What to do in Hong Kong in winter
Winter in Hong Kong is a great time for shopping and sightseeing (especially hiking). It is these two activities that prevail in the reviews of tourists who decide to visit Hong Kong in winter.
In January
First of all, January is the coldest month of the year. This is definitely a minus, but by Hong Kong standards, the coldest is +12 – +17 degrees celsius. January 2016, by the way, was abnormally cold, on some days the weather dropped to +2-+4 degrees, but it was much milder in previous years. January is also the driest month, which makes it very comfortable for walking and visiting the sights of Hong Kong.
January 1 – New Year’s Eve celebrations
Many people prefer to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Hong Kong. The streets, buildings, and shopping malls have been decorated since Christmas, colorful garlands are glowing everywhere, the whole city is celebrating, music is heard everywhere, and shop windows display souvenirs and gifts traditional for this season. But lately, the Christmas trees and all the Christmas decorations have been removed before December 28th.
End of January – Spring Festival (Chinese New Year)
Chinese New Year takes place on different dates every year, according to the lunar calendar. Usually in late January or early February.
If you come to Hong Kong to celebrate Chinese New Year, you will have to be patient: there will be significantly more people, and hotel prices will rise significantly, and it will be difficult to book a table in the most popular restaurants. The whole city will be covered by folk festivals for a week, many establishments will be closed.
In addition, you can see a special New Year’s fireworks display, which is becoming more and more unforgettable and spectacular every year.
Here, for example, is a video of fireworks in 2015 in Hong Kong.: https://youtu.be/LgHKzbfnBgE
In February
January and February are very similar months in Hong Kong in terms of weather and events, so our proposed pastime is quite similar and often intersects and even intertwines.
Celebrate Chinese New Year
Since Chinese New Year most often falls in February, this will be the first and most important February event on the list of reasons to travel to Hong Kong in February. As we have repeatedly written, in addition to the advantages of general fun, fireworks, decorations with lanterns, festivities and joy, there are also a number of disadvantages associated with this event: hotel prices rise to a very high level, there are very few places, the streets become crowded, it is difficult to book a table in restaurants (not all, of course), many shops and institutions are closing, and huge crowds of Chinese from mainland China flock to those that are open.
During the holidays, you can feel a little bit local by going to one of the flower markets. Hong Kongers give flowers to their loved ones, and tourists can also buy souvenirs, pleasant holiday trinkets, taste traditional street food, and just spend time admiring the huge number of fragrant flowers and plants. In addition to year-round markets, such as on Flower market road, in the Prince Edward Street area, the flower market in Victoria Park, on Causeway Bay, opens its doors especially for the holiday. It opens one week before the new year, and we recommend visiting it in the evening to fully immerse yourself in the atmosphere of preparing for the holiday!
How to get there:
Option A: Take the subway to Causeway Bay Station and proceed to Exit E. Further down Great George Street.
Option B: Drive to Tin Hau Station and proceed to Exit A2.
Participation in the Lantern Festival
The Lantern Festival completes the celebration of the Chinese New Year and represents the beginning of spring. The whole of Hong Kong turns into one big red lantern at this time. There are many lanterns hanging from trees, shops, and structures, which are especially pleasant to look at in the evenings. Paper designs are made not only in the form of lanterns, but also in the form of animals, such as pandas, tigers, lions, and of course dragons and goldfish. Part of the celebration is also the lantern exhibition, which is held at the HK Cultural Center every year for a month, and on the 15th day of the Lunar New Year, the Center usually hosts festivities, something like a carnival, where different groups of artists perform.
Experience hiking trails
You may not have known, but Hong Kong is not only a city with a very convenient and well-developed infrastructure. If you are tired of the city and want to visit nature, join hundreds of Hong Kongers who are also tired of living in the urban jungle and want to be free. One of the most famous hiking trails is The Dragon’s Back. The name is given to it for a reason, the path goes up and down, then left and right, and it seems that you are walking on the back of a legendary monster. The total duration of the route is about 3 hours, and the views you’ll encounter along the way are nothing like anything you’ve seen in Hong Kong before. I completed this route on December 23, 2024. Read more about the Dragon’s Back route on my website: www.hong-kong.su/dragon-back
There are also dozens of other equally interesting hiking routes in Hong Kong!
Alex iurlov tour guide in Hong Kong, Macau and China
Car transfers, yacht charters.
+85268553629 (WhatsApp, Telegram, Wechat)
Wechat id: iurlov
info@hongkong.su
www.hong-kong.su
www.tour.hong-kong.su
www.yachts.hong-kong.su
www.alphard40.hk
www.yurlov.com – my personal web site
