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8 Tips on Finding Cheap Flights from London to Hong Kong

There’s no question about it, Hong Kong really is one of those destinations that seems to jump from the pages of travel brochures, drawing would-be visitors in with the promise of authentic Asian city living, shimmering downtown architecture and sleepless entertainments. Then there’s its business side and beating financial nerve center, attracting entrepreneurs and suited enterprising types from right across the globe.
With that in mind, it’s hardly surprising that flights from London to Hong Kong are in high demand, with hundreds of thousands of people searching for seats on the route each month, and no fewer than three international airlines running regular non-stop connections between each city. If you’re thinking about making the trip, then be sure to check out these top tips for finding cheap tickets from London to Hong Kong, offering insights into the best time to fly, buy, book and plenty, plenty more.
Travelers who save money on flights to Hong Kong will have more to spend in the markets!
Don’t miss out on a mega saving of up to $225 on return trip flights to Hong Kong by booking your flight too late or too early this year. In fact, making sure you purchase your tickets exactly 27 days before departure can reduce fare prices to the buzzing Asian cityscape considerably, with our statistics showing a dip to an average price of around just $1000 return. That should leave passengers with plenty more dollars to flash amidst Hong Kong’s swish cocktail bars and jet set harborside haunts!
Not only do the early months of January and February usher in a period of dry days and mild nights that’s perfect for travelers eager to tick off all the city’s major “must sees” in one fell swoop, but they also herald the beginnings of Hong Kong’s festival season, when kaleidoscopic shows of fireworks and laser lights adorn the tips of the harborside skyscrapers at New Year, and oriental night parades mark the turning of the Chinese calendar. The best part though? It’s also the cheapest time to fly, with our experts estimating savings of up to $200 on fares!
 January/February coincides with Chinese New Year and is a great time to visit Hk!
Granted $8 may seem a rather meager amount when compared to the $200 reductions outlined above, but it’s also perhaps one of the easiest savings to make on flights from London Heathrow to Hong Kong International, because all would-be fliers need to do is book their flight on a Friday! Of course, remember that it’s also really important to time your booking correctly, ensuring that you purchase tickets 27 days before departure for the maximum combined saving possible.
With London’s various airports infamously strewn all over the city’s peripherals, would-be fliers can sometimes have a hard time identifying which one offers the best deals on flights for them. Well, when it comes to return trip fares to Hong Kong, sprawling Heathrow is unquestionably the best option, with average, indirect fare prices on the cheapest carrier totaling at just $785. Coming in at a close second is London Gatwick, where nonstop flights can be had for around $977 return.
With non-stop flights on the route between England’s capital and Hong Kong lasting just over twelve hours from departure to arrival, it’s understandable that many passengers will be looking to break up their journey with a stop-off somewhere midway. If that sounds like you, then consider flying with Russian Aeroflot, whose average $785 tickets include a stopover in Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport. Alternatively, the best non-stop option is with British Airways, who fly the route regularly for an average of $957 return.
Airlines offering direct flights from London to Hong Kong:
– British Airways makes the journey in 13 hours for $950 round trip, on average.
– Virgin Atlantic makes the journey in 13.5 hours for $994 round trip, on average.
– Cathay Pacific makes the journey in 13 hours for $1124 round trip, on average.
Airlines offering connecting flights from London to Hong Kong:
– Aeroflot makes the journey in 16.5 hours via Moscow for $785 round trip, on average.
– Air China makes the journey in 17.5 hours via Beijing for $851 round trip, on average.
– Qatar Airways makes the journey in 19 hours via Doha for $962 round trip, on average.
– Emirates makes the journey in 19 hours via Dubai for $991 round trip, on average.
– Finnair makes the journey in 16 hours via Helsinki for $1065 round trip, on average.
If you’re lucky enough to be a member of British Airways’ Executive Club, earning Avios points every time you fly, then you may be able to bag yourself a flight to Hong Kong for next to nothing, cashing in 60,000 miles and paying just taxes and fees for a seat. If you don’t have enough points stacked up, then never fear, because BA also let their loyal passengers pay with a combination of cash and Avios points, meaning it’s also possible to significantly reduce the total airfare from London to Hong Kong.
On long, popular routes such as this, we at Hopper know it can sometimes be difficult to keep abreast with drastically fluctuating flight prices, with fares ebbing to an attractive low one day and soaring to almighty heights the next. Thankfully, help is at hand, and it comes in the form of our When to Fly and Buy Reports page, where would-be passengers between the Big Smoke and Hong Kong can get up-to-date stats detailing everything from the cheapest departure dates, to yearly fare trends.
By collating as much data as possible related to flights between these two global cities, we’ve discovered that a good deal should cost passengers anywhere in the region of $855 round trip. Yes, some passengers have managed to secure seats for a measly $750, but we’ve also estimated that these lucky few represent less than 10% of people on each flight, while more than 75% of passengers from LHR pay upwards of $1000, meaning you’re definitely better off grabbing that bargain while you can!
Distribution of economy round-trip prices quoted for flights with stops from London to Hong Kong.
– This article was written by the data science team at Hopper, a Boston-based travel startup that uses big data to demystify airline pricing and help consumers save on flights. For more information on
what the Hopper data science team do, head over to Hopper to check out their when to fly and buy reports.
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10 Destinations like Paris

