China Tours from Hong Kong

Hong Kong combines a colonial past and dynamic present, together with the contrast of international and traditional Chinese culture. Rising out of the original farming and fishing villages, it has become one of the world’s most important financial centers and an international port.

Hong Kong’s importance as a travel epicenter makes Beijing look like a sleeping giant (well, sort of!). Not only are there many domestic flights from Hong Kong to other Chinese cities on the mainland, each day there are over 1,100 international flight arrivals operated by over 120 different airlines. An unbelievable 200 destinations can be reached from Hong Kong and it is really one of the very best places for a transit or stopover if you’ve traveled from Oceania, the USA, Europe, and other Asian countries. It’s hardly surprising then that Hong Kong International Airport has received over 80 of the world’s ‘Best Airport’ awards.

Yes. Although visitors from over 145 countries (including the USA, Canada, Australia and most European countries) are permitted visa-free entry to Hong Kong from 7 to 180 days, there are some restrictions if you are traveling to mainland China from Hong Kong. First, your passport must be valid for more than a month and a visa application must be made if you are an international visitor. If you haven’t applied for a China visa before arriving in Hong Kong, that’s okay. You can apply for a China visa in Hong Kong. Visas are processed quickly, normally within four working days, or within just two days for an express service. Travelers in this situation will find it is the quickest way to enter mainland China if they don’t have a China visa in advance. Alternatively, enjoy the benefit of 144-hour visa-free transit if you travel to Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Xi’an (or other cities where the 144 visa-free policy is in place) and depart to a third destination country or area afterward.

Yes, Hong Kong is an island, however, China’s high-speed train network makes it incredibly easy to travel to the mainland by taking a high-speed train to any number of destinations. It takes just three hours to travel from Hong Kong to Guilin by train. Other fabulous destinations for a China tour are Xi’an, Shanghai, and Beijing, and you may even decide a Yangtze River cruise tour is a worthy inclusion on your bucket list. And once your tour is over, there’s no need to return to Hong Kong to fly home. Travelers can board international flights from cities like Beijing and Shanghai.

Well, how long do you have?! Hong Kong’s reputation as a culinary destination has been well earned. There are over 10,000 western and Chinese restaurants in Hong Kong. Add to this the shopping to be found at markets, shopping precincts, and high-end malls, there’s no doubt you’ll find something to satisfy your shopping bug no matter how big or small. Most globally renowned brands have stores in Hong Kong, and these are complemented nicely by street market bargains and bespoke boutiques. A shopper’s paradise? We think so!