Welcome in good fortune and happiness with these Lunar New Year celebrations all over Asia.
The days leading up to the holiday are already filled with various events and activities for these Asian countries.
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Hong Kong
Ready to welcome international guests, Hong Kong is filled with festive displays that are perfect for Instagram photos. Chinese New Year checkpoints, complete with lucky rabbits and mesmerizing lights, are found along Victoria Harbour.
Chinese New Year is just around the corner! Check out the dazzling decorations and join us in celebrating the Spring Festival and welcoming the Year of the Rabbit! 🐰🧧#ChineseNewYear #LunarNewYear pic.twitter.com/AKgDdqQSwU
— Hong Kong (@discoverhk) January 17, 2023
You can also hop on a scenic Victoria Harbour cruise with boats decorated with festive elements. This year marks the return of many events that celebrate the holiday.
Browse through the Chinese New Year flower markets and shop for blooms that represent wealth in Chinese culture. Horse races, lion dance performances, and more holiday decorations can be found at the Chinese New Year Race Day in Sha Tin.
In Lam Tsuen’s Well-Wishing Festival, visitors can write down their wishes, tie them to a mandarin, then toss them into a legendary tree. It’s believed that if the fruit is caught on a branch, then that wish may come true.
Singapore
Singapore’s Chinatown has been lit up since January 3 and will continue to celebrate the holiday until February 19. The annual light-up takes place along New Bridge Road, Eu Tong Sen and South Bridge Road.
There are weekly live performances at Kreta Ayer Square, where the countdown party will also be held on the night of January 21.
To celebrate the Year of the Rabbit, the Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay has decorated the conservatory with a hundred rabbit figurines and vibrant dahlias.
River Hongbao, also at Gardens by the Bay, lets visitors enjoy glowing lantern displays, stage performances, and carnival games with free admission.
The Chingay Parade is back this year after two years of virtual festivities with plenty of performers and giant parade floats.
Malaysia
In Malaysia, people will open their homes for friends and family to visit during Chinese New Year. You’ll see and hear tons of fireworks going off on the night of the New Year, even on the days before and after the holiday.
Locals and tourists alike can visit Petaling Street in Chinatown and pray at the Chinese temples. Lion dances and more fireworks are also found in the area.
📍 @Pavilion KL
20-feet tall rabbits covered in roses and floral beauty will lure luck, prosperity and sweetness this year. #MalaysiaTrulyAsia #CutiCutiMalaysia #CNY #photography #festive #travel #shopping #KualaLumpur pic.twitter.com/LsPT7yNbQ1— Malaysia Truly Asia (@TourismMalaysia) January 17, 2023
The celebration of the holiday ends with the Lantern Festival (or Chap Goh Mei). On this day, there’s a tradition of unmarried women throwing tangerines into the sea in the hopes of finding a good husband. More recently, women will often write their phone numbers and email addresses on the fruits.
Banner photo via Instagram @malaysia.truly.asia.