Paris is an inimitable city, its grand boulevards shooting off from the Seine like arteries, leading to iconic art galleries, boutique fashion stores, great literary quarters and innumerable fabulous cafes and bistros. If you’re infatuated with its many charms – the culture, the architecture, the food, the coffee, the shopping, the hotels, the views and the romance – then try these ten cultured cities for a shiver of the same pleasure as emanates from France’s fabled capital.
Peaceful, tolerant Amsterdam is known for several of the same qualities as Paris. Its trio of world-class art galleries, while not as iconic as the Louvre, together contain a collection that is just as impressive. The Rijksmuseum hangs renowned Rembrandts alongside works by other Old Masters such as Jan Steen and Jan Vermeer; the Van Gogh Museum has more of the expressionist artist’s paintings than anywhere else in the world; and the Stedelijk Museum shelters a superb collection of modern and contemporary art. Once you’ve soaked up the city’s artistic offerings, you can stroll round the lamplit Canal Ring, then relax in one of the capital’s famous cafés – even if they are famous for rather different reasons than their elegant counterparts in Paris.
The canals and historic buildings of Amsterdam on a normal, non-celebratory day.
Nicknamed the crossroads of Europe, Prague has picked up influences from both east and west and blended them into a beautiful farrago of architecture that enchants people from all over the world. This fairy-tale skyline rises above the historic Charles Bridge, which was for centuries the only means of crossing the river Vltava, placing Prague at the heart of continental trade up until the 19th century. Crossing the bridge takes travelers from the ninth century Prague Castle into the Old Town, where the blackly gothic Tyn Church vies for attention with the baroque St.Nicholas Church, while both are overshadowed by the alethiometer-like Astronomical Clock. And the city is studded with cozy boutique hotels, such as the intimate Cerny Slon (Black Elephant), which make a great base for losing oneself in the historic, cosmopolitan and romantic atmosphere.
Prague is a bit like the Paris of Eastern Europe: artistic, historic and always charming.
Europe’s preeminent city for 250 years and the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, you could say that Florence was Paris centuries before Paris became Paris. It was the home of artists such as Michelangelo, writers like Dante and political thinkers such as Machiavelli, and this lustrous history of culture, beauty and poise remains etched on its streets today, in statues, sculptures, palaces and churches. Like Paris, there’s no better way to experience Florence than on foot, pausing on bridges and street corners to enjoy the sublime views that suddenly open up. The city streets are packed with small cafés and restaurants, and travelers with fat wallets can find a plethora of fine boutiques and designer shops where the historic and commercial districts meet.
The magnificent Duomo up close and personal with its stunning views of the city.
It’s pretty impossible to beat Paris for the pleasure of spending a day strolling between cafés, but Melbourne tops it on one front at least – the coffee. Australia is the acknowledged king of the current hipster coffee boom, and Melbourne has a sprinkling of fine places to get your fix: drop into Patricia Coffee Brewers on the corner of Little Bourke and Little William streets, or wander Prahran Market and just follow your twitching nose. As well as coffee, Melbourne hosts a fabled food scene, driven by waves of immigration from Greece, Turkey and Lebanon as well as (relatively) nearby Vietnam and Indonesia. And the same cultural diversity has helped make Queen Victoria Market a fabulously vibrant Melbourne institution, its vaulted halls and colorful stalls selling fish, cheese, secondhand books, vintage clothes and vast amounts more.
The skyline of downtown Melbourne and the Yarra River. Photo credit Gordon Bell.
If Melbourne is spearheading contemporary trends in coffee, then Austria’s cafés were doing the same back in 1683, when the first coffee shop opened in the city, using beans taken from defeated Ottoman invaders. Cake and coffee remains an integral part of life for many in Vienna today, and the center’s elegant cafés are a very pleasant way to break up strolls along the city’s stately boulevards, shadowed by baroque imperial palaces. Beyond sweet delicacies, Vienna has a cultural heritage to rival Paris: it was the cradle of much of the world’s greatest classical music, a creche for Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Haydn, and the waltz wizard Johann Strauss. And tourists can also explore the glorious MuseumsQuartier, among the world’s largest art complexes, with Old Masters exhibited in the Albertina and more contemporary work displayed in the MUMOK Museum of Modern Art.
The stunning Belvedere Palace in Vienna.
Coffee and cake continues in Stockholm with fika, a regular afternoon ritual which involves consuming coffee with something sweet while pondering the questions of this existential galaxy with friends. But Stockholm is a fine place to visit beyond the coffee shops, a city of broad skies and shimmering water spread across a chain of islands, connected by a web of elegant bridges. At its heart is Gamla Stan, the city’s old town with a traceable history back to the Vikings in 1252, although sword-forging blacksmiths have since been displaced by excellent bakeries and waffle shops. And the city has heaps of good restaurants, some with fabulous views over the city’s backdrop of woods and water – for a terrific all-you-can-eat feast, settle for a few hours by the steamed-up windows of Hermans Vegetarian Buffet.
An aerial look at Stockholm’s Old Town.
The capital of French-speaking Quebec is often overshadowed by the effortless style of its neighbor to the south, but Quebec City is actually one of North America’s oldest and most elegant settlements. This is obvious to anyone who’s wandered the city’s beautiful Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that, with its cobblestone streets,17th century houses and gothic churches, feels disconcertingly like France’s Rouen. And with the biggest Francophone population of any city outside of the patrie, it’s not surprising to find the city’s squares and boulevards colored by the awnings of many quaint bistros and cafés. Beyond the Old Town stretch several neighborhoods with vibrant restaurant, shopping and nightlife scenes.
French? Check. European-style architecture? That too.
OK, so almost everything about Seville is different from Paris: the art, the architecture, the food, the streets, the trees, the music, the shops. But it has all of these, and showcases them with the same passion and sensuality that has made Paris the world capital of romance. Orange trees line every central street, scenting the dry Andalusian air with their acidic fruit. Flamenco music drifts from dimlit bars where locals and tourists sit side-by-side drinking good red wine at outrageously low prices. And best of all is the tapas, cooked in myriad bars and cafés, all crammed with customers ordering calamari and aioli or the local speciality of deep-fried eggplant drizzled in honey. It has all the same pleasures as Paris, just done with an invigorating difference.
A look at the stunning city of Seville.
“The Paris of South America” is the epithet Argentina’s tourist industry has succeeded in attaching to their country’s vibrant capital. And however skeptical you might be of such a flagrant attempt to attract wealthy gringos, once you step out onto the grand Parisian boulevards criss-crossing its center, you’ll be forced to confess to a striking similarity. But from the tango dancers of La Boca to the underground nightlife of San Telmo, through the mouthwatering steakhouses found across the different barrios, Buenos Aires undoubtedly has its own very distinct ambience. If you’re hungering for a truly Parisian vibe, however, head to the chic residential district of Palermo, its streets lined with French fashion labels alongside a superb fine dining scene.
When the sun sets in Buenos Aires, the real fun begins.
Montreal may have lost its position as Canada’s preeminent city over the past few decades, but this has only accentuated its Parisian charm. It’s a wonderful city for the flaneur, who can watch the bilingual post-industrial life unfold while weaving through a warren of old town streets in the Vieux Port or strolling alongside the Lachine Canal. While doing so, this idler can pause to take in French-flavored sights like the neo-gothic Basilique Notre-Dame, or to grab a meal from a corner café or candlelit bistro. The city begins romantic and historically preserved by the harborfront and becomes younger, more colorful and trendy the further north you go, making for a superb and eye-opening walk. Montreal is also one of North America’s top gourmet destinations, filled with fabulous food markets, great patisseries, innovative delis and top-class restaurants. Its signature dishes differ quite dramatically from Parisian cuisine, though: feast on smoked meat, bagels and poutine.
Inside Montreal’s Notre Dame Cathedral, which is a replica of the Parisian one.
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24 Hours in Hong Kong

