Hong Kong's Golden Week draws mainland tourists with pandas and bun festival
Hong Kong businesses are making significant efforts to attract mainland Chinese visitors during the five-day Labour Day 'golden week' holiday.
However, many tourists are likely to rely on recommendations from the social media platform RedNote. The government estimates that approximately 840,000 mainland visitors will arrive between Thursday and Monday, representing a 10 per cent increase compared to last year during the same period.
The dining industry is optimistic about a 5 per cent boost in business compared to an average weekend.
To identify popular trends for this holiday, the South China Morning Post examined RedNote, often regarded as the 'bible' for mainlanders on food, shopping and lifestyle.
Pandas
Hong Kong's Ocean Park is home to the city's beloved six 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, Ying Ying and Le Le, closes earlier at 3pm.
Special additional tickets are required to enter the zone 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 area, where crowd control measures may be implemented if there is a large number of visitors.
Hong Kong celebrates panda twins' 100 days
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 the local McDonald's even taking part by 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 will take place on May 5, while the competition will occur at 12am on May 6.
Competitors scramble up a bamboo bun tower to collect plastic buns during the annual Bun Festival in Cheung Chau. Photo: Yik Yeung-man
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.
5 easy hikes in Hong Kong perfect for a beginner
Drone shows
While the government has said that it will be ditching the monthly drone show schedule this year, special shows 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.
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