HONG KONG

In Short

• Day 1,2,3 & 4: HONG KONG 

An Overview

We often judge a city by it's airport. Think of Calcutta or Dhaka and you understand what we mean. Hong Kong is our favourite city in all of Asia! From the moment you step out of the plane, the Norman Foster designed terminal is efficient, well signed and completely bilingual. Hong Kong is the best place for your first adventure in Asia, it has incredible restaurants, superb hotels, it's an efficient city and you need a lot of energy to handle the traffic, noise, smells and visual assault on all your senses. Hong Kong has style, chaos, traffic, one of the highest density of population in the world and yet retains many stunning pockets of wilderness and beauty. Yes, the shopping is amazing from Nathan Road's tailors to Harbour City Shopping Centre with it's 700 shops to the cool night markets, indeed the city never sleeps.
But Hong Kong is much more than Disneyworld and Gucci and our four-day itinerary will highlight some incredible gems. There are many sights one must see before leaving this earth, from the Mona Lisa to the Pyramids to the Great Wall. To see Hong Kong's harbor at night is on the list. There are no words that can describe the beauty of it. And in typical Si Fang fashion, we know exactly how to show it to you.

Cost

There are only two hotels we recommend in Hong Kong, and this has all to do with the harbor views. If one stays in Hong Kong, one must be able to see the harbour. And there is also a better side to look at the harbour. Trust us, we have tried most of the top hotels and we know which floor and which type of rooms to recommend. Our 4 day itinerary price range depends on your room selection and special events you select, from helicopter trips to Macau to private harbor cruise, exclusive meetings to fashion designers or dinners with some of the city's business tycoons.

Day 1

Your arrival at Chek Lap Kok International airport will allow you some great views over Hong Kong Island and the New Territories. Customs and Immigration procedures are usually extremely fast and you will be met by your local guide and escorted to the VIP lounge where your limousine is waiting. The transfer to your hotel depends on traffic and usually takes about 40 minutes to the downtown area. Depending on time of arrival and how tired you are we will suggest meal options close to your hotel. We can also arrange a stunning one hour private boat champagne cruise on the harbor, this is usually timed with the viewing of the "Symphony of Lights" laser show over Hong Kong Island.

Day 2

This morning your guide will meet you at the hotel and take you along a city tour including some very unusual transport modes ranging from a double-decker bus, to a tram to a local junk, all allowing you to see Hong Kong from different angles. Lunch this afternoon is at the top of Victoria Peak with great views over the city. You may also want to get measured for some suits by one of our three recommended exclusive tailors (they require 24-48 hours to deliver) The rest of the afternoon is left open for you to decide, either some shopping on Nathan Road or meeting one of our Chinese antiques expert who can walk with you along Hollywood Road to look at some of the galleries. Dinner tonight is one with amazing views in a private room overlooking the whole of Kowloon served with the best Cantonese food in town.

Day 3

This is the unusual portion of our itinerary, one where you will experience a remote part of Hong Kong. You will be met at the hotel by the city's most acclaimed food writer who will take you to a local restaurant for breakfast and explain the main stays of Hong Kong cuisine and why people live to eat. We then transfer to our private yacht for a tour of a fishing village and a great walk around Lamma Island where sandy beaches and private coves are surrounded by forests. Lunch today is back downtown in one of the very few remaining original dim sum restaurants, a very busy place for local people and a great experience to watch (and eat). The rest of the afternoon is spent visiting a superb Buddhist temple and we share late afternoon tea with a published art historian. Dinner tonight is at your choice, Hong Kong has now three Michelin restaurants and we have great connections with all of them so we can get you some very good tables.

Day 4

Your final day in Hong Kong is at your discretion, there is definitely shopping options and depending what you are looking for, your guide will offer some suggestions. Some travellers are sometimes keen to go explore Macau and we can transfer by helicopter shuttle in less than 45 minutes, this is a full day excursion and we know some very good Portuguese food lunch spots. Another option is to visit Po Lin Monastery in a quiet part of Hong Kong. We can also recommend some evening activities from the Ladies Market in Mongkok (much less touristy than the Night Market) and spend some time at Happy Valley racecourse where the locals have been going for decades to bet on horse races, a huge business in Hong Kong! Either of these activities will include a stop at the most stunning outdoor terrace bar with incredible views over the city. Dinner tonight is one of options, either at a restaurant with the most stunning views over the harbour or a very local private kitchen house where the local food is sublime and served by your host.

Day 5

Your transfer to the airport is taken care by your guide and driver.