A single day in Hong Kong is definitely not long enough to do this great city justice. But, if you’re on a layover on your way to Bali or you just want to go big on your first day in Hong Kong, we’ll show you how to hit up all the major tourist hot spots in one afternoon and spend your downtime eating like a local, as we take you on a 24-hour whirlwind guide through the Fragrant Harbour.
 Looking out over Kowloon with Hong Kong Island in the distance.
Jostle elbows with the breakfast crowd to secure a seat at a local cha chaan teng
for a hearty early morning tea-set meal. These ubiquitous Hong Kong diners – translated literally as “tea restaurants” – are a staple of local dining culture and can be found on every block of every district in this bustling city. Items on the menu such as French toast, macaroni and ham, and scrambled eggs hardly sound like a Chinese specialty, but these Western dishes have a distinctly Asian flair to them that has been satisfying local palates since cha chaan teng culture exploded onto the scene in the 1950s. Don’t leave without trying lai cha, or Hong Kong-style milk tea, which mixes super-strength black tea with evaporated milk and sugar in a smooth, creamy combination. These cheap and somewhat cheerful eateries – the mood often depends on your waiter’s – typically have an English menu available. If not, take a scan around the room and you’ll quickly find out which sets are the most popular. Hong Kong-style French toast at a local cha chaan teng. Photo by roboppy/Flickr.
Art galleries, curios, traditional medicine shops and temples – this rapidly gentrifying neighborhood fuses the old with the new, never failing to provide an unexpected surprise around the corner. Start along the section of Des Voeux road known as Dried Seafood Street for a peek into traditional stores and stalls selling edible and medicinal ingredients such as “wind-dried sausage,” salted fish, blackened century eggs, flattened dried duck and fat choy
– a stringy black moss that looks suspiciously like hair and is popular choice during the Chinese New Year. Head on up towards Upper Lascar Row, known as Cat Street, with its antique shops and stalls selling bric-a-brac and second hand items. A few steps away you’ll find the Man Mo Temple on Hollywood Road. Dating back to 1847, this historic monument transports you to another place and time altogether with its smoky incense coils and elaborate altars. Taxis on a crowded street in Sheung Wan.
From there, make your way over to the Central-Mid-Levels escalator, famously known for being the longest outdoor escalator in the world. Linking the city’s financial hub, Central, with the posh residential neighborhood along the mountainside, this extensive covered walkway will take you up and over narrow streets on a tour of restaurants, bars and shops in the area. Continue all the way to the top until you reach Jamia Mosque, the city’s oldest mosque dating back to 1890. Directly opposite you’ll spy the inconspicuous sign for Rednaxela Terrace, a misprint of Alexander Terrace, due to some kind of transcription error by a sleepy colonial era clerk.
The Mid-Levels escalator takes pedestrians from the harbor up the mountainside.
No trip to the city would be complete without sampling traditional yum cha
or dim sum, so make a beeline for Tim Ho Wan at IFC Mall in Central – one of the cheapest Michelin-starred restaurants in the world. Fast, delicious and busy, try to go outside of standard lunch and dinner hours to avoid the long queue. Har gau, shrimp, is a traditional dim sum flavor.
At this point, you should now be too full to walk. Good! You did it in true Hong Kong style. Next, hop onto the Peak Tram and take in the stunning harbor views as this funny little funicular winds its way up the impossibly steep mountainside. The breathtaking skyline view from the Peak never fails to impress, but a stroll around the Lugard Road and Harlech Road circuit offers just as many stunning vantage points and only half the tourists. For a bit of an adventure through the lush tropical vegetation, opt for the hike back down the hillside along the paved Old Peak Road.
The Hong Kong Peak Tram has been climbing Victoria Peak since 1888.
For more than 120 years the Star Ferry has been shuttling commuters back and forth between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, and still remains the most affordable way to cross the harbor. The best seats on these pretty green and white, open-air ferries can be found along the sides of the top deck, affording spectacular panoramic views of towering skyscrapers. The crossing only takes about 10 minutes, but, with tickets costing only HK$2.5, visitors can ride it back and forth a few times if they really can’t get enough of the harbor.
The Star Ferry has been crossing Victoria Harbour since 1888, like the Peak Tram.
Although only two dozen officially licensed dai pai dong
still exist in the city, the word is now used more generically to mean open-air food stalls characterized by their folding tables, questionable cleanliness and roadside ambiance. Some have even moved indoors into cooked food centers found in every district, offering the luxuries of air-con and potentially improved hygiene. Tuck into seafood and Tsing Tao beers at one of the lively restaurants along the Temple Street Night Market in Jordan. A look at the Fa Yuen Street Market, which is less touristy than the nearby Ladies’ Market.
Wrap up your day and a dizzying 24 hours in Hong Kong with a fancy cocktail at Ozone, the highest bar in the world. Miles away from the cheap food stalls along the street, the glitz and glamour of your surroundings truly put into perspective the enormous divide between rich and poor in Hong Kong. Stay and admire the view as long as you like, the neon skyline remains forever alluring in a city that never sleeps.
See that tower there? The really tall one? Yeah, Ozone is at the top of that.
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Five Family Friendly Caribbean Spring Break Destinations

Every spring sees packed planes of families and couples escaping their own cold temperatures for a tranquil sea down south, hoping to bring color back into their skin and to get a boost of summer before everyone else. However, as much as beaches are more or less all the same, no two Caribbean destinations are – Mexico’s got Mayan Ruins, the Bahamas has Atlantis Paradise Island, Curaçao has languages and art and culture. That’s why families love the Caribbean – because though kids get bored at the beach, when they can come face to face with a dolphin, their year is made.

Though not technically in the Caribbean, the Bahamas certainly feels close enough. And on Atlantis Paradise Island, a luxury resort just outside of Nassau, it feels like paradise. Paradise allows you to get up close and hug a dolphin, and then it invites you to become your own marine animal and make a splash or fifty in the 141-acre water park maxed out with 11 pools, river rides, extreme waterslides, and a Mayan Temple adventure that encompasses four different drops, rides, and slides. The home of the most expensive hotel room in the world certainly isn’t going to let down its deluxe clientele by not reanimating their paradisaical dreams in palpable splendor, and even families who don’t have $25,000 in pocket change are invited along for the luxurious ride. Around Nassau, families can go to the gorgeous Ardastra Gardens, Zoo and Conservation Centre to watch the world-famous marching flamingos or check out the interactive Pirates of Nassau Museum with its replica of the pirate ship Revenge.

The Atlantis Paradise Island resort in Nassau, Bahamas.

Located an hour from Cancún and a short ferry ride across the Caribbean Sea from Cozumel, Playa del Carmen is a sun soaked, scenic getaway with luxury all-inclusive resorts, plenty of local sightseeing and exciting Indiana Jones-esque exploration attractions designed for families of all ages. The Iberostar Paraiso Lindo Resort & Spa is conveniently located between Cancún and Playa del Carmen. It’s sprawling white sand beaches, swim-up bar, restaurants, waterparks and tons of other amenities are perfectly suited for families looking to stay in and chill out, while surrounding the area are Mayan Riviera adventures fit for explorers of any age. Diving into the underground rivers of the eco-adventure complex Xcaret is one way to see the Mayan culture. Between their three adventure parks, visitors can explore the famous Yucatan cenotés, see a Mayan ceremony in the reconstructed Mayan Village amidst real archaeological ruins, catch a cultural rain dance, swim through a natural cave system, zip across green forests on a zipline and swim with the local marine life. Closer to Carmen de Playa, families can climb the Nohoch Mul pyramid ruins in Coba Mayan Village.

The beautiful Caribbean beaches of Playa del Carmen.

Montego Bay is known as a popular resort town in Jamaica, but it’s also rife with history, culture and nature and adventure tours. The Hilton Rose Hall Resort & Spa, settled right on the edge of the island looking into the clear blue Caribbean waters on one side and Montego Bay’s famous low mountains on the other, is a quintessential Montego Bay resort for the whole family. Housed in the grounds of a former sugar plantation, The Hilton Rose Hall incorporates a private beach, the championship Cinnamon hill Golf Course, intact historical ruins, Jamaica’s largest water park, a swimming pool complex and much more. The best part for families? Kids below 12 stay and eat free! The resort also provides complimentary shuttle services to attractions nearby, like the Rose Hall Great House, another former plantation house built in the 1770s, in which silk-covered walls whisper the story of the mysterious Annie Palmer, the White Witch of Rose Hall. Visitors to Montego Bay can also take a river raft down the Martha Brae, a three-mile ride past the area’s tropical flora and fauna and a scenic and educational tour before lunch at a local eatery.

Looking towards Montego Bay on the Jamaican coast.

Located on the easternmost point of the Dominican Republic, Punta Cana used to be a primary area for sugarcane plantations, but since the ‘70s has switched its focus tol tourism. Begin with consistent year-round perfect climate and tons of exotic wildlife, and add luxury resorts – that’s how Punta Cana thrives now. There are tons of tour companies that take visitors out to swim with dolphins, sharks and rays in a controlled environment, horseback riding through the Dominican countryside, adventure tours on buggy, speedboat or zip line. One popular destination in Punta Cana is the Punta Espada Golf Club, a par-72 designed by Jack Nicklaus right along the Caribbean Sea and the Cap Cana Resort. Cap off a day of extreme adventurin’ with a meal at any number of the fresh local seafood restaurants, like Jellyfish Restaurant, housed in a stylish and airy two-story restaurant with a barbecue by their cooking stations and the full expanse of the ocean within a gazing distance. The Zoetry Agua Punta Cana looks more like a luxury village than resort, with streams cutting between thatch-roofed houses, private decks looking out onto the pristine white sand beaches and ocean, and spa amenities, fine dining and airy lounges and bars.The Dominican Republic has a number of stunning destinations.

