Hong Kong
Harbour views from the Peak, dim sum, the Star Ferry and the Big Buddha: a lively city stop on the way to Japan or across Asia.
Why go
Hong Kong squeezes skyscrapers, harbour, temples and steep green hills into a city you can cross in an afternoon. Ride the Star Ferry across Victoria Harbour, take the Peak Tram up to the city's best view, eat dim sum for breakfast and roast meats for lunch, then watch the towers light up from the water at night. It also makes an easy, energising stopover on the way to Japan or elsewhere in Asia.
When to go
Autumn (September to November) brings breezes, sunshine and mild weather and is the most comfortable time to visit. Winter (December to February) is cool, dry and often cloudy, with lows that can drop below 10 °C. Spring is mild and humid, and summer (June to August) is hot and sticky, with highs above 30 °C, heavy showers and the chance of typhoons.
Getting there from the UK
Cathay Pacific flies direct from London Heathrow and Manchester, and British Airways from Heathrow, in around 12 to 13 hours. The airport is on Lantau Island, about 35 to 40 minutes from the centre by road or by the Airport Express train.
Where to stay
- Wan Chai, between Admiralty and Causeway Bay, is central and well connected, with trams on Hennessy Road, the MTR and the convention centre on the harbour.
- Central and Sheung Wan for the Peak Tram, bars and old streets full of dried-seafood and tea shops.
- Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon for harbour views, museums and the waterfront promenade.
What to do
Take the Peak Tram and walk the paths around Victoria Peak. Spend a day on Lantau for the Ngong Ping 360 cable car, the Tian Tan Buddha and the stilt-house fishing village of Tai O. Cross the harbour on the Star Ferry, sail it at night on a red-sailed junk, and explore Wan Chai's Blue House and old markets on foot.
Food
Dim sum is a way of life: har gow, siu mai and char siu bao from a trolley or a tick-box menu. Try roast goose and char siu, wonton noodles, warm egg tarts from a bakery, and milk tea in a cha chaan teng café.
Good to know
- Currency: Hong Kong dollar. Tipping: a 10% service charge is usually added to restaurant bills.
- Time: 8 hours ahead of the UK (7 during British Summer Time).
- Plugs: type G, the same three-pin plug as the UK.
- Languages: Cantonese and English are both official.
- An Octopus card pays for the MTR, trams, ferries and buses and in many shops.
