Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival

The Dragon Boat Festival falls on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. This year, the Dragon Boat Festival is on 25 June 2020 (Thursday).

*Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly all of the dragon boat races 2020 will be cancelled and some of them are postponed.

Traditionally known as the Tuen Ng Festival, it is an important festival in the East Asian cultural circle and is now celebrated in many places in the world. To celebrate this vibrant festival, the key elements are dragon boat race Hong Kong and glutinous rice dumplings (zongzi) eating. However, you may not know that there is a sad story behind this lively festival. Learn more about the origin of the Dragon Boat Festival.

Every summer, over a hundred of local and international dragon boat teams gather together for different events and races. There are lots of choices for you to soak up the atmosphere as races are held on various dates and different areas in Hong Kong. All of them are open to public for free. Check back later for details about the races in 2019.

Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races are held in the Victoria Harbour for three days every year, click here for details. Below are races held on the Dragon Boat Festival Day and other dates throughout Hong Kong:

Hong Kong Island

Stanley Dragon Boat International Championships 2019

• Date: 7 June 2019
• Time: 8am to 5pm
• Venue: Stanley Main Beach
• Commentary: Cantonese and English
• Website: dragonboat.org.hk

How to get there:

MTR Hong Kong Station Exit D and take bus 6, 6A, 6X, 66 or 260 at Exchange Square to Stanley; or take bus 973 from Silvercord, Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui to Stanley.

Read more about Stanley Market.

Aberdeen Dragon Boat Race 2019

• Date: 7 June 2019
• Time: 9am to 4pm
• Venue: Aberdeen Promenade, Aberdeen Praya Road
• Commentary: Cantonese, Mandarin and English

How to get there:

MTR Hong Kong Station Exit D and take bus 70 from Exchange Square bus terminal to Aberdeen Promenade.

Read more about Aberdeen Fishing Village.

Outlying Islands

Cheung Chau Dragon Boat Races 2019

• Date: 7 June 2019
• Time: 10am to 4:30pm
• Venue: Cheung Chau Typhoon Shelter, Cheung Chau
• Commentary: Cantonese

Learn about Cheung Chau Bun Festival.

How to get there:

Take a ferry from Central Pier 5 (MTR Hong Kong Station Exit E1, walk through ifc mall and the footbridge) to Cheung Chau.

Discovery Bay Dragon Boat Races and Carnival 2019

• Date: 7 June 2019
• Time: 8am to 5pm
• Venue: Tai Pak Beach, Discovery Bay, Lantau Island
• Commentary: Cantonese and English

How to get there:

Take a ferry from Central Pier 3 (MTR Hong Kong Station Exit E1, walk through ifc mall and the footbridge) in Central to Discovery Bay; or Bus DB01R from MTR Tung Chung Station Exit B; or Bus DB03R from MTR Sunny bay Station Exit A to Discovery Bay.

Mui Wo Dragon Boat Race Open 2019

• Date: 26 May 2019
• Time: 9am to 3pm
• Venue: Silvermine Bay Beach, Mui Wo, Lantau Island
• Commentary: Cantonese and English

How to get there:

Take a ferry from Central Pier 6 (MTR Hong Kong Station Exit E1, walk through ifc mall and the footbridge) to Mui Wo; or MTR Tung Chung Station Exit B, then take Bus 3M to Mui Wo.

Tai O Dragon Boat Water Parade 2019

• Date: 7 June 2019
• Time: 8-10 am
• Venue: Tai O, Lantau Island

Tai O Dragon Boat Racing Competition 2019

• Date: 30 June 2019
• Time: 9am to 4pm
• Venue: Tai O, Lantau Island
• Commentary: Cantonese

How to get there:

MTR Tung Chung Station Exit B, then take New Lantao Bus 11 to Tai O; or take a ferry from Central Pier 6 (MTR Hong Kong Station Exit E1, walk through ifc mall and the footbridge) to Mui Wo, then take New Lantao Bus 1 to Tai O.

Lamma International Dragon Boat Festival

• Date: 14 April 2019; 17 May 2020
• Time: 9am to 6pm
• Venue: Power Plant Beach, Lamma Island
• Commentary: Cantonese and English

Take a ferry from Central Pier 4 (MTR Hong Kong Station Exit E1, walk through ifc mall and the footbridge) or from Aberdeen Promenade to Yung Shue Wan. Walk along the Lamma Island Family Walk for about 15 minutes, turn right after passing Reservoir Road  and walk for another 5 minute to get to there.

New Territories

2019 Sai Kung Dragon Boat Race Gala

• Date: 7 June 2019
• Time:
  • Races: 8am to 2pm
  • Carnival: 2 to 5pm
• Venue:
  • Races: Sai Kung Promenade (near Sai Kung Pier)
  • Carnival: Sai Kung Promenade Park
• Commentary: Cantonese, Mandarin and English

How to get there:

• MTR – Minibus
  • MTR Hang Hau Station Exit B1 and take minibus 101M; or MTR Choi Hung Station Exit C2 and take minibus 1A.
• MTR – Bus
  • MTR Tseung Kwan O Station and take bus 792M; or MTR Diamond Hill Station and take bus 92; or Sha Tin Town Centre Terminus near Sha Tin MTR station and take bus 299.

Sha Tin Dragon Boat Race 2019

• Date: 7 June 2019
• Time: 8:30am to 1pm
• Venue: Shing Mun River, Sha Tin (starting close to Banyan Bridge, ending near Sha Yin Bridge)
• Commentary: Cantonese

How to get there:

MTR Sha Tin Station Exit A, walk through New Town Plaza to Sha Tin Park. Then walk to the left along the riverside for about 10 minutes.

Tai Po District Dragon Boat Race 2019

• Date: 7 June 2019
• Time: 8:30am to 1pm
• Venue: Promenade at Tai Po Waterfront Park, Tai Po
• Commentary: Cantonese

How to get there:

Take bus 72A from MTR Tai Wai Station Exit B. Alight at Tai Po Industrial Estate Dai Cheong Street.

Tuen Mun District Dragon Boat Race 2019

• Date: 7 June 2019
• Time: 9am to 2pm
• Venue: Castle Peak Bay, Area 44, Tuen Mun
• Commentary: Cantonese

How to get there:

Tuen Mun MTR Station and take LRT 614, 614P or 507 to Siu Hei Station; or Mong Kok East MTR Station Exit C and take bus 59X to Tuen Mun Ferry Pier, then walk 10 minutes to the race venue.

That’s all for now. I hope you enjoy Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival.

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