A tiny island just off the coast of Venezuela, Curaçao doesn’t look like much on a map, but discovering its rich culture and history makes it a worthwhile stop. Curaçao is not just a place to lie on a beach – although there are plenty of opportunities to do that, too. The island is bursting with art and energy, flora and fauna and truly unique food styles derived from a multitude of different international cuisine styles paired with super fresh seafood. Sunscape is the only all-inclusive resort, spa & casino in the area, and it is very nice. Regally large and with 341 rooms and suites, four swimming pools including one with a swim-up bar, five restaurants and a café and nightly live entertainment. Outside of the resort, visitors can get to know the local marine life by going to school at Dolphin Academy and get up close with the friendly beasts while learning about marine conservation, or visit the Curaçao Sea Aquarium, which houses an underwater conservatory in a semi-submarine and also offers a hands-on experience to introduce visitors to sea lions.

The beautiful and colorful Dutch-inspired buildings of Curacao.

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The Five Best Hikes in Hong Kong

You wouldn’t know it from your first glimpse at its famous glass and steel skyline, but nearly three-quarters of Hong Kong is undeveloped countryside – a patchwork of windswept ridgelines and overgrown valleys that covers the length and breadth of the territory.
Many urbanites head to the hills to hike on the weekend to escape the oppressive downtown crowds, and four long-distance hiking trails with dozens of shorter offshoots leave Hong Kongers spoiled for choice.
So grab a decent pair of shoes and plenty of water and get out there – you’ve got 300 km of trail ahead of you if you want to see it all! Here are five of Hong Kong’s best hikes:
Hong Kong’s best beaches are also the territory’s most remote, and one of the only ways to get to them is on foot.
From Sai Kung Town, make your way to the end of the Sai Kung Man Yee Road along the High Island Reservoir, the starting point for stage 2 of the Maclehose Trail.
Just over the first hill is Long Ke beach, a taste of what lies ahead and a good spot for a quick swim before tackling the tough climb up Sai Wan Shan.
The hiking trail heading toward Long Ke.
The descent rewards you with some stunning views of Tai Long Wan (Big Wave Bay) and its main beaches – Sai Wan, Ham Tin, Tai Wan, and Tung Wan – which wouldn’t look out of place in Thailand.
Restaurants at the small village of Sai Wan and at the far end of Ham Tin beach sell hot food, cold drinks, and some can even arrange a boat back to Sai Kung – a considerably more scenic option to the uninspiring stretch of concrete path leading out of Tai Long Wan to Pak Tam Road. Alternatively, a short but steep hike behind Sai Wan village will drop you off at the end of Sai Kung Sai Wan Road, where you can catch a taxi or minibus back into Sai Kung Town.
The hiking trail going to Ham Tin from Long Ke.
Give Hong Kong Disneyland and its throng of tourists a miss and check out two of Lantau Island’s other star attractions: Sunset Peak and Lantau Peak.
Hop a ferry from Central to Mui Wo, where it’s a short bus ride or walk up to Nam Shan and the start of stage 2 of the Lantau Trail.
A steady climb eventually delivers you to a plateau along the North face of Sunset Peak, from where you should be able to spot planes taking off and landing at one of the world’s busiest airports.
Further ahead is a windswept ridge dotted with stone huts. These were built between the first and second world wars as a holiday retreat for missionaries, and although the huts can still be rented out for short stays, they’ve seen better days and most campers opt for a tent.
The summit of Sunset Peak is a slight detour off the main trail, but from here you’ll be able to look across to the towering Lantau Peak, Lantau’s highest mountain and the second highest point in Hong Kong.
Sunrise as seen from Sunset Peak in Lantau. Photo by leo.wan/Flickr.
If you’ve still got the energy after the descent from Sunset Peak, continue onward towards Lantau Peak along stage 3 of the Lantau Trail, which skirts the summit and ends at the Po Lin Monastary and its giant Bronze Buddha.
Buses and taxis heading for Mui Wo and Tung Chung can also be caught before the start of the trail to Lantau Peak on Tung Chung Road.
Hong Kong’s skyscrapers may be dizzyingly tall, but you won’t find the territory’s highest point downtown.
That crown goes to Tai Mo Shan (Big Hat Mountain) in the Central New Territories, which at 957 meters is twice as high as any of the city’s man-made offerings.
The often mist-covered mountain was previously renowned for the “cloud and mist” green tea which grew on its slopes, but these days you’re more likely to see the odd feral cow.
The view from the peak of Ta Mo Shan. Photo by potaihse/Flickr.
Make your way to the start of Stage 7 of the Maclehose Trail at the Shing Mun Resevoir, which quickly begins a steep climb up Needle Hill.
The trail carries on up to Grassy Hill, before plunging back down into Lead Mine Pass – the start of Stage 8 and where the climb up to Tai Mo Shan begins in earnest.
A steady plod up the rocky eastern spur of Tai Mo Shan ends before the actual summit, which unfortunately is occupied by a radar station that is closed to the public.
The way down from here follows a winding road with bird’s eye views down into the flatland of Yuen Long and ending at Route Twisk, where you can catch buses or taxis to Tsuen Wan.
Some of the finest hiking in Hong Kong can be found just south of the territory’s border with mainland China.
Beginning at Cloudy Hill just North of Tai Po, Pat Sin Leng (Ridge of the Eight Immortals) is a series of 500-meter peaks named after famous characters in Chinese mythology.
Stage 9 can either be joined after a grueling climb up Stage 8’s Cloudy Hill, or farther along at the Hok Tau Resevoir – best reached by taxi or minibus from the Fanling MTR station.
An abandoned building on the hiking trails near Pat Sin Leng. Photo by EugeneLimPhotography.com/Flickr.
From here the ascent begins up towards Emperor’s Ridge, with the mountainside tumbling down dramatically to the south into the Tolo Harbour and Plover Clove below.
A short detour to the summit of Emperor’s Ridge offers views of both the eastern and western coasts of the New Territories, and beyond this lies the first and highest of the 8 immortals: Shun Yeung Fung.
Catch your breath before crossing the next 7 peaks to reach Sin Ku Fung, beyond which you can link up with the Pat Sin Leng Nature Trail and make your way down to Tai Mei Tuk for buses or taxis back to Tai Po.
Ask a Hong Konger to name their favorite hike, and there is a very good chance it will be The Dragon’s Back.
Although the well-deserved popularity of this ridgeline hike on Hong Kong Island can make it frustratingly crowded at times, the spectacular views of the south side of the island more than make up for the bother.
Stage 8 of the Hong Kong Trail begins at To Tei Wan on Shek O Road, and quickly brings you up to the Dragon’s Back proper and Shek O Peak.
The undulating trail then cuts North along the sun-baked ridgeline towards Mount Collinson, offering panoramic views of Big Wave Bay to the East, and Tai Tam Bay to the West.
On the Dragon’s Back Hiking Trail overlooking Shek O.
After rounding Mount Collinson, the trail turns down past the impressively terraced Cape Collinson cemetery and into Big Wave Bay – Hong Kong’s best surfing spot, of course.
The trail ends here, but keep heading south along Big Wave Bay Road and past the Shek O Golf Course to the beachside village of Shek O, for good food and cold Chang’s at the Shek O Chinese & Thai Seafood restaurant.

