From mid-November to early January, Hong Kong adds a festive layer to a city that's already lit up every night. Giant Christmas trees, light shows on landmark buildings and decorated plazas all sit within a short walk or MTR ride of each other, and most of them are free.
We're UrbanHKG, a small team of Hong Kong photographers. Our main instructor, Carlos, has been photographing this city for more than 8 years, and the festive season is one of our favourite times to shoot it. This guide covers where to find the Christmas lights in 2026, how to photograph them with a phone or a camera, and a simple evening route. For general skyline and street settings after dark, see our Hong Kong night photography guide.
When Hong Kong lights up for Christmas in 2026
| What | Where | 2026 dates |
|---|---|---|
| Hong Kong WinterFest | Citywide, centred on Central | November 2026 to January 2027 (HKTB listing; exact open/close dates not yet posted) |
| Christmas Town and the 20-metre tree | Statue Square Gardens, Central | Mid-November to early January pattern. Last year: 14 Nov 2025 to 4 Jan 2026; 2026 hours still TBC on the WinterFest page |
| 12-metre Christmas tree, Simple Gifts of Joy | Tai Kwun Parade Ground, Central | 1 Dec 2026 to 3 Jan 2027, 8am to 11pm, free |
| Illuminations at The Peak | The Peak Tower | Nightly at 7:30, 8:30 and 9:30pm until 6 Jun 2027, free |
| New Year Countdown | Victoria Harbour | 31 Dec 2026 (detailed programme usually lands later in the autumn) |
Event details change from year to year, so check the Hong Kong Tourism Board's WinterFest page before you go.
Where to photograph Christmas lights in Hong Kong
Statue Square and Chater Road, Central
This is the heart of Hong Kong WinterFest. Statue Square Gardens becomes a Christmas Town built around a 20-metre tree, and Hongkong Land decorates Chater Road with lights. The Hong Kong Tourism Board's WinterFest page again highlights a 360-degree Immersive Light Show in Central for this season; show times are confirmed closer to opening, so check that page before you plan around a specific slot.
What to shoot: the tree framed by the HSBC Main Building and the Court of Final Appeal, people silhouetted against the lights, and Chater Road's light tunnel from one end.
Getting there: MTR to Central. Statue Square is a few minutes' walk from the station.
Tai Kwun's Parade Ground
The former Central Police Station compound on Hollywood Road puts a 12-metre tree in its Parade Ground from 1 December 2026 to 3 January 2027, open 8am to 11pm with free entry. The old colonial blocks around the yard make a calmer, more architectural frame than Statue Square.
Getting there: MTR to Central, then walk uphill or ride the Central–Mid-Levels Escalator to Hollywood Road.
The Peak: skyline plus a light show
The classic view from the Peak looks even better on a clear winter evening. Until 6 June 2027, the Peak Tower also becomes a screen for "Illuminations at The Peak", a free 10-minute 3D projection show at 7:30, 8:30 and 9:30pm. The best viewing spot is Peak Road Garden, outside the tower. Shows can be cancelled in bad weather.
Our tip: shoot the skyline at blue hour (sunset is around 5:40pm in December), then turn around for the 7:30pm show. Expect queues for the Peak Tram on festive evenings.
Tsim Sha Tsui and Wan Chai
Kowloon's harbourfront malls and Wan Chai's Lee Tung Avenue usually put up large Christmas displays. Themes and exact switch-on dates land through November, so check each mall's site closer to the trip. The Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront is worth a stop either way for the skyline across the harbour.
About A Symphony of Lights: the nightly 8pm harbour show is being retired in the second half of 2026, with no final performance date announced as of early November. It may already have ended by the time you visit, so treat it as a bonus if it is still running.
How to photograph Christmas lights
On a phone
- Tap on the lights, then lower the exposure. Phones tend to brighten the whole scene and blow out the decorations. Pulling exposure down keeps the colour in the bulbs.
