This 'Sleeping Tour' Includes a 'Food Coma Lunch' and 5 Hours of Snoozing on a Bus
Under normal circumstances, falling asleep during a paid tour is a waste of money at best or an offense to your guide at worst. But that's not the case with this new experience coming out of Hong Kong. As its name suggests, the Sleeping Bus Tour is designed to help passengers catch some Zs, and rides are already selling out.
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"When we were brainstorming new tours, I saw a social media post from my friend saying that he was stressed out by his work, he couldn't sleep at night," said Kenneth Kong, the marketing and business development manager of ulu travel, the company behind this new concept.
"But when he was traveling on the bus, he was able to sleep well. His post inspired us to create this tour that lets passengers just sleep on the bus," Kong told the Associated Press.
The five-hour bus ride takes passengers on an 83-kilometer (about 51.5 miles) journey aboard a regular double decker bus. Not only is the Sleeping Bus Tour the first of its kind, it's also the longest bus route in Hong Kong, ensuring that fatigued passengers have plenty of time to enjoy some REM sleep.
The entire experience starts at a restaurant, where guests will be served a "2-course Western menu" or what the company describes as a "Food Coma Lunch" — an excellent head start in making passengers feel sleepy. Once they board the bus, passengers can get cozy for the ride, which includes a few stops for scenic photo ops and bathroom breaks. Passengers can also disembark the bus early at one of several drop-off points if they'd prefer to continue their sleep at home rather than complete the entire journey.
"I have been suffering from insomnia so I am here to try and get some sleep," 25-year-old Anson Kong told the Associated Press. He was one of the passengers on the first bus tour, which completely sold out and took place on Oct. 16.
He said that the tour was a good idea and "more interesting" than he expected.
Tickets for the Sleeping Bus Tour are divided in four categories from the "Zero-decibel Sleeping Cabin" to the "VIP Panorama Cabin." Prices range from about $17 USD to $115 USD per person. For more information on this unique dream-inducing experience, head to the ulu travel company website.
Jessica Poitevien is a Travel Leisure contributor currently based in South Florida, but always on the lookout for the next adventure. Besides traveling, she loves baking, talking to strangers, and taking long walks on the beach. Follow her adventures on Instagram.
