On first acquaintance Hong Kong can overwhelm. Navigate its teeming, tightly packed sidewalks and you’re met at every turn with neon signage, steam-filled canteens, molasses-slow traffic and a Babel of chatter.

Once this first sensory wave has rolled over you, though, take a deep breath and start swimming with the current, because you’ll find Hong Kong is a place to delight in. Utterly safe and fantastically well organised, it offers little moments of perfection.

You may find them on a plastic stool enjoying a bargain bowl of beef brisket soup or simply gazing at the thrilling harbour vistas. You’ll find them taking afternoon tea in the cool of a five-star hotel lobby or enjoying balmy open-air beers in the party zones.
Escape the city limits and other experiences await – watching the sun rise from a remote mountain peak, hiking surf-beaten beaches or exploring deserted islands.

If it’s pampering you’re after, money can buy the ultimate luxuries in a city well used to serving its tiny, moneyed elite. Yet Hong Kong is also a city of simple pleasures. Most often it’s the least pricey experiences – a $2 tram or ferry ride, a whiff of incense curling from temple rafters, savouring fishing-village sundowners and seafood – that are the stuff of priceless memories.

Fly from Hong Kong - Bangkok

Chaotic, carnal and congested, Thailand's capital is divided by the Chao Phraya River and is nestled in one of the world's most fertile rice-producing deltas. Bangkok's 579 square miles (1 500 sq km) are criss-crossed by a series of canals carrying passengers and cargo. Its roads are clotted with endless traffic jams while the city sprawls in all directions with a hodgepodge of urban, commercial and industrial buildings.

A new overland metropolitan railway speeds above the city providing visitors with a relaxed and efficient way to observe the hustle and bustle below. Despite its pollution and overcrowding, Bangkok is undoubtedly one of Asia's most exciting cities and one of the world's largest, promising to reveal to each traveller the wild and untamed mysteries of the East.

Khao San Road is one of the city's most vibrant streets and is probably one of the best examples in the world of a backpacker's 'ghetto'. Day and night the short stretch of road is abuzz with activity. On the banks of the Chao Phraya River visitors will find the Grand Palace as well as Wat Phra Kaew, the palace temple housing the Emerald Buddha constructed entirely from translucent green jade. Slightly upriver are the exquisitely ornamented Royal Barges still used today for special floating processions. Of the 30 or so temples in Bangkok the largest is the Temple of the Reclining Buddha which houses an impressive statue of the deity.

The famous Floating Market is a delight to visitors and well worth a visit. As the sun lurches towards the horizon in the west and the sweat cools and this city of royalty and religion comes alive with a palpable decadence. Music and dazzling neon advertise a miasma of trendy bars and nightclubs as well as the notorious 'girlie joints' that have ensured the Patpong district its reputation for hedonism. Though the city's frenetic pace and infamous congestion can be overwhelming. A holiday in Bangkok is a must for anyone travelling in Thailand.

Included transfer from Bangkok to Hua Hin

As Hua Hin is located on the Western side of the Gulf of Thailand, it's hardly surprising that it is well-endowed with some great beaches. Most are wide and long, with generally shallow depths and very mild currents, ideal for that perfect relaxing beach holiday.

Fly from Hua Hin to Dubai

Dazzling Dubai, a much sought-after holiday destination in its own right, but being an airport hub means you can travel on to the Indian Ocean, Asia, and Australasia with ease. Begin with a few nights in Dubai, where you can choose to shop till you drop in the opulent mega malls, enjoy a sunset cocktail on top of the world's tallest building, go dune surfing or dine in a Bedouin village under a galaxy of stars out in the sprawling desert, ski in one of the indoor slopes or simply unwind on the sandy beaches or poolside of your chosen, guaranteed luxurious hotel.

Beach lovers can travel onwards to paradise islands such as Mauritius, Maldives, Seychelles, where powder white sands are fringed with swaying palm trees. If you prefer a bit of culture or adventure, combine Dubai with Sri Lanka and visit the jungles, tea plantations, mountains, and towns of this fascinating, history rich island country. And if you love the sound of a multi-centre trip, but only fancy the one flight, then this is possible too with our Dubai and Abu Dhabi twin-centre holidays. Abu Dhabi is smaller, much quieter, and far more traditional than its neighbour so you really get the best of both worlds!

Fly from Dubai to the UK