Residents' Enthusiasm Visiting Lunar New Year Festival at Bundaran HI: Plenty of Photo Spots
Jakarta - Crowds of residents flocked to the 2026 Lunar New Year Festival held at Bundaran HI, Central Jakarta. One visitor, Jesi (26), praised the event’s decorations, which kept her snapping photos nonstop.
“It’s beautiful, really beautiful. Great for photos. There are actually a lot of spots, but because it’s so crowded, you have to be patient to get a good photo,” Jesi said when met on Saturday (14/2/2026).
Jesi also praised the Harmony Light LED show on display. She said she deliberately came to the festival to also celebrate Valentine’s Day.
“It’s really cool, beautiful. It’s my first time seeing something like this,” Jesi said. “Since it’s a holiday, we figured we’d celebrate Valentine’s too, so we just came here with friends. Entertainment,” she added.
Another visitor, Lidia (28), also came to the festival intentionally for a refreshing outing. However, she did not expect the festival to be so packed with visitors.
“Wow, I didn’t think it would be this crowded. I thought many people would be vacationing outside Jakarta since it’s a long Lunar New Year holiday, but turns out it’s still packed here,” Lidia said.
Lidia said her favorite photo spot was the Harmony Lantern Walk. According to her, the festival is an affordable entertainment option for Jakarta residents.
“At the lantern walk earlier, it’s great for photos, surrounded by lanterns. But you have to be patient for good results, like when not many people are passing by, then quick—snap the photo. But it takes a while because it’s constantly crowded,” Lidia said.
“It’s interesting, it’s really entertainment for the people. Cheap and cheerful—you just pay for parking and you can take gorgeous photos,” she added.
Lidia also praised the beauty of the lanterns and Lunar New Year ornaments at the festival. She hopes celebrations like this will continue to be held for every major holiday.
“My hope is that whenever there’s a major holiday celebration, they keep holding events like this, creating new refreshing and recreational tourism spots,” she said.
The 2026 Jakarta Lunar New Year Festival series is being held at multiple locations. One of them is the Lunar New Year Decoration Competition, participated in by approximately 98 buildings in Jakarta, running until February 17. Additionally, the Jakarta Chinatown Festival is being held on February 15-17 at the Taman Mini Indonesia Indah Pavilion area.
There is also the Harmoni Jakarta event running February 15-17 at Blok M Hub, as well as Semarak Imlek featuring video mapping shows in the Monas area. The Jakarta Provincial Government is also hosting the Jakarta Light Festival Chinese New Year edition on February 16-17 in the Jakarta Old Town area. Furthermore, the Jakarta Temple Festival will enliven Chinese houses of worship across various districts.
The peak Cap Go Meh celebration is scheduled for March 3, 2026, in the Glodok Chinatown area. The entire series of events is organized through collaboration between the Jakarta Provincial Government, regional-owned enterprises, the central government, state-owned enterprises, and the private sector. It hopes the celebrations bring a spirit of courage, happiness, and positive energy to Jakarta residents.