Hong Kong in May 2024: Best things to do

Japan's hugely popular Naked Flowers exhibition is coming to Hong Kong for the first time! Set to run from April 27 to October 27 at 1881 Heritage in Tsim Sha Tsui, the exhibition will take visitors on an immersive journey through the world of flowers and uncover their hidden secrets. Explore colossal flower gardens and interactive spaces, and delve into the mysteries of floral life across eight experiential rooms, including the 'Naked Big Book' featuring original Naked design with projection mapping; the 'Big Flower Garden' where visitors can enjoy the fragrance of flowers; 'Microscopy of Flowers', a kaleidoscope-like space with mirrors that rotate to reflect digital art; and more. Be sure to stop at the Naked Cafe Bar where visitors can enjoy floral teas (or cocktails after 6pm!) on an interactive round table with projections of floral designs when a drink is placed down.

Tickets are available at $180 and $150 for children aged three to 11, full-time students, persons with disabilities, and seniors aged 65 or above. Children under the age of three can enter for free. Bank of China Chill Card credit card holders can also take advantage of an exclusive package for $260 to get two adult tickets and a BOGOF deal on selected drinks at the Naked Cafe Bar.

Here are just some of the highlights from the exhibition:

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The Ikea Weekend Market is back! Taking place every Saturday and Sunday from now to May 26 at various Ikea locations (see below), the market features eight kiosks offering a range of sustainable and environmentally friendly products – from soaps and scents to accessories and handmade items – from homegrown brands, artisans, and social enterprises. Pick up some upcycled bling made from glass, or try natural skincare products made right here in Hong Kong. Do some bulk shopping and stock up on teas and locally-made Hong Kong-style snacks. While you're there, don't forget to check out the various displays showcasing how folks can live a more sustainable lifestyle with Ikea products. Happy green shopping!

Weekend Market dates and locations:

Tai Koo Plan and Order Point (April 27-28, May 4-5)
Sha Tin (May 11-12)
Tsuen Wan (May 18-19)
Kowloon Bay (May 25-26)

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All aboard the floating book fair ship! From May 4 to 26, the Doulos Hope will be berthed at Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, offering a literary adventure for the public with over 2,000 book titles available at affordable prices. Delve into diverse genres – including novels, science, arts, and more – and engage in cultural exchange with the ship's international crew of 100 volunteers from 25 countries, who may also put on various cultural performances on board. After exploring the book fair, unwind at the Hope Café where you can savour snacks and beverages while mingling with the crew.

Secure your tickets in advance through online booking, with free entry for children under 12 (accompanied by an adult) and seniors over 65. For other visitors, an entrance fee of $20 (cash only) will be collected at the book fair entrance. Don't miss this extraordinary opportunity to celebrate literature, culture, and connections – all while you're on a huge cruise ship! Stay updated on ticketing info and other event details on Instagram and Facebook.

While Filipino cuisine is on the rise in Hong Kong, marked by the emergence of numerous contemporary Filipino restaurants in recent years, the fusion of French and Filipino culinary traditions remains a rarity. So be sure to mark your calendars for May as Michelin-starred Racines plays host to Miko Calo, a distinguished chef hailing from the Philippines, for an exclusive two-day affair. Formerly from Metronome, an acclaimed fine dining establishment in Manila, the talented Butuan-born chef, will join hands with Racines’ chefs Romain Dupeyre and Adrien Castillo.

Expect a harmonious fusion of French and Filipino cuisine on May 30 and 31. Enjoy a specially curated six-course dinner menu priced at $2,288 per person on both evenings, or opt for the five-course lunch menu at $1,988 per person on the 31st. 

The annual SummerFest is back! This year, the annual programme will be held at the Wan Chai Harbourfront Event Space from April 5 to July 3, before heading over to the Central Harbourfront Event Space for its second round (dates TBC).

As with previous years, visitors can expect an exciting mix of events and activities spanning from arts and music to outdoor markets and sports. Thematic events will also be held on weekends, public holidays, and specific dates during this period. Together with the A-Maze-ing Harbourfront themed mazes, along with the illuminate! Run Beyond outdoor light installation, everyone is welcome to chill, play, and simply enjoy a great summer by our gorgeous waterfront.

Don't miss highlight events like the Hong Kong Dance Competition 2024, K-Wave Fiesta, Balance Bike Carnival, the Awaken Your Inner Warrior: Fit & Well Festival, Lanka Fest Hong Kong, and many more.

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After the overwhelming popularity of The Peninsula’s collaborative afternoon tea with the Star Ferry, the hotel returns with their Afternoon Tea on the Harbour experience until June 30. Diners can hop aboard a lavishly decorated World Star ferry and enjoy a sumptuous afternoon tea package as they sail along Victoria Harbour. The Peninsula’s tea menu provides plenty of savoury bites, such as abalone tart with seaweed cauliflower mousse, ham and mustard seed sandwich, smoked salmon and avocado spread sandwich, and more. As for desserts, guests can indulge in treats like milk tea choux puff, fermented bean curd and peanut brownie with milk chocolate cream, and the hotel’s signature raisin scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam.

Celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Centre for Heritage, Arts and Textile (CHAT) with their exciting Spring Programme 2024, Factory of Tomorrow. From now to July 14, immerse yourself in a fascinating group exhibition that showcases CHAT's contemporary art collection and newly commissioned works. With artworks by 19 Asian artists, the exhibition explores the role of textiles in Hong Kong's past while delving into the present and future. Through textile works, sculptures, immersive installations, and videos, artists examine themes such as technology, diversity, climate change, and our collective future. Additionally, be sure to experience new elements like the Misfitted: Unspoken Stories of Tailoring display, the interactive Illumin-Loom, as well as the reopening of the CHAT Lounge.

Broadway International Group brings the International Tour of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music to make its Hong Kong stage debut. Catch the heartwarming tale of governess Maria as she joins the family of Captain Von Trapp and his seven children, and ignites their love of music, all set against a pre-World War II backdrop. The original Broadway musical has won Tonys and Grammys over the years, and will be celebrating its 65th anniversary in 2024.

Audiences will also get to hear perennial favourite songs such as My Favourite Things, Edelweiss, Do-Re-Mi, and the title track The Sound of Music. Having been sold out for its seasons in Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, and the soon-to-open Shanghai, make sure to catch the Sound of Music stage production at the Xiqu Centre from April 16 to June 9.

The highly-anticipated teamLab: Continuous is officially here! As part of the city's Art@Harbour 2024 initiative during Hong Kong Arts Month, international art collective teamLab has set up hundreds of glowing ovoids stretching from Tamar Park all the way to the Central and Western District Promenade. Keep reading to find out when, where, and how you can catch the stunning installations.

When is teamLab: Continuous happening in Hong Kong?

The large-scale installations officially open on March 25 and will be in Hong Kong until June 2. Opening hours are 6.30pm to 11pm daily, with the last entry at 10.30pm.

Where is the teamLab: Continuous installation in Hong Kong?

Visitors will be able to catch the installation at Tamar Park and the Central and Western District Promenade, but registration will be required beforehand to access the lawns on which the installations are placed.

teamLab: Continuous registration details

To access the exhibition lawn area of teamLab: Continuous, all visitors must first register for a timeslot online. The availability of sessions will be updated every Monday at 12 noon for the bookings of the following week. Additionally, at 1pm every day, a limited number of slots for the same day will be released. All bookings are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Those who have successfully registered will receive a confirmation email with an admission QR code for free entry. Please note that each admission QR code is valid only for the specified session, and entry will not be permitted without a valid QR code. 

Each individual, regardless of age, is entitled to one ticket only. Moreover, each email address is permitted to register for one session on the same date, with each registration allowing a maximum of two persons. Each admission QR code can only be used once. Lastly, it is essential to arrive on the specified date and time as indicated in your booking. Failure to do so will result in the invalidation of the QR code, without the possibility of exchange or compensation.

What can I see at the teamLab: Continuous installation in Hong Kong?

Visitors will have the opportunity to view and interact with two sets of artworks. The Resonating Life which Continues to Stand showcases numerous luminous ovoids spread across the lawns and floating on the waters along the promenade. These ovoids will change colours when influenced by waves, blown by the wind, or pushed by people! The other set of artwork is Resonating Trees, where the surrounding trees at Tamar Park are lit up in various colours in response to the giant glowing 'eggs'.

Here's a quick glimpse of the teamLab installation before you go!

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This major special exhibition at the Hong Kong Palace Museum highlights the former glory of the Yuan Ming Yuan imperial garden, which was also known as the ‘Garden of All Gardens’. With artefacts such as paintings, calligraphy, ceramics, architectural models, drawings, and prints – many of which are on display in Hong Kong for the very first time – this event provides a great look into the life and artistry of the Qing court. 

The garden-palace was first constructed by the Emperor Kangxi and later fully developed by his fourth son, Emperor Yongzheng, with a total of five emperors continually adding to the Yuan Ming Yuan over the course of more than a century. It was the most favoured imperial residence outside of the Forbidden City and boasted spectacular landscaping, scenery, and architecture. The Yuan Ming Yuan was sadly looted and destroyed during the Second Opium War, but this exhibition aims to transport visitors back to the height of its glory through five thematic sections on its overall layout, the seasonal festivities that were celebrated, its landscaping design, imperial family life within the grounds, and its eventual destruction.

The displays will also be complemented by documentary screenings of The Lei Family, who were the Qing dynasty royal architects over several generations and had worked on the Yuan Ming Yuan. Standard tickets cost $150 and will also grant access to other thematic exhibitions in the Hong Kong Palace Museum, while a special combo ticket costing $220 will allow visitors to also view the Botticelli to Van Gogh exhibition on the same day.