Fly Nonstop from Boston to Hong Kong

Lantau Island’s towering Big Buddha. / Photograph by Jeremy Thompson

Flight:
Cathay Pacific to Hong Kong (Nonstop Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday)

Temperature:
January–March: 66°–71°

What to Bring:
Comfortable shoes that embody form and function—Hong Kongers are a stylish bunch

As the hub of global business in the East, nighttime is just when the sun sets in Hong Kong, not when the work—or the fun—stops. A diverse population of locals, tourists, and expats commingles along tight streets lined with buildings that extend to dizzying heights, devouring street vendors’ fluffy egg waffles en route to bars in hip neighborhoods like Sheung Wan and Wan Chai. Steeped in both old traditions and modern innovation, the culture here is equal parts leftover British colonialism and Chinese convention. It’s an ever-expanding city of dichotomies on a tiny island that explodes vertically between a stunning harbor and luscious mountains.

Twenty years after the end of British rule, 2017 will be something of a turning point for this autonomous territory. An increasing series of constrictions from the Chinese government means the region’s idiosyncratic identity is on the precipice. It’s not often a nearly 16-hour flight would be considered worth taking, but with four nonstop trips leaving Boston weekly (daily flights start in March), there’s never been an easier—or more auspicious—time to explore Hong Kong.

Get the full picture of the metropolis with a steep, rickety tram ride to the top of Victoria Peak, where you can watch the dense skyscrapers fade to southern Chinese mountains. An equally impressive panorama is yours for around 32 cents aboard the Star Ferry—grizzled ships that run almost every 10 minutes between the tip of Kowloon and the ferry terminal in Central. Like if the Green Line were a boat, and didn’t constantly malfunction.

The comparisons to the MBTA end there, as the rest of Hong Kong’s transit system is world class. A space-age subway system and dirt-cheap cabs ferry you between the highest and lowest cultural touchstones. Temples like Man Mo will provide moments of quiet reflection before you haggle over a trinket within the organized chaos of Ladies’ Market or hike to the bronze Big Buddha on Lantau Island. This city doesn’t sleep, and to experience a fraction of what it has to offer, you won’t want to, either.

Eat

A modern Chinese diner serving up creative cocktails and shareable plates, Little Bao offers outstanding Asian fusion for the city that best embodies the term. As the Hong Kong snack known as the egg waffle begins to make its way stateside, take your opportunity to try one in its natural habitat: At Hung Kee Top Quality Egg Waffles, they’re cooked to perfection on the side of the street by a guy in a tank top.

Stay

Sleek, modern, and sexy, the Upper House (starting at $618 per night) is your respite after a day of whirlwind sightseeing, while still being steps from the excitement of downtown. All of the rooms are above the 38th floor, so each has a spectacular view to wake up and fall asleep to, whatever time that may be. *Hotel prices are for the January through March range.

Play

Formerly a dormitory for police officers, the revitalized PMQ complex is Hong Kong’s answer to SoWa, brimming with fashion and home-design stores, art studios, trendy restaurants, and more.

The bars and restaurants of the hip Sheung Wan neighborhood. / Photograph by Mojo Baron

Navigating the harbor aboard the Star Ferry. / Photograph by Bernard Spraag

Hong Kong’s cityscape from Victoria Peak. / Photograph by Daxis