If you want a festive way of welcoming the New Year, then you must join with locals and fellow travelers in Hong Kong as they celebrate Hong Kong WinterFest. The Hong Kong WinterFest is an annual celebration that features various impressive and festive illuminations, fabulous and affordable sales, and fantastic promotions when dining. In the year 2008, the festival ended in January 4, 2009 and the festive celebration turns Hong Kong into a city of sparkling winter jewel full of happiness.
As part or highlight of the Christmas celebration, the Statue Square located at the downtown Central will be decorated with a 30-meter giant Christmas tree that is set along with the eye-catching brightening backdrop of the surrounding skyscrapers with festive illuminations. The set-up made the Central a must see destination during the season. In addition, the thousands of carolers that are aboard in antique tram, open-top bus, and themed-trucks adds up the festive ambience of the WinterFest as they roam around to spread good tidings and cheers.
During the last day of the year, or make it on the 31st of December is the Hong Kong WinterFest’s climax. On this day, Hong Kong will be doing their New Year Countdown Celebration to welcome the following year. During the celebration, people will see an amazing pyrotechnic display that involves Hong Kong’s tallest building, the Two ifc.
In addition to the abovementioned celebrations during the WinterFest period, visitors and locals alike can do also other fun activities during the period. It include a fun and exciting tour around the city with featured skyscrapers dressed in festive lights and themed decorations that will definitely make each visitor love to take photos. Visitors can also find a wind range of merchandise at their best value. One more thing visitors can enjoy in Hong Kong’s, delicious foods that allow its visitors to experience a fantastic dining experience.
Hong Kong is known to be one of the best places to shop with its vast choices of merchandise to shop at its best value. However, after indulging with your cravings for shopping, getting close to nature is the best thing to do next and this is easily achievable if you come to visit The Ocean Park Hong Kong.
People visiting the park will definitely enjoy the wide array of attractions and activities to do and visit within the park. One can enjoy bonding with the amazing Asian animals like the Giant Panda, Gold Fish, Panda, and the Gator. They can also try an exciting adventure like the riding in the cable car or ocean express, or have and exciting experience with bungee trampoline and SkyFair. If you are more into watching some shows, The Ocean Park Hong Kong has the Ocean Theater and the Whiskers Theater perfect for your taste. Other can also enjoy roaming around the park’s Japanese Garden or have a fun play at the Whiskers Harbor Playground.
The Ocean Park Hong Kong is open from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm and car park is open from 9:00 am to 6:30 pm. Within the park, Ocean Theater, SkyFair, and Whiskers Theater have their own show time. The park’s car park is available at the main entrance and at the Tai Shue Wan entrance.
The Ocean Park Hongkong is accessible by public transport, car and citybus. When you take the bus via Ocean Park, simply drop off after passing through the Aberdeen Tunnel and you are already on a short walk away to the park. If you wish to take the Citybus, route 629 has daily schedule from Admiralty MRT Station of Central Pier 7. Fare for adults is $10.60 and $5.30 for children ages 4-11. One must take note that buses depart from Central Pier 7 at 9am, 9:10am, and 9:20 am as well as the three buses from Admiralty MRT Station.
Dragon Boat and Dragon Boat racing is now becoming a known sports in not only China but also all around the globe already. You will see various dragon boat races in the USA, UAE, and many other countries. If you will to watch the race, the paddling is not the only thing that will amaze you but the beat of the drums will definitely pump you heart out. In Hong Kong, you will not only see a simple dragon boat race event but the Known Dragon Boat Festival. The festival took place every Fifth Moon of the Chinese calendar, which is around May or June in the Western calendar.
The birth of the Dragon Boat Festival
The known ancient even in Hong Kong is also known as the Tuen Ng Festival to commemorate the death of Qu Yuan, a renowned Chinese National Hero. Yuan had been known of drowning himself in Mi Lo River over 2,000 years ago as a form of protest against the corrupt leaders. According to the history, Yuan’s fellowmen attempted to rescue him. In order to do that successfully, the scare the fishes away by beating the drums and threw away dumplings to avoid the fishes from eating her body.
The highlight of the Dragon Boat Festival
The festival’s real highlight is the fierce-looking dragon boats that come in lively and vibrant spectacles. Each teams’ boat that are elaborately decorated has a measurement of more than 10 meters and have beautiful carvings and paintings of dragon heads and tails that adds up the beauty and spice of the game. Each of the dragon boat has the ability to carry 20 to 22 crews of paddlers.
After a tough training, players during the competition two players will be sitting side by side with the drummer in the steersman at the back. With the beat of the drums and the roar of the crowd, participants paddles racing to reach the finish line.
