One of the most famous and popular places to visit during Chinese New Year for local people is the Wong Tai Sin Temple where crowds mass in the thousands each day to make offering and pray for luck for the coming year.

This is a very good temple attraction in Hong Kong to visit throughout the year. However, during CNY, it is an absolute spectacle. If you don't like crowds or waiting in a queue to enter a temple - stay away! If you don't mind queueing up for 30-45 minutes from outside the MTR station (next to the temple), slowing making your way into the main temple and then shoulder-to-shoulder crowds once you are inside, than Wong Tai Sin can be a very interesting and memorable experience during the CNY holiday.

You will see incredible crowds, thousands of locals holding incenses and pinwheels as and the mass crowd snakes it way through the marked path, into the main temple, where large numbers are shaking joss stick cups and endless others are making offerings and prayers. It is a colourful and intense spectacle that some will really enjoy experiencing.

In addition to the temple, its well worth visiting the Wish Garden behind the temple halls. This is a tranquil and well-manicured area with a artificial waterfall, river, turtle pond, pavilion, walking bridge and plenty of seating. Its a relief from the crowds in the main temple area during CNY and a delight to visit year round.

There is a replica of the Nine Dragon Wall in the garden area. Unfortunately, we found this to be barricaded off and not available for visitation during our CNY visit this year. Not sure when this will be available for visitors to see but hopefully in the near future.