Five star carrier Cathay Pacific is now operating three flights per week from Cairns Airport to Hong Kong in a seasonal return of the revered airline that stopped flying direct to Far North Queensland in 2019.

Aboard the inaugural flight on December 17 the Cairns Post was a guest of the airline and Hong Kong Tourism Board in a whirlwind tour taking in the best tourism experiences the bustling city of 7.4 million people has to offer.

Touching down at Hong Kong International Airport in the evening a limousine service provided a lift from the airport to The Park Lane Hong Kong in the affluent Causeway Bay district.

A quick freshen up and it was time for dinner at the SKYE Roofbar and Brasserie.

Exquisite views and the hotel’s smiling associate director of marketing Stephanie Fong were waiting at the open air deck of the 27th floor.

The surprisingly crisp night air of Hong Hong was a welcome change from the summer heat of the tropics – so was the decadently appointed cocktail bar and restaurant serving authentic French cuisine.

The next day a jam-packed list of must-do Hong Kong experiences was waiting to be enjoyed.

First was a trip to the summit of Victoria Peak via the historic Peak Tramway that was the first ever funicular railway to be built in Asia when it opened in 1888.

Departing every 15 minutes the ride up the mountain in glass roofed cars offers a unique vantage point through tightly packed residential towers before emerging into lush bushland before the engineering marvel delivers passengers to the Peak Tower shopping complex packed with souvenir shops, restaurants and the world famous Madame Tussauds wax museum.

And the views are spectacular.

Head to the Victoria Peak’s Lions Pavilion to take in the vista from traditional style vantage point and enjoy the change-of-pace and serenity of nature trails high above the bustling city below.

A short walk from the central Hong Kong Peak Tram station to the LockCha Tea House offers amazing views down Garden Rd of the iconic Bank of China Tower and the beautiful Henderson corporate tower.

Gardens and a stream along Battery Path in the old part of the city are a welcome highlight along the route to the historic police parade ground whose buildings have been repurposed as shops, restaurants and art galleries that combine to create a thriving arts hub.

Known for its dim sum and wide selection of Chinese teas, LockCha on Hollywood Rd is the perfect place to enjoy lunch in the heart of the city’s cultural district.

Definitely worth a look and not far from the parade ground is the colonial-era Central Magistracy that has been converted into a fascinating museum chronicling the occupation of Hong Kong by the British.

On the other side of Victoria Harbour the Hong Kong Palace Museum of the West Kowloon Cultural District is a cultural must-see for lovers of artefacts of historic Chinese civilisation. The museum showcases more than 900 priceless treasures, many of which are on display in Hong Kong for the first time.

As the sun began to sink into the impressive Hong Kong skyline the bright lights of the vibrant Temple St night markets precinct were calling.

Pop-up stalls where nearly everything imaginable is for sale line the street and dozens of fortune tellers from small stalls promise insight into what lies ahead using a variety of methods.

After working up an appetite, enjoy an authentic Hong Kong-style meal at the hugely popular Hing Kee Restaurant.

Claypot rice dishes cooked on charcoal stoves give the rice a rich and smoky flavour and the restaurant’s signature dish, deep-fried oyster pancakes sounds unusual but is a local delicacy and a taste sensation.

Get in early to secure a table at Hing Kee as later in the evening a line of customers extends down Temple St.

Cathay Pacific flies direct to Hong Kong three days a week until March 29 from $1286 return.

peter.carruthers@news.com.au