By Harry Nara · Last updated
- National Day, a Hong Kong public holidayFriday 1 October 2027
- Where
- Victoria Harbour and across Hong Kong
- Tickets
- Free
- Time of year
- October
- Dates
- Around the same dates every year
From the State Council’s notice of 5 November 2026: the mainland’s National Day holiday runs from Friday 1 to Thursday 7 October 2027, with make-up working days on Sunday 26 September and Saturday 9 October. National Day on 1 October is also a Hong Kong public holiday, and Chung Yeung follows on Friday 8 October. The National Day fireworks over Victoria Harbour have been held in recent years; the government announces each year’s display nearer the time.
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Golden Week is the mainland’s week-long National Day holiday at the start of October, and it brings Hong Kong its biggest wave of visitors of the year: in a recent Golden Week the government counted about 1.64 million arrivals over eight days, more than 1.4 million of them from the mainland, with hotels around 90% full. National Day is a public holiday in Hong Kong too, and the city has marked it with fireworks over Victoria Harbour. Expect queues at the big sights and the border, and book a room early.
What October Golden Week actually is
The mainland’s National Day holiday is stitched together from three statutory days and the weekends around them, paid back by working a Saturday or Sunday on either side, and Hong Kong is one of the easiest trips from it, by high-speed rail, across the bridge from Zhuhai or over the Shenzhen border.
The Hong Kong government sets up an interdepartmental working group for the week, adding crowd control at the busiest spots and transport to and from the border. In a recent Golden Week it counted about 1.64 million visitors over eight days, arrivals peaking at more than 230,000 on National Day itself, and hotel occupancy at around 90%.
National Day is a Hong Kong public holiday as well. In recent years the evening has brought fireworks over Victoria Harbour, which drew more than 340,000 people to the waterfronts, and the week can overlap the Mid-Autumn Festival or Chung Yeung.
Where the crowds are
- Both sides of Victoria Harbour, on National Day night. The fireworks pull hundreds of thousands of people onto the Tsim Sha Tsui and Wan Chai waterfronts, the best spots go hours before dark, and the police manage the crowds with closures around them.
- The shopping districts and the big attractions. Tsim Sha Tsui, Mong Kok and Causeway Bay are at their busiest, and so are the Peak, the theme parks and the Geopark’s High Island Reservoir East Dam.
- The border crossings. The high-speed rail terminus at West Kowloon, the land control points to Shenzhen and the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge are fullest at the start and the end of the week.
Tickets and what it costs
The holiday costs nothing in itself; the expense is the room. Hotels run close to full across the week and rates rise with them, so book as early as you can, or come the week after.
The fireworks are free from the public waterfronts. For a seat with a view, a harbour-facing bar or restaurant booked well ahead is the calmer way to see them.
Official information and booking: www.gov.hk/en/about/abouthk/holiday/2027.htm
Getting there
Use the MTR and leave time: the main lines and the harbourfront exits are crowded all week, and most of all on fireworks night. If you are crossing from Shenzhen, avoid the first and last days of the holiday.
Early October can still be hot and humid, and the typhoon season is not over; a storm affected the holiday in a recent year. Check the Hong Kong Observatory before planning a night on the harbour.
Mistakes worth avoiding
Booking a room late
Hotels run close to full across the holiday. Book early, or move the trip to the week after.
Reaching the harbour just before the fireworks
The waterfronts fill hours ahead. Claim a spot in the afternoon, or book a table with a view.
Crossing the border on the first or last day
That is when the queues are longest at the land crossings and the West Kowloon rail terminus.
Assuming the dates never change
The mainland holiday is set each year, with working weekends either side. Check the year’s notice before you plan around it.
Other Hong Kong events
Frequently asked questions
When is Golden Week in Hong Kong?
It follows the mainland’s National Day holiday at the start of October, which usually runs for seven days; the dates card above has this year’s.
Is Golden Week a good time to visit Hong Kong?
Only if you want the National Day atmosphere. It is the busiest week of the year for visitors, with crowded sights, full hotels and higher prices; the week after is far calmer.
Are there fireworks in Hong Kong on National Day?
In recent years, yes: the government has staged fireworks over Victoria Harbour on the evening of National Day. Each year’s display is announced nearer the time.
Is National Day a public holiday in Hong Kong?
Yes. Banks and government offices close, while shops, restaurants and attractions stay open and are at their busiest.
How many visitors come to Hong Kong during Golden Week?
In a recent Golden Week the government counted about 1.64 million arrivals over eight days, more than 1.4 million of them from the mainland, with hotels around 90% full.
Sources
- State Council, the next year’s holiday arrangements (Chinese)
- GovHK, general holidays for the year
- news.gov.hk, Golden Week visitor figures
- Hong Kong Observatory, weather and tropical cyclone warnings
Dates on this page are checked against the organiser’s own listing and confirmed through 2027. Written and maintained by Harry Nara.