Culture

Culture, festivals, events and demonstrations :

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
Most of the shops and restaurants of the main tourist areas remain open during holidays. Some closes the first two days of the Chinese New Year and resume their activity on the third day. Some shops and traditional restaurants such as dried seafood shops, herbalists and small family restaurants may be closed longer.

JANUARY
23 January : Ascension of the God  (24th Day of the 12th lunar month )
24 January : Cleaning day (25th day of the 12th lunar month )
25 January : New Year day – cakes day or GOAO Nian (26th day of the 12th lunar month )
31 January : Chinese New year
The 1st day of the 1st lunar month is undoubtedly the most important day of the lunar calendar

FEBRUARY
1er February : Birthday of Chekung (2nd day of the Chinese New year) (General of the Sung dynasty)
2 February : Red mouth day (3rd day of the Lunar New Year )
3 February : Return of the God of home ( 4th day of the Lunar New Year)
4 February : Open Business Day - Day of the God of Wealth (5th day of the lunar year)
6 February : Man anniversary (7th day of the lunar year)
14 February : Chinese Valentine’s Day.

MARCH
5 or 6 March: Chinese groundhog. "Excited Insects" is one of the 24 Chinese Solar divisions.
13 March: Hung Shing Festival, 13th day of the 2nd month of the lunar year.

APRIL
5 April: Ching Ming Festival. Ching Ming (“bright and clean " ) is an important day of ancestor worship. That day, Hong Kong people go to the cemetery to clean the graves of weeds, retouch registration tombstones, and bring offerings of food and incense.
18 April: Good Friday
21 April: Easter Monday.
22 April: 23rd day of the third lunar month. Birthday of Tin Hau Tin Hau , goddess of the sea, is venerated by fishermen and all those whose life and destiny are linked to the sea.

MAY
3-7 May: Jiao festival/ Cheung Chau rolls festivals
6 May: In honor of Buddha’s birthday
6 May: Birthday of Tam Kung. If you go to Tam Kung Temple in Shau Kei Wan on the 8th day of the fourth lunar month, you will see lion dances and even a procession celebrating the anniversary of the patron deity of sailors and fishermen, who would have power to calm or provoke storms.

JUNE
2 June: Tuen Ng / Duanwu Festival / Dragon Boat Festival the 5th day of the 5th lunar month. This festival brings nearly 400,000 spectators and 4,700 athletes representing 180 clubs and 20 countries. There are several stories about the origin of Tuen Ng.

JULY
1st July: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day.
20 July: Birthday of Kwan Tai. Kwan Tai Kwan Kung was a real person, like most of the Taoist gods

AUGUST
2 August: Tsat-Je, the 7th day of the 7th lunar month. Unofficially known as the Chinese Valentine's Day (with the Spring Lantern Festival) Seven Sisters Festival has its origin in the history of the two stars Altair and Vega
10-11 August: Yu Lan, the 14th day (15th in southern China) of the 7th lunar month.

SEPTEMBER
8 September: The Moon Festival / Festival of Harvest, the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar.
9 September: The next day of Mid-Autumn Festival / Chinese Moon Festival
20 September: Birthday of Confucius, the 27th day of the 8th lunar month.

OCTOBER
1st october: National Day
2nd october: Chung Yeung Festival or double Day 9, the 9th day of the 9th lunar month. As Ching Ming in the spring, whole families gather for Chung Yeung to the cemetery to honor their ancestors.

DECEMBER
Donghzi , Chinese Winter Solstice
22 December : Donghzi / Winter Solstice Chinese celebration of the winter solstice has its origins in the Chinese concept of yin and yang , which represents the balance and harmony in life.
25 December : Christmas
26 December: Boxing Day.
English tradition, the day after Christmas is a holiday. Several hypotheses exist on the origin of the "Boxing Day”. According to the most common, servants and merchants received gifts (Christmas box) from their employers at the first working day after Christmas. Another explanation suggests that this was the day when the priests opened the trunks of churches to distribute content to the poor.

Flavors - Cooking:
Cantonese cuisine is known worldwide . Large and small restaurants serving local and international cuisine there. Do not miss the famous dim sum - of steamed dishes served in small baskets.

