Reasons to Visit Chinatown in Melbourne – A Charming and Enthralling Locality

There is no doubt that the Chinese New Year is the most significant festivity in the Chinatown calendar, with the celebrations and joy extending over a number of weeks. As you might expect you will experience plenty of feasting and noisy firecrackers in Chinatown at this time of the year, along with fascinating cultural traditions such as the 'dragon's awakening'. The streets of Chinatown will be extravagantly decorated at this time of the year, with lots of lighting installations, entrancing lion dances, outdoor stalls offering tasty foods and a host of different kinds of performances.

The Chinese Museum is a noteworthy institution situated in Melbourne's captivating Chinatown. In fact, this museum may be considered to be one of Chinatown's most important cultural attractions and will appeal to anyone interested in the history and culture of this part of Melbourne. The Chinese Museum preserves, documents and exhibits the story of Chinese migration to the nation of Australia. At this museum, you will have the opportunity to experience a changing programme of exhibitions as well as heritage tours that depict the history, values and culture of the Chinese community in Australia. This establishment also houses the Millennium Dragon, which has the distinction of being the largest of its kind on the globe.

Foodies will be in their element in Melbourne's Chinatown, as this part of the city is renowned for its remarkable culinary offerings. You will have the opportunity to enjoy Cantonese fine dining at the well-known Flower Drum Restaurant which is one of Chinatown's culinary highlights. On the other hand, Shanghai Dumpling House is a modest cafe that serves up generous portions of Chinese specialities. Not to be missed is China Red, a more modern restaurant which features a contemporary iPad system for taking orders. You may also try out Shark Fin Inn, which features Cantonese specialities at moderate prices.

Your tour of Melbourne's Chinatown would not be complete without visiting the popular Tianjin Garden. This garden is considered to be one of Chinatown's iconic features and is sure to capture the imagination of the discerning visitor. This distinctive feature in Chinatown has been conceived with the collaboration of designers from both Tianjin as well as Melbourne. You will see that Tianjin Garden contains a pavilion, water feature and seating arrangements for the numerous visitors – including sightseers, families, office workers and students – who frequent it. An accommodation choice to consider from which this attraction would be within walking distance would be Oaks on Lonsdale, which is amongst the conveniently located Melbourne hotel apartments in the city.

You will see that a number of developments have been carried out at this renowned location in Melbourne's Chinatown. Visitors will notice that Chinatown Plaza now boasts plenty of greenery and rock sculptures as well as lantern lighting making it a magnet for leisure seekers desiring to relax and unwind in pleasant surroundings. The archway known as 'Facing Heaven' which can be found at Chinatown Plaza has been beautifully refurbished, making it a popular backdrop for taking photos. This area is an appealing place to spend quality leisure time after a busy day of sightseeing or shopping.