Snow in Victoria Harbour? The world’s largest LED light sea & giant crystal ball in Hong Kong

▲ The premiere of the new Symphony of Lights and winter Shining Harbour. (Video/photo provided by the Hong Kong Tourism Board, photo by reporter Cao Yuehua)

▲ Hong Kong’s world-class performance – Symphony of Lights – strikes again on December 1. (Photo by reporter Cao Yuehua)

Reported and photographed by reporter Cao Yuehua / Hong Kong

Snow has actually fallen in Victoria Harbour of Hong Kong. With Christmas approaching, the area around Victoria Harbour has transformed magnificently, spending an extra one hundred million Hong Kong dollars to create a revamped edition of the“Symphony of Lights”, featuring a dazzling LED light sea formed by 40 skyscrapers, determined to retain its title as the world’s largest light show. In addition, the winter-exclusive“Shining Harbour”light and shadow spectacle is no less impressive, enhanced with snowfall effects and a massive crystal ball that makes you feel like you're in a snowy wonderland — the romance level is off the charts.

▲ The winter edition of Shining Harbour, with snowfall effects and colorful LED light balls, scores full marks in both romance and cuteness. (Photo provided by the Hong Kong Tourism Board)

Both the newly launched Symphony of Lights and Shining Harbour officially debuted on December 1, both located along the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront in Hong Kong, where the public can enjoy two world-class shows simultaneously at the open-air plaza of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre.For those who can’t make it in person, don’t worry — you can download the Symphony of Lights app to listen to the performance music, composed by the renowned German musician Christian Steinhäuser and performed by the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, via your mobile phone. The app also includes a list of participating buildings, giving users a more immersive sense of being there.

▲ The public can also choose to board a sightseeing cruise to get a closer view of the beauty of Victoria Harbour. (Photo by reporter Cao Yuehua)

1.Symphony of Lights(Starting December 1, one show daily at 20:00)

Listed by the Guinness World Records as the “World’s Largest Light and Sound Show,” the Symphony of Lights has a 13-year history since 2004. To keep things fresh, the Hong Kong governmentallocated one hundred million Hong Kong dollars to revamp the show, removing the original monologues introducing each building, shortening the performance time from 13 minutes to a refined 10-minute version, and adding screens on the exteriors of 10 additional buildings including the Government Headquarters to join the show,aiming to create the most spectacular LED light sea.

▲ 39 buildings plus one cruise ship participate in the display, making Victoria Harbour even more dazzling. (Photo provided by the Hong Kong Tourism Board)

In addition todiverse lighting effects such as searchlights and laser beams, the new edition’s music is newly interpreted by the Asia-renowned Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, and for the first time features the “World Dream” cruise ship,which, when docked at Kai Tak Cruise Terminal every Friday evening, joins the show using the ship’s LED lights and lighting effects. The revamped version offers a variety of patterns, colors, and messages, enhancing interactivity with the audience.

The best viewing spots are along the Tsim Sha Tsui coastline outside the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Wan Chai’s Golden Bauhinia Square, or aboard a sightseeing cruise. It’s worth mentioning that locals recommendviewing from Kowloon to admire Hong Kong Island, as this angle allows you to see 24 buildings, including the 93-floor IFC Mall (International Finance Centre), which resembles a razor,whereas viewing from Hong Kong Island only allows you to see 15 buildings, offering a relatively narrower field of vision.

▲ The animated scenes of Shining Harbour cleverly incorporate local characteristics. (Photo provided by the Hong Kong Tourism Board)

2.Shining Harbour(From December 1 to January 28 of the following year, shows at 20:10, 20:40, 21:00, 21:20, and 21:40 — five shows in total)

The winter edition of Shining Harbour,Through 3D projection technology, the "frozen" Cultural Centre and the adjacent Clock Tower come to life as the protagonist, Rui Long, travels through iconic Hong Kong scenes and extraordinary landmarks to successfully recover the lost digit and restore the Cultural Centrein time for Christmas; additionally,the snowfall effects on the open plaza, along with colorful LED balls and a giant crystal ball,create a vibrant white Christmas atmosphere in Hong Kong.

▲ The plaza's giant crystal ball has become a new popular photo spot. (Photo / Reporter Cao Yuehua)

Each show lasts about 8 minutes. It is recommended to enjoy it at the open plaza of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui, where you can look up to see adorable animations and gaze around at the snowfall effects paired with colorful light balls — a new hotspot for social media photos.