Lunar New Year festivals and prayers are marking the start of the Year of the Snake around Asia and farther afield.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s Ministry of the Interior announced that eight national parks and one national nature park will remain open during the Lunar New Year holiday from Jan. 25 to Feb. 2, with special events planned. Dongsha Atoll National Park will be the only park closed.

Lunar New Year, or Tết Nguyên Đán (Tết), is Vietnam's most important celebration - a time to honour ancestors, cherish family, and welcome new beginnings.This year, it lasts from 28 to 31 January.

Taiwan's National Palace Museum invited calligraphers to craft red spring couplets in celebration of the Lunar New Year. The decorations are said to bring good fortune and festive cheer.

Kaohsiung opened its Hong Kong Lunar New Year Fair at Kaohsiung Central Park on Thursday, showcasing Cantonese delicacies and musical performances. Now in its third year, the event’s highlight is the Hong Kong street food market.

President William Lai (賴清德) embarked on a three-day journey across the nation today to make public appearances and give out auspicious blessings and gifts to the general public in celebration of the Lunar New Year. Lai's trip is in observation of the Lunar New Year custom of paying visits to bring auspiciousness.

Hundreds of millions gathered across Asia to celebrate the Lunar New Year on Wednesday, welcoming the Year of the Snake with firecrackers, incense, parades and feasts. The annual migration of

The Chinese zodiac corresponds to various years people were born, and each animal is believed to influence the lives of people born in that year. The Year of the Snake is seen as one of renewal and regeneration and aligns with people born in 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013 and 2025.

Celebrate the Year of the Snake with aclose encounter at this Taiwan pet store:: Luo Chih-yu, Owner, Pythonism"I provide a space for people to try and experience snakes, finding out whether they like them without any prejudice.

Many dishes eaten during the Lunar New Year are special to the holiday. NPR readers shared their most cherished dishes.

As the Year of the Snake approaches, a pet store in Taipei is offering adventurous ... images of the reptile ahead of the start of the Lunar New Year, which starts on Wednesday and whose zodiac ...

The insider’s guide to London’s best Chinese restaurants - As the Year of the Snake slithers in, the biggest names in Chinese cooking give David Ellis the lowdown on where to celebrate