Chengdu | Day 1

Today was our last morning in Hong Kong, and with only a little time before heading to the airport, we took a quick stroll along Victoria Harbour to watch the sun rise over the water.

The MTR was packed during peak hour, but we managed to take it to the airport via a few connections through the suburbs. This route turned out to be cheaper than going through Hong Kong Station, which we’d used when we arrived, and it saved us the hassle of squeezing our suitcases through the Central-bound crowds.

At the airport, we returned our Octopus cards for a refund on the remaining balance and the HKD $50 deposit. Unfortunately, there was an HKD $11 service fee per card, which was a bit of a downside. Since the cards are valid for 1,000 days, it’s probably worth holding onto them if you plan on returning to Hong Kong within three years.

After checking in our bags, we wandered around the terminal looking for a place to eat. We settled on Tsui Wah Restaurant for some pasta soup, which made for a quick and simple meal.

On the way to our gate, we passed through the Sky Bridge, which had fantastic views of the airport. From there, we boarded our Air China flight to Chengdu, arriving after about 2 hours and 30 minutes.

There were plenty of transport options from the airport to the city, including a high-speed train, buses, and taxis. We decided to take the metro. Although there’s an express service, we arrived in between trains, so we took the regular metro, which got us to the city center in about 40-45 minutes.

Once we’d checked into our hotel, we headed out for a light dinner. A nearby restaurant called 钟水饺 was open and served a variety of small dishes. We enjoyed spicy wontons, steamed xiaomai, and a small dessert.

After dinner, we took a short walk to Bai Hua Tan Gong Yuan, a nearby park. It was late and getting dark, so we didn’t stay long and made our way back to the hotel.

On the way, we picked up a snack from a street vendor making sweet and savory pancakes—perfect for a late-night treat.