Hong Kong & Macau Trip

December 2011 took us on a short but packed city trip to Hong Kong and Macau — two destinations close enough together to combine easily, yet different enough in character to make the trip feel like two holidays in one. It remains one of our go-to recommendations for families wanting a lot of variety in a short window of time.

Hong Kong's energy hit us immediately: the density of the skyline, the constant movement of the Star Ferry across Victoria Harbour, and a food scene that kept us busy from dim sum breakfasts to late-night street snacks. We rode the ferry back and forth more than once simply for the view, watching the skyline light up as the afternoon turned to evening.

The short trip across to Macau felt like stepping into a different world again — Portuguese colonial architecture sitting alongside modern towers, cobblestone streets giving way to grand casino resorts. We spent our time there wandering the old town more than the gaming floors, drawn to the mix of European and Chinese influences in the architecture and food alike.

"We rode the ferry back and forth more than once simply for the view."

Macanese food turned out to be a highlight in its own right — a genuine fusion cuisine blending Portuguese and Chinese influences into something we hadn't quite tasted before. Between egg tarts, seafood, and slow-cooked stews, this short leg of the trip left us already planning our next visit for the food alone.

For a city break that packs in skyline views, ferries, contrasting architecture, and excellent food without requiring a long flight from Singapore, Hong Kong and Macau together were hard to beat — and this trip set the template for several shorter city breaks we've taken since.