- Use portrait mode for bokeh. Put a person or an ornament close to you and let the tree turn into soft circles of light behind.
- Brace for night mode. Lean on a railing or wall and stay still until the capture finishes.
- Wipe your lens. A greasy lens adds haze around every light.
On a camera
- Shoot at blue hour. Twenty to forty minutes after sunset, the sky still has colour, so the tree doesn't sit in a black void.
- Starbursts: close down to f/8–f/11 and the bulbs turn into small stars. You'll need a slower shutter speed, so brace the camera.
- Bokeh: open up to your widest aperture (f/1.8–f/2.8) and focus on something close, with the lights well behind it.
- Watch white balance. Warm bulbs and cool LEDs often sit side by side. Shoot RAW so you can balance them later.
- Expose for the brightest lights and let the shadows fall off. Check your histogram so the tree isn't clipped.
Crowds, timing and etiquette
- Go on a weekday if you can. Weekend evenings and the days around Christmas are the busiest. Arriving before dusk lets you find your spot and shoot the change from daylight to blue hour.
- Leave the tripod at the hotel for the plazas. Statue Square, Chater Road and Tai Kwun get crowded, and a tripod blocks the flow. Shoot handheld or brace against something solid. Save tripods for open spaces like the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront.
- Respect Sunday gatherings. On Sundays, the area around Statue Square and Chater Road is where many of the city's domestic workers meet on their day off. Enjoy the atmosphere, but don't photograph people up close without asking.
- Ask before portraits, especially of performers and stall holders who are working.
- Watch the weather. December is usually one of the drier months, but showers happen. Check the Hong Kong Observatory app before heading out.
A festive evening route in Central
| Time | Where | What to shoot |
|---|---|---|
| About 4:45pm | Tai Kwun Parade Ground (from 1 Dec) | The tree and the old blocks in the last daylight |
| Around sunset | Walk down Pottinger Street to Queen's Road Central | Stone steps and street life |
| Blue hour | Statue Square and Chater Road | The 20-metre tree, Chater Road's lights and the light show if it runs |
| After dark | Central Harbourfront, then the Star Ferry to Tsim Sha Tsui | The Island skyline from the water and the TST waterfront |
Allow about three hours. If you'd rather end high above the city, swap the ferry for the Peak Tram and catch a later Peak light show.
For when the light is best in each season, read our guide to the best time to photograph Hong Kong.
Photograph Hong Kong's festive lights with us
The quickest way to get it right is to have someone show you the settings on the spot:
- VIP Explorer: our private 4-hour photography tour runs any day of the week, so you can book it for a festive evening. Hotel pick-up is included. HK$2,800, and a partner can join for HK$1,000.
- Foundations of Photography: our 3-hour beginner workshop on Sunday mornings teaches exposure, aperture and shutter speed, the skills behind every shot in this guide. HK$800.
- Looking for a Christmas present? Our gift vouchers for the Foundations workshop, the Drone for Beginners class and VIP Explorer are emailed to you to forward or print.
Any camera is welcome, including phones. We teach in English, German, Portuguese and Italian. If the weather turns bad, you can cancel for free. Questions? WhatsApp us on +852 9459 5079.
Frequently asked questions
When do the Christmas lights go up in Hong Kong? The main Central displays usually open in mid-November and stay until early January. In 2026, Tai Kwun's tree runs from 1 December to 3 January 2027. Check the Hong Kong Tourism Board's WinterFest page for this year's exact dates.
Where is the biggest Christmas tree in Hong Kong? The WinterFest tree at Statue Square Gardens in Central is about 20 metres tall. Tai Kwun's tree on Hollywood Road is 12 metres.
Can I photograph the Christmas lights with just a phone? Yes. Tap on the lights and lower the exposure, use portrait mode for bokeh, and brace the phone against something solid for night mode.
Are the Christmas light displays in Hong Kong free? The Statue Square Christmas Town, Tai Kwun's tree and the Peak Tower light show are all free to see. The Peak Tram itself is paid.