Celebrate Chinese New Year Around Asia

The Chinese Lunar New Year is an important festival in China and also many East Asian and South-East Asian countries.  It falls on January 28 this year.  2017 will be the year of the Rooster in the Chinese Zodiac.  Expect parades, arts and crafts fairs, cooking shows as well as traditional lion dances and lots of music in all the cities during the fifteen day- long festival.

Bangkok:  Visit the temples and attend parades on the streets.  Expect plenty of dancers, floats, lanterns and drummers taking part in these parades.  Night time at the Chinatown Gate with acrobats spinning high in the air and musicians all night long.

Beijing: In addition to parades, do not miss the reenactment of the Qing-Style Sacred Ceremony at the Ditan Temple (Temple of the Earth), athletic competitions and demonstrations in numerous parks; enjoy incredible ice sculptures at the Longqing Ice and Snow Festival.

Hong Kong: Amazing fireworks, parades and festive markets selling traditional foods and flowers.  In addition, you can try your luck at the horse races decorated with red lanterns on the third day of the Chinese New Year.

Singapore: Gather at the River Hongbao event for the liveliest of festivals. From giant lanterns to traditional song and dances to spreads of exotic delicacies to spectacular firework displays.  Enjoy the parade of floats in the Chingay Parade with dancing dragons, stilt walkers and traditional lion dancers.

Chinese New Year is best celebrated with your whole family.  Since most parades are long events, check with event organizers to see if you can reserve seating for your elderly family members and young children, so they won’t be worn out standing for a long time.  In addition, wrap up warmly for the events if you are in Beijing, Hong Kong or other cold climates.  If you are flying to these cities with your family during this peak travel season, reduce stress by traveling with family members or hire your own trip companion.

Fly confident!