Hong Kong Observation Wheel
Credit: iStock / danielvfung
little trams that have rattled around Hong Kong since 1904. Then continue the conveyances theme with a trip on the Ngong Ping 360 cable car on Lantau Island, which takes you way above everything with 360-degree views as you ride. See the Big Buddha nearby, experience a traditional Chinese teahouse and enjoy the beautiful gardens there, too.
If the weather is fine, there’ s plenty of things to do at the beaches in Deep Water Bay or Repulse Bay; and if your family really likes outdoor activities, take a hike up the Dragon’ s Back trail in the Southern District of the city, where you’ re likely to see paragliders soaring past.
WHERE TO STAY
Hong Kong has some of the world’ s great hotels perched on the edge of Victoria Harbor, so if the budget allows, splurge and book into one of these legendary places. The Peninsula Hong Kong in Tsim Sha Tsui is known as the“ Grande Dame of the Far East” and has been welcoming guests and locals alike since the 1920s and continues to be the standard by which all other hotels here are judged. Most rooms have expansive views of the harbor, the service is first class, there are Rolls-Royces at your beck and call, and the Afternoon Tea( following the British tradition that held sway here for so long) is a true classic, whether you stay in the hotel or not.
The nearby Intercontinental Hotel Hong Kong is another bay facing hotel that boasts two Michelin-rated restaurants under one roof. Try the two-star Yan Toh Heen there for the best Cantonese cuisine anywhere or visit French chef Alain Ducasse’ s new eatery, Rech by
Alain Ducasse, which received one Michelin star just nine months after opening. There’ s not a lot of time to enjoy this exemplary hotel however, for the Intercontinental is scheduled to close in early 2019 for a major renovation. Happily, Yan Toh Heen will remain open during that renovation.
Other classic hotels in Hong Kong include The Landmark Mandarin Oriental Hotel, located in Central, and the Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, which counts its elegant floors from 102 to 118( the very top) in West Kowloon’ s towering International Commerce Centre skyscraper. Hong Kong is a city filled with hotels( 292 at last count), so there’ s always a place to lay your head after a full and fascinating day in this vibrant city.
GETTING THERE
NONSTOP FLIGHTS FROM DULLES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT( IAD) TO HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT( HKG) BEGIN ON CATHAY PACIFIC ON SEPTEMBER 16, 2018, FLYING FOUR TIMES WEEKLY USING THE AIRBUS A350-1000 AIRCRAFT.
FLYWASHINGTON. COM 28 SUMMER 2018