Where to go for Lunar New Year

Last year the Ditan Park Temple Fair ran February 17 to 23, with folk performances, crafts and local snacks. Arrive early for the fair crowds and try tanghulu and aiwowo from the stalls.

Last year the Longtan Park Temple Fair also ran February 17 to 23 after a four-year hiatus. Come for folk performances and temple fair snacks, and expect large crowds.

Last year Daguan Garden, also called Grand View Garden, hosted a temple fair with folk events and snacks. Book hotels months ahead for Spring Festival, since the city fills up fast.

Last year Badachu Park hosted a temple fair among its eight hillside temples. Wear good walking shoes, since the temples are spread across forested slopes.

Last year the Yuyuan Lantern Festival ran January 26 to March 3 across six zones including Yuyuan and the Bund, with lights on around 5pm. Adult tickets were 80 RMB and child and senior tickets 50 RMB, booked through the Yuyuan ticketing WeChat mini program, and the garden closed on Chinese New Year's Eve.

Walk the Bund riverfront in the evening for the extended New Year lighting across the Huangpu. Last year the lantern zones stretched from Yuyuan to the Bund, so pair this walk with the garden lights.

Visit Longhua Temple for the midnight bell on New Year's Eve, a long-running Shanghai tradition. Arrive well before midnight, since the temple draws large first-incense crowds.

Join the first-incense crowds at Jing'an Temple on day one of the new year. Go early in the morning, since the temple is one of the city's busiest at New Year.

Last year the night parade started at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza, with a pre-parade street party from 6pm and the main parade from 8pm to 9:45pm. Arrive early for a free standing spot, since the route crowds fast.

Last year the fireworks over Victoria Harbour ran at 8pm on the second day and lasted about 23 minutes with 31,888 shells. Last year crowds topped 360,000, so claim a promenade spot hours ahead.

Last year the flower market at Victoria Park ran February 11 to 17 before the holiday. Browse the stalls for flowers and festive goods, and book reunion dinners months ahead.

Visit the Prince Edward Flower Market on Flower Market Road in the days before the holiday for blooms and decorations. Last year the markets ran February 11 to 17, so shop early for the best choice.

Last year River Hongbao ran February 15 to 24 at Gardens by the Bay, free to enter, with giant lantern displays and a Food Street. Nightly fireworks lit The Meadow from February 15 to 19, so go after dark for the full show.

Last year the Chingay Parade ran February 27 and 28 at the F1 Pit Building, starting at 8pm, with tickets from about S$20 to S$60. Book tickets when they go on sale in December, since the parade is Asia's largest street performance and float parade.

Walk Pagoda Street in Chinatown for the light-up and the street market stalls. Go in the evening when the lanterns are lit, and expect holiday crowds.

Eat along Smith Street in Chinatown and toss yusheng, raw fish salad, for prosperity. Last year reunion menus generally ran from about S$88 to S$218 per person, so book as soon as menus are released in December or early January.

Visit Longshan Temple in Wanhua, open roughly 6am to about 9:45pm daily and free to enter. Expect very large crowds at Lunar New Year, with chanting ceremonies through the day.

Last year the Dihua Street Lunar New Year Market ran January 31 to February 15, with shops selling dried goods, teas, sweets and decorations. Go on the two to three weekends before the holiday, when the street is at its busiest, and book hotels early for those weekends.

Shop Nanmen Market near Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall for festive cakes, steamed buns and New Year foods. Go before the holiday closures, since many shops shut for several days once the holiday begins.

Eat at Raohe Night Market in the evenings, since night markets stay open every night of the year. Individual stalls may close for a few days around New Year's Eve and day one, so have a backup stall in mind.

Last year the four grand palaces offered free admission over the holiday, with cultural programs, traditional games and craft workshops at Gyeongbokgung. Last year sehwa, traditional New Year paintings, were distributed here from February 16 to 18, so check the program before you go.

Visit Changdeokgung Palace during the free admission days over Seollal. Book intercity trains and popular hotels well ahead, since Seollal is one of Korea's biggest travel peaks.

Visit Namsangol Hanok Village for traditional games, craft workshops and performances over the holiday. Last year the village joined Gyeongbokgung in the free cultural program, so arrive early for workshops.

Eat tteokguk, sliced rice cake soup, plus bindaetteok, mayak kimbap, kalguksu and tteokbokki in the Gwangjang Market food alley, open roughly 9am to 11pm. Small family-run restaurants may close over Seollal, so the market is a reliable place to eat.

Last year fireworks were planned at midnight on New Year's Eve at 32 sites citywide, including two at Hoan Kiem Lake. Arrive early for a lakeside spot, and avoid timed travel on New Year's Eve itself.

