Things to do in Hong Kong – The Complete Travel Guide to Hong Kong

Looking for things to do in Hong Kong? This comprehensive guide will give you all the tools you need to make the most of your time in Asia’s most exciting city.

We love Hong Kong. It’s exotic, it’s chaotic, and it’s electrifying. The city is just so big and there are so many things to do in Hong Kong, it can be overwhelming. But we’re here to help. When you read this guide, you’ll have a good idea of the top attractions, best tours and suggested itineraries.

Things to do in Hong Kong

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I don’t think there is any city skyline that I love more than Hong Kong. Sure Shanghai has an eye-popping set of buildings but it’s the sheer mass and aesthetic layout of Hong Kong that takes my breath away. And there are a lot more things to do in Hong Kong than you would expect.

1. Sky100

For a panoramic view of Hong Kong, visit the Sky100. Located on the 100th floor of the International Commerce Centre, in West Kowloon, The Sky100 is the perfect spot to get your bearings and orientation of the city. From here you can see all the districts of Hong Kong, the harbour and the Mountains. Like all world cities, an observation deck is a great place to start.

When you are staring out the windows of Hong Kong’s tallest building, you really get a sense of just how huge Hong Kong Really is. For prices and information visit the Sky100 website. We recommend purchasing skip-the-line tickets to make the most of your time in Hong Kong. You can purchase them click here. 

2. Peak Tram

For another high lookout, a trip up the Peak Tram is a must. Opened in 1926, this funicular railway travels 1.4km up to an elevation of 400 metres above the city for a magnificent view of the Hong Kong harbour.

You can spend a day exploring its hiking trails and perusing the indoor shopping centre. There’s even a Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum up there. But it’s really all about the view and scene of the Hong Kong Skyline twinkling its lights at sunset. For tickets and hours of operation visit the Peak Tram website

Lines can be very long at the Peak Tram, Get Your Guide offers Skip the Line Tickets with short notice bookings or easy cancellation. This is a an efficient way to avoid long waits at a reasonable price.

3. Symphony of Lights – Clock Tower Kowloon

After the sun sets, make your way to the harbour and watch the world’s largest continuous light show. There are several great ways to watch the Hong Kong Light Show and I suggest a cruise in the harbour as a fabulous way to see the choreographed light display.

If you are a photographer, head over to the clock tower and line up with the other tripod carrying artists to photograph the spectacle of neon lights and laser beams carefully crafted to music.

Symphony of Lights Harbour Cruise with Drinks is a great option for a tour in Hong Kong. See the Symphony of lights form the water. We did this our first time in Hong Kong and loved being out in the harbor during the faous light show. this 1.5. hour cruise sails along the Hong Kong Harbour while the spectacular symphony of lights play along the skyline. Plus, you get unlimited drinks!

4. 10,000 Buddhas Monastery

For a little culture and serenity, visit the 10 000 Buddhas Monastery in Pai Tau Village. The walk-up is enough to take your breath away. One because it’s a bit tiring after eating all that amazing Chinese food in the city and two because hundreds of golden Buddhas line the path.

Once you reach the top, there are temples and pavilions to explore as well as a nine-story pagoda. A highlight for me was the turtle pond and the gardens. It was a serene escape from the rest of Hong Kong.

Hot Tip: Get around Hong Kong on the Big Bus Hop on Hop off Tour. It includes ferries between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon and fast track up the Peak Tram and Sky 100. Choose from 1-2 days starting at $77.66

5. Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car

This 25-minute scenic ride up to Ngong Ping village is considered one of the great cable car rides in the world. The cable car is located on Lan Tau Island starts in the village of Tung Chung and ends at the top at Ngong Ping Village. This themed village is kitschy fun with 5D theatres, multimedia events, shopping, dining, and even a martial arts show. When you get to the top grab a Starbucks coffee

• Lantau Island and Cable Car Tour – This is a very cool tour and you must get out of downtown Hong Kong at least once. while you stroll around the village and take in the sights.
• Visit the Tian Tan Big Buddha statue at Po Lin Monastery. Then travel by boat to see Tai O, a quaint fishing village where the houses are built on stilts. Check for tours here

6. Tian Tan Buddha and Po Lin Monastery

Ngong Ping Village is located just five minutes from the Tian Tan Big Buddha and the Po Lin Monastery. The energy changes to a serene setting as one of the world’s largest Buddhas looms overhead while you explore the still working monastery. If you are lucky, you may witness monks chanting their morning prayers.