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The Five Best Temples in Hong Kong

Ditch the shopping malls and skyscrapers and delve into the city’s rich cultural heritage with a visit to one of Hong Kong’s top five temples. Nowhere is better to learn all there is to know about the hopes, dreams, fears and superstitions of this city’s industrious urbanites – especially true during Chinese New Year and important lunar calendar festival dates. While some places of worship have been given a glossy new makeover, many of Hong Kong’s oldest temples have been serving as important community gathering points for hundreds of years.
This quaint collection of villages in Tai Po has been drawing visitors to its Tin Hau Temple and two wishing trees for hundreds of years. Traditionally, festival goers would write their wishes on joss paper and tie it to an orange, which was then tossed up towards one of the banyan tree’s highest boughs – the higher the branch the better the odds of your wish coming true! As the practice became more popular, authorities stepped in to help preserve the trees and visitors are now encouraged to tie wishes to wooden racks nearby instead. Steps away you’ll find a small Tin Hau temple, dedicated to the Goddess of the Sea, which can typically be found in any ancient fishing community in Hong Kong or along the Chinese coastline. Sit down with a fortune teller here if you want to find out about that wish.
Wishes tied to oranges on the Lam Tsuen Wishing Tree. Photo by Sarah Joy/Flickr.
Stepping into the Man Mo Temple on Hollywood Road is like entering another world, a realm inhabited by the venerable deities of Man
 (God of Literature) and Mo (God of War) who are worshiped here. Rays of sunlight cut through the rising smoke of giant incense coils hanging low from the ceiling and down onto the altars of the 10 judges of the underworld. Make sure to take in all the details – the lines of descending green Shekwan roof tiles represent bamboo and longevity, while the antique sedan chairs inside were used to carry statues of the gods during festival processions. Inside the Man Mo Temple on Hollywood Road. Photo by Peter Thoeny/Flickr.
Although calling itself a monastery, the name is a bit of a misnomer as there are no resident monks at this eclectic Sha Tin temple. Follow the steep winding path up the hillside, flanked by 500 life-sized Arhand statues to reach the main complex and its 9-story pagoda. Here you’ll supposedly find more than 13,000 Buddha statues – but at this point, who’s counting? – and a few bodhisattvas on horseback for good measure. The main attraction, however, is the preserved body of Yuet Kai, the monastery’s supremely devout founder. Embalmed in lacquer, plastered with gold leaf and dressed in robes, the upright body currently sits on display in a glass case inside the main monastery building.
A look inside the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery in Sha TIn. Photo by by Justin Gaurav Murgai/Flickr.
At Diamond Hill, only one subway stop away from the Wong Tai Sin temple, you’ll find the peaceful and serene Chi Lin Nunnery. In stark contrast to its colorful and brash Taoist neighbor, the Buddhist nunnery exudes calm and tranquility with smooth stone balustrades, lotus ponds and stunning wooden architecture. Inspired by Japanese and Tang Dynasty temples, the elegant series of halls and walkways were constructed without the use of nails, using a complex design of counterweights and dowels. Across the road, the Nan Lian Garden is a scenic oasis amid toweringhigh-rise apartments looming up along the hillside. A relaxing stroll past ancient bonsai trees, koi ponds and meticulously landscaped gardens is the perfect antidote for those needing some time out from the hustle and bustle of the city.
The Nan Lian Garden in Hong Kong’s Diamond Hill neighborhood.With its bold, red pillars and ornamental latticework, Wong Tai Sin displays all the qualities of the archetypal Taoist Chinese temple. Colorful and noisy, worshipers come year round to pray for good fortune and divine guidance from the “Great Immortal Wong.” Crowds flock here during the Chinese New Year to offer incense, make wishes and visit fortune tellers in hopes of an auspicious and prosperous year to come. Visiting the temple during this time may be interesting from a cultural perspective, but it is certainly not for the faint-hearted. Throngs of people push their way through the winding temple complex in a cloud of smoky incense towards the main altar and gather around stalls selling charms and amulets of all shapes and sizes. It is certainly a once in a lifetime experience, but alternatively, an early morning weekday visit will serve just fine.
Worshipers at the Wong Tai Sin Temple in Hong Kong.
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Asia’s Top 10 Backpacking Destinations

