This was published 6 years ago
Hong Kong things to do and what's on in 2018: Why you should visit
By Brian Johnston
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Have the words 'I'm bored' ever been uttered in Hong Kong? I think not. Not only does this exuberant city never sleep, it doesn't even take a nap. Simple harbour ferry rides provide a dazzling urban landscape, rooftop bars deliver exhilarating harbour views, packed dim sum restaurants are a madness of lip-smacking choice. The shopping is frenetic, and contemporary world culture clashes with Chinese tradition. The city's adrenaline rush, though, is never more apparent than during its many festivals. Here are 10 good reasons to head to Hong Kong in 2018.
FEBRUARY: CELEBRATE NEW YEAR
Credit: Lam Yik Fei
Witness Hong Kong's contemporary art scene during Art Basel in March.Credit: Jessica Hromas
Move over 12 days of Christmas and a New Year's party that lasts one evening. Chinese New Year (www.discoverhongkong.com/au) is a 15-day celebration that erupts in red lanterns and one of the world's most spectacular fireworks displays. Temples swirl with incense, restaurants are loud with the clack of chopsticks, and good-luck flowers provide splashes of market colour. On 16 February, the Year of the Dog is finally ushered in with a night parade in Tsim Sha Tsui featuring costumed characters and illuminated floats.
MARCH: GET ARTY
Art fever takes over Hong Kong in March, with hundreds of exhibitions, fairs and street-arts festivals showcasing local and international artists. Head to the opera or ballet, head-scratch over art installations, or check out the latest arthouse movies. Among the biggest events is the wide-ranging Hong Kong Arts Festival (23 February–24 March;
APRIL: GET SPORTY
Credit: Power Sport Images
If the art of the rugby scrum is more your thing, then April hosts one of the biggest events on the international rugby calendar. Hong Kong Sevens (6-8 April; www.hksevens.com) sees the world's best teams compete in fast-and-furious 15-minute matches to the roar of 40,000 spectators. You can also watch matches in the sports bars of Lan Kwai Fong or Lockhart Road, where fans' singing and drinking turns into a three-day party. Lan Kwai Fong, Hong Kong's nightlife epicentre, has over 100 bars.
MAY: HAVE A BUN FIGHT
Take a ferry to Cheung Chau island for a sea-gazing, temple-dotted contrast to the city centre, a tranquil experience except during the lunar Cheung Chau Bun Festival (19-23 May;
JUNE: MEET THE DRAGONS
What's not to like about three days of races and rippling muscles on spectacular Victoria Harbour during the Dragon Boat Carnival (22-24 June;
AUGUST: HIT THE SALES
Hong Kong is shopping nirvana, but during the Summer Fun period it ramps up with extended evening shopping hours and its most serious sales season, when discounts can exceed 50 per cent. For high-end fashions, antiques and art galleries, hit the districts of Admiralty, Central and SoHo. Family-oriented Cityplaza (
SEPTEMBER: GIDDY UP
A thunder of hoofs, flash of silk, gallop of horses, roar of the crowd and glittering prizes: horseracing is Hong Kong's most exciting entertainment. This month is the start of the horseracing season, and you'll want to hit Happy Valley on 'Happy Wednesday' evenings and Sha Tin on Saturday or Sunday for a world-class experience at the racetrack and an electric atmosphere. If you want an orientation to horse-racing and betting, and access to the members' enclosure, take a Come Horseracing Tour (
OCTOBER: WINE AND DINE
Hong Kong is one of the world's great dining cities, whether you're tucking into a bowl of street noodles or Michelin-starred seafood in a posh, harbour-gazing restaurant. It all comes together at the Wine & Dine Festival (25-28 October;
NOVEMBER: LISTEN IN
It might sound like an unpleasant ailment, but Hong Kong's three-day, mid-November Clockenflap Music & Arts Festival at Central Harbourfront (9-11 November;
DECEMBER: LIGHTEN UP
Asia's best city for Christmas festivities sees harbour-front skyscrapers and Central streets glitter with decorative lights, and shopping malls erupt in tinsel and trees. The regular Hong Kong Pulse light show on the harbour gets a special Christmas upgrade. It's all part of WinterFest (1 December–1 January;
For more Hong Kong events and festivals visit www.discoverhongkong.com/au
This article brought to you by the Hong Kong Tourism Board.
Cathay Pacific is a five-star airline, renowned for its outstanding service and modern fleet. Their philosophy of a Life Well Travelled is at the heart of everything they do; from its award-winning lounges to inspired inflight dining, the airline consistently enhances their product and services to deliver an unparalleled travel experience.
Out of Australia, Cathay Pacific has over 70 flights a week to Hong Kong from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Cairns. All flights provide excellent connections to almost 200 destinations worldwide via their hub in Hong Kong. All Australian flights offer three classes of travel – Business Class, Premium Economy Class and Economy Class.
For more information or to book, visit: www.cathaypacific.com.au
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