The 40-meter high Buddha statue can be viewed by walking up 262 steps to take in its magnificent size. Want to learn more about Lantau Island? See Our Hong Kong Day Trip

• Lantau Island and Cable Car can also be booked through Get Your Guide. This is a very cool tour and you must get out of downtown Hong Kong at least once. Visit the Tian Tan Big Buddha statue at Po Lin Monastery. Then travel by boat to see Tai O, a quaint fishing village where the houses are built on stilts.

7. Wine and Dine Festival

Each Year There’s the Wine and Dine Festival where wine and spirit makers from around the world come to Hong Kong to show off their best brews.

• Plan your trip around this event, you will love it!

8. Sai Kung

For a bit of nature, Sai Kong is a great day excursion. There are some great hikes along the coast and you can even have your boat driver drop you off to hike back. Sai Kung is great for a boat ride, paddling and hiking and once you’ve worked up your appetite, you must try one of the seafood markets.

Taxis are cheap in Hong Kong and we took a taxi out to Sai Kong where we hopped on a boat to explore the surrounding islands.

Sai Kung is famous for its seafood street where seafood restaurants line the waterfront. There’s even a Michelin Star seafood restaurant in the village if you really want to try something amazing. Enjoy more China Travel Advice: The Best Things to do in China

9. Use the Subway

The best way to get around Hong Kong is by using the subway. It’s cheap, it’s efficient and it goes everywhere. Get an Octopus Card and use it to get around the city.  Subway signs are in English and it’s very fast and orderly.

Note: Taxis are very reasonable in Hong Kong as well. Between the Subway and a cab, you can explore the city with ease. 

10. Stay at the Mira Hong Kong

We loved our stay at the Mira Hong Kong in Kowloon. It was walking distance from everything located in the heart of Tsim Sha Tsui. We were just a short walk from the Harbour City shopping center and waterfront.

They even gave us a cell phone complete with free data, international phone calls and preloaded maps and information on Hong Kong to use during our stay. And a very cool fact: Everyone gets a cell phone with data to use when staying at the Mira Hong Kong

11. Habour City

It is Hong Kong’s largest shopping mall with all the top name brands in the world. There is a lot more than shopping. It has everything from dining to the ferry terminal. It’s a great escape from the outdoors.

A trip to Hong Kong is not complete without stopping into people watch, window shop or to grab some food. You must visit here for shopping and dining!

12. Take a Ride on the Star Ferry

If a cruise is too much to splurge on, take a trip on the Star Ferry either to Kowloon (if you are staying downtown) or the other way if you are staying in Kowloon.

The Star Ferry is a great way to get back and forth through the Hong Kong harbour and it lets you see the skyline from the water, which is a must. Traveling to Hong Kong? Check out our China Travel Guide

13. SoHo

Hollywood was once the main street of Hong Kong, and today, everything South of Hollywood (SOHO) is where it’s at.

Soho (South of Hollywood) is the hot and trendy part of Hong Kong. It’s here that you’ll see the upper class business people flock for after work drinks while dressed in only the best fabrics money can buy.

Soho is filled with boutiques, bars and fine dining. If you want to do some shopping, here’s the place to do it. There’s a mix of antique markets with high-end fashion and everything in between. What we loved most was just people watching while enjoying an afternoon cocktail.

