The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) hosted the New Year Countdown at the Chater Road Pedestrian Precinct in Central for the first time. The event featured a mix of live music and a light show, bringing locals, visitors and global audiences together to welcome 2026.
Air Supply and local artists Jay Fung and Cloud Wang performed to entertain the large crowds.
A themed “New Hopes, New Beginnings” three-minute light show was staged on the façades of eight buildings featuring giant countdown clocks and dazzling light patterns to welcome the New Year.
If we’re being honest, the event was kinda pathetic compared to New Year’s Eve countdowns across the world. An oppourtunity to promote Hong Kong to the world, while entertaining HongKongers, sadly wasted.
Hong Kong New Year Countdown
Date: Midnight, 31 December, 2025
Venue: Chater Street, Hong Kong
Tickets: Free
photos: HKTB
New Years Eve Countdown
Date: Midnight, 31 December, 2025
Venue: Central, Hong Kong
Tickets: Free
This year’s Cyclethon has been cancelled to allow the government and rescuers to focus their resources on rescue and relief efforts.
Cyclothon
Date: 30 November 2025
Venue: West Kowloon
Tickets: free
More info: registration www.discoverhongkong.com/cyclothon
The rides finish at the Jordan Road Flyover, and a Cyclothon carnival will be held at the West Kowloon Cultural District
Symphony Under the Stars
HK Philharmonic Orchestra
Date: 7:30pm, 26 November, 2025
Venue: Central Harbourfront
Tickets: public registration www.hkphil.org
At an event in Hong Kong, sponsored by the Hong Kong Tourist Board, “The World’s 50 Best Bars” this week announced Hong Kong’s Bar Leone as the World’s Best Bar in 2025.
Bar Leone is certainly a good bar – sadly now to be drowned in people wanting to say they’ve ‘drunk in the World’s Best Bar’! – but is it the World’s Best? Sadly, The World’s 50 Best Bars website doesn’t list any criteria to support the award.
What constitutes ‘best’ is apparently left to the judgment of 800 “drinks experts”. Each voter casts eight votes based on their best bar experiences of the previous 18 months, with a maximum of five bars in their own country. The list is the result of a simple vote count – no totals are released. No breakdown of where the ‘experts’ are from or how many are based in each country/region.
So congratulations to Bar Leone and the other bars on the list, but take the list with a large pinch of salt and get out and explore different bars to find those you enjoy.
Bar Leone
11-15 Bridges Street
Central
Hong Kong
Open: Tuesday-Sunday 17:00-late
No Reservations
images: The World’s 50 Best Bars
Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival
Date: 23-26 October, 2025
Venue: Central Harbourfront Event Space
Tickets: various
Tai Hang Fire Dragon Festival
Date: 5-7 October, 2025
Venue: Tai Hang
Tickets: Free
Under blue skies and bright sunshine, Victoria Harbour provided a stunning backdrop for the 2025 Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races. Fans packed the shoreline to watch local and international teams compete to be the best of the best.
Click on any photo to see more images
Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races Results
Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races
Date: 31 May 0-8 June, 2025
Venue: Central Harbourfront
Tickets: Free
images: HK Tourism Board