Southeast Asia’s lush tropical landscape and patchwork of ancient civilizations, combined with relatively low prices for western travelers, has drawn a steady stream of backpackers since the counter-cultural movement of the sixties. The current flows as strongly today as ever before and, as this list of the region’s gems attest, it’s easy to understand why. Climbing limestone cliffs from the soft sand of pristine beaches, diving into emerald waters to explore submarine worlds of colorful coral, and weaving handicrafts with a cosmopolitan population of ragged travelers are among the experiences these ten destinations have to offer.
Located on the tropical shores of the Railay peninsula, this stunning setting is among Thailand’s most picturesque white sand beaches, lapped by emerald tides and enclosed by towering limestone cliffs. These cliffs cut the peninsula off from the mainland, so it can only be reached by boat, which enhances its atmosphere of isle-like seclusion. Rock climbing up these jagged sentinels above the soft-sanded beach draws enthusiasts from around the world. And there are also plenty of bars and restaurants, at astonishingly low prices, for the more indolent to indulge in their own brand of pleasure. The accommodation is cheap too, and ranges from bamboo bungalows on the adjacent East Railay Beach, to the affordable and secluded Tonsai Bay Resort on neighboring Tonsai Beach.
The stunning Railay Beach is a true backpacker hot spot.
A small town in northern Laos, Luang Prabang weaves together natural and man-made beauty. It sits at the confluence of two rivers which girdle the town, beneath forest-swathed hills rising to rugged mountains. The town’s skyline is dominated by one steep hill topped with the gleaming spires of Wat Chom Si, one of many gold-hued wats sprinkled through the town, decorated with intricate mosaics depicting the life of Buddha. Each morning brings the sight of hundreds of monks wandering the town’s streets collecting alms. The town also has a long tradition of handicrafts, sold at the night market which runs until 10 at night.
Luang Prabang is sure to be a highlight of any Southeast Asian adventure.
A global backpacker Mecca, Bangkok’s budget travelers orbit around the hippie haven of Khao San Road, designated by one writer as “the place to disappear”. Handicrafts, food and fruit, pirated CDs and DVDs, and regional barbequed snacks join the jumble of bars and clubs that are filled with lounging travelers at any time of the day or night. Elsewhere in this buzzing, relentlessly eventful metropolis, travelers can step into relative peace in Buddhist temples such as Wat Pho, with its huge golden statue of a reclining Buddha, or explore the vast and labyrinthine Chatuchak Weekend Market.
If Bangkok has one truly must-see attraction, it’s the Grand Palace.
Sihanoukville’s latest incarnation as a budget traveler hub marks a fresh twist in its tragically eventful history. It is named after Norodom Sihanouk, a former King of Cambodia, under whom the town became a booming and glamorous port in the 1950s. But after the Khmer Rouge seized power the city was symbolically desecrated; the walls of its luxury Independence Hotel peppered with bullets. Through the past few decades, the town has been traveling the slow road to regeneration, helped in large part by intrepid backpackers who braved the journey’s dangerous reputation and brought back word of the area’s sublime beaches, such as the stunning 4km stretch of white sand, Otres Beach. The town is now the hub of Cambodia’s most vibrant backpacker scene, a chilled-out stretch of bars, restaurants, cheap lodging and tropical coastline, lively but relatively unswamped with travelers.
The beach is at the center of the low-key lifestyle of Sihanoukville.
There’s no denying that Goa’s soul has changed since it was first chosen by the hippies of the sixties as an exotic backdrop for exploration of self and consciousness, distanced from the psychic chains of western civilization and conveniently situated in lush tropical surroundings. There are still strong hippy communities in the area, and ragged westerners travel here to make and sell handicrafts. But these days they share the tourist space – including iconic beaches such as Calangute and Baga – with charter holidaymakers, a creeping quantity of upscale resorts, and Catholic and Hindu pilgrims. But a great backpacker scene cuts through all this, feasting on the fantastic cheap food and cavorting in the bars and on the beaches, and in many ways the area’s increasing diversity makes it all the more interesting to visit. Many budget airlines fly direct to Goa’s airport.
One of the many beautiful beaches in Goa.
The jagged archipelago of limestone islands that compose Halong Bay off Vietnam’s north coast have long been one of the country’s top backpacker attractions. As well as the ocean and beaches, there are mangrove forests, craggy peaks and enchanting caverns such as Song Sôt for tourists to explore. This environment is home to a unique world of flora and fauna, including some of the world’s rarest flowers as well as the golden Cat Ba langur. This endangered creature inhabits Cat Ba Island, one of the archipelago’s best stop-offs, an island of breathtaking beauty which packs the best of Halong Bay into one place and is a great base for kayaking, rock climbing, hiking and water sports.
Cat Ba Island is one of Vietnam’s up-and-coming destinations.
Bali’s volcanic landscape, fringed with world famous beaches and alternating barren and forest covered hillsides, attracts millions of tourists from all over the world, traveling on the whole spectrum of budgets. Famous backpacker sites such as Kuta Beach have now been infiltrated with wealthy resorts, top-end restaurants, and private developers who have chomped chunks of the white sand beach. But there is still a terrific budget scene and plenty of cheap and laid-back bars and cafes in which to meet locals and travelers alike. And you can meditate on the island’s spirituality at Tanah Lot Temple, spectacularly situated on a headland jutting out into the ocean.
There aren’t many places in the world better for relaxation than Bali.
The Gili Islands make up a small archipelago just north of Lombok in Indonesia. They became popular with backpackers in the ‘80s, looking for a remote experience of the Pacific isles that didn’t require a super-expensive flight to reach. Even two decades after the first intrepid budget travelers set foot on the island’s powdery sand, it remains relatively undeveloped – there’s no automated traffic, and people travel primarily by horse and cart. But there are a few indulgences to choose between, including a Japanese restaurant, good backpacker accommodation, and, inevitably, a lively Irish bar. The island is also famous for its hatching sea turtles, and there is a sanctuary which buys the eggs from the local population to prevent them being sold in the market. And there are some world-class, uncrowded dive sites, such as the ominously named Shark Point.
Just next to Bali, the Gili Islands offer a bit more serenity and just as much natural beauty.
Backpackers first flocked to Yangshuo in the ‘80s, set on the trail by a gushing recommendation in Lonely Planet. They discovered an entirely different China to the rapidly industrializing country depicted in the western press, a quiet, picturesque region spread from the banks of two great rivers, Li and Yulong. Strung between these rivers is a rolling landscape of bare karst peaks, green hills, deep sharp-sided caves and unique sights such as Yangshuo Moon Hill, a limestone pinnacle with a moon-shaped hole reached by over 800 marble stairs.
The karst mountains of Yangshuo are one of China’s most iconic sights.
Thailand’s rural north is far less infested with hordes of tourists than the resort-ridden south, and it makes a great escape from the crazy crowds that swarm Bangkok and Phuket during peak season. Chiang Mai is the region’s hub – founded in 1296, it was the capital of the ancient Lanna Kingdom and designed as the center of Buddhism in northern Thailand. This ancient heritage can be experienced at sites such as Wat Chedi Luang, a towering ruined temple in the center of the city, and the Bhubing Palace, surrounded by colorful gardens a few kilometers out of town. And the city’s cosmopolitan ex-pat population has given rise to a vibrant scene of restaurants, bars and nightlife.
A look at some golden statues in front of a temple in Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand.
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Two Weeks in Australia

Australia’s vast wilderness, relieved by a handful of vibrant modern metropolises, is one of the world’s great travel destinations, containing an immense diversity of cultures and climates, tastes and terrain for wanderers to explore. This two-week itinerary winds its way up the country’s east coast, taking in cities such as Sydney and Brisbane, sojourning in the sun-drenched Whitsunday Islands, and finishing in the great wild worlds of reef and rainforest that surround and enclose the city of Cairns. This is an unforgettable trip, encompassing almost 3000 km and some of the most diverse ecosystems in the world.
Sydney Harbour Bridge spanning the Sydney Harbour with the Opera House in the background.
First stop, follow the example of the early colonists and drop into Sydney, built on the site of the first British settlement in Australia. It was originally established as a penal colony, but is situated in an ideal location for a city – on the hills surrounding one of the world’s largest natural harbours. This harbour is now an icon itself, framing a skyline composed of iconic structures including the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. The shoreline where the city meets the sea is defined by a string of famous beaches, such as Manly Beach, which is one of the world’s great casual surfing destinations. Younger travelers are likely to adore the Sydney SEALIFE Aquarium, with 12,000 animal inhabitants and exhibitions on the marine life in Sydney Harbour, in other areas around Australia’s coast, and across the southern oceans.
Gold Coast is Australia’s answer to Miami Beach.
From Sydney, wind your way north up Australia’s east coast and – a short 900km later – you’ll reach the sun-dazzled city of the Gold Coast. This is one of Australia’s most alive cities, balancing the fast-paced nightlife and sky-scraping skyline, with a shoreline of white-sand beaches and a hinterland of dense and wild rainforest. Experience the town’s coastal life at Burleigh Heads, a sheltered and secluded beach with protected waters perfect for swimming, and a more turbulent headland area swarming with surfers. Inland of the Gold Coast lies a vast terrain of rolling forest-covered hills. This can be explored in Springbrook National Park, an ancient land of crashing waterfalls, huge trees, and verdant rainforest which is home to a fantastically diverse ecosystem of plants and animals.
The skyline of the charming city of Brisbane.
Drive a couple more hours north of the Gold Coast and you’ll reach Brisbane, which is rapidly becoming one of Australia’s hippest and most desirable cities. It has a chilled-out, tolerant vibe and a gorgeous subtropical climate, which translates into a great café culture and a friendly, open attitude which sees life unfold on the streets instead of behind closed doors. A birdseye perspective on Australia’s up-and-coming mid-coast capital can be gained from The Wheel of Brisbane, with particularly memorable views at night. Get to know some of Australia’s unique local fauna – koalas, platypuses, kangaroos, Tasmanian Devils, that kind of thing – at the fabulous Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, one of the country’s best zoos. And drink down the open-armed ambience of this warm and cultured city in the South Bank Parklands, a precinct that encompasses much that is great about Brisbane: the outdoor gardens and beaches of the Parklands; the cosmopolitan bars and restaurants of Little Stanley; and the galleries and music venues that speckle neighboring Grey Street.
Indian Head at Fraser Island, just off the coast of Queensland.
Fraser Island, a few hours north of Brisbane, is the world’s largest sand island and a place of phenomenal natural beauty. A shoreline of soft sand beaches flanks an interior of winding creeks, freshwater lakes and rainforest growing out of island’s sandy floor. All this is guarded by stunning colored cliffs, which rise bright and jagged above the glimmering green-blue Pacific. The entire island is contained in Great Sandy National Park, and one of its most unique and representative features is Lake McKenzie, a sapphire blue lake raised above the regional water table and filled with water so pure it is unsuitable for many species. Six kilometers from Lake McKenzie is Kingfisher Bay Resort, the island’s biggest provider of accommodation which has, thankfully, been built to blend with rather than dominate the surrounding natural world. Knowledgeable tours to Fraser Island’s remoter reaches are offered by Tasman Ventures.
Whitehaven Beach in the Whitsundays is one of the prettiest in the entire country.
The Whitsundays are an archipelago of 74 islands off Australia’s east coast, a collection of sand-ringed green gems dotting the sun-glazed surface of the Pacific Ocean. The launching point into this pristine natural world is the small town of Airlie Beach, perched on the mainland, a fun and convenient place to base yourself for a few days exploration of the islands themselves. Among the most memorable sights in the Whitsundays is Whitehaven Beach, the quintessential Australian beach which borders a green jungle interior with vivid white silica sand that runs and curves alongside crystal-blue seawater. If you have your own boat, you can base it at Abel Point Marina and explore the rest of the islands from there; or there are plenty of charter and boat tour companies with which to roam the pristine network of islands, and discover your own hidden coves and tranquil spaces.
A look at Cairns from the Daintree Rainforest.
Continue up the coast for another 600 km to reach Cairns, a small city in the far north of Queensland, around 2700 km from this itinerary’s starting point in Sydney. Cairns is a friendly and relaxed city surrounded by a fabulous wild world, both on land and in water. The city is the best gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, which stretches for 2000 km along Australia’s northern coast. Kaleidoscopic coral, visible from space, is home to an immense diversity of marine life – fish, molluscs, birds, sea snakes, turtles, whales, dolphins, sharks, rays – and an entire underwater topography of seagrass, mangrove, canyons, plateaus and deep oceanic gulfs. This can be explored by boat or with flippers, a wet suit and SCUBA kit. Back on land, just north of Cairns is another fantastical stretch of uninhibited biodiversity – the Daintree Rainforest. Daintree takes up only 0.2% of the landmass of Australia but contains 30% of the country’s frog, marsupial and reptile species, as well as 20% of the country’s bird species. The reef and rainforest around Cairns, thriving with the life that makes Australia so unique, is the ideal place to take one last deep draught of this unforgettable natural world.
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Review of the InterContinental Hong Kong