14. Ride the World’s Longest Escalator

Soho used to be a run down area where getting around was difficult since it was built on the side of a steep mountain. Since the world’s longest escalator was installed it all changed. Spanning nearly 1km the escalator runs up the side of the mountain connecting all the streets of Soho making it easy to explore.

You never have to walk up, only down. Take it all the way to the top and start your walk down to really check out all the little nooks and crannies of Hong Kong’s hottest district. Love our Hong Kong photography? You’ll enjoy our China At Night: A Photo story. 

15. Man Mo Temple

Located in the Soho District is a quiet unassuming temple that should not be missed when visiting Hong Kong. The Man Mo temple is located on Hollywood Road and pays tribute to the God of Literature and the God of War. Money tight? Read: 5 Tip to Travel China on a Budget

The Man Mo temple is famous for its giant hanging incense where visitors buy red ribbons to leave a wish or a prayer on the end of a giant coil letting the smoke carry their dreams to the Gods above.

16. Tai O Fishing Village

Located on Lantau Island, the Tai O Fishing Village is as close as you’ll ever get to historic Hong Kong. Where once all of Hong Kong lived and operated as this village does, today the fisherman’s way of life is giving way to skyscrapers and big business.

Tai O takes you back to a simpler time where people shopped daily for their fresh catch of the day and made traditional meals by hand. It’s a charming village to walk through and you can visit one of the stilt houses to see how village life has remained unchanged for decades.

17. Pink Dolphins

While in Tai O Village, book boat tour out to spot pink dolphins in the bay. Sightings are not guaranteed, but this is one of the few places where you get a chance to view these rare creatures.

Boat tours are short, but affordable and let you see a bit of the coast while searching for these elusive creatures. The dolphins are fast so we didn’t get any photographs, but we did see them…honestly!

18. Sham Shui Po Food Tour

Food is a way of life in Hong Kong. From fine dining and dim sum to street stalls, Hong Kong residents take their cuisine very seriously. A great way to learn about Hong Kong food is to take a food tour and there’s no better place to do it than in Shan Shui.

Here you’ll try traditional street stalls, shop in the markets and eat in local favourites. Ask all the questions you want and get to know as much as you can. It makes dining out much more enjoyable once you know what to order. Sham Shui is a great district to visit with street markets, old shops and lots of typical Hong Kong apartments.

It’s a huge contrast from the downtown district’s modern skyscrapers. Check out Hong Kong Foodie Tours to book your own food tour of Hong Kong.

19. Kowloon

Kowloon is a really cool district of Hong Kong. It is also where we stay when visiting Hong Kong. There are pedestrian-only streets free from traffic and filled with vendors and storefronts.

Mong Kok is Hong Kong’s most popular walking street; located on the Kowloon side of the city, it’s famous for the Ladies Market, which is a popular spot to haggle for bargain clothing and souvenirs. Here you will find everything from clothing and knock-off name brands to souvenirs and luxury jewelry. The best time to visit is at night.

Temple street night market is one of the more famous night markets in Hong Kong selling everything you can think from clothing to trinkets, antiques and seafood. There is also the huge shopping mall Harbour City in Kowloon that you really cannot miss.

• Kowloon Guided Market Tour – Kowloon is a bustling district and this tour takes you through the back streets to explore its markets and landmarks.
• Street Food Tour – Hong Kong is known for its street food. Get to know the best food stalls, learn about Hong Kong Cuisine and get local insider tips. Duration: 2 Hours.

Avenue of the Stars

Hollywood has their Walk of Fame but Hong Kong has a huge movie industry and their A venue of Stars is a must visit. Not far from the clock tower in the Kowloon district on the waterfront,  the Avenue of Stars showcases several famous Hong Kong film stars.

Each person has dipped their hands in cement leaving their prints handprints and signatures into the promenade. Famous hands you will see include Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Michelle Yeoh and more. It’s also a great evening stroll.

