Pandas and Bun Festival among Hong Kong's ‘golden week' trends for mainland tourists
Hong Kong businesses have made extensive efforts to entice mainland Chinese visitors during the five-day Labour Day 'golden week' holiday, but many tourists will opt to take recommendations from social media platform RedNote.
The government anticipates around 840,000 mainland visitors between Thursday and Monday, about 10 per cent more than last year during the same period, with the dining industry hopes for a 5 per cent increase in business compared to a typical weekend.
The Post scoured RedNote, often referred to as the 'bible' for mainlanders regarding food, shopping and lifestyle, to identify some popular trends for this holiday.
Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. Pandas
Hong Kong's Ocean Park is home to the city's six beloved pandas, including long-term residents Ying Ying and Le Le, and their twin cubs born last August, known as 'Elder Sister' and 'Younger Brother.'
Five-year-old An An and Ke Ke, gifts from Beijing, arrived last September and were introduced to the public in December.
They began their first mating season in the past week since their arrival.
The park is open daily from 10am to 7pm, although visitors should note that the 'Giant Panda Adventure' area, which houses the twins and their parents, closes earlier at 3pm.
Special additional tickets are required to enter the area and are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis at the 'Mark's Mine' ticket counter. Visitors will be given a designated entry time, and each person will have around three minutes to view the exhibit.
An An and Ke Ke, meanwhile, stay in the separate Hong Kong Jockey Club Sichuan Treasures enclosure, where crowd control measures may be implemented if there is a large number of visitors. Bun Festival
The Cheung Chau Bun Festival may boast a centuries-old history, but it was only in recent years that authorities began promoting it as a tourist attraction.
More recently, its popularity on RedNote has increased significantly due to its timing this year, which overlaps with the golden week holiday.
This uniquely Hong Kong annual festival, held on the outlying island of Cheung Chau, is a weeklong event with Taoist origins that sees the entire island's residents go vegetarian, with even the local McDonald's replacing its menu with a mushroom burger.
The festivities culminate in a children's float parade known as Piu Sik on the final day, before a bun-scrambling competition at midnight.
This year, the Piu Sik parade will take place on May 5, while the competition will occur at 12am on May 6. Drone shows
While the government has said that it will be ditching the monthly drone show schedule this year, special ones will still be organised for major holidays and festivals.
A 12-minute drone show celebrating the themes of the Tin Hau Festival, Tam Kung Festival, and Cheung Chau Bun Festival will take place at 8pm along the Wan Chai Temporary Promenade on May 1.
Viewers can expect to see hundreds of drones forming images of bun towers, traditional Chinese decorations, and more. Hiking
Exploring Hong Kong's extensive mountains and hills has become a popular activity for mainland visitors in recent years, as they swap traditional urban activities like shopping for the countryside.
Popular trails on RedNote include the relatively easy and scenic MacLehose Trail, which runs across the New Territories from Pak Tam Chung in Sai Kung to Tuen Mun.
The High Island Reservoir East Dam in Sai Kung is also an often mentioned destination, known for its picturesque anchor shape and its connection to other High Island landmarks such as the hexagonal rock columns and Biu Tsim Kok.
Hikers often conclude their excursions by refuelling in Sai Kung town centre.
