agoda.com, a leading global hotel booking site and part of Nasdaq-listed Priceline Group (Nasdaq: PCLN), today announced special hotel deals in Beijing and Shanghai to help travelers save money this Chinese New Year.

(TRAVPR.COM) SINGAPORE - January 4th, 2012 -

agoda.com, a leading global hotel booking site and part of Nasdaq-listed Priceline Group (Nasdaq: PCLN), today announced special hotel deals in Beijing and Shanghai to help travelers save money this Chinese New Year.

Known locally as the Spring Festival, Chinese New Year is China's biggest holiday. Celebrated this year on January 23 and concluding on February 6, it's a time when families and friends reunite to see in the new year. While it can be a busy and challenging time to visit China, it's also one of the most culturally rewarding times to travel, offering plenty of opportunity to observe and participate in local customs.

The Spring Festival is suffused with myth and symbolism, reflected in many aspects of the holiday, from the types of food eaten to the events that take place. Noisy lion dances and firecrackers – thought to invite good luck and ward off evil – are common during Spring Festival. Special foods include glutinous rice cakes (nian gao), crescent-shaped dumplings (jiao zi), and oranges (ji) – all considered lucky to eat at new year. Children are given money in red envelopes.

Temple fairs are a fun way for visitors to experience Chinese New Year. Changdian Temple near the National Ballet hosts the biggest fair in Beijing, running this year from February 3 to 21. Dating back to the Ming Dynasty, this fair attracts crowds with Peking opera, folk art markets, food stalls, acrobatic displays, magic shows and both modern and traditional forms of entertainment.

In Shanghai, the streets bloom red during Spring Festival, with lanterns, paper cut 'Fu' symbols, scrolls and fire crackers embellishing houses and public spaces throughout the city. Longhua Temple Fair is a great way for international tourists to get involved in celebrations, offering food stalls, markets and folk shows for all ages.

The Spring Festival is a major holiday in China and public transport in the big cities can be very crowded. To help travelers get the most out of their Chinese New Year vacation, agoda.com has secured the following deals in these Beijing and Shanghai city center hotels – valid for a limited time only.

agoda.com dragon deals for Chinese New Year 2012

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