Lunar New Year festivals and prayers marked the start of the Year of the Snake around Asia and farther afield on Wednesday.

China’s Lunar New Year travel rush has kicked into high gear, with billions of trips expected in coming days for the peak of the 40-day annual mass migration.

The first new moon of the lunar calendar officially ushered in the new year in many cultures Wednesday, marking the imminent arrival of spring and the first day of the Year of the Snake, which symbolizes good luck, rebirth and regality.

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.

Communities across the world begin celebrating Lunar New Year on Jan. 29 — and 2025 marks the Year of the Snake.

Lunar New Year is one of the biggest celebrations of the year for those of Asian heritage, involving family gatherings, lion dances, fireworks and for children, the exchange of red envelopes stuffed with cash.

Among China’s traditional holidays and celebrations, none ranks higher in importance than the Lunar New Year (農曆新年). Also known as the Spring Festival (春節), or simply Chinese New Year, it marks the beginning of the year according to the traditional lunar calendar.

From public parades to traditional dances, here's how countries around the world are celebrating the Year of the Snake.

Millions of people across Asia and the world are welcoming the Lunar New Year which coincides with the first new moon of the lunar calendar. Widely considered to be the most important event in the year for many in Asia and some Asian communities worldwide, the Lunar New Year represents a fresh start for those who celebrate.

Lion dance is performed at a park in Beijing on Jan. 29, 2025, the first day of the Year of the Snake amid Lunar Year celebrations.

From incense offerings and vibrant lion dances in Beijing to prayer rituals at temples in Bangkok and Taipei, hundreds of millions of people across Asia celebrated the Lunar New Year, ushering in the Year of the Snake.