Festivals and events

Things to do in Hong Kong in February 2021

Make the most of Hong Kong in February with special Chinese New Year menus, playful exhibitions and outdoor adventures

With Dry January and Veganuary firmly in the rear view, let’s look ahead to the best things to do in Hong Kong in February. The cool weather is perfect for a day trip to Lamma Island, Lantau or Cheung Chau. Explore further afield with a ferry out to one of these lesser-visited islands.

Hiking is another popular activity this time of year, whether you choose a trail close to the city or aim for something more epic like the Pat Sin Leng range of eight closely interconnected 500-metre-plus peaks.

There are some happenings around town, including a few fun ways to celebrate with your Valentine. Whatever suits your fancy, just keep an eye on the latest COVID-19 regulations and confirm any offerings before you head out.

Tuck into a Super Bowl Barbecue

Smoke and Barrel Super Bowl barbecue platter

Fans of American football will tune in to see whether Tom Brady can guide the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on 8 February. Anyone who’s a fan of barbecue will appreciate Smoke & Barrel’s Super Bowl 2021 package ($318 per person, minimum five orders). It features cider-glazed baby back ribs and sides of mac and cheese and jalapeño corn bread. Available for takeaway and delivery 8am-11am on 8 February or the day before.

Enjoy Chinese New Year Eats

Hong Kong welcomes the Year of the Ox on 12 February. While some annual events, like the parade and fireworks, have been cancelled, there are still ways to get into the Chinese New Year spirit. Food is central to the celebrations, and we’ve rounded up a few of the many seasonal menus around town below. Click here for more things to do during Chinese New Year in Hong Kong.

Bowl of steamed egg with white fungus and ginseng, part of the Chinese New Year menu at Hyatt Regency TST Cafe in Hong Kong in February

You are what you eat, as the saying goes. Cafe at the Hyatt Regency Tsim Sha Tsui presents a Chinese New Year buffet that nourishes the body, mind and soul through foods that correlate with principles of traditional Chinese medicine. Expect immunity-boosting dishes like steamed egg with black fungus, white fungus and ginseng, topped with goji berries (from HK$338, until 31 March).

Mott 32’s Chinese New Year menus are perfect for sharing seasonal staples with influences from across China, including steamed leopard coral garoupa with Yunnan ham and traditional poon choi (from HK$1,280 to HK$2,280, available 12-26 February for dining in, delivery or takeaway).

Poon choi, a popular Chinese New Year dish, served at Soil to Soul, a Korean temple food restaurant in Hong Kong

Speaking of poon choi, contemporary Korean vegetarian restaurant Soil to Soul in Tsim Sha Tsui gives the dish a twist by adding its signature aged soy sauce and a sweet-and-spicy Korean sauce, plus helpings of tofu skin pockets and radish dumplings (HK$1,988, available for takeaway until 28 February).

Chinese New Year treats from Cookie Vission in Hong Kong

Local boutique bakery Cookie Vission has a very giftable Chinese New Year Box Set (HK$300) of six supersized cookies: two new limited-edition flavours (golden oolong tea and Grand Marnier crème brûlée), Vietnamese coffee, oatmeal raisin, black sesame and matcha.

Celebrate Valentine’s Day

Hong Kong skyline at night with the Aqua Luna boat on Victoria Harbour
Credit: Marcel Lam

Love is in the air this month – and out at sea with the Aqua Luna, which is offering Valentine’s junk cruises on 14 and 15 February. Choose from a morning Dim Sum Cruise (HK$450 per person), Romantic Afternoon Tea Cruise (HK$388 per person) or Evening Harbour Cruise (HK$230 per person), and take your special someone out for romantic views while enjoying delicious treats and a glass of bubbles.

Bartender mixes Valentine's Day cocktails at The Daily Tot, a rum bar in Hong Kong

Toast your love with a cocktail making class. You two will spend a few hours mixing up rum with the help of The Daily Tot’s bar manager Gerry Olino and Pernod Ricard ambassador Luca Andrei. Snacks and a taste of the bar’s new cocktail menu are also part of the appeal (HK$350 per person, 14 February).

Check Out New Menus

New lunch set menu at Penicillin in Hong Kong

Penicillin, a sustainably-minded bar that opened in Central last autumn, has launched a Flawless Feed lunch set. It’s great value: four appetisers, an entree and drink pairings for HK$200 (Mondays-Saturdays, 12-3pm). Many ingredients are locally sourced or upcycled, including chicken, seasonal fish and vegetables from Yuen Long. A house-fermented guava and baby carrot cocktail bursting with beneficial live bacteria, enzymes and vitamins is typical of the drink menu.

Coffee with a salmon bagel at Draft Land in Hong Kong

Wyndham Street’s cocktails-on-tap concept bar, Draft Land Hong Kong, is now open for business during the day, with sandwiches, croissants and pre-batched coffees on tap. You might pair a nitro cold brew with a B.E.C. (bacon-egg-cheese croissant). It’s pet-friendly, so bring your pooch along too.

Braised black mushroom with shrimp paste and taro puffs with scallops and caviar at Ying Jee Club

Two-star Michelin-starred Ying Jee Club in Central has a new afternoon tea set that showcases its mastery of classic Cantonese flavours from dim sum to honey-glazed barbecue pork, as well as innovative twists such as marinated pork terrine elevated with caviar (HK$328 per person).

For more dining and drinking recommendations, consult our growing list of Hong Kong’s hottest restaurants and bars of 2021.

Tune into Virtual Theatre

Redemption Room virtual theater in Hong Kong

Secret Theatre Projects presents Redemption Room, an immersive online thriller that allows the audience to tune in from anywhere in the world and judge six disgraced celebrities as they seek redemption for so-called societal crimes. Expect plot twists and a wild evening’s entertainment (25 February–13 March, 7-10pm, HK$155).

Explore Kid-friendly Exhibitions

Ever wondered what Elmo looks like underneath all the fuzz? Well, find out at K11 Art Mall in Tsim Sha Tsui at K11 Outside In: An Unconventional World of Art Toys (until 28 February). This playful showcase includes Asian favourites Astro Boy and Gatchaman, as deconstructed by award-winning sculptor and toy designer Jason Freeny.

And if you’re looking for something to really thrill the kids, try the Frozen exhibition. The 18,000-square-foot exhibition space in Tseung Kwan O’s Park Central has room for everything from life-sized attractions to its own enchanted forest (closed for social distancing until 3 February; extended until April 2021).

Splash Out on a Staycation

Ritz Carlton Deluxe Victoria Harbour Suite Kowloon Hotel

While you’re waiting to take off on that next overseas adventure, take advantage of the great staycation offers available at top hotels right here in Hong Kong: among them the Hari, Rosewood, Four Seasons, and the Ritz-Carlton.

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