A HONG KONG KIND OF MAY

Festivals, shows and family fun

IT’S THE START of summer in Hong Kong, before the intense heat and rain, making it the perfect time to get the family – or friends – out for some fun.

Encourage budding artists with a visit to Van Gogh Alive. Set to classical music, the exhibition in Kowloon Bay splashes his Starry Nights, daffodils and self- portraits across every surface for a multisensory trip through his life and art. Follow up with the

Affordable Art Fair (1) (17-19 May, Convention & Exhibition Centre), for more inspiration and wallet- friendly pieces.

Theatre more your thing? Don’t miss War Horse (2) (1026 May, Lyric Theatre), a play set during the First World War that’s won praise and awards for its inventive set design and heartwarming story.

No parent will be forgiven for skipping out on a trip to

Hong Kong Disneyland, where you can enjoy the new Ant- Man and The Wasp: Nano Battle! attraction in Tomorrowland, or Ocean Park, the oceanarium/zoo/ amusement park that clings spectacularly to the cliffs near Aberdeen. ( The new Hong Kong Ocean Park Marriott Hotel (3) is running an Ocean Park Experience package including accommodation, breakfast and park tickets.)

Then hop on a ferry to the Cheung Chau Bun Festival (4) (9-13 May) to see lion dances, parades and climbers scrambling up huge bamboo towers covered in buns. The island’s Saiyuen Camping & Adventure Park will also host the Shi Fu Miz Festival (5) (4-5 May), a free-spirited medley of electronic music, drum sessions, art and camping.

In Central, explore the new Tai Kwun precinct, then head to Redhouse in California Tower for vertiginous views and a contemporary spin on classic Chinese familyfavourites like Peking duck and dim sum; or new Vietnamese arrival Nhau (6), just steps away from the incense- filled Man Mo Temple in Sheung Wan.

And if you’re missing a taste of winter, The Flying Elk in Central offers fine, robust Nordic cuisine with a terrace overlooking the rather more raucous activities of Lan Kwai Fong.