Wow. Is all you can say when you walk into the huge living room complete with grand piano and double-height, floor-to-ceiling windows. And through the windows you can spy the room’s private, infinity-edge pool against the 180-degree uninterrupted backdrop of Hong Kong’s famous city skyline.
This is the Presidential Suite at the InterContinental, and at 7,000 square foot, it’s the largest suite in Hong Kong.
The bathroom, too, is something else. Firstly, the bathtub complete with countless jets is so big that you could fit a whole Hong Kong Rugby Sevens team in it. It’s also perched right by floor-to-ceiling glass windows offering sweeping views of the city while you bathe. The super–high-tech showers also offer the same stunning view. And then there’s the private steam room and sauna. Oh, and Chanel toiletries.
The bathroom of the Presidential Suite at the InterContinental.
But it’s the suite’s private pool that has really become an iconic image across the world. And it’s not hard to see why. It’s large for worldwide private villa standards, let alone space-starved Hong Kong standards. Nestled alongside the pool is a private sunbathing area. And to the right, a trellised hangout spot where many-a-celebrity has hosted a luxurious private party.
A private pool with a view of the Hong Kong Harbour? Yes, please!
But if the Presidential Suite is a little out of your budget, the rest of the hotel ain’t too shabby, either. Many of the rooms offer awesome city views, and all include InterContinental’s top-notch customer service.
The hotel’s pool deck is a huge draw. There’s the large main pool surrounded by ample deckchairs, as well as a three-temperature, infinity-edge Jacuzzi pool, which has more of those amazing city views. Sitting in the Jacuzzi pool at 8:00 pm has got to be one of the best places in Hong Kong to watch the city’s nightly laser show – aside from the pool in the InterContinental Presidential Suite, of course.
If after all that swimming you’ve worked up an appetite, you’ll be pleased to find that the dining options at InterContinental do not disappoint. There’s acclaimed Japanese restaurant Nobu, Steak House Wine Bar & Grill, and the elaborate buffets at Harbourside.
A look at the InterContinental’s NOBU.
It’s safe to say that InterContinental Hong Kong has all bases covered – and then some.
The Details:
InterContinental Hong Kong
Address: 18 Salisbury Rd, Hong Kong
Phone: +852 2721 1211
Website: http://www.ihg.com/intercontinental/hotels/gb/en/hong-kong/hkghc/hoteldetail

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Europe’s Top 10 Backpacking Destinations

