February 14, 2025

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Chinese New Year 2025: Top Places to Celebrate – Kiwi.com Magazine

Chinese New Year 2025: Top Places to Celebrate – Kiwi.com Magazine

The excitement of the Chinese New Year has begun. 2025 is the Year of the Wood Snake, which will be the focal point of the festival. This symbol is associated with charm, intelligence, and wisdom, qualities that will serve as the central theme of the celebration.

Cities around the world have already started preparing for the huge cultural event that’s due to kick off on February 19th and is expected to last for up to 16 days. While Asia is the heart of the Spring Festival, with its deep cultural roots in the region, several Chinatowns across the globe will also put on fabulous displays. Who knows, the one in your city may even have something on.

Chinese New Year of Snake
Welcoming the Year of the Snake with vibrant celebrations, symbolizing wisdom, intuition, and transformation in Chinese culture © Getty Images

Even if you don’t know anything about Chinese New Year, if you have the chance to travel to a place that celebrates it, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Here, you’ll find our list of top places planning to throw an unforgettable party for the Year of the Wood Snake; expect grand parades, sensational firework shows, delicious cuisine, ancient traditions, and much more.

Unique Chinese New Year Traditions Around the World

As the new year arrives, it brings an array of unique traditions associated with the Spring Festival. It’s important to note that each country celebrates this event in different ways, but there are generally some traditions that they all follow.

Here are some interesting traditions to take note of:

Using Red Decorations in China

A trend you’ll notice during Lunar New Year in China is that many decorations are red, a color that symbolizes health, prosperity, longevity, wealth, and fortune. While red is the dominant color, it is often complemented by black and gold, along with various shapes. And remember, since 2025 is the Year of the Wood Snake, you can expect to see plenty of snake-themed decorations blending with these colors.

China welcomes the Year of the Snake with lanterns in the shape of snakes at night
Glowing snake-shaped lanterns light up the night as China celebrates the Year of the Snake with dazzling festivities and symbolism © Getty Images

Cleaning Out the House in Vietnam

In Vietnam, their version of the Lunar New Year is called Tết, and one of the big traditions is for people to do a big deep clean of their homes to remove any bad energy before the new year arrives. The Vietnamese see this as an opportunity to bid farewell to the past year and start anew with a fresh beginning. This prepares the space for the new fortunes people hope for in the coming year; it’s a nice excuse for a good tidy-up, right? Another reason this tradition is so important is that it brings families together for some bonding time, which isn’t always possible at other times of the year.

Dressing Up in Traditional Clothes in Korea

In Korea, their version of the Lunar New Year is known as Seollal. Like all other countries, they have a bunch of distinctive customs. One practice is where everyone will wear traditional clothing called ‘hanbok.’ People spend time with their families dressed in these garments, and when someone from the younger generation meets an elder, they must look directly at them and perform a bow.

Gifting and Accepting Red Envelopes in Singapore

In a country where three-quarters of the population is Chinese, you can bet there are plenty of unique customs during Lunar New Year in Singapore. One of these is the act of gifting and receiving a type of red envelope, often adorned with gold, called ‘Hóng bāo.’ These envelopes are given as blessings, usually from the married to the unmarried, and typically contain sums of cash inside.

Asian family celebrating Chinese New Year at home. Chinese New Year greetings and wishes for luck.
An Asian family gathers to celebrate Chinese New Year at home, sharing warm greetings and wishes for luck, happiness, and prosperity © Getty Images

Must-See Events and Festivals During the Lunar New Year

Fireworks Over Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong

On day two of the Chinese New Year festivities in Hong Kong, the iconic fireworks show is scheduled for Victoria Harbor. At around 8 pm, there will be a spectacular 23-minute pyrotechnic display, lighting up the Hong Kong skyline across nine scenes with a massive 23,000 shells illuminating the sky. Whispers of the first scene have already been released, with the lucky number 8 set to be a major feature, symbolizing prosperity for the year ahead. There are plenty of spots by the harbor to watch the fireworks, but some key locations offering great views include Causeway Bay, Mid-Levels, Tsim Sha Tsui, Central, and Wan Chai.

Taiwan Lantern Festival

The Taiwan Lantern Festival is a highly anticipated event that takes place on the 15th day of the lunar calendar. This year, it will be hosted on February 12th, and the whole island is expected to be glowing with all kinds of gorgeous lunar-themed lanterns as it marks the end of the Lunar New Year.

the main closing event of the famous pingxi sky lantern festival in Taiwan
The grand finale of Taiwan’s Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival fills the night sky with glowing lanterns, carrying hopes and dreams for the new year © Getty Images

Around Taiwan on February 12th, there will be a variety of events as the festival isn’t just set in one place, so you’ll have to decide which one to visit. The Pingxi Lantern Festival is one of the most famous, but there are also others that I have heard great things about, like the Taipei Lantern Festival, the Taichung Lantern Festival, the Yunlin Douliu Lantern Festival, and many more.

Annual Lunar New Year Parade, London Chinatown

On February 2nd, London’s Chinatown parade will be the center of all the action. The performers will begin from East of Trafalgar Square and make their way toward Chinatown, with live Chinese music in the background as participants dance and wave huge elaborate floats in the sky with replicas of ancient Chinese dragons and lions.

After the parade, don’t forget to visit Trafalgar Square, where there will be plenty of family-friendly activities, including the Lions’ Eye-Dotting Ceremony and live music performances. And there will be an abundance of street food vendors cooking up some cheap eats. Just remember to say either ‘Xin Nian Kuai Le’ or ‘Sun Nin Faai Lok’ to the celebrants to wish them a happy new year.

