Celebrating Lunar New Year in 10 amazing TEFL locations

We love a party here at The TEFL Org, and it’s hard to top Lunar New Year when it comes to massive annual celebrations. Though our office Christmas party comes relatively close, there’s nothing to top Lunar New Year when it comes to incredible dancing, ornate art displays, deep-rooted cultural traditions and, of course, elaborate fireworks displays. 

The best part of the Lunar New Year is that it only seems to get bigger and better. The fireworks are increasingly matched by complicated, beautiful drone displays. More events get put on across celebrating countries. With every year that passes, the Lunar New Year just grows and grows. It’s incredibly exciting!

Last year, we talked about some cool places to enjoy the celebrations, and you —the adventurous types you are—seemed to enjoy that discussion. So, to bring in the Year of the Snake, here are 10 amazing TEFL locations to see in the new year.

Xin nian kuai le/ 新年快乐!

Singapore, Republic of Singapore

Here’s an interesting fact to kick us off - Singapore is one of three city-states in the world, alongside Monaco and Vatican City. Don’t say you don’t learn anything from these blog posts!

One of the cleanest, most futuristic and perhaps underrated TEFL locations anywhere in the world, Singapore is well worth a visit for the Lunar New Year - and longer. The Chinese Garden is a prominent spot to visit during the festivities, while the Chingay Parade is undoubtedly a highlight. Watching fireworks by the River Hongbao also sounds delightful, with “over 20 illuminated lantern displays, including a butterfly arch, floral trellises, and a depiction of Oriental storks by a waterfall.”

You’ll need a bachelor's degree and an accredited 120-hour TEFL certification to land a teaching job in Singapore. In return, you can expect excellent wages, considerable benefits for teachers, a culture of enormous respect for teachers, and a place to live that doesn’t just do LNY with exuberance but life in general!

Busan, South Korea

In South Korea , New Year is known as Seollal , and it’s an especially long celebration this year , lasting three days as opposed to the usual weekend. That’s excellent news if you’re in Busan because few places celebrate New Year quite like South Korea’s second city.

Koreans have increasingly embraced older traditions during the New Year celebrations, wearing Hanbok to get into the spirit fully. If you fancy getting into traditional Korean dress, you can show it off in a range of great locations where the locals bring in the new year in style. You can choose Gwangalli Beach , Haeundae Beach or Songdo Beach to watch the gorgeous sunset. At the same time, Jagalchi Market is lit up and decorated to celebrate the season, as is the impressive Busan Port Bridge.

You’ll need a bachelor’s degree and a TEFL certificate to teach English in South Korea. Read our guide to finding jobs in South Korea for more information.

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

In Cambodia , the Lunar New Year is celebrated wildly and widely under the name Tết Nguyên Đán. In Phnom Penh, the celebrations are particularly intense, with exuberant folk traditions coming to the fore. 

We’re talking dragon dances , two weeks of celebrations, and Cambodians of Chinese descent decorating their houses “with red-coloured paper-cuts, flowers, red lanterns and Chinese couplets” , which looks exactly as beautiful as you’d suspect.

Food is a significant part of the celebrations, too. So, if you’re a fan of Asian cuisines, you can try out Tet mainstays like num ansom chek (a sticky rice cake) and sach ko ang (grilled beef skewers)

How about TEFL teaching? Cambodia has enormous demand, and it’s one of the places in Asia where you can teach English without a degree . You will need a high-quality TEFL certificate!

Manila, the Philippines

With such a large Chinese diaspora in Manila, it’s hardly surprising that the Philippines celebrates Lunar New Year in considerable style. Manila is home to the Binondo commercial district , one of the world's oldest Chinatowns, and this is where the bulk of the party is. It’s not limited to Binondo, though; in the suburbs and streets of Manila, you can admire plenty of ornate decorations and nods to Chinese culture.

In the malls and Manila’s busiest thoroughfares, you’ll see dragon dancers amidst the street parties, street dances, the obligatory fireworks and live music. To teach English in the Philippines , you need a bachelor's degree and TEFL certification with a minimum of 120 hours completed.

Guangzhou, China

Come on, we couldn’t exactly omit China from this list, could we?

Guangzhou is a Tier 3 city. If you didn’t know about the tier system in China, you might be fooled into thinking Guangzhou can’t be that big. That’s not the case - the city is home to over 14.5 million residents and does New Year in considerable style.

The options are extensive. How does a fireworks show at Bai'etan GBA Art Center, aided by 2,025 drones, sound? You could watch the fireworks on the banks of the gorgeous Pearl River or watch lantern shows at the Guangfu Temple Fair in Yuexiu District. From Yeuxiu Park to the Canton Tower , there are a whole host of places to see during Chinese New Year in Guangzhou.

China has the biggest market for TEFL teachers anywhere. You need a bachelor’s degree and a 120-hour TEFL qualification to receive a Foreign Expert Certificate and a Z visa to work there.

