The 9 best destinations to celebrate Chinese New Year in Bangkok
Where to celebrate Chinese New Year 2026 in Bangkok, from lantern walks to lion dances and lucky angpao moments
The Year of the Horse is upon us! Which means red lanterns are back, lion dances are stretching their legs, and suddenly everyone is talking about luck like it’s a personality trait. Bangkok never does Chinese New Year quietly, and while 2026 is going to be a bit different, it’s already glowing with markets, mall takeovers and riverside rituals that turn an ordinary walk into a festive little adventure.
Across the city, plans range from full scale stages and art installations to slower, more traditional moments built around food, family and quiet blessings for the year ahead. You can chase the noise, keep things low key, or do both in one long snack filled evening. Either way, the city is ready.
On this page
| Event | Date | Location | Why it’s special |
|---|---|---|---|
| centralwOrld | January 30 to March 1 | centralwOrld | A month of large-scale shows, cultural displays and a glowing Tianma installation with headline performances in mid-February. |
| JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok | February 15 to 21 | JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok | Auspicious Cantonese set menus, yu sheng prosperity salad and festive orange cake are designed for sharing and good fortune. |
| Asiatique The Riverfront | February 1 to March 4 | Asiatique The Riverfront | Riverside worship rituals, colourful art installations and lucky rewards under the “Art of Luck” celebration. |
| The Peninsula Bangkok | February 17 | The Peninsula Bangkok | An elegant riverside celebration with lion and dragon dances, festive dining and traditional calligraphy blessings. |
| EM District | Seasonal celebration | Emporium, EmQuartier, EmSphere | Mythical lanterns and vibrant installations transform the shopping streets into a glowing Lunar New Year art walk. |
| Siam Paragon | February 11 to 20 | Siam Paragon | Meet-and-greet moments with Zhu Zhengting alongside angpao giveaways, activities and festive shopping rewards. |
| The Westin Grande Sukhumvit | February 15 to 17 | The Westin Grande Sukhumvit | Festive Chinese New Year buffets featuring barbecue favourites, premium seafood and traditional desserts for family gatherings. |
| Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park | February 14 to 19 | Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park | Traditional prosperity dishes, yu sheng celebrations and elegant Lunar New Year hampers for meaningful reunions. |
| Yaowarat | Chinese New Year period | Yaowarat, Chinatown | Quieter streets without official stages but still glowing with street food, gold shops and classic Chinatown atmosphere. |
1. centralwOrld
Date & Time: January 30 to March 1
Location: centralwOrld
Chinese New Year at centralwOrld goes big this year, with a month of celebrations across the shopping centre and a six day run of live performances at the square from February 12 to 17. Each evening brings a different artist, starting with Tah U Pittaya and a drone show on February 12, followed by Sally Pandaw on February 13, Jackie Jakarin on February 14 and Benz Khaokwan on February 15. SHINE BOYS take over on February 16 and 17, with Obnithi also appearing on the final night.
Around the shows, the space fills with Chinese cultural displays, a giant Tianma installation, worship areas, art, markets and performances all month long.
2. JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok
Date & Time: February 15 to 21
Location: JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok
Man Ho Chinese Restaurant marks Chinese New Year with a generous Cantonese feast designed for sharing. Executive Chef Wang Linhua presents two set menus for groups, bringing together classic dishes linked to luck and prosperity. The table begins with auspicious yu sheng, followed by whole fired Beijing duck, wok fried Boston lobster with ginger and scallion, and steamed Thai spotted grouper in soy sauce. A serving of traditional nian gao closes the meal on a sweet note.
There is also a Chinese orange cake made as a thoughtful festive gift. Its fragrant outer layer gives way to a bright orange jam centre, carrying wishes of happiness and good fortune for the year ahead.
3. Asiatique The Riverfront
Date & Time: February 1 to March 4
Location: Asiatique The Riverfront
Chinese New Year at Asiatique brings together worship, street art and shopping under the AWC campaign “The Art of Luck.” One highlight is the sacred ceremony honouring Che Kung, Tai Sui and Cai Shen Ye on February 11 at the River Lawn, where blessings for the year ahead are shared and a limited Che Kung gold card is offered to visitors.