A traditional Chinese style pavilion located in Chinatown, London - with red coloured lantern hanging in the sky
A traditional Chinese pavilion in London’s Chinatown, adorned with vibrant red lanterns, creates a festive atmosphere for Chinese New Year celebrations © Getty Images

Travel Tips for Chinese New Year Celebrations

  • Book everything in advance: Unlike other times of the year when you can book hotels, flights, and experiences last minute, during Chinese New Year, it’s a different story. Things sell out sometimes months in advance because everyone is off work, so the demand for services is much higher. As soon as you know the dates for your trip, I recommend you make your reservations, or you’ll be disappointed.
  • Prepare for closures: Many establishments shut their doors over Lunar New Year. This means you may struggle to get your hands on some essential items in stores, and if you need to avail yourself of any services in the public sector, such as government offices, you might find it hard until the festival is over.
  • Take some earplugs with you: If you’re a light sleeper, you might want to pack some earplugs in your bag because of all the firecrackers that will be going off. These can start early on in the morning until late into the night, but in more built-up areas, there’s usually a cut-off point during sleeping hours.
  • Expect crowds: Hoards of people are just another part of the Chinese New Year fun; this can be on transport, at landmarks, restaurants, you name it. Factor this into your timing with journeys, as it may cause unexpected uncertainties.
  • Show respect towards local customs: People who celebrate Chinese New Year take it very seriously and expect others to observe the local customs if you’re in their country. While you won’t be expected to understand everything, it’s important to make a conscious effort to know what’s happening around you as a sign of respect.

Best Cities to Celebrate Chinese New Year 2025

Beijing, China

As always, Beijing, the Chinese capital, is gearing up for another big Lunar New Year celebration. The festivities will go on from January 28th to February 12th for the Lantern Festival, one of the main highlights that everyone spoke so highly of last year.

New Year’s Eve (January 28th), in particular, promises to be a phenomenal evening with plenty of activities planned, including the Solana Light Show, the Jietai Temple Blessing Bell ceremony to welcome the new year, and the exciting Longfu Temple New Year Market.

Chinese New Year in Beijing Hutong
The historic alleys of Beijing’s Hutong come alive with decorations and festivities, offering a charming glimpse into traditional Chinese New Year celebrations © Getty Images

Be sure to visit at least one “temple fair” during your time in Beijing for Chinese New Year. A few of these events take place in different corners of the capital; their purpose is to bring people together to pray, socialize, and celebrate the arrival of the new year. Some of the most popular temple fairs are the Ditan Temple Fair (January 30th to February 4th), the Changdian Temple Fair (January 29th to February 2nd), and the Badachu Spring Festival Cultural Temple Fair (January 29th to February 5th).

Singapore

Singapore might just host one of the best Lunar New Year festivals outside of China. With three-quarters of the island nation’s population being ethnically Chinese, the diaspora here is huge, and they certainly know how to throw a party. Throughout Chinatown, the dazzling snake-themed lights will mark the event, creating an impressive spectacle. The extraordinary Chingay Parade will also be held on February 7th and 8th, and it will include some extravagant performances in Lunar-themed costumes, floats, and more. On top of that, make sure you visit the River Hongbao festivities, held to honor the Year of the Wood Snake with stunning lantern displays, live shows, and much more.

While in Singapore, don’t miss the chance to visit the hawker centers and sample traditional Lunar New Year treats like Yu Sheng, Pineapple Tarts, and Bak Kwa.

Hanoi, Vietnam

Out of all the places in Vietnam, Hanoi is the best spot to experience Tết. Here, the festivities are non-stop, kicking off early in the morning of January 19th at Kim Ngan Communal House with a procession of more than 400 performers who carry out ancient rituals while dressed in traditional clothing. Once New Year’s Eve arrives on the 28th, you’ll want to find a good spot to watch one of the 30 fireworks displays planned across the city. I think you’ll have a good chance of catching a glimpse of them either by Hoan Kiem Lake or Thong Nhat Park.

Old City. Hanoi. Vietnam.
The bustling streets of Hanoi’s Old Quarter come alive during Lunar New Year, blending timeless charm with vibrant celebrations © Getty Images

If you’re in Hanoi before New Year’s Eve, don’t miss the chance to visit the Quang Ba Flower Market. It’s a fascinating location to watch all the preparation that goes into the New Year’s decorations; vendors showcase their goods while local families walk around together, deciding what to buy for their homes; you can really feel the excitement in the air.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur is another fantastic city to visit for the Lunar New Year, and it tends to fly slightly under the radar compared to bigger names, making it a great destination if you’re looking to escape the crowds. Once you arrive, head out to see at least one temple to soak in the festive atmosphere. Thean Hou Temple is a top choice, in my opinion. The temple gets a complete refresher for the celebrations, with adorable lit lanterns and lots of interesting performances happening around the complex, such as dragon dances that kids will absolutely love. If you can’t make it to the temple, don’t worry; there are plenty of other shows to enjoy, such as lively lion dances at 1 Utama Shopping Centre and KLCC.

The highlight of the festivities is the annual New Year’s fireworks display at KLCC Park, so don’t miss it. Other displays can be found around Merdeka Square and Chinatown. Afterward, head to Petaling Street Night Market to indulge in some yummy street food; try to seek out someone selling satay! Just watch out for the firecrackers, as they’re often set off suddenly and close to crowds.

Head to One of These Great Places for Lunar New Year 2025

There’s something amazing about the Chinese New Year festival that sets it apart from the typical New Year’s Eve we’re used to. For me, it’s the rich cultural traditions and the fact it goes on for up to 16 days, with each being more exciting than the last.

Take my advice: if you can travel for this Chinese New Year, organize a trip to include one of these awesome places and see why it’s one of the world’s most revered festivals.

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