Chinese New Year Travel: Best 4 Places to Visit During Chinese New Year

Written by Matteo Updated Dec. 27, 2024

For traveling during the Spring Festival, I suggest going to Beijing and Hong Kong. In Beijing, there are temple fairs which are like traditional markets. In Hong Kong, there are big fireworks shows. So if you want to feel the holiday atmosphere and join in the celebrations, these two cities are great places to go.

Best Place to Visit During Chinese New Year

In 2025, the Spring Festival starts on January 29th and continues until February 12th. Beijing, Guangzhou, Xi'an, and Hong Kong are the best places to spend this festival. These cities will have special activities with New Year traditions to welcome the coming Spring Festival, so you can feel the Spring Festival atmosphere even better there.

Beijing - Temple Fairs

The most popular traditional New Year activity in northern China is visiting temple fairs. In 2025, five temple fairs will be held in Beijing: Ditan Temple, Summer Palace, International Horticultural Exposition Park, Badachu Temple, and Grand Canal Site Park.

Ditan Temple Fair is one of the famous traditional temple fairs, especially known for its Beijing culture, traditional folk customs, and folk arts. There will be displays of intangible cultural heritage, tastings of traditional snacks, and interactive games.

Beijing Temple Fair
Beijing Temple Fair

During the Ditan Temple Fair, there will be performances imitating the Qing emperor's ritual of sacrifice to the earth. The grand scene feels like a return to ancient times, praying for national peace and good weather. This performance lets you feel the solemnity and mystery of ancient Chinese sacrifices and helps you better understand traditional Chinese culture.

You can also write Spring Festival couplets, guess riddles, and cut paper snowflakes to personally experience the fun of traditional culture. Many handicrafts, like clay figurines, pigeon whistles, and cloisonne, are both beautiful and fun. You can even make them yourself.

Some famous old shops and intangible cultural heritage projects like Wuyutai Tea Shop, PepsiCola, Donglaishun, and Daoxiangcun will be invited. You can enjoy delicious food while feeling the taste of traditional culture.

The most recommended tour is Tianjin Cruise Port transfer & Beijing tour.

Hong Kong - Fireworks, Horse Racing, Parade, Wong Tai Sin Temple

During the Chinese New Year, Hong Kong is adorned with red lanterns and colorful lights, creating a festive mood. People clean their houses, put up Spring Festival couplets, have family reunions, and visit flower markets. Fireworks will be lit up at Victoria Harbour, creating a spectacular scene. There will also be a float parade in Tsim Sha Tsui, where many performance teams will sing and dance.

Firework

Every year, on the evening of the second day of the Lunar New Year, Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour hosts a spectacular 20-minute fireworks display. Many boats launch fireworks together at sea, accompanied by music and lighting. Watching the fireworks, you can feel the people of Hong Kong's respect for tradition and anticipation for the New Year.

Firework Show in Hongkong
Firework in Hongkong

How to get to Avenue of Stars: take the MTR from Central to Tsuen Wan Line, get off at Tsim Sha Tsui Station, and exit through Entrance E. This will take you 20 minutes and cost CNY11. Alternatively, take a taxi, which will take 13 minutes and cost CNY55.

How to get to Golden Bauhinia Square: Board Bus 961 from Jardine House in Central to the Wan Chai Convention and Exhibition Centre Bus Terminal. This journey will take you 20 minutes and cost CNY6. Alternatively, take a taxi, which will take 7 minutes and cost CNY23.

Horse Racing

Many people visit the racecourse during the Spring Festival, hoping to bring good luck to themselves and their families. Horse racing is not just a competition but also a social event where people can make friends and share happiness. The races are exciting, and you can feel the passion of horse racing.

Parade

Hong Kong will also hold a float parade. The floats are beautifully decorated and bring joy and blessings to everyone on the street. The floats have cartoon characters and mascots, performances, and interactions that will help you learn more about Hong Kong's culture and New Year traditions.

