London does not let you leave easily. The commute, the grey, the £6.50 pint. Hong Kong has its own version of expensive: skyscrapers, luxury malls in every MTR station, Michelin stars above every noodle shop. But it also has cha chaan tengs serving wonton soup for £4.30, hiking trails that end at the sea, and a skyline that makes Canary Wharf look modest.
Cathay Pacific and British Airways both fly non-stop from London. From £677 return, there is a case to be made that the flight costs less than two weeks of London pints.
✈️ The deal
- From: London, UK
- To: Hong Kong
- Airlines: Cathay Pacific / British Airways
- Stops: Non-stop
- Price: £677–£699 return
- When: June, August, September, October, November, December 2026 / January, February, March 2027
Example dates:
- 01/06/2026 – 11/06/2026
- 02/06/2026 – 21/06/2026
- 09/06/2026 – 19/06/2026
- 17/06/2026 – 09/07/2026
- 27/08/2026 – 23/09/2026
- 28/08/2026 – 23/09/2026
- 16/09/2026 – 01/10/2026
- 18/09/2026 – 01/10/2026
- 25/10/2026 – 12/11/2026
- 13/11/2026 – 28/12/2026
- 02/12/2026 – 28/12/2026
- 12/01/2027 – 28/01/2027
- 11/02/2027 – 18/02/2027
- 03/03/2027 – 09/03/2027
💰 How far does your money go?
A pint in a London pub now averages £5.17 and rising. In Hong Kong, a local Tsing Tao at a neighbourhood bar runs around £2.90. A bowl of wonton noodles at a cha chaan teng — Hong Kong's version of a greasy spoon, but better — costs about £4.30. Dim sum for two, tea included, lands around £12.
The city has a reputation for being expensive. That reputation is built on rooftop hotel bars, not the places locals actually eat.
☀️ The weather
October and November are Hong Kong's best months: 24–28°C, clear skies, low humidity. London in October is 12°C and the rain comes sideways. June is warm at 28–30°C, though humid — brief tropical downpours that clear within the hour. December and January are the best-kept secret: 15–20°C, dry, and almost entirely free of tourists who assume it must be cold.
🏨 Where to stay
From a smart city-centre bunk to one of the great hotel rooms in Asia.
ibis Hong Kong Central and Sheung Wan — 8.6/10 · From £60/night Steps from the MTR and well-placed for both Central's finance district and Sheung Wan's antiques market. Clean, reliable, no surprises.
Hotel ICON — 8.8/10 · From £115/night A design hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui with harbour-facing rooms and a rooftop pool. The views from the upper floors at night are genuinely hard to beat.
The Peninsula Hong Kong — 9.5/10 · From £450/night Opened in 1928 and still the benchmark. The fleet of green Rolls-Royces outside, high tea in the lobby, the view across Victoria Harbour. Some hotels are worth the price.
🎯 What to do
A city that rewards walking and punishes a too-tight itinerary.
Victoria Peak via the Peak Tram — The hundred-year-old tram climbs 396 metres in eight minutes. At the top, the view of the harbour and skyline is one of the genuinely iconic sights in Asia.
Dim sum in Yau Ma Tei — Skip the tourist spots and head north of the harbour. Trolleys, bamboo steamers, and tables shared with strangers. Go before noon for the full experience.
Star Ferry and A Symphony of Lights — HK$3.40 for one of the world's great short journeys. Cross at 8pm and catch the light show that turns Victoria Harbour into something else entirely.
Lantau Island: Big Buddha and Tai O — Cable car up to the 34-metre bronze Buddha, then a short ride to Tai O — a stilt-house fishing village that has barely changed in 60 years. Worth a full day.
🗺️ Where to go from here
Hong Kong sits at the centre of a region with some of Asia's most interesting cities within reach.
Macau — Hourly ferries, 60 minutes each way. Portuguese-Chinese architecture in the historic centre, vast casino resorts on the Cotai Strip. A complete contrast to Hong Kong in every direction.
Shenzhen, China — 20 minutes by high-speed rail from Kowloon. Vast tech city, excellent street food, and arguably the best shopping in the region.
Taipei, Taiwan — 90-minute flight. Night markets, hot springs, exceptional food, and a pace of life noticeably slower than Hong Kong. One of Asia's most underrated cities.
Guilin, China — Two-hour flight into a landscape of limestone karst towers and rice terraces. Nothing in Southeast Asia looks quite like it.
Non-stop from London. Two airlines with strong long-haul track records. At £677 return, there is not much reason to overthink it. Check dates and book here.
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