Would you consider taking your children to Asia?

[MozzchopsThirty]

For their main summer holiday?

I have friends in Hong Kong and have been twice, I find it an amazing place and would love to share it with dcs (7 & 12)

I've looked at our normal hotel in Italy which is coming in at a mind boggling £3580 for 2 weeks AI
Or somewhere like Ibiza or Gran Canaria for £2700 AI

Hong Kong will cost £2200 but I'll have food and local travel on top but I just think it'll be an amazing experience for them, there's so much to do and see

WWYD??

Yes, of course. Why wouldn't you?

I read that as Asda

Wouldn't take them to Asda for a holiday (or indeed ever, given the choice), but Asia would be awesome!

Just a bit nervous about it going tits up
Or them hating it
I'll be traveling alone with them, which is no biggy now we've had 4 family holidays since the divorce and all have been great

Definitely, sounds fabulous.

Just can't quite take the plunge

Also a little nervous of Air BNB

How are they going to hate Hong Kong? It would be amazing for them.

My 7 year old prefers Italy to Orlando
And moans a lot in the heat!

There's just so much I'd like them to see and it's such an easy place to get around

I took my dds (6 and 10) to HK this summer for 10 days. We were staying with friends so a bit different but they lived it. I travelled on my own with them but it was fine thanks to the in flight entertainment. No jet lag going, pretty bad coming back, fly CP if you can as much better flights coming home than BA which are both at 11pm.

We went to a lot of lovely beaches - HK has so many, Disney, Stanley, had the most amazing sunset harbour cruise on the aqua lunar (the girls favourite thing of all) and we went to Macau for a few days too.

My girls had a fantastic time but it was really, really hot. I'd forgotten how oppressive that Asian heat can be so make sure your accommodation has air con.

Getting around was cheap but food was pricey, something to bear in mind. X

Sorry for totally unMN "x" - forgot where I was.

haha

Great to hear you've done it. I was hoping that by renting an apartment I can do some cooking at home and not eat out all the time.
Tell me more about the cruise please

I'd like to do Disney, ocean park, big Buddha, some of the outdoor public pools, but my friend has a pool too. Beach, ladies market and the peak too.

We'd probably fly quatar via Doha to break the journey. I flew business with BA both times and the 12 hours was still hard. I can get direct BA for about £1900 but quatar £1100 so big difference

Yes of course, will be a great experience for them!

Ps - you are on the long haul page though and a lot of people here will be used to taking their kids long distance so you're unlikely to get too many negatives!

socks so did I :) we only shop at Morrisons fortnum and mason so of course Asda is out of the question darling :)

You walk around yourself Enola? They deliver you know! 😀. Wouldn't take the kids to Asda either - they're far too much of a pain in the arse!

sjane I send the chauffeur or the butler usually.

The only issue potentially with HK in the summer is its monsoon season.
we took our teens to Thailand this summer and we thought about stopping in HK. im glad we didn't because the airport was closed in HK on the day we flew back from Bangkok.

I would - lots to do in HK to free too - day trip on bus to Stanley, botanical gardens, walking tours. Also the wetlands park is not expensive.
Museums also very cheap - HK history museum is really good.
Have been a couple of times in the summer and no typhoons, but there were two last week.

I live in mainland China so have been to HK many times. There are several mumsnetters on the 'living overseas ' board who live in HK and would be able to offer more detailed advice re weather and where to stay.

I live in HK and always leave for the summer - it's hot, wet, and can be a pretty miserable place to be during June/July and August. I love it here and have lived here for 6 years with my now 8 and 6 year olds, but as a summer holiday destination, I really wouldn't recommend it. Christmas however is a brilliant time to come - lovely clear and cool weather and the decoration is amazing

I'm ok with the weather and where to stay. I have a friend who lives in Clearwater bay so hoping to be out that way maybe Sai Kung or Tseung Kwan O

This year we went on holiday in may and then august sucked because we weren't going anywhere
Christmas isn't an option unfortunately as time has to be split between me & exh

We were in Sai Kung. It's a great place to get a boat to all the lovely beaches from. There is a fantastic public pool there too. The beaches around Clearwater bay also lovely. We had 10 days with no rain at the end of July. Bloody hot though. My girls absolutely loved the market at Stanley.

Disney was fab and relatively quiet when we went but worth getting fast passes for big rides because queuing in that heat is no fun. Dd1 missed a lot of the parade because we spent it in the air conditioned shop. Get there as early as you can, or go later in the day.

The cruise was lovely. Choose sunset because you see the sun set then all the harbour lights go on. Magical. The aqua Luna is an old Chinese junk so really comfy. The play nice music and give you a glass of bubbly (soft drinks for kids). Get on first stop if you can for best seats upstairs.

Hope you have a great time if you go.

Thanks twofalls love the cruise idea will def look into that

I haven't been to HK for more than a quick stop over in the summer, but DS enjoyed that (he was 7 at the time). He has been to other places in Asia and it's been great. Street food, museums, places to see- all very popular.

He's desperate to go back to Asia for the manga/ anime/ gaming stuff that would be available. We're saving hard!

hi op!
just found your post.
we live in HK. its very hot in the summer and we too head back to the uk for the school hols in July and August.
Christmas and Easter are much more pleasant, weather wise .

airb&b is available here but never heard of anyone using them . renting an apartment is a great idea but if you think eating in might ease the spending you could be quite wrong. western food is expensive here . all our usual faves are imports so its not cheap . also...why come all the way to Asia to eat western food?! locals eat from street side take aways. you can get a big rice box with bbq pork for less than £3. and delicious dim sum is available round the clock.
that said pasta pesto is eaten in our house!

the outdoor pools are great in the summer but the water gets hot too! and beach sand but the beaches are lovely. just take shade . and lots of suntan lotion. the sun is very strong .

check out discoverhongkong.com
we use tourist websites to give us inspiration too.

there's so much to see and do here you will have a wonderful time whenever you decide to come.