When you visit Hong Kong, you will surely their nightly lighting event that is hailed as the Largest Permanent Light and Sound Show by the Guinness World Records. It combines 44 buildings in both Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. Therefore, if you want to witness this nightly event, then you must be heading to the Victoria Harbor before the clock hits 8PM as this is the time when the show begins.
The Shows Themes
Hong Kong’s known light show has five themes attached, which include awakening, energy, heritage, partnership, and celebration that give the spectators the chance to take a journey in celebrating Hong Kong’s energy, spirit, and diversity.
Awakening – when the show begins, the first scene that the spectators will witness is the awakening, wherein flashes of laser lights started to illuminate the participating buildings through a variety of dancing lights and rainbow color. The scene represents the beginning and powerful growth of Hong Kong.
The next theme that is called the Energy can be witnessed in the second scene that allows the audience to witness the rising color patterns as the lasers and search light sweeps energetically across the sky. In this scene and themes symbolizes the vibrant energy of Hong Kong.
The third scene is called the Heritage wherein the lucky colors red and gold are displayed together with a music using Chinese musical instruments. This scene represents Hong Kong’s colorful heritage and rich cultural traditions.
The fourth scene is the Partnership. In this scene, laser beams and searchlights scan across the harbor that represents and illuminating connection of the opposite side, meaning a unified partnership with both sides of the harbor.
The fifth and final scene is the celebration, wherein a rhythmic display of swirling patterns of lights and beams are witnessed dancing lively across the harbor. This scene symbolizes the close ties between the two sides of the harbor and even a brighter future for Hong Kong.
When you visit Hong Kong, the vast choices of street foods will definitely catch your attention. You will get the chance to enjoy these foods from individual Dai Pai Dongs all around the streets of Hong Kong.
Graham Street – this place contains a collection of Dai Pai Dongs that serves delicious and decent foods right at the heart of Central. Office workers use to dine in this place especially during lunch hours. Although some of the owners were able to speak English well, pointing remains the main language in this place.
Temple Street – this place is located just attached to the Temple Street Markets. The collection of Dai Pai Dongs here is considered the best in town and is best seen at night just like the market. They have outside seating set at the wide streets of the area.
Haiphong Street – a huge collection of Dai Pai Dongs in this area are selling a wide variety of Cantonese and seafood delicacies. They are located near the Kowloon Park; this area is swamped with office workers during lunch hour.
Hua Fook Street – in this area you will see a good selection of Dai Pai Dongs that has a wider range of foods to serve. They got Shanghainese, Beijingnese, and Cantonese foods ready for your taste buds.
Casueway Bay – this place is also known between tourist and local alike though there are no dedicated Dai Pai Dongs areas found. Visitors will see some individual stores scattered around the Causeway Bay shopping area.
Hong Kong is not only known for its fine dining restaurants but also for its wide collection of Dai Pai Dongs. Once you visit Hong Kong, dining in one of this Dai Pai Dongs is a must to try and your travel will definitely be a remarkable one.
Visiting Hong Kong will never be complete without a visit to the renowned tallest outdoor-seated bronze Buddha that can be seen on top of Ngong Ping plateau located at Lantau Island. The statue’s eyes, lips, incline of the head, and the right hand that are raised to give away blessings to the people are the ones making this Giant Buddha Statue gain its depth of character and dignity.
Visitors who wanted to pay a visit to the Giant Buddha will definitely enjoy taking their exercise as they step up on the 268-step ladder towards the 30 meters high, and 250 tons Buddha. The Buddha had attracted not only the Buddhist from all over Asia but also transformed the remote Po Lin Monastery with its devoted monks into a must-visit attraction of Hong Kong.
The Po Lin Monastery is 520-meters high from Ngong Ping Plateau where the Buddha is seated. People who will be visiting the monastery will not only enjoy the wide variety of statues but will also love the various things that they can do and see including the vegetarian lunch prepared by Monks aside from the various figures that represents the Buddhist religion.
In addition, the Po Lin Monastery is also a short walk away from the Ngong Ping, wherein tourists will have the chance to enjoy different attractions or indulge some shopping and dining. Another attraction that the tourist can visit if they are in the Giant Buddha is the other parts of Lantau Island that include the Tai O Village, the Hong Kong Disneyland, and the Village of Mui Wo.
The Giant Buddha and the Po Lin Monastery is accessible via a ferry from Central Pier 6 to Mui Wo, then take the Bus route 2. Another option is via MTR Tung Chung Station Exit B, and then takes the bus route 23 from Tung Chung Town Center.