Lunar New Year in Singapore

Lunar New Year in Singapore: What to Expect and Where to Go

Singapore takes Lunar New Year seriously. The build-up begins in January, sometimes earlier, with Chinatown transforming into an explosion of red lanterns, gold decorations, and stalls selling festive food and decorations weeks before the actual date. On the night of Chinese New Year’s Eve itself, Chinatown is packed to the point of barely moving. That’s worth knowing in advance.

The festival runs for fifteen days, ending with Chap Goh Mei (the equivalent of Valentine’s Day in Hokkien tradition). The main public celebrations are concentrated in the first few days.

Chinatown

The Chinatown Night Market runs for about three weeks before the new year. Stalls sell bak kwa (barbecued pork jerky — the queues at Bee Cheng Hiang on New Bridge Road can be 40 minutes long), mandarin oranges, decorations, and new year snacks. The light-up along South Bridge Road and Eu Tong Sen Street is elaborate and worth seeing after dark.

During the festival itself, lion dance troupes perform at businesses throughout the city in the first few days of the new year — you’ll encounter them at shopping centres, restaurants, and occasionally on the street.

River Hongbao at Gardens by the Bay

The River Hongbao event (now held at Gardens by the Bay since moving from the Marina) is the large-scale public celebration: lantern installations, cultural performances, carnival rides, and food stalls spread across the waterfront. It runs through most of the festive period and is free to enter, though individual attractions are ticketed. It draws large crowds, particularly on weekends.

Temples

The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple in Chinatown holds special ceremonies during the new year period. Sri Mariamman Temple nearby (Hindu, but significant in the context of Singapore’s multi-ethnic celebrations) also sees increased activity. Thian Hock Keng on Telok Ayer Street is one of Singapore’s oldest Hokkien temples and has good ceremonial activities on the first day.

What to Eat

Yu sheng is the key dish: a raw fish salad tossed communally at the table, with participants lifting the ingredients high with chopsticks for good luck. It’s eaten specifically during Lunar New Year and available at virtually every restaurant in Singapore from late January. The tossing ritual (lou hei) gets messy, noisy, and enthusiastic.

Pen cai (a layered pot dish with expensive ingredients like abalone and sea cucumber) is the reunion dinner centrepiece at restaurants and hotels. Book reunion dinner well in advance — most restaurants open bookings in November.

Street stalls in Chinatown during the market period sell nian gao (sticky rice cake), tang yuan (glutinous rice balls in sweet soup), and various kueh. Most are worth trying; prices are reasonable.

Practical Notes

Book accommodation early. Singapore is always busy in January, and Lunar New Year weekend pushes prices up further. The MRT runs extended hours during the main festival nights. Expect slow going in Chinatown by foot on New Year’s Eve — it’s that crowded. Worth it, but wear comfortable shoes and don’t plan to be anywhere at a specific time.