Two adults, two toddlers, five suitcases, less than 10 hours on a plane and one very spontaneous trip to Hong Kong with not a whole lot of research to back it up — what could go wrong?
Well, as it turns out, pretty much nothing. If Hong Kong doesn't immediately come to mind when you think of "family-friendly destinations", it's time to think again.
Our experience there was delightful from start to finish and I'd recommend it to anyone with young kids in a heartbeat.
There's so much to do that our six days barely scratched the surface, but until we make a return trip here are my top recommendations for things to do in Hong Kong with young kids.
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Staying at a hotel normally wouldn't warrant its own recommendation, but we were simply blown away by how great this hotel was for little kids.
Complete with an infinity pool overlooking the water, a kids' pool zone with play equipment and slides, and its own soft play centre on the bottom level of the hotel, you honestly wouldn't need to leave The Fullerton Ocean Park. Except, you would, because it runs shuttles to Ocean Park itself every hour and you won't want to miss out on that either.
It wouldn't be a trip to Hong Kong without sinking your teeth (literally) into all its culinary delights.
In our experience, local restaurants are very happy to accommodate kids, but you might need to leave strollers and prams at the door if seating is tight, which it often is. You probably won't find a highchair, but you will find exceptional food at local prices which beat "Western" hotel prices by a country mile.
Look, you might be on holiday with your kids, but that doesn't mean you should miss out on one of the ultimate luxury adult experiences in Hong Kong — the opportunity to sip an (admittedly expensive) drink at one of the highest bars in the world.
The experience lives up to the hype and is absolutely worth the splurge on a babysitter.
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One of the major drawcards for me in choosing Hong Kong as a destination was the opportunity to take my kids to Disneyland (which is celebrating its 20th anniversary) — without the obscenely long flight that a trip to the OG in LA would entail.
I wasn't sure what to expect but if anything, Hong Kong Disneyland far exceeded my expectations. It was a really manageable size — our family spent two days in the park — with all the magic of the original plus the genuinely cool cultural experience of being surrounded by Cantonese-speaking Minnies and Mickies.
As a bonus recommendation, the buffet dinners and breakfasts at the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel were a true trip highlight — my three-year-old couldn't believe he got to eat his waffles with Goofy.
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Ocean Park was one of the best surprises of our whole visit. It's hard to imagine the scale of this enormous theme park on the coast without seeing it for yourself, but picture an aquarium, a zoo and a theme park all rolled into one and you'll be in the vicinity.
So vast it needs its own public transport system (cable car or underground train: take your pick), a single day here was nowhere near enough.
The clear highlights for our young kids were the panda show, the shark exhibit and seeing penguins and tropical birds up close, but older kids would be just as (if not more) into the roller coasters and Ferris wheels.
The Ladies' Market in Mong Kok is a treasure trove for kids and adults alike. Bartering with the vendors is all part of the fun, although if you're a sucker like me, you'll probably pay full price for a Paw Patrol backpack the moment your toddler sets eyes on it (so sue me, we were on holiday!).
The markets can get busy, so popping little kids into a carrier or onto your shoulders is a good option to stick together.
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Smack in the middle of Hong Kong's central business district is an odd sight — a little tram that climbs a mountain high into the sky, dropping passengers at Hong Kong Island's highest point, The Peak.
The views from The Peak are unparalleled but the experience of getting there on the tram is just as exciting. If you're travelling with kids, I suggest going early to beat the crowds — we had the whole lookout to ourselves before 9am.
Ah, Hong Kong, the greatest place on earth for the transport enthusiast (read: my toddlers).
When you're a kid exploring the world, there's nothing quite like a cable car to see new places from the sky and the 25-minute Ngong Ping 360 cable car ride on Lantau Island is no exception.
Riding the Ngong Ping 360 is also a great excuse to get out of busy Hong Kong city and visit Lantau Island which boasts a beautiful natural landscape.
Tell your kids to look out for the Big Buddha statue as you cruise by.
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There are lots of ways to get around Hong Kong, but the Star Ferry is one of the most scenic. If you're staying on Hong Kong Island, Kowloon is well worth exploring and catching the ferry to get there is a big part of the fun.
Seeing Hong Kong from the harbour is always gorgeous, but seeing the city lit up at night, it feels like you should be paying a whole lot more than $1 AUD per ticket.
To plan your family trip, explore Discover Hong Kong.
Feature Image: Supplied.
