HKG International ✈️

(I didn’t take many pictures, but I really wanted to talk about this international airport because it is truly an amazing place. Skip this post if airports aren’t your thing—I won’t be offended!)

First things first—this airport shouldn’t even exist. Or at least, not where it is. HKG was built entirely on reclaimed land, meaning that where it stands now used to be nothing but open sea. It’s located on Chek Lap Kok, an island that was flattened and expanded into a 1,255-hectare aviation hub (aka, an engineering flex).

Walking into this airport, you immediately understand why it’s consistently ranked among the best in the world. It’s modern, sleek, and somehow both massive AF and easy to navigate. Everything just flows—I wouldn’t be surprised if they used feng shui in the design.

The Scale: It’s Huge

✔️ Over 90 regular boarding gates – and 13 more of them are virtual gates, where you take a bus to the plane—very common in Europe.

✔️ Most of its infrastructure is underground – The transit system, baggage handling, and train connections are all hidden beneath the surface, making it feel seamless and futuristic.

✔️ The Airport Express train – The Automatic People Mover (APM) is basically a giant driverless train system that connects the main terminal to satellite concourses. This allows more space for planes instead of having massive walkways everywhere. The entire thing runs underground, so you don’t even notice it’s there. Take a look at the picture I took from Ngong Ping Cable Car- it looks small- it’s because everything is underground! So cool.

Cool Facts 😎
1. One of the busiest airports in the world – Over 70 million passengers per year pass through HKG, making it a full-blown global travel hub. It connects to 220+ destinations and is one of the busiest cargo airports in the world. (SO MANY cargo planes.)
2. The ceilings are shaped like ocean waves – The massive curved ceilings and huge glass windows give the airport an airy, futuristic feel. The wave design is actually a nod to Hong Kong’s maritime history—a detail that makes it even cooler.
3. There’s a 64-foot full-sized TV screen – And I swear, the clarity and color were INSANE. I still can’t believe I didn’t take a picture.
4. Golf simulators – Because sometimes, you just need to hit a few virtual holes-in-one during your layover.
5. The baggage system is one of the most advanced in the world – With 13 km (8 miles) of conveyor belts, they can move a checked bag from check-in to a departing plane in under 20 minutes. Absolute efficiency.
6. Train to the city in just 24 minutes – And it’s cheap as chips! The station is fully underground, helping keep noise pollution to a minimum.
7. They have hot water fountains everywhere – If you’re traveling in Asia, you know how essential this is. Whether you need it for instant noodles, tea, or baby formula, hot water is always available—no need to beg a café for some.
8. Smart bathroom line management – Outside the bathrooms, they have screens showing exactly which stalls are occupied and how many are open, so you can avoid that awkward dance of peeking inside and bogging up the entrance. So smart.Read more