Must-dishes
Hong Kong is the capital of the Asian cuisine. Eating - with shopping - one of the favorite hobbies of Hong Kong. The meal is seen as a social event where everyone sharing precious moments of exchange.

Hong Kong has about 11,000 restaurants, 1 for 700 inhabitants - the highest ratio in the world.

The Dim Sum
The dim sum are delicious bite assorted steamed served in bamboo baskets, sometimes with rolls and sweet or savory tarts.
For example: ravioli with shrimp " Har Gao ," the steamed buns with grilled pork " Char Siu Bau " or steam pork bites " Siu Mai" .

Seafood
The seafood is inseparable from the typical Cantonese cuisine in Hong Kong. We like the cooked steamed, fried, grilled or steamed, seafood in Hong Kong always give the mouth water.
Some examples of typical dishes with seafood:
- Baked lobster in cheese (Lobster baked cheese)
- Typhoon Shelter spicy crab (crab fried with various spices)
- Steamed fish (steamed fish)

Hong Kong teahouses
To check if the old adage true "Tea, like life, is enriched when it infuses longer," you have to taste a cup of tea in one of the lounges of Hong Kong and you will not be surprised to find it savory and sweet. The ritual "Yum Cha” (" drink tea “) is part of the local cultural heritage.

Our Excursions

DESCRIPTION OF OUR EXCURSIONS:

Half day Hong Kong Island Tour (Approx. 09h00-13h00)
Visiting Repulse Bay   walk on the beach and visit the life guard club, built in traditional Chinese style, features statues of Kwun Yum and Tin Hau, both protectors of fishermen.  Aberdeen   once a quiet fishing village, Aberdeen still houses a community of boat people.  Victoria Peak   where you can see a spectacular 360° view of Hong Kong.

Half day Kowloon Cultural and Life Tour (Approx. 15h00-18h00)
Visiting Nan Lian Garden - The Garden is built in the ancient style of Tang Dynasty (618AD to 907AD).  Chi Lin Nunnery - The monastic complex of Chi Lin Nunnery is modeled on traditional Chinese heavy timber structures in the style of the Tang Dynasty, one of the most brilliant periods in Chinese cultural history.  Bird Market - this charming Chinese-style garden is the favoured gathering place of Hong Kong's songbird owners, who carry their beloved pets around in intricately carved cages.  Flowers Street - is a jungle of exotic blossoms, luck-bringing houseplants and sweet scents to be found in more than 50 shops.  It's fun to walk around the market admiring the huge variety of flowers and plants for sale.  Nathan Road - is the main thoroughfare in Kowloon, Hong Kong and is lined with shops, restaurants and tourists, and was known in the post-World War II years as the Golden Mile, a name that is now rarely used.  

Full day Ocean Park Tour including admission ticket and transfers (Approx. 10h30-18h00)
Ocean Park Hong Kong is Asia’s premier sea life and animal theme park.  The Park features one of the largest aquariums (Atoll Reef) in the world and is the largest of its kind in Southeast Asia.  Other attractions include exhibits of sea lions, dolphins, birds, and giant Pandas.  In addition to the animals, a large assortment of thrill rides will provide a fun filled day for all visitors.

Full day Disneyland Tour including admission ticket and transfers (Approx. 10h30-20h00)
Hong Kong Disneyland continues the tradition with classic Disney attractions, unique shops and restaurants, dazzling live entertainment in a delightful setting.  Fantasy becomes reality in Disneyland amazing theme lands – Main Street USA, Fantasyland, Adventureland and Tomorrowland.  Lunch is not included.

Full day Lantau Island Tour with vegetarian lunch (Approx. 08h30-16h30)
By boat to Silvermine Bay on Lantau island passing sulphur channel, green island and other outer islands.  Thence coach transfer by way of Cheung Sha Beach, the unique Tai O Fishing Village, before touring the Po Lin Monastery to view the largest Buddha in the world, cast in bronze situated high in the mountain.  A Chinese vegetarian lunch will be served in the monastery.  The tour ends with a spectacular ride aboard the Ngong Ping 360 cable car offering stunning views going down to Tung Chung.  Transfer to the city.  

Remarks: The above itinerary/schedules are for your reference only and are subject to change without prior notice.

Reservation