About Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of the great city destinations. Exciting, with a pace of life that has two speeds, fast and faster! Essentially the city is split in two, separated by the harbour. You have either Kowloon side or Hong Kong island, with good connections linking the two, either by Star Ferry or by the highly impressive MTR subway Link.
Travel time from the UK approximately 12 hours.
Weatherwise
Your decision to visit will probably not be influenced by the weather, but the winter months can be akin to a UK early spring day with colder evenings, whilst the mid-summer months can be humid with the chance of the occasional cyclone (Typhoon). Hong Kong citizens love their air conditioning on high, particularly in shopping malls. A light wrap might be suggested!
Why Hong Kong?
Hong Kong is without a doubt one of the most charismatic cities, in our view an absolute must on any Far East touring holiday. Superb shopping, either in the upscale malls or the more authentic street markets. Equally good sightseeing, with a visit to one of the many small islands offering a total contrast – but try to avoid weekends or public holidays. Visit the Peak for super views. Fantastic variety of cuisine. Service is usually highly efficient, although the emphasis might be on speed not smile!
If this is your first visit, invest in a room with a harbour view.
Check to see if there is a horse race meeting scheduled. There are two tracks, one at Happy Valley (near Causeway Bay) usually for night racing, the other at Sha Tin in the New Territories. A real experience, even if you do not gamble. The season is usually September to July.
Hong Kong is a work hard/play hard city that never seems to sleep, it just pauses for a few hours to catch its breath!
Take time to explore on foot. Just walking the streets can be fascinating, but take headed notepaper from your hotel to assist with return directions. Or take a tram ride and just enjoy the sights. Visit Aberdeen for the floating junks, Stanley or Ladies Market for bargain shopping. Very little is the genuine article but the prices are very negotiable. Head up to Lan Kwai Fong area for numerous bars and restaurants.
The subway transport system is one of the most efficient and well organised and links all of the main points, both on HK Island and Kowloon. Enquire about a tourist pass for your convenience. And of course, you simply must experience the Star Ferry.
Check to see if your hotel has a rooftop bar – if not plan to visit one that does. The night time neon light show is amazing.
Our featured hotels would be our suggestions, however, through our local agents, we have contract rates at many more.
If We Were To Be Critical…
With the exception of The Upper House, hotel rooms are generally on the compact side. It is one of the main commercial/corporate cities of the world, so expect to see more business attire than leisurewear at times. This particularly applies to hotels in the Central/Admiralty Districts. It is the venue for many trade shows, conferences and exhibitions and
Hong Kong – A CHIC Location
