Mainland Chinese Visitors Flock to Hong Kong for Labour Day Golden Week, Many Heading to Countryside

Hong Kong recorded more than 76,000 trips by mainland Chinese visitors 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 the 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 social media travel content he had saved 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, and hoped to experience its vibrant urban life.