
Enjoy a Lion Dance
Lion and dragon dances are performed just about everywhere during the Lunar New Year. Pop down to your local town centre where you’ll find performers dressed as lions and dragons parading around the town while blessing local businesses.
Give Lai See
‘Lai see’ is the traditional name for the lucky red envelopes given by married people to their single relatives, colleagues, and those in the service industry during the 15 days preceding Lunar New Year (February 1-15). The envelopes should contain crisp banknotes and the amount is symbolic. Do not give any amount that contains the number four as this number is associated with ‘death’ in Chinese culture.
How much to give?
$20 for an acquaintance you see regularly but don’t know well, such as a doorman.
$50 for someone close to you such as your friends’ children or your hairdresser.
$100 as a generous gift to someone you care about. This is generally the minimum a bosses give to employees.
$500+ is not unheard of, but it is usually given with a good motive such as birthdays or weddings around this time.
Chinese New Year staycations
The Peninsula Hong Kong
Celebrate new beginnings and revel in the Year of the Rabbit with the “Auspicious Blossom” Chinese New Year Staycation at The Peninsula Hong Kong. This elegant stay, priced from $3,880 per night, features luxurious accommodation, Chinese New Year cultural workshops and Peak Tram journey, in addition to daily breakfast and a Peninsula door god red lacquer soap box. Valid for stays from January 22-25.
The Peninsula Hong Kong, Salisbury Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2910 1628, peninsula.com
Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong
With Chinese lanterns and fragrant flowers turning the lobby into one of the most picturesque places in town this Chinese New Year. The hotel is offering a host of Chinese New Year festivities; the God of Wealth will make his way throughout the hotel to share lucky Lai See packets with guests and a traditional lion dance and eye-dotting ceremony will take place on the first day of the Lunar New Year. From January 20 until February 5, will offer a Festival Celebration Room Package, priced from $3,700 per room per night, which includes complimentary daily breakfast for up to two adults and two children at Clipper Lounge or Café Causette and USD $100 food and beverage or spa credit per stay when staying two consecutive nights. Alternatively, the Club Escape room package is valid until the end of 2023 and includes two cocktails at The Mandarin Club as well as club benefits including, all-day refreshments, evening cocktail hour, welcome fruits, Chinese New Year amenities (January 22-25) and daily turndown.
Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, 5 Connaught Road Central, 2522 0111 mandarinoriental.com
A Luxurious Stay by the Sea
To celebrate the Year of the Rabbit, The Fullerton Ocean Park Hotel Hong Kong is offering an “Auspicious Beginnings” Room Package. Priced from $1,996 per room, the package includes daily breakfast for two and three festive tokens which can be redeemed for F.U.N. activities including a pour-painting rabbit making class, an auspicious preserved flower wall art workshop or a 45-minute session at the indoor kids’ play zone, The Explorers. The package is available until the end of January. While staying in the hotel, guests can choose from a host of special Chinese New Year menus including an Auspicious Chinese New Year Feast Menu at Jade, a sumptuous Chinese New Year buffet at Lighthouse Café and a New Year Festive Afternoon Tea Set at Lighthouse Lounge.
The Fullerton Ocean Park Hotel Hong Kong, 3 Ocean Dr, Aberdeen, 2166 7388, fullertonhotels.com
Chinese New Year dinners
Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong
An extensive selection of Chinese New Year menus and dining experiences are on offer at Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, especially at Michelin-starred Man Wah where Executive Chinese Chef Wing-Keung Wong has prepared an array of celebratory dim sum and Chinese New Year specialties for this festive season. Menu highlights include Sautéed Lobster with Superior Fish Broth, Braised Grouper Fillet with Sun-dried Shrimp, Salted Egg, Minced Pork and Ginkgo Nuts and Stir-fried Chicken with Cashew Nuts and Dried Chilli – all symbolising an abundant year ahead with prosperity and good fortune.
Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, 5 Connaught Road Central, 2522 0111 mandarinoriental.com
Jade at The Fullerton Ocean Park Hotel Hong Kong
This new year, Jade at The Fullerton Hotel is offering time-limited dim sum designed to symbolise distinctive blessings, such as success, luck and peace. Highlights include Bamboo Piths Stuffed with Braised Superior Bird’s Nest, Steamed Scallop Dumplings with Shrimp and Beetroot, Deep-fried Shrimp Paste with Goose Liver, and Deep-fried Crispy Spring Rolls Stuffed with Coconut Pudding. Diners can also enjoy two special Chinese New Year menus; the Chinese New Year Reunion Feast Menu or the Auspicious Chinese New Year Feast Menu, both priced at $1,088 per person.
Jade, The Fullerton Ocean Park Hotel, 3 Ocean Dr, Aberdeen, 2166 7488, fullertonhotels.com
Zoku at The Harri
The Hari Hong Kong is set to welcome in the Year of the Rabbit with a different kind of Lunar celebration at Zoku Restaurant & Bar for a bit of Japanese style flair. Guests can indulge in the signature Japanese weekend brunch at Zoku which features a plethora of starters such as the Sashimi Platter, a signature Zoku roll, Uzuzukuri, Sakana Karage Pan as well as a choice of mains such as the Spicy Lamb Chop, Miso Salmon, Lobster Soba and Grilled A5 Miyazaki Wagyu. Finish off the meal with a CNY themed dessert platter, featuring Strawberry Tofu Panna Cotta, Matcha Cake and Mochi Cake. The brunch starts at $688 for food only with add-on free flow options available at $988 for cocktails, sake, wine and beer and $1,288 for upgraded premium cocktails and Champagne.
Zoku Restaurant, 330 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai, 2129 0338, thehari.com
