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A Symphony of Lights

by Melanie
(Excellent Vacation Ideas)

This photo of the A Symphony of Lights is from Flickr.com - MaxPhotoZen.

A Symphony of Lights is a spectacular light, music and pyrotechnic show over Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong. It has been awarded the worlds "largest and permanent Light and Sound Show" by the Guinness Book of World Records. 44 buildings on both Hong Kong Island and Kowloon participate with synchronized music every night at 8 pm and lasts about 14 minutes. The show takes you through 5 themes of Hong Kong showing it's diversity, spirit and energy.

Participating buildings include: The Bank of America Tower, Bank of China Tower, Central Plaza, HSBC Main Building, Hong Kong City Hall, the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center, the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, the Peninsula Hotel, the Avenue of the Stars and the InterContinental Grand Stanford Hotel.

Don't miss this show. Either make plans to see it on your own or watch it while on the Symphony of Lights Hong Kong Harbor Night Cruise.

The English Narration takes place on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Tuesday is Cantonese and Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays is in Mandarin.

It is a completely free attraction in Hong Kong (except if you take a tour - then you will have tour fees)

Our Experience

We really enjoyed this show. It was a great way to spend the first part of an evening. What was better was that we didn't have far to go from our hotel as we were staying at the Sheraton across the street from the Avenue of the Stars and next to the Peninsula Hotel. It is definitely worth seeing. We saw it on a "Non English" night and I think would have enjoyed it more on an "English" night.

Best Spots to View the Light show.

- From the Harbour - only place you can get a 360 degree view of the show.
- Take the Star Ferry - It pauses during the show to allow passengers to enjoy the show.
- From the Avenue of the Stars on Kowloon - at the water's edge - Best of show is on Hong Kong Island
- If you want to watch from the Kowloon Part of the show - watch from Golden Bauhina Square in Wan Chai

Tips on Enjoying the Show

- See it on a tour that includes being on a harbour cruise during A Symphony of Lights to get the best view
- Great thing to do with the kids
- Make sure you go on a night that has a language you understand
- Hope for a clear night (which can be rare in Hong Kong)
- Continue on to the night markets in Kowloon if you have time

Viator's Tour - A Symphony of Lights Hong Kong Harbor Night Cruise

A great tour to take to see the show and the Harbour at night is this Viator tour. It includes a 1.5 hour evening sight seeing tour during the show in Victoria Harbour on a traditional Chinese Junk (It sounds worse then it is!), with unlimited drinks and a stunning view of the harbour.

This tour departs from Kowloon at the Public Pier No. 3 - at the Clock Tower at 7:45 pm or from Pier 9, Central on Hong Kong Island at 7:30 pm.

See more travel facts about Hong Kong.

Find more tours and read what other travelers have to say at Viator.

If you have visited this Asia Vacation Idea before, please comment below we would love to hear your review and experience of it!