Having day trips from the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong is an exciting way to experience more of the authentic China that is just over the border. Guangzhou and Shenzhen are very popular with the visitors because of their locations and it is also apparent that Zhulai is becoming more prominent by the day. The most stress-free day trip that you can embark on from Hong Kong is a quick hop across the water to reach Macau where you will be thrilled with the blend of Portuguese architecture and Las Vegas-style casinos.
The sections below cover the main five-day trips carefully selected that you can enjoy in just a few hours from Hong Kong. If you are one of those who want something different, you can always go for mountain retreats and excursions into the Ming-era temples.
Macau – Hub of Relaxation
Macau Island in Macau is the most excellent day trip from Hong Kong and it is an easy one too as it is just one hour via ferry. The island offers you a perfect blend of antique Portuguese charm and the illuminations from the casinos – that should not come as a surprise as this is the most massive gambling area on the planet.
Some ferries ply the route between the two cities every hour of the day and just a few nations are required to have a visa when visiting Macau so it is easy for anyone to make. You should also take advantage of the local Macanese delicacies once you are there – these delicacies are blends of authentic Cantonese cuisine and exotic Portuguese spices. The travel time is just one hour by ferry so call your travel agency.
Guangzhou: Cutest Portion of China
This amazing tourist destination is located in the Guangdong Province and many are not even aware of how amazing the place is. Even though it does not have all the usual temples or traditional tea houses, it is still representational of 21st-century China.
For anyone interested in having a proper feel of the dizzying economic growth of China, you will find everything in the supercars, towering skyscrapers, and the trendy shopping malls all over Guangzhou. You will also experience the majestic architecture with the buildings of Shaiman Island known for being a trading hub for the French, American, and British tycoons in the 19th century. You will also see lovely colonial outposts used in the past for trading but they are now used as bars, cafes, and restaurants for locals and tourists alike.
Shenzhen – Dream of Everyone
This pearl is located in Guangdong Province and it is known all over the world and it is correctly described as a combination of China and Hong Kong, in such a way that there are even some agitating for a merger of the two cities to form one huge urban center.
Shenzhen sits just across the border with China and you can get there in less than one hour on the Hong Kong MTR. However, you must know that the best thing about this city is shopping and you will get the highest-quality materials at rates that are much cheaper than in Hong Kong. You can also benefit from the special Shenzhen Economic Zone visa which minimizes bureaucracy.
Zhulai: For Extraordinary Charm
Even though Zhulai may not be a giant by standards in China, it is still home to more than one million people and it is full of concrete apartments that have come to dominate much of southern China in the past two decades. If you are interested in having a good idea of daily life in a regular city in China, Zhulai is the place to be. It has a wondrous coastline and it is not a surprise that the place is also massively popular with Hong Kongers seeking an escape.
Beijing: Most Excellent
If you plan to see China and soak in all the greatness of China, then this is the city for you. You will need to get a flight ticket to Beijing and as it is a long-haul flight, it will be nice if you leave as early as possible so you reach Beijing on time – preferably in the morning. You will have as much as six hours to enjoy a tour of the Ming Tombs, the Forbidden City, and other sites of attraction famous for attracting tourists from every corner of the world.
