“Traveling without annual leave” is becoming a new travel trend, departing on Friday night, spending the weekend and returning early Monday morning. According to a recent Skyscanner survey, 35% of the respondents said it is difficult to find an appropriate time to use annual leave among the difficulties faced by Korean office workers in preparing for travel.
Hong Kong’s geographical advantage of “flight time of 3 hours and 30 minutes, time difference of 1 hour” is an irresistible proposal for those who save this golden annual leave but dream of daily ventilation. If overseas travel in the past was an event with a big heart, travel that immediately relieves stress in daily life is now the trend. In particular, Hong Kong is attracting attention as the best liberation zone among “MZ office workers” who try to solve all food, recreation, and shopping within a short schedule.
Hong Kong’s popularity is also evidenced by real-world data. In January, 129,083 Koreans visited Hong Kong, slightly from the same period last year (126,739), but continued a steady rise. It is not just an increase in the number of visitors. Changes are also evident in the quality of travel. Hong Kong’s geographical advantage of 3 hours and 30 minutes of flight time and 1 hour of lag has become a strong competitiveness as demand for experiencing key spots in the city center is increasing rather than staying in one area for a long time.
In addition, Hong Kong’s unique and efficient urban design also plays a role. Gourmet, cultural and shopping facilities are concentrated in the city center, which can drastically reduce movement routes. This is a huge advantage for ultra-short travelers who want to minimize travel time and improve the quality of their local stay. High-speed trains and dense underground rail networks from the airport to the city center provide the best environment for 48-hour travelers who miss every minute and every second. It is an advantage for ultra-short travelers who want to maximize the density of their stay time and increase their local experience.
a high-density journey that begins with a night flight
In line with this trend, the supply of flights during the evening hours is expanding, centering on low-cost airlines (LCCs). From the 31st, Eastar Jet will operate seven flights a week, departing from Incheon at 8:10 p.m. and arriving in Hong Kong at 10:45 p.m. (local time). From the same day, Air Busan also started operating seven times a week with a schedule to depart from Incheon at 9:30 p.m. and arrive in Hong Kong, expanding the options for office workers. Jin Air will launch a new Jeju-Hong Kong route from April 2nd and operate it daily.
You don’t have to worry if you arrive in Hong Kong late at night. Hong Kong is well equipped with public transportation networks such as late-night buses and airport buses that operate after the last subway hour, so you can travel safely and quickly to major areas such as Central and Tsim Sha Tsui even at dawn. In particular, if you register the Octopus Card, a must-have item for traveling in Hong Kong, in advance on mobile, you can move from the airport to downtown without stopping.
a sleepless Central night
Hong Kong’s representative attractions are gathered in Central, Western Dragon Cultural District, and Tsim Sha Tsui, so you can tour the main courses on a 48-hour schedule.
Let’s start our trip on Hong Kong Island Central late at night on Friday, when the trip begins in earnest. Central, Hong Kong’s central commercial district, is lined with restaurants, cafes, bars, and galleries around Soho and Hollywood Road, where you can experience Hong Kong’s own nightlife.
In particular, Hong Kong is called the pinnacle of Asian bar culture. “Bar Leone,” which topped the “2025 World Best Bar 50” last year, is an Italian Roman-style cocktail and is a hot place where visitors are crowded every day. It is perfect for experiencing bar hopping while enjoying Hong Kong’s unique sophisticated room atmosphere with nearby “Coa” and “Penicillin.” Around the “mid-level escalator” up and down the steep hills of Central, there are many jewel-like bars and galleries hidden in every alley, so you can enjoy going in as you want.
Asia’s Artistic Inspiration Walk
The next day, I recommend visiting the Western Dragon Cultural District, the heart of Hong Kong’s art. Among the various cultural facilities, Mplus is Asia’s first modern visual and cultural art museum that encompasses modern art, modern art, architecture, and design, and has 33 exhibition spaces alone. Victoria Harbor’s view from inside the museum is a work of art in itself. At night, media art shows using LED facades on the exterior walls of buildings are screened to create a different atmosphere than during the day. Nearby, there is a large waterfront promenade with views of Victoria Harbor, so it is good to feel relaxed in the city center. For lunch, let’s experience ‘Chachanteng’, a traditional food culture in Hong Kong. Dark milk tea and freshly baked pineapple buns are the best delicacies to melt the fatigue of travel.
the romance of light through the ages
In the evening, you can go to Tsim Sha Tsui and enjoy the night view of Victoria Harbor and the Hong Kong skyline. Star Street, created along Victoria Harbour, is a representative attraction that symbolizes Hong Kong’s film culture. Along the 457m-long trail, you can see handprints and statues of actors representing the golden age of Hong Kong films such as Hong Jin-bao (Hong Geum-bo), Chang Guolong (Jang Kook-young), and Zhou Lun-pa (Chu Yun-fat). Recently, modern landmarks such as the large shopping mall “K11 Musea” have been built nearby, attracting attention as a new resting place for the MZ generation.
Every night at 8 p.m., the “Symphony of Light” laser show is held against the backdrop of the Hong Kong skyline. The minister, whose 40 high-rise buildings around Victoria Harbor shoot lasers and lights to music, is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s longest laser show. The night view enjoying the river breeze is enough to forget the fatigue. After the performance, seafood dishes and a glass of beer enjoyed at a nearby open-air restaurant are the most perfect way to wrap up your trip to Hong Kong.
Tour Administration Guide to Help You Travel
When preparing for a trip to Hong Kong, you can easily proceed by using the official website of the Hong Kong Tourism Organization. You can check basic information such as immigration, customs, and flights before departure, as well as how to use local public transportation, mobile app guides, and shopping and dining tips step by step. It is attractive that all information can be easily solved in one place without a separate search by providing an emergency number for emergency situations.
Geumgangsan Mountain was also said to be after eating. If you want to taste the essence of Hong Kong’s gastronomy, open the gastronomy guide “Taste Hong Kong,” which was recently published by the Hong Kong Tourism Authority in collaboration with the Chinese Cuisine Association (CCI). It contains information on 250 restaurants selected by more than 50 masters leading the local gastronomic world, including Adam Wong, general chef of Michelin’s three-star Forum Restaurant. It’s not just a famous place, but it’s full of real restaurants that are melted into the daily lives of locals, from traditional old shops to noodle restaurants and local dessert shops that chefs usually visit. Efficient exploration of restaurants is possible according to travel courses such as Western Dragon and Central. Taste Hong Kong can be found on the official website by e-book and map, and can also be easily accessed through QR codes at major MTR stations.
Hong Kong’s flight schedule, which allows him to fly home early Monday and return to his daily routine immediately, is a sure-fire refresh for an exhausted office worker. If you are allowed only 48 hours of time when you need a different stimulus in your repeated daily life, why don’t you search for a ticket to Hong Kong right now.
* The 48-hour Hong Kong Travel content is the start of a special collaboration prepared by Travel Plus to mark its 10th anniversary. For the past decade, Travel Plus has delivered vivid pleasure to readers through content that encompasses portals such as Naver, YouTube, and Instagram. In the future, we will continue to introduce high-quality information in line with changing travel trends with major partners around the world, including the Hong Kong Tourism Organization. [Travel Plus X Hong Kong Tourism Authority]
[Kang Ye Shin’s trip + Reporter]
