This summer, for those looking for an international trip close to Thailand with a short travel time and plenty of activities, Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) presents another attractive travel destination.
Thairath Online invites everyone to experience explosive fun with the Hong Kong Summer Fun campaign, bringing key highlights to brighten up the summer like never before, led by the 2026 Sun Life Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Festival, transforming Victoria Harbour into a grand festival.
From its humble beginnings as a fisherman’s race in Sai Kung Wan in 1976, the event has grown into a world-class sporting festival. To mark its 50th anniversary, Hong Kong Tourism Board is elevating the celebration into a full-scale harbourfront festival.
The main highlight is the international dragon boat competition held from 27 to 28 June 2026, featuring over 4,500 athletes from 220 teams across 16 countries competing on the water. This year is special as Thailand’s own Dragon Boat Thailand team, training intensively six days a week, will join to challenge the world’s top teams.
Additionally, there will be a special commemorative trophy competition for local fishermen and a champions-versus-champions match to crown the ultimate dragon boat king.
The excitement continues beyond the races: from 19 June to 1 July 2026, the waterfront Avenue of Stars will transform into a lifestyle hub gathering chill-seekers and content creators alike.
Visitors can enjoy a food zone offering dragon boat-themed dishes and snacks while sipping cool drinks with panoramic views of Victoria Harbour. Photo enthusiasts won’t want to miss four spectacular photo spots: a dragon boat design zone sponsored by the main partner, a traditional 22-meter wooden dragon boat, a collaboration photo area featuring Minions & Monsters, and a giant Coca-Cola bottle.
At the nearby Salisbury Garden zone, tourists can experience rare cultural heritage workshops including traditional sugar blowing, making zongzi (sticky rice dumplings), and fishing net weaving.
Particularly on weekends and public holidays, the atmosphere intensifies with live music, Wing Chun kung fu demonstrations, Chinese top spinning, traditional ruan and guzheng musical performances, plus a highlight VR dragon boat paddling experience where everyone can try being a paddler themselves, alongside a live broadcast zone for front-row viewing of the races.
For those planninga Hong Kong tripthis summer to make it perfect, detailed festival information is available on the Discover Hong Kong website, where you can also find all Hong Kong Summer Fun events to prepare for an unforgettable trip.