Mainland tourists flock to Hong Kong via high-speed rail for Golden Week holidays

Large crowds of mainland tourists arrived in Hong Kong via the West Kowloon high-speed railway station on Saturday afternoon, kicking off the combined Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day Golden Week holidays. 

The station terminal was packed with arriving passengers, including multi-generational families and young travelers embarking on city excursions ranging from quick day trips to multi-day itineraries.

Visitors from across the border shared varied plans for their holiday stays, with some traveling from neighboring Guangdong for same-day photo outings guided by social media recommendations, while others journeyed from farther afield to take in classic sights and shop tax-free.

Beijing visitors plan four-day stay with scenic tours and shopping

Among the long-distance arrivals were a couple from Beijing, surnamed Fan and Liu, who planned a four-day, three-night stay in the city. Liu, making her second visit to Hong Kong, explained that she had long admired the city's celebrated skyline and nocturnal charm, prompting her to wear a traditional qipao specifically to take photos at prominent local landmarks.

Their travel schedule centered on riding the Peak Tram to Victoria Peak and spending a day at Hong Kong Disneyland. The couple also intended to visit Victoria Park to view the widely anticipated festive lantern displays and light installations arranged for the Mid-Autumn celebrations.

Shopping and dining formed an equally significant part of their trip. Fan noted that the absence of a sales tax in Hong Kong made consumer goods reasonably priced and dependable in quality, adding that he intended to purchase branded apparel, skincare, and over-the-counter pharmaceuticals. 

Liu looked forward to sampling local cuisine, expressing a keen interest in traditional Cantonese teahouse dining.

Guangzhou travelers’ day trip guided by social media trends

First-time visitors from Guangzhou took advantage of the short rail journey to plan a single-day excursion before heading home in the evening. 

Two travelers, surnamed Wang and Yang, noted that they had prepared their itinerary primarily through travel guides and curated recommendations on the lifestyle platform Xiaohongshu.

Their plans included visiting the fountain in Kowloon Park, a location that had gained widespread popularity among mainland social media users as an aesthetic backdrop for short videos and photography.

The pair also planned to ride an open-top sightseeing bus to take in the evening skyline along the harborfront. 

Time permitting, they intended to stop by Hong Kong Park to view its space- and moon-themed decorative festive lights.

Before departing for Guangzhou on an evening high-speed train, the two women intended to stock up on recommended beauty and healthcare products, focusing on cosmetics, facial masks, and popular household medicines they had bookmarked online.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