The Cheung Chau Bun Festival is one of those events that sounds made up until you see it in person. A 14-metre tower covered in golden buns. Children suspended in mid-air on metal poles, dressed as deities and historical figures. Competitors racing up a bun-covered scaffold at midnight while thousands cheer from below. It is one of the oldest and most spectacular traditional festivals in Hong Kong, and the 2026 edition falls on the weekend of May 24 to 25.
We have put together everything you need to plan your visit to the Cheung Chau Bun Festival 2026, from the exact schedule to the ferry strategy that keeps you out of the two-hour queue.
What Is the Bun Festival
The Cheung Chau Bun Festival, known in Cantonese as Tai Ping Ching Jiu (太平清醮), is a week-long Taoist ceremony held annually on Cheung Chau island. It dates back over a century to a time when the island was struck by plague. Residents held a days-long purification ritual at the Pak Tai Temple to drive away the evil spirits, and the tradition has continued every year since.
The festival is listed on China’s National Intangible Cultural Heritage register and draws tens of thousands of visitors from across Hong Kong and around the world. For expats, it is one of the most accessible and visually dramatic cultural experiences the city offers, and it costs nothing to attend.
If you are looking for more fun things to do in Hong Kong this month, the Bun Festival should be at the top of your list.
2026 Dates and Schedule
The Bun Carnival runs from April 12 to May 25, but the main festival action is concentrated over four days.
The religious ceremonies begin on May 22 at 1:00am with the Jiu Opening Ritual (起醮). The Five Offerings Grand Ceremony (五獻大禮) takes place on May 23 at 11:00am. These are traditional Taoist rites conducted by priests at the Pak Tai Temple and are open to watch.
The two headline events happen on May 24 and 25.
The Piu Sik Parade (飄色巡遊) takes place on the afternoon of Saturday May 24, starting around 2:00pm. Children as young as three are suspended on hidden metal frames above the crowd, dressed in elaborate costumes as Chinese deities, mythological figures, and sometimes playful pop culture references. The floats wind through the narrow streets of Cheung Chau village while lion dancers, drummers, and Taoist priests follow behind. It is visually extraordinary and unlike anything else in Hong Kong.
The Bun Scrambling Competition (搶包山) is the headline finale. It takes place after midnight on May 24, technically in the early hours of May 25. Twelve trained athletes race up a 14-metre tower studded with around 9,000 replica buns, collecting as many as they can within three minutes. The higher the bun, the more points it scores. The event is run by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, and spectators watch from the Pak Tai Temple Playground.
Earlier events include the Bun Tower Climbing Training on April 12, the Selection Contest on April 26, and a public Climbing Carnival on May 10 with stall games, workshops, and climbing demonstrations.
How to Get There
Cheung Chau is only accessible by ferry. All ferries depart from Central Pier 5, which connects directly to IFC Mall via a covered walkway.
Two ferry types run the route: the regular slow ferry (approximately 55 minutes, HK$14.7 weekday / HK$21.2 weekend) and the fast ferry (approximately 35 minutes, HK$28.9 weekday / HK$41.4 weekend). On normal days, ferries run every 30 to 60 minutes.
On festival day (May 24), the operator adds extra sailings, but the queues can still stretch past two hours during the afternoon rush. The ferry fills to capacity and late arrivals get turned away from each sailing.
The strategy that works: take an early morning ferry, ideally departing Central between 7:00am and 8:00am. This gets you to the island before the crowds build, gives you time to explore the village and eat, and puts you in position for the parade at 2:00pm. For the midnight bun scrambling, arrive by early evening. Late departures from Central after 3:00pm on festival day are the worst bottleneck.
For the return journey, expect long queues after the parade ends (around 4:00pm) and again after the bun scrambling (around 1:00am). Extra late-night ferry services are typically added to handle the post-competition crowd.
If you are planning a day trip from Hong Kong, the Bun Festival is one of the best reasons to take the ferry.
What to Eat
The island goes vegetarian during the festival. Meat is traditionally banned for the duration of the Tai Ping Ching Jiu religious period, and most restaurants and street stalls switch to vegetarian menus. This is part of the purification ritual.
The signature food is the ping on bun (平安包), a small steamed bun stamped with a red Chinese character meaning “peace.” These are sold at bakeries and stalls all over the island during the festival period. They are sweet, soft, and filled with lotus seed paste, red bean, or sesame. Grab a few as souvenirs. They are cheap and the flavour is genuinely good.
Beyond the buns, the vegetarian street food scene on festival day is worth the trip by itself. Stalls line the main waterfront selling vegetarian dumplings, tofu dishes, noodles, and snacks. If you have tried our best dim sum guide, the vegetarian dim sum options at the festival are a fun contrast.
Tips for First-Time Visitors
Wear comfortable shoes. Cheung Chau has no cars, but the streets are narrow, uneven, and packed during the festival. Flip-flops are a bad idea.
Bring water and sun protection. May in Hong Kong is hot and humid, and you will be standing outdoors for long stretches during the parade and competition.
Cash is useful. Some smaller stalls and bakeries do not accept Octopus or mobile payments.
Arrive early, stay late. The sweet spot is the morning ferry for the parade, dinner on the island, then the bun scrambling after midnight. Budget the whole day.
The Climbing Carnival on May 10 is a lower-key alternative if you want to see the bun tower and enjoy the atmosphere without the festival-day crowds. It is family-friendly and includes workshops and climbing demonstrations for the public.
Quick Info
| Location | Cheung Chau Island, Hong Kong |
| Festival Dates | May 22 to 25, 2026 (main events May 24 to 25) |
| Piu Sik Parade | Saturday May 24, approximately 2:00pm |
| Bun Scrambling | After midnight, May 24 into May 25 |
| Climbing Carnival | May 10 (public, family-friendly) |
| Admission | Free |
| Getting There | Ferry from Central Pier 5 (35 min fast / 55 min slow) |
| Website | lcsd.gov.hk/en/bun |