More from South China Morning Post:
For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2025.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Borneo Post
17 hours ago
- Borneo Post
From Shandong to Spain: Chinese martial arts inspire cross-cultural exchange
Zhang (right) teaching a foreign student martial arts in Longkou City, east China's Shandong Province. – Xinhua photo JINAN (June 7): In a classroom at the Confucius Institute of the University of Granada, in Spain, a group of Spanish students mirrored their teacher's martial arts movements: holding horse stance, jabbing with controlled force, and retracting elbows in fluid arcs. Leading them was Zhang Daojin, an inheritor of Six Harmony Praying Mantis boxing, which is a Kung Fu style originating from Shandong Province in east China. Zhang recently concluded a two-week cultural exchange programme in Spain, sharing Chinese Kung Fu with martial arts enthusiasts from Spain and other European countries through lectures and training sessions. 'Chinese Kung Fu is much more than a way to get fit. It's rich with cultural and philosophical significance,' said Alejandro Romero, a 43-year-old instructor who started his martial arts journey at 15. 'It's woven into my daily routine. I've found myself growing stronger, both physically and mentally.' Six Harmony Praying Mantis boxing is celebrated for its unique blend of strength and gentleness. It focuses on internal and external training and reflects traditional Chinese beliefs about the balance between humanity and nature. In addition to Six Harmony Praying Mantis boxing, Zhang also introduced Tai Chi and Qigong, sparking engaging conversations about martial arts, wellness and the richness of traditional Chinese culture. 'The Spanish students are passionate, hardworking and adaptable to different cultures,' Zhang remarked. 'Some have even made the journey to Shandong several times to deepen their Kung Fu practice. Their commitment is truly inspiring.' Alejandro Alvarez, 45, has studied under Zhang since 2009 and runs a traditional Chinese medicine clinic in Granada. 'Kung Fu has transformed my life,' he said. 'It has not only strengthened my body but also enriched my spirit and mind.' Martial arts enthusiasts from China and Spain participating in a martial arts exchange event at the University of Granada in Spain. – Xinhua photo As martial arts continue to grow in popularity in Spain, more and more enthusiasts are traveling to China for training, and some have even established martial arts schools in Spain. Zhang has made several trips to Spain since receiving his first Spanish student in 2006, during which time he has shared his knowledge with thousands of students of all ages. This growing interest reflects Spain's trend toward wellness practices that blend physical fitness with mental health, as martial arts strengthen the body and foster emotional connections. Bu Shan, the Chinese director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Granada, said that Spain is now home to over a hundred martial arts schools, and many practitioners travel to China for studies every year. She believes martial arts promote mutual understanding and provide a glimpse into Chinese culture. During traditional Chinese festivals like the Spring Festival or Mid-Autumn Festival, martial arts performances have become a bonding activity connecting local and Chinese communities, even 'a bridge for cultural exchange', Bu added. The Confucius Institute at the university is preparing for a martial arts festival in Spain and plans to send a delegation to a competition in Shandong later this year. Isabel María Balsas Ureña, the Spanish director of the institute, said martial arts transcend physical techniques. 'It's a philosophical practice,' she explained. 'It instills values like respect and sharing, ultimately teaching us how to live harmoniously with one another. 'The principles found in Chinese Kung Fu resonate profoundly across different cultures.' – Xinhua China martial arts Spain Xinhua
The Star
a day ago
- The Star
"Ne Zha 2" premieres in Hungary as part of Chinese film week
BUDAPEST, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese animated blockbuster "Ne Zha 2" premiered in the Hungarian capital of Budapest on Thursday night as part of the "Imazsia Chinese film week 2025." The screening, presented in Mandarin with English subtitles, sold out within hours of the box office opening. "The fact that all tickets for today's screening sold out in less than three hours shows that the success of Chinese cinema extends far beyond China's borders and is generating increasing international interest," said Victoria Varadi, chief organizer of the film week. "It is a great honor for us that this cinematic sensation could be brought to Hungary for the first time through the Imazsia Chinese Film Week," she added. Meanwhile, Chinese Ambassador to Hungary Gong Tao spoke about the development of cultural ties within bilateral cooperation, saying that he expects the two sides "will continue to deepen cooperation in the field of film." Members of the audience at the premiere expressed their appreciation for the movie. Anna Matus, a 22-year-old medical student from Szeged, attended with her brother. "I really, really liked the film. I loved the visuals, the characters, the plot twists -- everything, really," she told Xinhua after the screening. "As for my favorite character, I think it's the main character," she said. "I really enjoyed his development throughout the film." Orsolya Racz, a 24-year-old student of the Chinese language, highlighted the animation's appeal to audiences familiar with animated films. "The film was really great. I watch a lot of animated films myself, so I really loved the animation and the drawing style -- how they brought out the elements in the film and the fight scenes, that was all very impressive to me." Chris, a German engineering student currently based in Budapest, also praised the film, saying, "It was really, really interesting to see another culture." Rooted in 16th-century Chinese mythology with a bold reinterpretation, "Ne Zha 2" was crafted over five years by a team of 4,000 animators and has since become the world's highest-grossing animated film.
