Hong Kong Escape

Arrive into cosmopolitan Hong Kong where you are met and transferred to your luxury hotel.

Four Seasons Hong Kong (Deluxe Peak View Room)

Discover Hong Kong’s lively art scene on tour this morning. Amongst the galleries and antique stores of Hollywood Road, you are introduced to the expansive collection at Liang Yi Museum, a private showcase of design, craftsmanship and heritage. The four-storey treasure trove is home to one of the world's largest and best-curated collections of Chinese antique furniture, from the Ming and Qing dynasties, as well as rare European curiosities.

Afterwards, move on to the Man Mo Temple, Hong Kong’s largest. Built in 1847, it is an excellent example of Qing dynasty architecture and is dedicated to the gods of War (Mo) and Literature (Man). Though small, the temple is highly active and draws worshippers from all over Hong Kong.

Pause to refresh with a craft beer at Hong Kong’s original gastropub, The Globe. Then wander down Pottinger Street, a photographer’s paradise. Dating from the 1850s, it is one of the district’s oldest streets and is named after Hong Kong’s first governor, Sir Henry Eldred Curwen Pottinger. Afterwards, hop on the tram for the ride into Central where you have a lunch reservation at the exclusive members-only China Club (payable locally).

After lunch, head down to the harbour where you take the iconic Star Ferry across the water to Tsim Sha Tsui on Kowloon side. As you soak up the view, your guide will explain how many of the city’s commercial buildings have been designed according to the principles of Feng Shui.

On disembarkation, walk the short distance to the Peninsula Hong Kong and up to the rooftop where an optional private helicopter experience awaits (additional cost). Take flight and be dazzled by Hong Kong’s stunning panorama from the jungle of high-rise towers to its emerald green hillsides, outlying islands, the Tian Tan Buddha, bays, beaches and all that lies in between. Celebrate your aerial adventure with afternoon tea at the Peninsula, a Hong Kong institution. Return to Hong Kong Island and your hotel.

Four Seasons Hong Kong (Deluxe Peak View Room) | Meals: B

This morning you are met by your guide and transferred to Tung Chung Pier on Lantau Island for an eco-cruise in search of the elusive pink dolphin. The Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin is found in the waters around the island and because of a highly developed network of blood vessels it gives off a pink bubble-gum colour; the only place in the world where this feature is present. Cruise to the dolphins' watery habitat close to the border between Hong Kong and mainland China and keep a close lookout for these unusual marine mammals. On return to the pier, board the famous glass-floored Ngong Ping Crystal Cable Car for a private panoramic ride along its 5.7 kilometre length.

A vegetarian lunch is arranged today at Po Lin Monastery (payable locally). The monastery was constructed in 1924 and is considered the most important and beautiful of Hong Kong's four main Buddhist temple sites. After lunch admire the Tian Tan Fo (the Giant Buddha), the world's largest bronze-cast outdoor seated Buddha. Standing 26 metres tall and weighing 250 tons the three-story pedestal is actually an exhibition hall that houses a beautifully carved Buddhist bell that rings every seven minutes.

This afternoon take a local taxi to Tai O, an historic 300-year-old fishing village on Lantau. Tai O is one of the last bastions of Hong Kong's southern Chinese fishing culture. The ramshackle stilted fishermen's houses along the network of canals and colourful fishing boats at anchor in the harbour are set against a backdrop of lush forest clad mountains, a distant contrast to urban Hong Kong. Stroll through the village and explore the local street food in neighbourhood stalls. Savour the signature “egg waffles”, “glutinous rice cake”, “Chinese donuts” and “black sesame sticky rice pudding”.

After refuelling, hike up the short path behind the village to Fu Shan for sunset views of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge and the bay of Tai O. Return to your hotel later this evening.

Four Seasons Hong Kong (Deluxe Peak View Room) | Meals: B

This morning you venture with your guide into the New Territories for a nostalgic tour along the Ping Shan heritage trail. Explore villages of the Tang clan who were thought to have settled in the area in the 12th century. See their well-preserved ancestral halls, temples and courtyards and get a feel for the family traditions which supported the community. Visit the Ping Shan Tang lan gallery housed in the old village police station built in 1900, the best-preserved example of a police station built before World War II. Inside is a showcase of the customs, traditions, ceremonies and rituals which were so entrenched in clan life.

Later you are transferred to Kam Tin to meet your guide for an exciting bike tour around Yuen Long, where the beautiful natural landscape, wetlands and wildlife combine with the area’s rich indigenous heritage. Pedal through ancient villages, seeking out the well-preserved ancestral halls, study houses, temples and an interesting tree house. Ride along the canals to Nam Sang Wai whose rustic scenery attracts birdwatchers, cyclists and picnickers, as well as photographers and even film crews. Explore the network of paths which crisscross a landscape of farms and fishponds where tall reeds and simple wooden huts are a world away from Hong Kong’s urban bustle.

Taste some local treats and take a small wooden ferry across Shan Pui River before returning to your hotel.

Four Seasons Hong Kong (Deluxe Peak View Room) | Meals: B

Transfer to the airport for your departure flight.

Meals: B