Hong Kong was the third and last stop on the "Pearls of the Orient" 2026 tour. The travellers arrived there on the late afternoon of January 14, 2026.
The first city featured in this blog is Hong Kong. That was 15 years ago when our hero and his lovely sidekick started a 65-day, round-the-world journey. Since that time in 2011, our travellers have been back there on short layovers but never have they made it beyond the airport and the nearby hotels on Lantau Island. It was time they ventured back into this great city.
This time the dynamic duo would stay on the Kowloon side and look across to Hong Kong Island. Last time they bunked over on Hong Kong Island looking across at the cruise ship terminal and the brand new International Commerce Centre (ICC) that loomed over Kowloon. The 118-storey ICC is still the tallest building in the city and had just been completed in 2010. It is anchored in the massive, three-level Elements Mall, containing one million square feet of retail space on three levels. At the very top of the ICC sits the Ritz Carlton Hotel and that is where Mr. and Mrs. G would be camping for three nights before they had to return to snowy Canada.
Yes, it was a pricey stay but it was a wonderful way to conclude the Pearls of the Orient adventure. The Ritz covers the top 16 floors of the ICC tower and Mr. G and his dear wife would set up camp in a nice south-facing room, on the 110th floor. They would have floor-to ceiling windows through which they could enjoy captivating views of Hong Kong Island. This was the exact opposite direction the travellers faced 15 years before.
They only really had two full days in the city but they would cover a lot of ground. On the first day, they would retrace some old steps on Hong Kong Island and on the second day they would break some new ground and see some new places. On that first night though, they went for a walk around West Kowloon Art Park and viewed the 8pm laser show from ground level before dining at Cafe 103 on the 103rd floor of the Ritz and retiring for the night.
Day One (January 15, 2026):
In the morning, they hoofed it down Austin Road and turned right on Canton Road. Then they nipped into Kowloon Park, a massive green space in this densely populated urban area. Eventually they found themselves on Salisbury Road, where they checked to see that the grand ole Peninsula Hotel was still there and then headed over to the Tsim Sui Tsui Clock Tower. They were about to cross Victoria Harbour on the iconic Star Ferry. This ferry has been crossing Victoria Harbour since 1888. Despite modern road and rail that speeds through tunnels below the harbour, if you like some nostalgia, the fun way to cross is via the celebrated green and white ferries that still cost just pennies for a one-way ticket.
Once on the island, the travellers strolled through the IFC Mall and very soon found themselves at the front door of the Four Seasons Hotel. This was their home base in 2011 and they fondly remember the wonderful stay that they had in that outstanding hotel. From there they entered the Central Elevated Walkway system to work their way south to the Central Market and the start of the Central-Mid-Levels Escalator. This was all upgraded in 2018 and was much improved from the 2011 version. The 800 meter outdoor escalator which is now covered and widened, climbs vertically 145 meters up the mountain.
Once you hit Conduit Road you have to exit the escalator and continue on foot. Our hero had already checked a majority of the boxes on his day-plan but he still had 3 empty bowes left on this quest. He beckoned his lovely sidekick to follow him on a short hike, east along Conduit Road in the direction of the Peak Tram Station. He found it in 2011 and he would find it again. Sure enough, after about a kilometre cross-slope hike he found the Peak Tram Station and his dear wife paid for two tickets. Just as in 2011 they rode this funicular up about 370 vertical meters to almost the top of Victoria Peak. Again, the travellers benefited from an expensive retro-fit to the whole system completed in 2022. They ate lunch up there with a view down across Victoria Harbour. After lunch they rode the tram down and returned to Kowloon via taxi through the tunnel the emerges on the other side right next to the Ritz. They had had a busy Day One.
Day Two (January 16, 2026):
On the morning of the second and last full day in Kowloon, they would break new ground. The intrepid travellers humped it out of the Elements Mall and towards the old Mong Kok District. This is one of the most densely populated parts of the city. It is a maze of new and old, mostly residential high-rises and at the base of every building are a line of small independent shops. On one street there will be multiple shops selling men's watches. On the next street it will be shop after shop of toys. Then comes sneaker street where you can haggle with a dozen proprietors for the same model of Nike. All these shops are competing with each other for your attention. The streets are narrow and the sidewalks are crowded but if you don't mind crowds you can blend in seamlessly. Our hero wanted to locate the famous Flower Market and the adjacent Bird Park. Thank God for GPS and Google Maps! After being lead astray by adherent Apple Maps and finding that they found themselves in a row of small engine mechanic shops, our hero went to Google Maps and soon they stumbled into block after block of orchids and banzai trees. The scenses were stimulated by pleasing fragrances and vibrant visuals. Across the street and through a gate the Bird Park beckoned with cage after cage of pet birds of every description from large parrots to tiny song birds of every imaginable colour and character. If you want to buy an orchid or a parakeet Mr. G can now guide you to the right place in Kowloon.
That evening the travellers had a nice meal in the base of the Elements Mall near the indoor skating rink and retired to their room early so they could witness the 8PM laser show from the floor-to-ceiling windows on the 110th floor, one last time. Their Cathy Pacific flight left Hong Kong at 1 AM on the 17th and they could only enjoy a few hours of rest in that unforgettably high perch above Victoria Harbour.
All three Pearls of the Orient; Penang, Koh Samui and Hong Kong had been thoroughly enjoyed and it was time to return to the western Canadian winter.
P.S. February turned out to be a very comfortable month in Calgary. While the eastern part of North America suffered through a brutal winter the snow melted at home and Gym and his lovely bride enjoyed the warm chinook winds all month long.
Stay tuned
pics to follow