The Star
a day ago
- The Star
Is Labubu the next Hello Kitty? Analysts debate Pop Mart's limits
Pop Mart, the company behind the hit collectible character Labubu, was virtually unknown outside mainland China before 2024, but now some analysts are comparing its success to that of Sanrio and its Hello Kitty property, suggesting that the Beijing toymaker could have created a new playbook for cultural exports. Labubu, a sharp-fanged but cute little monster that is often sold as a plush clip-on charm for handbags, has attracted high-profile fans including the family of football star David Beckham. Its popularity pushed Pop Mart's Hong Kong-listed shares to a record high of HK$234 last week, after the company's market capitalisation topped HK$300 billion (US$38 billion) the week before. The rally followed the April debut of the Labubu 3.0 series, which drew long queues in London, New York, and Dubai. 'For years, there's been a push [for Chinese companies] to 'go global' by exporting heritage and storytelling,' said Chris Pereira, founder and CEO at iMpact, a brand consulting company in Singapore. 'But Labubu flips that script. It's not trying to explain China, it's just trying to be lovable.' The sustained hype around Labubu had 'great similarities' to Hello Kitty, which turned 50 last year, according to JPMorgan Chase. The US bank said that beyond common traits in character design and business model, Labubu was also catching up with Hello Kitty in areas such as merchandising, licensing and Google Trends search interest. With international sales surging more than 480 per cent year on year in the first quarter, led by increases of 900 per cent in the US and 600 per cent in Europe, Pop Mart has become a new favourite among investors. Pereira said the popularity of the intellectual property (IP) opens the door for a wave of Chinese brands to succeed not because they are about China, but because they tap into universal emotions through strong design and clever marketing. 'They are telling a successful Chinese story without ever mentioning China,' he said. JPMorgan Chase initiated coverage of Pop Mart last week with a rating of overweight, and set its price target at HK$250 – the most bullish prediction among 43 analysts covering the toymaker. 'Labubu's meteoric rise is driven by a combination of factors,' said Richard Lin, chief consumer analyst at SPDB International, a Hong Kong-based investment bank. 'This includes the scarcity of the product itself, which has fuelled spontaneous social-media promotion by those lucky enough to get their hands on the toy' – a form of conspicuous consumption, he noted. Moreover, the character appeals to global consumers with its 'mischievous, cheeky image' that fans find irresistible, he said. 'I think this kind of vibe stands out more compared to something like Hello Kitty,' Lin added. 'In today's context, Hello Kitty might not resonate as much with younger audiences, who tend to look for characters with more individuality and edge.' With Pop Mart's shares rising nearly tenfold over the past year following Labubu's surge in popularity across Southeast Asia, JPMorgan is bullish on the company's long-term growth prospects. The bank identified 'multiple potential sources of incremental earnings,' ranging from new super IP launches and licensing to stationery, jewellery and even theme parks. 'Labubu's success is really a reflection of Pop Mart's own strengths in operations, marketing and product development,' said SPDB International's Lin. 'So what people can have confidence in is that even if Labubu cools down today, there will be new IPs coming tomorrow.' That sentiment is not universal, however. As stunning as Labubu's success has been, it has decades to go to match Hello Kitty's staying power, and whether the company can nurture other hit products is an open question. 'We think the biggest uncertainty lies in the relevance of Pop Mart's IPs, as they may become less popular among global pop-toy fans over the next few years,' said Jeff Zhang, an equity analyst who covers Pop Mart for Morningstar. 'Additionally, Pop Mart might overexpand in regions where demand for its products is weaker and see less operating leverage as a result.' Sanrio, the Japanese company that owns the Hello Kitty and Kuromi IPs, has returned investors a total 646 per cent, including share price gains and dividend payouts, since its listing in 1982. Pop Mart has returned 488 per cent so far. Additional reporting by Zhang Shidong - SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