Hanoi, Vietnam

Officially, Tết Nguyên Đán goes on for a week in Hanoi, though the partying can - and does - go on for longer. 

A beautiful, ancient city, Tết really brings out the best of Hanoi. There’s a big focus on nature and tradition - a big part of it is buying pink peach blossoms to bring prosperity and good luck to your home. In Hanoi, you can buy them from the Quảng Bá Flower Market, which, to nobody’s surprise, is utterly beautiful in its preparation for the new year.

In the Old Quarter , makeshift altars appear on the curbs. This is so people can leave offerings like fruit and meat. Again, this is to bring good luck, but it’s not all about giving food away - bánh chưng is a must-try.

On the eve of Tết Nguyên Đán, it’s all about the fireworks displays. You’re unlikely to see as many intricate drone set-ups, but take nothing away - the Hanoi fireworks are stunning over these celebrations, just like Hanoi as a whole.

To teach English in Vietnam , you need a bachelor's degree in any field, have a TEFL certificate, and be over 21 years old.

Nagasaki, Japan

If you enjoy over two weeks of celebrations, spell-binding sights and an incredible atmosphere, you’ll like Nagasaki. The Nagasaki Lantern Festival is spread over 15 days. As the name suggests, the streets are lined with gorgeous lanterns - ornate displays made by local authorities and the efforts of locals, all to celebrate the Lunar New Year.

With so many days of events, you might be wondering what actually happens beyond enjoying lanterns. Well, how does a mask-changing show sound ? Or daring acrobatics, dragon and lion dancing, live music and other events?

If you want to teach English in Japan , you’d do well to look at Nagasaki as an option for a long-term stay. You’ll need a degree and - you guessed it - a TEFL certificate of 120 hours of study to make the move.

Hong Kong

There’s no other way to say it: Hong Kong seems like a lot of fun. For TEFL teachers, there are excellent job opportunities and outstanding wages for highly qualified teachers, and in terms of the local culture, it’s hard to beat Hong Kong in winter.

The Winter Carnival lasts from December to February, incorporating some of the Lunar New Year. Make no mistake—Hong Kong takes LNY exceptionally seriously. There’s an exhaustive list of tasks you need to get through before the 29th of January arrives, and when the celebrations do come around, it’s like nothing else.

So, there’s the Lantern Carnival , which showcases “breathtaking lantern displays” (you’d hope so) as well as “captivating stage performances and interactive lantern riddles.” Sounds good. Count us in.

Oh, and if that’s not enough, there are live music performances from some of Asia’s biggest stars and visual arts displays in the streets of Tsim Sha Tsui, with 100,000 people expected to show up. Pretty cool stuff, Hong Kong.

Teaching English in Hong Kong is also a pretty cool experience; you’ll need a bachelor's degree and either a TEFL certificate or two years of teaching experience, though most employers will prefer you to have both.

San Francisco, USA

A study in 2021 showed that over a fifth of San Franciscans—about 180,000 people—were members of the Chinese diaspora . If that’s surprising, this next bit of information won’t be: San Francisco goes for it when New Year comes around.

Yes, San Francisco’s Chinatown is the place to be every Chinese New Year because the festivities look like a lot of fun. There’s a flower market fair, a Basketball Jamboree (SF’s Golden State Warriors are a big deal, after all), a Community Street Fair and, the best of the lot, the Chinese New Year parade on the 15th of February.

Other American cities have sizeable Chinese communities. Houston, Detroit, New York City - the list goes on. The biggest party, though, is in San Francisco. At least, that’s how it looks to us; if anyone from any of the cities above wants to invite us over and judge for ourselves, then get in touch!

Read our guide to teaching English in the USA to learn how to get involved.

Bali, Indonesia

Last but absolutely no means least, Bali in Indonesia is another part of the world where the Lunar New Year is celebrated in signature style.

Bali is a beautiful, unique part of the world at any time of year, but it comes alive when the calendars change. Ling Gwan Kiong is an ideal place to take it all in, with dragon dances led by a gamelan show called “Gong Kebyar ,” among other events.

Lion dance performances across Bali , obligatory fireworks displays, an overriding sense of absolute joy from the beautiful views, friendly people, and a constant party atmosphere over the holiday season can all be expected.

Like most countries on this list, you’ll need a bachelor's degree and a 120-hour TEFL certification to teach English in Bali.

Welcome the new year in style

If you’re interested in teaching English abroad, celebrating the Lunar New Year must surely be on your travel bucket list. There’s no other celebration like it, and each city and town - let alone the country - has its own unique way of greeting the emergence of a new year.

Remember, it can be celebrated at different times, with countries and individual governments deciding on public holidays. However, the sheer breadth of celebrations means you can enjoy the Lunar New Year in many amazing TEFL locations.

Interested in celebrating the Lunar New Year somewhere totally new next year? Take a TEFL course today, and become a teacher this year!