Celebrate the Tin Hau festival in Hong Kong - AsiaRooms.com

March 21, 2010 (PRLEAP.COM) Travel News
AsiaRooms.com highlights people who are making the trip to Hong Kong in April will find that the city comes alive with colourful and vibrant celebrations to mark the festival of Tin Hau.

The festivities will be most prominent in the fishing town of Sai Kung, so anyone staying in Hong Kong hotels should consider paying a visit to the location.

Among the activities taking place are lively parades, fireworks displays, lion dances and a sailing event where hundreds of junks and sampans will take to the waters of Victoria Bay.

Boats will usually congregate around Da Miao (the Great Temple), which is located in Joss House Bay in the New Territories.

Each year, these rituals take place to celebrate the birthday of the Chinese goddess of the sea - Tin Hau - when locals will ask for good weather, safety and full nets for the fishermen.

The festivities are particularly important to the people of Hong Kong due to their seafaring history and lifestyles.

After the flotilla has made its way to the various Tin Hau temples for worship, a colourful parade takes place, with floral paper offerings called fa pau adorning the many floats and worshippers.

Lion dances are particularly entertaining for visitors, with the lion dancers balanced on poles of varying heights to make the dance more difficult.