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Dragon Boat Festival

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  1. #1

    Dragon Boat Festival

    Hi,

    I'm interested in catching the Dragon Boat Festival in HK; however, I don't know which one to attend: Stanley, Sha Tin, Discovery Bay etc.
    Have any of you previously been to this festival and can say which one I should go to? I read that the Discovery Bay one has the races plus some kind of carnival.

    Thanks in advance


  2. #2

    Join Date
    Nov 2010
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    been to all three...Stanley is a huge party, on the street just back from the beach and the beach itself...so packed you have to walk in the water to get anywhere..get on a party junk to watch if possible (lots of sponsored junks)...Shatin is very local, hoards of people watching from both sides of the river, not much 'atmosphere' really, but prolly the best pure races (watch for the Fire Dept. and Police Dept boats...very fast)...DB is more laid back family style, yes, a carnival in the plaza, nice views from the restos beside the beach, not quite top level racing (many local corp. teams like CLP, Jardine, ins cos) and paddling teams from around HK


  3. #3

    Join Date
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    Stanley is more than 240 boats, 5000paddlers and around 30000 spectators, it's huge, it's loud and there are some very very top teams but also a big contingent of corporate teams that paddle only 2 months a year.

    I paddle with one of the top team and we train almost all year long, it's tough, lots of races and everyone wants to win Stanley.

    The level of competition has increased a lot with more and more Chinese team coming in, Police department, Custom and exercise....

    There is a massive party at Stanley village after 5PM.

    sha Tin is very pro and excellent racing but less atmosphere.

    A very traditional one is Tai O

    But if it is ur first time and u know nothing, surely go to Stanley....one week to go, can't wait!!


  4. #4

    Thank you 'anothercanuck' and 'Mat'! It seems you both agree that Stanley is the one to go to!
    I assume with all the people heading there the line ups for the buses etc will be a bit crazy!
    I'll most likely be there in the morning - I guess the event goes on all day then.
    Other than the races - are there other things going on?
    My only other DB experience is from Vancouver where there's races, live concerts, food stalls and lots of other stuff.
    I think in HK the focus is mostly on watching the race - is this correct?

    'anothercanuck' - are you from Canada?


  5. #5

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    yeah, Winnipeg...yes. it's cold there....i would say the racing is what brings local people out (in Sha Tin, that's ALL there is (if you weren't down at the river you wouldn't know anything was happening), but out on the junks in Stanley that i've been on, it's another chance to party...sounds alot like what Van is all about...


  6. #6

    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by petitepiper:
    Thank you 'anothercanuck' and 'Mat'! It seems you both agree that Stanley is the one to go to!
    I assume with all the people heading there the line ups for the buses etc will be a bit crazy!
    I'll most likely be there in the morning - I guess the event goes on all day then.
    Other than the races - are there other things going on?
    My only other DB experience is from Vancouver where there's races, live concerts, food stalls and lots of other stuff.
    I think in HK the focus is mostly on watching the race - is this correct?

    'anothercanuck' - are you from Canada?
    there is a huge party afterwards at the village, loud music, dancing in the streets, drinking.

    a few food booth during day time!

    come as early as possible to beat the traffic.

    first races are at around 8 am and the grand final around 5pm.

    junk: some are here for the party, some arent. we have a strict no booze policy for the paddlers. after races though everything changes of course. Guests on the junk do drink a little but that's it. but then again we go for the win :-P

    just finished training actually, crappy weather.

    Sent from my GT-I9210 using GeoClicks Mobile

  7. #7

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    That's so cool Mat, good luck Saturday! What boat are you on?


  8. #8

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    Apr 2011
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    NT
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    Hi all
    Can anybody tell me the dates and times of the different available races?
    Thanks!


  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mat:
    Guests on the junk do drink a little
    And some of them fall off and drown.

  10. #10

    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gruntfuttock:
    And some of them fall off and drown.
    Not on ours, as I said booze is off limit or near off limit.

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