Wong Tai Sin Temple

Hong Kong people also visit Wong Tai Sin Temple during the Spring Festival to make Chinese New Year wishes, hoping everything will go smoothly in the new year. These places are rich in history and culture, and many people visit to make wishes. You can also make a wish and look forward to the future.

Wong Tai Sin Temple
Wong Tai Sin Temple

The most recommended tour is the 3-day Essence of Hong Kong Tour for families.

Guangzhou - Flower Markets

A famous activity during the Chinese New Year in Guangzhou is the flower market, a tradition that has been around for many years. Each district in Guangzhou has its flower market, and each is unique.

Yuexiu West Lake Flower Market and Liwan Spring Festival Flower Market are particularly famous, attracting many visitors. In the flower markets, you can see many beautiful flowers like peonies, narcissus, peach blossoms, orchids, and Chinese orange and bonsai plants.

The most recommended tours are the 3-day Essence of Guangzhou and the modern Guangzhou half-day tours.

Xi'an - City Wall Lights

During the Spring Festival, Xi'an has many beautiful lantern festivals. In places like Tang Paradise, Xi'an City Wall, and Tang Furong Yuan (Lotus Palace Park), special lantern festivals with stunning lights will create a festive atmosphere. These lantern festivals not only showcase Xi'an's history and culture but also incorporate modern elements, making you feel like you have traveled through time and experienced the beauty of the ancient city.

Xi'an City Wall Light
Xi'an City Wall Light

The most recommended tours are the 2-day Xi'an Highlights Trip and the 3-day Xi'an Essence Travel.

Chinese New Year Travel Guide

During the Spring Festival, Chinese people take their families back to their hometowns or travel from other places to go home for the holiday. Train stations have become busier than usual, and some tourist spots may also be closed temporarily. So, before you leave, please pay attention to these things:

1. Choose a good place to visit during the Spring Festival

When it's Spring Festival, it's cold in the north of China. It's good for watching the snow and playing with ice and snow, like in Harbin. But in the south, it's warm and perfect for escaping the cold, like in Sanya. Also, you can choose places with a strong Spring Festival atmosphere, like visiting the Spring Festival flower market in Guangzhou or watching fireworks in Hong Kong.

2. Get to the station early to avoid crowds

During the Spring Festival, train and bus stations are crowded twice. One is the peak time for returning home about a week before the Festival. People who work in other places will take trains to go home for the holiday at this time.

The other is the peak time for returning to work about a week after the Spring Festival. Everyone will take trains to go back to their jobs then. To make sure you can get on the train smoothly, I suggest you arrive at the waiting room 1-2 hours early to check in and get on the train.

3. Enjoy local Spring Festival activities

During the Spring Festival, there are many fun activities everywhere, like dragon and lion dances, temple fairs, and lantern festivals. Joining in can help you feel the local Spring Festival atmosphere more deeply. The celebrations are different every day and last for about two weeks.

4. Respect and learn about local Spring Festival customs

Different places have different Spring Festival customs and traditions. When traveling, it's important to learn about and respect the local culture and customs to avoid misunderstandings or conflicts. During the new year, some things are considered unlucky, like breaking things or saying bad words.

5. Bring some cash just in case

Although mobile payments are very popular in China, there are still many shops that accept cash. It's a good idea to bring CNY600 in cash because the number "6" means good luck and happiness in China. Cash is also useful for giving red envelopes to family and friends, and sharing good luck and blessings.

6. Prepare some medicine for digestion

During the Spring Festival, Chinese people prepare many delicious and rich foods. These foods often have a lot of calories. Eating too much of this holiday food might make you sick. So, it's best to prepare some medicine beforehand and try not to eat too much.

Book a Chinese New Year Travel With Us

China Travel is a professional travel agency dedicated to creating an unforgettable journey through China. After you arrive in China, our enthusiastic guides will wait outside the airport with a sign bearing your name and will assist you in smoothly completing the hotel check-in procedures.

During your trip, should you encounter any issues or have any needs, you can always communicate with the guide. Our travel consultants will actively assist and do their utmost to meet your requirements within their abilities.

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