While in Hong Kong, you may want to visit the mainland and see Macau. Get Your Guide offers day trips from Hong Kong

We could go back to Hong Kong again and again. It truly is a world city. As a matter a fact Hong Kong is Asia’s World City. It’s no wonder there is so much to see and do in Hong Kong, it’s a city that needs to be visited again and again.

Suggested Hotels Kowloon

Mira Hong Kong – Wonderful stay, luxurious, Michelin Restaurant, indoor pool, connected to Miramar Shopping Centre. Check out Availability & Prices Trip Advisor / Booking.com

Kowloon Shangri-La – Luxurious Kowloon Shangri-La overlooks Victoria Harbour. The luxurious hotel boasts 7 dining option. Check out Availability & Prices Trip Advisor / Booking.com

Plan Your Hong Kong Vacation

• 1USD = $7.80 Hong Kong Dollars. Get the XP currency Converter App for currency calculations
• Invest in an Octopus card – an extremely versatile stored-value electronic card that can be used for most public transport, as well as purchases in convenience stores, fast food shops, supermarkets, cake shops, vending machines and more.
• Use your octopus card to take a ferry to Macau, the Las Vegas of Asia, to explore, wager a little bit of money and take in a show.
• Get Your Guide offers day trips to Macau
• They drive on the left in Hong Kong so when crossing the street be sure to look right before crossing the street.
• When going upstairs or standing on the escalator going to the right.
• Taxis are cheap in Hong Kong, so take them!
• There’s a lot of parks and greenery in Hong Kong. It’s not just a concrete jungle so get outside
• Don’t expect things to open early in the morning, things open late in Hong Kong
• Pick up your Lonely Planet Travel Guide – This is our go-to city guide and country guide when traveling the world. We’ve used Lonely Planet since 2000.
• For electronics, we use the Eagle Creek Travel adapter in conjunction with the Belkin Mini Surge Protector. It’s all we need to charge 5 devices at once. Three plugs and two USB Chargers.
  

When is the Best time to Visit Hong Kong?

There really is no bad time to visit Hong Kong. It’s an international city that is open for tourists year round. Like many Asian destinations, the high season for Hong Kong is from October through May. However, tourism ramps up for tourism and crowds are larger and prices are higher.

Shoulder season is always a good time to visit to avoid the crowds and save money. Shoulder season is considered June and September.

The summer months of July and August are very hot and because Hong Kong is an international city, deals are not as big as you would hope.

When traveling to Hong Kong try to avoid national holidays like May 1, July 1, and October 1.

Selected Hong Kong Tours

Get Your Guide – is a great site for tours and discount tickets. We have used it around the world. It offers last-minute tickets and easy cancellation.

Symphony of Lights Harbour Cruise with Drinks – Seeing the Symphony of lights from the water is magical. This 1.5-hour cruise sails along the Hong Kong Harbour while the spectacular symphony of lights display plays in front of you. Plus you get unlimited drinks!

Hong Kong Disneyland – Who loves Disneyland. Check out this surreal experience. If you’ve ever been to Disneyland or Disneyworld in the States, you gotta go to Hong Kong to compare the two.

Hong Kong After Dark Tour – Sometimes you just want to go out late at night, but feel a little insecure doing it alone. So join the Hong Kong After Dark tour to visit the night markets, parks, neighborhoods and Peninsula Hotel and the Chung King Mansion. Then top it off at one of Hong Kongs popular bars.

Enjoy all these things to do in Hong Kong? Save this post to Pinterest for future reference.

We’ve barely scratched the surface of all the things to do in Hong Kong and we look forward to going back to tell you more! Have you been to Hong Kong?

What did we miss and what should we do on our next visit? Please let us know other ideas for what to do in Hong Kong

For more information about things to do in Hong Kong check out the Hong Kong Tourism Board’s Website

Read More:

• Hong Kong Day Trip: the Tian Tan Buddha to Tai O Village
• Hong Kong In Three Days
• Top Things to Do in Shanghai
• The Best Things to do in China