Walk Hang Luoc Street in the weeks before Tet, when the spring flower market runs from the 23rd to the 30th day of the last lunar month. Shop for peach blossom, kumquat trees and flowers, and stock up before the eve since many shops close over Tet.

Walk Hang Ma Street for decorations and festive goods in the run-up to Tet. The street is part of the same Old Quarter flower market area as Hang Luoc, so visit both in one walk.

Visit the Temple of Literature area in the days after Tet, when temples fill with visitors. Last year cultural and historical sites stayed open through the holiday, while many shops and restaurants closed for several days.

Walk Yaowarat Road for dragon and lion dances, acrobatic performances and street parades, with the road closed to traffic on the main day. Lanterns and decorations stay up for at least 15 days until the Lantern Festival, so an evening visit works across the fortnight.

On Chinese New Year's Day, Wat Mangkon Kamalawat on Charoen Krung Road is packed with worshippers praying and shaking siem see fortune sticks. Arrive early in the morning, and take the MRT to Wat Mangkon station to avoid Chinatown traffic.

Shop Sampeng Lane for market goods in the heart of Chinatown. Go on foot from Yaowarat Road, since the lanes are crowded and traffic around Chinatown is heavy.

Stop at Lhong Tou Cafe on Yaowarat Road for dim sum dishes in a retro cafe setting. Eat along Yaowarat in the evening, when the street food market is at its liveliest.

Visit Thean Hou Temple, lit with thousands of lanterns during Chinese New Year, with families praying at midnight on New Year's Eve. Go in the evening for the lanterns, and expect the temple to be the liveliest place in town on day one.

Walk Petaling Street in Chinatown in the days just before and right after day one, with lanterns, festive snacks, decorations, lion dances and market stalls. Try bak kwa, pineapple tarts, kuih bangkit and yee sang from the street stalls.

Watch high-pole lion dances at Pavilion KL, one of the malls that stage them over the holiday. Go on day one or two, when temples and malls carry the celebrations while many restaurants and shops stay closed.

Eat at the vegetarian food stalls on the temple grounds at Thean Hou Temple. The stalls are part of the New Year visit, so combine them with the midnight prayers and lantern viewing.

Last year performances ran in Trafalgar Square on parade day, Sunday February 22, 2026, until about 5:30pm. Arrive early for a standing spot, since the square fills for the main stage shows.

Last year the main parade ran Sunday February 22, 2026, starting around 10am to 10:15am east of Trafalgar Square and travelling up Charing Cross Road and Shaftesbury Avenue to Chinatown. Free standing viewing along the route needs only an early arrival, while grandstand seats sell out early.

Last year performances also ran in Leicester Square on parade day until about 5:30pm. Use it as a second stage stop after Trafalgar Square, since the two squares anchor the parade route.

Eat on Gerrard Street in Chinatown, where restaurants serve festive specials such as yu sheng, longevity noodles, nian gao and jiaozi dumplings. Book Chinatown restaurants weeks ahead for parade weekend.

Last year the Flower Market Fair ran February 14 to 15, 2026 on Grant Avenue between Clay and Broadway, with over 120 vendors selling flowers, fruit, candies and decorations, plus magicians, acrobats, folk dancers and opera performers. Buy oranges, tangerines, flowers and sweets as New Year symbols.

Last year the illuminated Grand Parade ran Saturday March 7, 2026 at 5:15pm, starting at 2nd and Market Streets and winding through Union Square toward Chinatown over about 1.3 miles. Book parade bleacher seats early, since they sell out quickly, with last year sections from $48 to $80.

Pick up shrimp dumplings, barbecue pork buns and siu mai to go at Good Mong Kok Bakery on Stockton Street. Book popular restaurants two to three weeks ahead for peak dining days.

Eat Cantonese seafood at R&G Lounge on Kearny Street in Chinatown. Book two to three weeks ahead for peak dining days.

Last year Sydney Lunar Streets ran February 14, 2026 from 5pm to 10pm on Dixon Street and Haymarket laneways, with lion dances, DJs, market stalls, food trucks and a carousel. Eat yum cha, steamed dumplings, pork buns, rice noodle rolls and egg tarts along Dixon Street, and arrive before 11am for yum cha on Sundays.

Walk Hay Street in Haymarket to see the twelve zodiac lanterns by Erika Zhu, which last year lined the street from February 11 to March 1, 2026, free to view. Go after dark for the lanterns, plus the Fire Horse installation on Dixon Street.

Eat dumplings and shredded pork pancakes at New Chilli House on Dixon Street. Arrive before 11am for yum cha on Sundays, since queues build on weekends.

Eat duck xiao long bao and pan-fried beef dumplings at Nanjing Gourmet on Dixon Street. Book yum cha restaurants ahead for Sundays.