Chinese New Year

When: Jan - Feb (dates move with the lunar new moon), yearly.

Where: Celebrated across China (nationwide), with major public events in cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

Cost: Most street festivities and temple fairs are free to attend, though travel and accommodation prices rise.

Don’t miss: New Year’s Eve family reunion dinner, lion and dragon dances, lantern displays and the Lantern Festival on the 15th day.

Across China (nationwide), Chinese New Year - commonly called the Spring Festival - is the country’s principal traditional holiday, focused on family reunions, an important New Year’s Eve feast and a host of symbolic customs like red envelopes, spring couplets and wearing red.

Public life turns festive: streets, markets and temples fill with lion and dragon dances, lanterns, temple fairs and fireworks (where permitted). Big cities stage large shows and lantern displays while towns and villages keep community rituals and family gatherings central to the celebrations.

Chinese New Year falls on the new moon between late January and late February, so the exact date changes each year according to the lunar calendar.

The holiday peaks on New Year’s Eve (the reunion dinner) and the first few days of the new year; the Lantern Festival on the 15th day traditionally closes the celebrations. The wider travel period known as Chunyun generates heavy transport demand for roughly 40 days around the festival.

Major international gateways to China include Beijing (Capital and Daxing), Shanghai (Pudong), Guangzhou (Baiyun) and Hong Kong; from these hubs you can use domestic flights, high-speed trains or regional buses to reach local celebrations. Arrive several days before New Year’s Eve and book trains, flights and accommodation well in advance.

• In China (nationwide), Chinese New Year is family-focused; expect many shops, restaurants and attractions to close for several days around New Year’s Eve, so plan logistics ahead.
• Book long-distance trains, flights and hotels weeks to months in advance - high-speed rail seats and budget flights sell out fast during Chunyun.
• Carry some cash and small notes for purchases and any red-envelope exchanges; mobile payments are ubiquitous but foreign cards and apps can be limited.
• Be prepared for loud fireworks and dense crowds - earplugs, comfortable shoes and extra patience help; note some cities restrict private fireworks, concentrating displays in public events.
• Dress in layers: northern cities are often very cold in winter, while southern regions are milder but can still be cool at night.
• Respect local customs at temples and family events: ask before photographing or joining rituals, follow signage and any crowd-control instructions.