Hong Kong events & things to do in December 2026
Start with Victoria Peak (The Peak), Tian Tan Buddha & Po Lin Monastery (Lantau Island), plus Star Ferry (Tsim Sha Tsui ↔ Central). December in Hong Kong averages 20°C / 68°F highs, 15°C / 59°F nights, and about 6 rainy days.
Expect 20°C/68°F days and about 6 rainy ones in December. Start with these:
- Victoria Peak (The Peak)★ 4.6 · 4.9k reviewsThe 552m mountain on Hong Kong Island, with the territory's most-photographed view across the harbour to Kowloon.
- Tian Tan Buddha & Po Lin Monastery (Lantau Island)★ 4.6 · 19.4k reviewsThe 34m bronze 'Big Buddha' sitting on a lotus throne, reached by the Ngong Ping 360 cable car from Tung Chung MTR.
30% off a Going membership when you plan your trip.
By TripSapien Research · Updated June 3, 2026
Hong Kong in December 2026
Weather
TempTemperature
68°F / 59°F
20°C / 14.9°C
RainPrecipitation
6d
1.1in · 28.1mm
LightDaylight
10.9h
Sea
69.6°F
20.9°C
Cool and dry — light jacket needed evenings. Christmas decorations across Central, Causeway Bay, and TST.
Events & festivals
Event calendar- Dec 1 – Dec 31
Hong Kong WinterFest 2026
A month-long citywide celebration featuring festive decorations, light displays, Christmas markets, and cultural performances across Hong Kong.
Planning lead · dates set closer in · Source: festival research
- Dec 1 – Dec 31
Christmas
Planning lead · dates set closer in · Source: Month Signals
- Dec 18 – Dec 27
Christmas Wonderland at Victoria Park 2026
Annual Christmas-themed fair with festive markets, carnival rides, and entertainment held at Victoria Park.
Planning lead · dates set closer in · Source: festival research
Show all 6 events for December
- Dec 19 – Dec 27
Hong Kong Ballet: The Nutcracker 2026
The Hong Kong Ballet's annual production of The Nutcracker, a classic Christmas ballet performance.
Planning lead · dates set closer in · Source: festival research
- Dec 24 – Dec 25
Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra Christmas Concert 2026
Special Christmas concerts featuring classical and seasonal music performed by the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra.
Planning lead · dates set closer in · Source: festival research
- Dec 31
New Year's Eve Countdown 2026 at Central Harbourfront
A large-scale public event featuring fireworks, live music, and entertainment to welcome the New Year.
Planning lead · dates set closer in · Source: festival research
Holidays, observances & long weekends
Holiday and observance schedules can affect services and venue hours; confirm each place directly.
- Dec 25Christmas DayPublic holiday
- Dec 26The first weekday after Christmas DayPublic holiday
- Dec 25-Dec 27Long weekend
About Hong Kong
City overview
Hong Kong is a vertical city pressed between mountains and the sea — a former British colony where the world's densest skyline rises off a deep-water harbour, and where the Star Ferry has been crossing the same 12-minute route since 1888. The territory splits across Hong Kong Island (financial centre, Victoria Peak), Kowloon (Tsim Sha Tsui's harbour-front, Mong Kok's markets), and a string of New Territories and outlying islands where the country parks cover 40% of the land.
Food & drink
Hong Kong eats dim sum for breakfast and lunch — Cantonese small dishes (har gow, siu mai, char siu bao) at tea-house restaurants. Cha chaan tengs (literally 'tea restaurants') are the local diners: milk tea, pineapple buns, macaroni soup. Street food survives in the dai pai dong stalls of Mong Kok and Sham Shui Po (fish balls, curry brisket, egg waffles), and Hong Kong now has more Michelin stars per capita than any city outside Tokyo — including the world's cheapest Michelin meal at Tim Ho Wan.
Top sights
Ranked for December suitability using weather, setting, ratings, and review volume.
