Many visitors headed to the countryside for scenic views, while others opted for ‘city walks’ to explore picturesque corners of the city
4-MIN READ4-MIN ListenMatthew Cheng,Fiona Chow,Kristen CheungandWynna WongPublished: 1:40pm, 1 May 2026Updated: 1:44pm, 1 May 2026Hong Kong recorded more than 76,000 mainland Chinese visitor arrivals on the first morning of the five-day Labour Day “golden week”, with many heading to the countryside for scenic views and others opting for “city walks” to explore picturesque corners of the city.
Some early arrivals headed straight to the countryside after getting off at West Kowloon rail terminus on Friday morning.
University student Chen Hongjie, 18, was all geared up to hike the MacLehose Trail on his first day in the city after a three-hour train journey from Changsha.
Planning to camp along part of the trail for two nights with a friend, Chen packed sleeping mats, instant food and downloaded maps on his phone.
“I had done some research on the trip and gathered tips from travellers who had been to the same place,” he said, referring to travel content he saved on Chinese social media that recommended ways to explore Hong Kong’s nature more deeply.
Chen said he would stay one more night in the city centre after the hike, hoping to experience its vibrant urban life.
