Best weekend trips from Hong Kong for your next family holiday

Didn’t manage to squeeze in a family vacation during Easter break? No worries. With several long weekends coming up, you’ll have more chances to slip away on a three-day getaway, and we’ve curated a few of the best weekend family trips you can take from Hong Kong over the next few months. 

Cathay members who book a Cathay Holidays travel package between 16 April and 4 May will receive a complimentary Cathay-branded aviation chess set (travel edition) on top of earning HKD4=1. To benefit from the offer, your booking must be for a minimum of three people and a stay of at least three nights. You can travel any time between 1 May and 31 August. 

Additionally, enjoy peace of mind while on the road with Cigna Cathay Premier Health Plan, which offers comprehensive medical coverage across the world. Enrol between now and 30 June as a family of four and you’ll earn a wealth of benefits, including up to HKD2,000 off flights, up to 92,000, and five and a half months’ worth of savings on your premium.    

Where to go for long weekend family trips

Cebu  

Best for family-friendly adventures from mountains to sea 

What better way to get to know the city at a glance than from the top of a mountain? Renovated in 2024, Tops Cebu is a multipurpose complex perched atop Busay Hills, offering sweeping views of gentle mountain slopes and the city centre below. After snapping photos at the spacious outdoor viewing deck, retreat indoors for a meal that’s sure to delight the little ones, with options ranging from pizza and burgers to skewers and lechon (roasted pig).  

If you’re looking for a relaxing seaside stay that’s still close to the city, Mactan is populated with beach resorts that promise a blissful blue-skied holiday, from Shangri-La Mactan – offering an abundance of kid-friendly facilities as well as its own forest and marine sanctuaries open to guests – to Crimson Resort & Spa. The latter’s beach casita is the ideal choice for those chasing the seaside aesthetic; large windows look out directly at a parasol-dotted beach (though an enclosure of foliage ensures privacy) while high, warm-toned ceilings flood the space with plenty of light. 

Phnom Penh 

Best for cultural sights that’ll intrigue travellers of all ages 

If you’re planning to visit the must-see Royal Palace and adjoining Silver Pagoda, don’t fret about the prospect of historical monuments boring the kids. Glimpses of the Throne Hall’s spired towers and golden interior, the Silver Pagoda’s bejewelled statues and silver-tiled floors and the surrounding well-maintained gardens are points of interest that may surprise the whole family with their beauty and craftsmanship.  

Phnom Penh’s markets, such as Toul Tom Poung and Orussey Market, also make for captivating stops. Besides everyday items like clothing, crafts, art and electronics, you’ll also find wet market stalls and food vendors dotting the busy bazaars. Grab a bowl of nom banh chok – rice noodles in curry soup – as well as fresh fruit, barbecued meat or whatever else catches your fancy from a vendor, or rest your legs at a contemporary café with some baked goods and a coffee.

Bangkok 

Best for new and unique activities 

From riding a tuk tuk and experiencing a floating market to splashing around sky-high waterparks, Bangkok is full of fun activities to keep little ones entertained. Floating market Khlong Lat Mayom is a place that offers such an experience: hop aboard a motorised boat and glide through narrow canals, passing vendors selling produce like coconuts and bananas from boats of their own – a lasting trace of a way of life that once relied heavily on the city’s waterways. Don’t miss the on-land portion of the market, where you’ll find cooked delicacies like pla pao (salt-crusted grilled fish) and goong ob woon sen (stir-fried shrimp with glass noodles).  

While waterparks themselves aren’t novel, you may find the idea of one being on the rooftop of a mall in the city centre rather refreshing (especially when it’s hot out). Harbor Island on the top floor of The Mall Lifestore Bang Kapi has rainbow slides, a spray park, a lazy river, an obstacle course and more. It’s a win-win situation: the adults can shop while the kids can burn off some energy. 

Penang  

Best for art lovers and foodies 

Here’s another opportunity to get acquainted with a city from up high: start with the Penang Hill Railway, which brings you to the top of the eponymous hill through lush foliage. Take in the clay-red rooftops and high-rises of the city below, then take an optional detour to one of the area’s hiking trails or climb up to The Habitat’s canopy walkway to spot wildlife like birds, monkeys or flying lemurs. 

Make your way to George Town for fascinating architecture, street art and diverse dining options, and marvel at heritage buildings housing modern businesses, mixed media street art adorning the walls, as well as extravagantly decorated former mansions, which have been carefully restored to live second lives as museums or hotels. You’ll also find stellar dining options like Michelin-recommended char kway teow (flat rice noodles stir fried with bean sprouts, shrimp and a variety of other flavourful toppings), laksa and kari kapitan – chicken curry. If you prefer to eat as you explore, there are several night markets brimming with food stalls, such as Kimberley Street Food Night Market and Chulia Street Hawker Food.   

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