- 1Star Ferry (Tsim Sha Tsui ↔ Central)
- 2Hong Kong Park & Aviary
- 3Hong Kong Disneyland (Lantau Island)
- 4Ladies Market (Mong Kok)
- 5Temple Street Night Market
- 6A Symphony of Lights
- 7Hong Kong History Museum
- 8Man Mo Temple (Sheung Wan)
1Star Ferry (Tsim Sha Tsui ↔ Central)
4.5★ · 1,307outdoorThe 12-minute green-and-white double-decker ferry that's crossed the harbour since 1888 — HK$5 upper deck. Sunset and the 8pm light show are the photogenic windows.
2Hong Kong Park & Aviary
4.6★ · 787outdoorOpen dailyA landscaped park in Central next to Admiralty MTR — waterfall, tai chi gardens, and a free walk-through aviary with 600 birds from 80 species. Quiet morning escape from the towers.
3Hong Kong Disneyland (Lantau Island)
4.5★ · 65,569outdoorOpen dailyDirect MTR connection via the Disneyland Resort Line. Smaller than the Tokyo and California parks but features the Mystic Manor dark ride that exists nowhere else.
Buy day tickets online for HK$30–60 off the gate price.
Show 3 more sights
- 4Ladies Market (Mong Kok)
- 5Temple Street Night Market
- 6A Symphony of Lights
Neighborhoods
1Central
The financial district at the foot of Victoria Peak — colonial buildings (LegCo, Court of Final Appeal), the Mid-Levels Escalator (longest outdoor covered escalator in the world at 800m), and the towers above. Most ferries, the Star Ferry pier, and the Peak Tram all start here.
2Tsim Sha Tsui (Kowloon)
The harbour-front tourist core opposite Central — major hotels, the Avenue of Stars, Hong Kong Museum of Art, and the Star Ferry pier. The 1881 Heritage complex and Peninsula Hotel afternoon tea anchor the colonial-era atmosphere.
3Mong Kok
The densest urban district in the world — Guinness-listed. Sneaker Street (Fa Yuen Street), Ladies Market, Goldfish Market, Flower Market all within a few blocks. Loud, neon, packed.
Day trips
1h by TurboJET ferry from Sheung Wan or Tsim Sha Tsui
Macau
The former Portuguese colony 60km west — Ruins of St Paul's, A-Ma Temple, Senado Square, plus the Cotai Strip's mega-casinos. Ferries run roughly every 30 minutes, 24/7.
35–55 min by ferry from Central Pier 5
Cheung Chau Island
A car-free fishing island known for seafood restaurants, the Bun Festival (May), and Cheung Po Tsai cave (a 19th-century pirate hideout). Day trip or quiet overnight.
25–35 min by ferry from Central Pier 4
Lamma Island
Quiet hike between Yung Shue Wan and Sok Kwu Wan villages (1.5h) ending at waterfront seafood restaurants. No cars. The Lamma Power Station's three chimneys are the visual landmark.
Getting around
The MTR (subway) is the spine — fast, clean, runs to roughly 01:00. Buy an Octopus card (HK$50 deposit, refundable) and tap on for transit, convenience stores, taxis, ferries, even some restaurants. The Star Ferry (HK$5), red-cab taxis (cheap by global standards), and Hong Kong Island's century-old double-decker trams ('ding dings', HK$3 flat fare) cover the corners the MTR doesn't.
Planning a Hong Kong trip?
Add your dates and we'll check every place for closures, limited hours, and booking needs in December.
Common questions about Hong Kong in December
- What to pack for Hong Kong in December
Pack for December's weather, not a generic Hong Kong checklist.
- Layerable daytime clothes for average highs around 20°C / 68°F.
- A light evening layer because nights average 15°C / 59°F.
- A small umbrella or packable shell for scattered rain across about 6 days.
- How many days do you need in Hong Kong
- 4 days covers the main Hong Kong highlights at a realistic pace. Add 3 extra days if you want the listed day trips.
- Is Hong Kong worth visiting in December
- Yes. December in Hong Kong averages 20°C / 68°F highs, 15°C / 59°F nights, and about 6 rainy days.
Ready to plan Hong Kong?
You've seen what's on — now get a day-by-day Hong Kong plan for December 2026, every place checked for your exact dates.