Sara KohSpending this Chinese New Year overseas? British Airways tells us the best four places to celebrate the upcoming festivities outside of Asia!
London
The largest Chinese New Year celebrations outside of Asia, London’s Chinatown and the West End will put on a show-stopping display of musical performances, lion dances and will also feature special restaurant menus. The main parade will happen along Charing Cross Road and Shaftesbury Avenue on Sunday, 14 Feb 2016. Afterwards, dance performances and traditional music will be performed in the nearby Trafalgar Square.
But if you have a penchant a quieter atmosphere, head to the Chiswick House and Garden where a Chinese Lantern festival will take place. Witness 50 hand-sculpted lanterns of grand sizes and a long dragon that spans an entire length of 60 metres!
Also read: 15 Steps to Travelling London On a Budget
New York
In the city that never sleeps, Chinese New Year is an equally exciting time to be mesmerised by stunning visuals and performances. Celebrations start on 8 Feb 2016 with a Firecracker Ceremony and Cultural Festival where a whopping 600,000 firecrackers will be lit to ring in the New Year of the Monkey!
Alternatively, you can also head on down to Sara D. Roosevelt Park where you can expect to see a colourful parade of lion dances, performances and food vendors! Time to tuck into those good-luck dumplings!
Sydney
This February, Sydney will once again have its inaugural Lunar Lanterns exhibition. The lanterns are a representation of each of the twelve animal signs of the Chinese Zodiac and if you follow the trail and keep a watchful eye, you’ll spot the Monkey at the Sydney Opera House, the Dragon at Dawes Point and the Pig on Pitt Street!
But if you’re a big fan of markets, head to the pop-up Lunar Markets that will have a wide spread of mouthwatering Asian food, drinks and some pretty exciting entertainment at Pyrmont Bay Park. There you will also find the largest Dragon Boat Race that will be taking place from the 20th to the 21st of the month at Cockle Bay, Darling Harbour.
Also read: 5 Vantage Points with the Most Picturesque Views of Sydney
Rome
Take a flight to Eternal City and celebrate Chinese New Year along Via dei Fori Imperiali. Almost congruent to traditional Chinese celebrations, you can expect to see a vibrant showcase of kung fu artists, dragon dances and the quintessential firecrackers
And as the sun sets, the main festivities will begin at The Victor Emmanuel Monument and end off with an elaborate display of fireworks that you can enjoy from the Caelian Hill.
Inspired to head outside of Asia to celebrate Chinese New Year? Travellers from Singapore can fly to these countries in British Airway’s Airbus A380 aircraft and transit at the airline’s home at London Heathrow Terminal 5! From there, they can then transit to any destination in the UK and Europe.
So if you’re abroad and still want to celebrate Chinese New Year, you can still have a ball of a time immersing yourself in the festivities in these countries!
