Family-Friendly Guide To Chung Yeung Festival 2026 In Hong Kong

In Chinese tradition, nine is a "yang" number, linked to strength and brightness. On the ninth day of the ninth month you get a double dose, which is where the name "Double Ninth" comes from.

The best-known legend dates back to the Han dynasty. A wise teacher warned a man named Huan Jing that disaster would strike his village on the ninth day of the ninth month. He told Huan to take his family up a high mountain, wear sprigs of dogwood and drink chrysanthemum wine. The family climbed the hill. When they came home, their farm animals had died, but the family was safe. Ever since then, people have climbed high on Chung Yeung for good luck and good health.

Today, families in Hong Kong mark the day by:

• Hiking up hills and mountains, the classic way to "ascend high"
• Grave sweeping: visiting ancestors' graves to clean them, leave flowers and food, and burn incense
• Honouring elders: Chung Yeung is also seen as a day to celebrate older people, so it's a good time to visit or call grandparents
• Eating Chung Yeung cake: the word for cake, gou, sounds the same as the word for "high"
• Enjoying chrysanthemums, which bloom in autumn and stand for long life
• Flying kites, a favourite autumn activity for many Hong Kong families when the breeze picks up

How to explain grave sweeping to little ones: Try describing it as "visiting and tidying the special place where we remember family members who came before us." Kids can help put out flowers, wipe down headstones, or share a favorite story about a great-grandparent. It's a gentle way to start talking about family history.

Climbing high is what the festival is all about, so get out on the trails. Here are our family favourites, from stroller-friendly walks to more serious hikes:

For little legs and strollers

• The Peak Circle Walk (Lugard and Harlech Roads): A flat, shaded loop with some of the best views in town. Read our 7 Short Hikes With The Best Views In Hong Kong and our Family-Friendly Neighborhood Guide To The Peak.
• Bowen Road: Paved, flat, close to the city, and good for a jogging stroller. It's covered in our short hikes guide.

For toddlers to tweens

• Lamma Island Family Trail: A ferry ride, a gentle walk and seafood at the end. See our Lamma Island Family Trail guide.
• Mini Great Wall, Cheung Chau: A short, scenic loop with a beach at the bottom for playing afterwards. Here's our Mini Great Wall Hike guide.
• Peng Chau Finger Hill: One of the easiest hikes in Hong Kong, with a sea view at the top. It's included in our Asia's Best Family Hikes roundup.
• Kam Shan Country Park (Monkey Hill): Easy reservoir trails, and you're likely to see macaques. Read Hiking With Monkeys At Kam Shan Country Park.
• Sheung Sze Wan, Clearwater Bay: A quick 20–25 minute climb that works with babies in carriers. Older kids can carry on to Po Toi O for lunch. See our Clearwater Bay guide.

For confident little hikers

• Dragon's Back: The classic Hong Kong hike. Allow 2–4 hours with kids, then catch the bus to Shek O Beach for a well-earned treat. Here's our Guide To Dragon's Back With Kids.
• Discovery Bay to Mui Wo: A good first "real" hike, mostly paved, with one steep climb and seafood at the pier at the end. See our Discovery Bay To Mui Wo Hike guide.

Chung Yeung Hiking Tips

• Start early. Popular summits like Lion Rock, The Peak and Dragon's Back get very busy on Chung Yeung.
• Take fire safety seriously. October is the start of the dry season, and incense burned during grave sweeping makes hill fires more likely. Check the Hong Kong Observatory for Fire Danger Warnings. Never light anything on the trails, and keep to the paths.
• Pack for the sun. October days can still be hot. Bring plenty of water, sun cream, hats, snacks and insect repellent.
• Stay away from cemetery areas (see transport below). Some trailheads share roads with busy grave-sweeping routes.

Flying kites is a Chung Yeung tradition that ties in with the festival's idea of "ascending high." People once believed a kite could carry bad luck away, and that the higher it flew, the better their fortune would be. Autumn breezes make it the perfect time to try. See our full guide to Where To Buy And Fly Kites In Hong Kong.

Remember: There are rules. No flying within 5km of an airfield, higher than 60 metres, or within 60 metres of vessels, vehicles or structures.

• Tai Hang Tun, Clearwater Bay Country Park: Hong Kong's best-known kite spot. It has a paved flying area, a steady breeze and a kiosk selling kites (closes 6pm). Take green minibus 103M from Tseung Kwan O MTR. Read our guide.
• Tai Po Waterfront Park: Huge lawns, so fewer kites get stuck in trees. There's also a playground for when the wind drops.
• Tap Mun (Grass Island): Breezy grassy hilltops, about 30 minutes by ferry from Wong Shek Pier.
• Shek O Back Beach: Quieter than the main beach, with kites sold near the car park.
• Where to buy: CS Kites on Boundary Street, Mong Kok, has over 100 designs at around HK$70–110.

Chung Yeung falls on Sunday, 18 October 2026. From 3 October to 8 November, roads near major cemeteries will close and parking will be suspended. This mostly happens on 10, 11, 17, 18, 19, 24, 25 and 31 October and 1 November. The areas affected are Chai Wan, Tseung Kwan O, Cheung Sha Wan, Tuen Mun, Lantau, Tsuen Wan, Fanling (Wo Hop Shek) and Lo Wu (Sandy Ridge). Take public transport if you can, especially on the 18th.

Flying kites? Parking on Shek O Road is restricted, so take the bus to Shek O Back Beach. Tseung Kwan O and Tiu Keng Leng will also be busy on the 18th, so leave extra time to get to Tai Hang Tun.

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