TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The best places to celebrate Chinese New Year weave together centuries-old traditions, deeply rooted cultural customs, and an ever-growing calendar of festivities. Over time, the Chinese communities around the world have gone the extra mile with their celebrations, from glowing lanterns and lively street parades to spectacular firework displays that light up the night sky.
Whether you’re honoring one of the most significant dates in the Chinese calendar or looking for a festive getaway, let’s see some of the best places to celebrate CNY in the world, according to travel experts from Time Out, Traveloka and others here.
List of the Best Places to Celebrate Chinese New Year in the World
1. Singapore
Celebrating cultural diversity at its finest, Singapore is always at the forefront as one of the best places to experience Chinese New Year. The dynamic island nation goes all out for the festive season, with vibrant events, glowing decorations, and citywide celebrations unfolding around every corner for those keen to explore Chinese New Year celebrations in Singapore.
To fully immerse yourself in the spirit of the occasion, a visit to River Hongbao at Gardens by the Bay and the iconic Chingay Parade is a must, where the country’s largest annual Chinese New Year celebrations come alive amid dazzling lantern installations along the waterfront.
2. Beijing, China
When considering the best places to celebrate Chinese New Year, Beijing stands as an ideal choice where cultural depth meets exceptional value. As the capital slows during the holiday, iconic landmarks become easier to explore, while reduced airfare and accommodation rates create a rare opportunity for international travelers to experience the city at its most accessible.
For those who extend their stay until the fifteenth day of the lunar month, the celebrations culminate in the Lantern Festival, when radiant displays light up Beijing’s streets and skylines.
3. Hong Kong
Hong Kong earns its place among the best destinations to celebrate Chinese New Year by transforming the city into a festival of color, light, and spectacle. All throughout the season, shopping malls across the city, from Langham Place to Tuen Mun Town Plaza, are reimagined with playful zodiac décor and vibrant installations, creating some of the most photogenic backdrops of the holiday for those exploring must-see Chinese New Year celebrations in Hong Kong.
4. Thailand
Few cities in Southeast Asia celebrate Chinese New Year with as much energy and color as Bangkok. Welcoming the lunar calendar, Yaowarat Road proudly represents the dazzling festivities of colorful parades, cultural performances, fireworks, and endless street food. Bathed in lantern light, the city’s celebrations unfold into the unmistakable spirit of the Lunar New Year.
5. Vietnam
As the clock strikes midnight, fireworks burst above Hoan Kiem Lake, marking Hanoi’s vibrant welcome to Tt. In the days that follow, the city’s historic streets fill with ritual, color, and floral markets like Quang Ba, where pre-dawn crowds gather among peach blossoms, golden ochna flowers, and the buzz of street food.
6. Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur offers a vibrant yet accessible way to celebrate Chinese New Year, anchored by the iconic Thean Hou Temple, one of Malaysia’s oldest and largest temples. Through the height of the Lunar New Year celebrations, the city pulses with fireworks, lion dances, and family reunions, seamlessly intertwining age-old customs with contemporary city life. After nightfall, the celebration continues over lively suppers along Jalan Alor, while Chinatown hums with bustling markets and seasonal revelry.
7. South Korea
For many foreigners, Seoul is a perennial favorite on the list of the best places to celebrate Chinese New Year. As the season takes off, South Korea's megacity embraces tradition through family rituals and public celebrations at sites like the Korean Folk Village, where folk games, ceremonial bonfires, and bowls of tteokguk highlight centuries-old customs. Adding a modern contrast, theme parks such as Everland and Lotte World host Seollal-themed parades and light displays.
8. Japan
Yokohama, just outside Tokyo, earns its place among the best places to celebrate Chinese New Year with one of the world’s largest and most energetic Chinatowns. While Tokyo itself is not a traditional Chinese New Year hub, the city’s seamless blend of global culture and Japanese charm adds a distinctive backdrop to the celebrations. Ultimately, Yokohama’s high-energy festivities and Tokyo’s refined calm create a memorable way to welcome the Lunar New Year.
9. New York, USA
Adorned with one of the largest Chinese diasporas outside Asia, it's inevitable that New York becomes a memorable destination to experience CNY. Each year, the city’s Chinatown is packed with thunderous firecracker ceremonies at Sara D. Roosevelt Park, which is believed to ward off bad luck. In the heated festivity, the cultural event is followed by lion dances and parades that spill into the surrounding streets, setting the right start to the Lunar New Year.
10. Manchester, United Kingdom
With one of the UK’s oldest Chinese communities, Manchester delivers some of Europe’s most compelling Chinese New Year celebrations. In the coming season of the Lunar New Year, the city’s 2026 celebrations are set to feature a spectacular dragon parade winding through the city center before culminating in Chinatown, accompanied by live performances and street food. As one of the most photographed events on Manchester’s cultural calendar, the festivities never fail to draw crowds from across the region.
From Asia to Europe and North America, the best places to celebrate Chinese New Year prove that the festival’s spirit transcends borders, uniting communities through tradition, spectacle, and shared joy. Wherever you choose to welcome the Lunar New Year, these destinations promise meaningful celebrations, cherished moments, and a vibrant start to the year ahead.
Read: A Local Guide to Chinese New Year Celebrations in Singapore
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