Across eight AWC destinations, the celebration continues with colourful installations by artist Benzilla, festive shows and special promotions running through the season. You will find discounts, lucky red envelopes, limited gifts, travel prizes and fortune telling rewards alongside dining and hotel offers. It is an easy stop during Chinese New Year, whether you come for worship, a walk through bright decorations or a little extra luck to start the Year of the Horse.
4. The Peninsula Bangkok
Date & Time: February 17
Location: The Peninsula Bangkok
The Peninsula Bangkok welcomes the Chinese New Year with a calm and elegant celebration by the river, inspired by Chinese tradition and symbols of good fortune. Festive menus at Mei Jiang are joined by carefully prepared hampers and sweet treats from The Peninsula Boutique, all centred on reunion, happiness and time spent together.
A Lion and Dragon Dance fills the morning with colour and meaning, sharing wishes of protection and prosperity for the year ahead. In the evening, dinner at Mei Jiang comes with soft live music and a traditional calligraphy experience.
5. EM District
Location: Emporium, EmQuartier, EmSphere
Emporium, EmQuartier and EmSphere mark Lunar New Year with a celebration inspired by the Year of the Fire Horse. Lanterns shaped like mythical animals glow across the EM District, turning traditional craft into a bright urban art walk that moves from earth to sky before landing in a lively festival mood.
You can wander between installations, soak up the colour and join the festive energy that fills the shopping streets. Alongside the displays, the celebration brings shopping rewards, lucky angpao moments and special gifts that add a playful sense of fortune to the season.
6. Siam Paragon
Date & Time: February 11 to 20
Location: Siam Paragon
Siam Paragon brings fans closer to Zhu Zhengting with a special meet-and-greet that turns shopping into a chance for real star moments. Spend at participating stores and you could step into the exclusive zone, join a side-stage session or even take a group photo with him, along with limited souvenirs for a lucky few.
The celebration continues across the mall with playful Chinese New Year activities and lucky rewards, including angpao giveaways and emoji wishes shared with friends for the chance to win shopping credit.
7. The Westin Grande Sukhumvit
Date & Time: February 15 to 17
Location: The Westin Grande Sukhumvit
At The Westin Grande Sukhumvit, Seasonal Tastes brings families together for a Chinese New Year lunch built around abundance and shared plates on February 15. The buffet moves from Chinese barbecue favourites such as Peking duck, crispy pork belly and honey glazed char siu to premium seafood, including river prawns, slipper lobster and fresh oysters. Hot dishes feature Hokkaido scallops with XO sauce, fish maw soup with crab meat and roasted Australian beef sirloin, before traditional sweets, mashed taro with ginkgo nuts and Häagen Dazs ice cream close the meal.
Come back for lunch on February 16 and February 17 where things are lighter but still festive, with roasted duck, steamed seabass in Hong Kong soy sauce, wok fried seafood with XO sauce and smoked barbecue pork ribs alongside classic Chinese desserts. It is an easy, comforting way to gather everyone around the table and welcome the new year together.
8. Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park
Date & Time: February 14 to 19
Location: Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park
Pagoda Chinese Restaurant at Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park marks the Lunar New Year with a menu centred on tradition and sharing. Premium set menus welcome the Year of the Horse with dishes chosen for their auspicious meaning, made for family gatherings and long, celebratory meals together. Yu Sheng returns as the symbolic prosperity salad, bringing wishes of happiness, success and abundance with every toss.
For gifting, Nian Gao and Yuan Pao hampers arrive carefully prepared and beautifully presented, carrying messages of good fortune into the year ahead. It is a calm, elegant way to honour the season around the table.
9. Yaowarat
Location: Yaowarat
Yaowarat will look a little different this Chinese New Year. The district office has cancelled the official street celebrations out of respect during the national mourning period for Her Majesty Queen Mother Sirikit, so the usual performances and large festival crowds will not take place on February 17 and 18.
Still, Chinatown doesn’t fall quiet. Food stalls keep cooking, gold shops stay bright and the streets continue to fill with people coming to eat and wander. You can move from bowl to bowl and take in the familiar red glow without the stage shows.
However you welcome the Chinese New Year in Bangkok, the real goal is simple. Eat something comforting, share a table with people you like, and carry a bit of good luck into the months ahead. Bangkok gives you plenty of ways to do that, from bright public celebrations to small, meaningful pauses by the river.
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