Europe’s varied terrain, vibrant history and wildly diverse cultures and cuisines make it a terrifically rich place for wanderers to explore. It’s also incredibly compact, a jigsaw of countries and cultures fitted tightly together, and it has pretty damn slick infrastructure when it comes to making your way around. Skeptics and hardcore backpackers often complain about the prices of backpacking through these first-rate cities, but in fact, Europe has the best hostel scene in the world, and whatever time you stumble into any reasonable-sized city, you’ll be able to find a cheap bed in a tightly-packed dorm room somewhere. Just take a look at these ten destinations, and imagine weaving them together into a single backpacking trip – you’ll be packing your bag in no time.
Let’s begin our exploration of Europe back where it all began, in Rome… Well this isn’t true, of course, the Romans were simply the continent’s first uber-successful imperialists, crushing other cultures beneath their leather-soled feet. History textbooks have been good to the Romans, and what remains is a phenomenal visible legacy. In the empire’s heart, visitors can visit the grand oculus-lit Pantheon, a homage to all the gods; they can wander the imposing ruins of the Roman Forum; and they can imagine the roar of lions and clash of weapons in the Colosseum. Then there’s the city’s other great power cult, Roman Catholicism, embodied in St. Peter’s Basilica and the bone-hung cellars of the Capuchin Crypt. After all this historic and architectural pondering, the city’s unmatched café and restaurant scene provides a welcome respite, and some sensual delight after a day of exploring. And being Italy, there are plenty of great and affordable little eateries where budget-conscious travelers can drop in to treat themselves.
The Colosseum is an impressive reminder of Rome’s glorious past.
London is by far Europe’s biggest city, and its sights, sounds, smells and tastes are immensely diverse – whatever your particular interests or preferred pleasures, you can pursue them here. For those excited by power politics, sites such as the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace and the spiky gothic Houses of Parliament offer a feast of political history. For those more interested in social history – how ordinary people lived, worked, dreamt and thought – then the Dockland’s Museum, the Clink (a reconstructed medieval prison) and the Women’s Library evoke the lives of London’s less-chronicled inhabitants. Then there are some of the continent’s best art galleries, such as Tate Britain and Tate Modern; a thriving music and literary scene, with manifestations throughout the city’s many districts; one of the world’s most vibrant queer scenes; and superb restaurants showcasing pretty much every cuisine in the world. While booze is pretty damn pricey, many of the museums and art galleries are thankfully free, and although accommodation isn’t exactly cheap, there are plenty of reasonable hostels in which to lay your spinning head.
Big Ben and the Westminster Palace are London’s best known sights.
Ah Paris, the city of sophistication par excellence. Site of the da Vinci-hoarding Louvre and the world’s most famous Boulevard, the Champs-Élysées, framed by grand Napoleonic buildings and the Arc de Triomphe. Literature lovers can sit by the banks of the Seine where Sartre, Camus and de Beauvoir thrashed out their diverging views on existentialism, or slouch through Saint-Germain de Prés, hot on the heels of ragamuffin writers such as Rimbaud and Henry Miller. Modern-day highlights include Shakespeare & Co, the vast second-hand bookshop with frequent live music. Then there are classic, unmissable sights such as the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral. Oh, and of course Paris has its very own Disneyland. While the rich and reckless can blow huge quantities of money on a sheen of Parisian glam, plenty of penniless writers, artists and travelers have carved out some kind of life here over the past century. Vive la France! Vive la France!
Paris isn’t called the most romantic city in the world for no reason.
Barcelona has drawn the ragged and the broke, the artistic and the dissolute for many decades, and upon setting foot in the city’s center, it’s not difficult to see why. The grand central thoroughfare, Las Ramblas, may be flanked these days by nothing more Catalan than chain stores and designer clothes shops, but it still manages to cling to some semblance of distinctive character. Even better is to dart off this main artery into the labyrinthine districts of Barri Gòtic and El Raval, picturesque warrens of bars, cafes and restaurants which, during spring and summer, it’s simply glorious to wander aimlessly around, dropping in and out of whatever bars takes your fancy. Later on, Barcelona’s legendary nightlife is concentrated around bigger squares such as the Plaça Reial. If you’re after something more substantial than such drink-fuelled meanderings, then the city has plenty to satisfy you, too: take in the Gaudi architecture at Parc Güell, visit the terrific Picasso Museum, or head down to the beach at Barceloneta. Wait, that last one’s a little leisurely too… Well, I guess that’s just Barcelona for you…
Parc Guell is just one of the wild and innovative designs in Barcelona of architect Antoni Gaudi.
Athens, more than Rome, can claim to be the city that spawned western civilization. Its ancient world, famed for its philosophy, literature and pederasty, today composes some of Europe’s most evocative and thought-provoking sights. Most spectacular is of course the Acropolis, perched on a plateau of rock and containing an amazing wealth of classical Ancient Greek architecture. This includes the huge Parthenon, temple to Athena, and the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, which is still used for performances today. At the foot of the Acropolis, you’ll find the pretty, winding districts of Plaka, Monastiraki and Thissio, strung with 19th century Neoclassical homes, Roman ruins, and endless small cafes and restaurants. Recommended backpacker hostels located centrally include AthenStyle and Athens Backpacker.
The Acropolis has been at the center of the Athenian skyline for 2,500 years.
Known as the crossroads of Europe, Prague is a beautiful city that has slightly rusted around the edges, which from certain angles only adds to its charms. At its heart, arching across the Vltava River, is the historic Charles Bridge, completed in the 15th century, which contributed to Prague’s role as a key city on the trade route between western and eastern Europe. With its stunning gothic bridge tower and its decorative series of baroque statues, it’s a fabulous introduction to Prague’s fairytale architecture. This is continued in the Old Town itself, with its fabled Astronomical Clock and the sharp black spikes of the dramatically Gothic Tyn Church. A bit of background to these sights can be gained at the National Museum, which overlooks Wenceslas Square, the center of the New Town and the launching point for many a wild adventure through Prague’s chaotic nightlife. An old classic of Prague’s cheap and cheerful hostel scene is the Clown and Bard, which has its own lively wood-walled pub downstairs.
Prague is a bit like the Paris of Eastern Europe: artistic, historic and always charming.
Amsterdam packs a diversity of attractions into its compact center, threaded through by lamplit canalways. Fans of expressionist art could lose themselves for days in the fantastic Van Gogh Museum, Dutch Golden Age art is displayed at the Rijksmuseum, including works by Rembrandt and Vermeer, while the pulse of Amsterdam’s current art scene can be felt at the Nieuw Dakota contemporary art gallery. Amsterdam was also Anne Frank’s hometown, and visiting the secret room where she hid from the Gestapo in an inconspicuous townhouse will be a deeply moving experience for anyone who has read her diaries, written in that very space. And then of course there are the baser pleasures, for those of you who feel the need – take in a tour round the Heineken Brewery, a furtive trip to the Red Light District, or a couple of spliffs in one of Amsterdam’s famous coffee houses.
The canals and historic buildings of Amsterdam on a normal, non-celebratory day.
Budapest is divided in two by the Danube River. On one side there’s hilly, wooded Buda, dominated by Castle Hill. Here you’ll find the Royal Palace, with a set of museums on Hungarian national history and a National Gallery displaying the country’s finest art collection. Beside the Royal Palace, atop a plateau overlooking the city, there’s a series of gardens, squares and terraces, bedecked with plants, fountains and cafes, which together form a lovely place to while away an afternoon during the warmer months. From this vantage point you can see down onto the city’s parliament building, perching on the far bank of the Danube, which takes the Gothic Revivalism of the UK’s Houses of Parliament and pushes it to a far wilder and grander conclusion. Delve into Pest, then, on that opposite bank, and you’ll plunge into a fabulously lively city. There are many bars, restaurants and pubs with a distinctive interior decor, friendly atmosphere and (for western pockets) exceptionally cheap alcohol, making them a delightful place to sit down and sup through a few drinks. This is another city flooded with cheap hostels, of which The Loft and Maverick are among the best.
Built at the turn of the 20th century, the Hungarian Parliament Building is a Budapest landmark.
Sometimes a tumultuous history can make for an exceptionally vibrant cultural scene, and this has definitely been the case with Berlin. Ever since its reunification, it’s been one of Europe’s best cities for backpackers, far cheaper than its counterpart capitals across the rest of western Europe. This scene is concentrated in the south-east of the city center, spread across the districts of Friedrichshain, Kreuzberg and Neukölln, which mix hip art galleries, music venues and bars with the best of the city’s Turkish street food. And if you want to delve into Berlin’s turbulent recent past, there are a host of really excellent museums at which to do so. The best of these cover the Soviet era (the Berlin Wall Monument, the Museum at Checkpoint Charlie); Nazism and WW2 (the Topography of Terror, the Berlin-Karlshorst Museum); and the experiences of Jewish people through that conflict and the centuries preceding it (the Jüdisches Museum, the Wannsee Conference Center).
The Berlin Cathedral, in the trendy neighborhood of Mitte, lit up in a colorful light display. Photo credit Gertrud K. CC SA.
Ios, one of the sun-drenched isles of the Cyclades group just off the south coast of Greece, has all the stunning scenery that you’d expect: rugged cliffs, rolling green hills, white-hued villages, and a fringe of sandy beaches, all encircled by the blue-green Mediterranean. But of its 2000 neighbors, Ios has long been the most popular destination with backpackers, known as a party island where the young and the broke can take advantage of the cheap and excellent food and alcohol. This party scene is concentrated in the main town of Hora – start in the main square, then let the currents of the night carry you through the winding streets and the plethora of bars surrounding it. The Greek Islands don’t have the array of low-price dorm-bed hostels characteristic of much of Europe, but there are some cheap hotels, and when it’s warm enough – that is, most of the year – then there are a handful of campsites, too.
A windmill on the Greek island of Ios.
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