Declared a public holiday each year the Chinese New Year is no ordinary cultural festival in the Lion City of Singapore. Marked during the last days of January this engaging local festival is celebrated with great pomp and pageantry by the island nation’s Chinese community although it is equally popular among Singaporeans of all faiths and visitors alike. The 2014 Chinese New Year falls on the 31st of January and this year harks in the Year of the Horse. Also known as the Lunar New Year and the Singapore Spring Festival this one of a kind event brings together the traditions of the Chinese celebration with all its customs and rituals and combines it with vibrant parades and street parties. Taking place from the first …

Referred to as the Winter Solstice Festival, the Donghzi Festival is one the most spectacular events celebrated amidst pomp and pageantry by the Chinese. This year’s festival is scheduled to take place on the 21st of December 2013 and choosing the luxury of a Hong Kong hotel would be a good way of planning your holiday during this time. Cosmopolitan Hotel Hong Kong which is a Wan Chai hotel Hong Kong has to offer would be a good option to consider. The festival which is believed to have originated from the yin and yang philosophy of balance and harmony is a classic example of local culture and tradition. Observers in southern China would be able to witness families engaged in the making and eating of tangyuan or which are …

One of the best times to visit the city of Hanoi in Vietnam is during the Tet Nguyen Dan, which is shortened to the easily remembered “Tet”, which is Vietnam’s lunar New Year festival is conflated to become the birthday of the whole nation. Remember to secure some central Hanoi accommodation in the form of luxury Hanoi serviced apartments such as those that are featured at the Somerset West Lake Hanoi. The city quietens down during Tet, as most of the city folk go home to the country for the holiday. Many Vietnamese go all out in preparation of this significant day, when houses are cleaned from top to bottom to clear out all the old and stagnant energy of the previous year, debts are …

At the end of January 2013 the annual Kala Pola celebrated the 20th anniversary of an event that has exposed the Sri Lanka public to art in its many forms. This open air art fair presented by the George Keyt Foundation held on Nelum Pokuna Mw, is the most prominent platform for artists and sculptors from around the country to present their work to a large and receptive audience. The first Kala Pola was held in 1993 with George Keyt, the prominent Sri Lanka artist in attendance after whom the event is named. This drew a modest 30 artists. The 2013 two day event drew 345 artists and sculptors with works in a range of mediums and 30,000 visitors. The Kala Pola gives aspiring artist …

The Spring Lantern Festival is enthusiastically celebrated in China, neighbouring nations and by the Chinese diaspora around the world. In Hong Kong it is an occasion of joy and relaxation, when all sections of society unite to celebrate the event as one. The festival which occurs on the15th day of the earliest month of the lunar calendar falls on the final day of the New Year festivities. The event is also known as the Chinese Valentine’s Day as couples take the opportunity to spend cherished moments together on this occasion. In times past single people would try their hand at matchmaking pursuits on this special day. As you might expect on this night a myriad of lanterns are constructed, with innumerable colourful lanterns adorning storefronts, …

Colourful costumes overflowing with grandeur, energetic movements and thudding drum beats characterize this lively yet elegant dance portraying the proud and rich heritage of the Sri Lankan nation. Originating from the central hills region of the country, there are plenty of hotels Sri Lanka amongst which Hotel Hilltop is amongst the hotels Sri Lanka in which one can lodge in while exploring this ancient art. It is said that the origins of the dance lies in the Kohomba Kankariya, originally performed by Indian shamans who came to the island to cure a king who had a recurring dream. The Kandyan Dance is a venerated art form and follows a tradition of its own. In the olden days, this dance was performed by dancers who belonged …