If you put New York City on steroids, but added Hawaii‘s hiking and beaches and threw it off southern China, you would get Hong Kong. I’ve grown to truly love this vibrant city over the past 7 years living here, and highly recommend visiting its unique mix of dining, culture, nightlife, and nature. Whether you’re feasting on dim sum, gazing at the best skyline in the world, hiking to picturesque viewpoints or partying to the wee hours of the morning, keep reading to find out my top things to do in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong Basics: Geography, Best Time to Visit, and Where to Stay
Where to Eat in Hong Kong
Top Things to Do In Hong Kong
Take in the View from Victoria Peak
Victoria Peak is the highest point on Hong Kong Island with views of Central and Kowloon as pictured at the top of this guide. Hong Kong actually has the most skyscrapers in the world, and when you pair that with its mountainous landscape and Victoria Harbour, you get an incredible skyline that is meant to be seen from above. There are numerous modes of transportation that can get you to the top, with the Peak Tram being the most popular (read: long lines during peak times but a unique experience riding along the mountain and also the fastest route up).
I regularly hike to the Peak, as there are numerous trails that cut around the mountain. The Morning trail is the easiest, taking about 45 minutes on a fully paved, low incline path that is lined with trees and a viewpoint along the way – a great way to work off all the dim sum! Just take the Central-Midlevels escalator (more on that below) all the way up to Conduit Road and make a right until you reach the trail entrance at Hatton Road.
My personal favorite way to hike up to the Peak is the Central Green Trail, as it’s the most scenic. It’s only a little steeper than the Morning Trail, but you get rewarded with an insanely beautiful view within 15 minutes of the start of the hike on May Road. I’d recommend taking the Central-Midlevels escalator to Robinson Road and walking to the starting point on May Road. The path is generally empty and the views from the endpoint on Barker Road are exceptional. If you don’t want to hike, I highly recommend taking this trail to get back down so you can still enjoy the unique views.
At the top, there are 2 malls (I recommend Peak Galleria which is dog-friendly and has beautiful views from the rooftop), restaurants (try Rajastan Rifles for satisfying British-Indian food or Men Wah Bing Teng for an affordable and tasty char siu rice, pictured below), an observation deck (which you have to pay for but you’re better off going to the aforementioned Peak Galleria rooftop for free), and taxis and public buses so you can get back down.
For the absolute best views, find the entrance to Lugard Road just off the same building as the observation deck, and walk about 15 minutes to an unobstructed lookout (as pictured at the top of this post).
If you really want a challenge and unobstructed views (and you’re lucky enough to get a clear day), then try hiking to High West, the highest point of Victoria Peak. It’s an extra 20-30 minute hike up a paved staircase, well worth the effort for those epic 360 views of Hong Kong, with views of the Southside to Victoria Harbour as pictured below and all the way around, including the Outlying Islands.
See the Symphony of Lights from the Star Ferry
Someone in Hong Kong realized that they could turn the skyline into a tourist attraction, so starting at 8PM everyday, many of the buildings in Central and Kowloon actually play light animations on their facades. There are even points across the harbourfront where laser beams shoot out of buildings into the sky. The tourism board has named this the “Symphony of Lights” because there are places along the harbourfront that actually play music to go along with the lights (including Tsim Sha Tsui (TST) Promenade and the rooftop of ifc Mall).
The best and cheapest way to see it is to take the Star Ferry, which is a commuter ferry that runs frequently, taking passengers between Central and TST for a mere 6 HKD (<$1 US). My best recommendation would be to take the Star Ferry in one direction before sunset, walk along the Avenue of the Stars and hang out at a rooftop bar (more on that shortly) to watch the sunset and beginning of the light show, and then take the ferry back after the light show has started for another great view of it from the water. Don’t fret if you miss the actual light show though – the skyline lit up at night is the main attraction.
Sail Victoria Harbour on the Aqualuna
The best way to see the skyline from the harbour is on the Aqualuna, one of the last traditional Chinese boats with distinctive red sails that’s become an iconic part of the skyline. There’s even a daytime dim sum or afternoon tea cruise that includes food from my favorite upscale Chinese spot, Hutong.
Have a Drink at a Rooftop Bar
Remember how I said that Hong Kong has the most skyscrapers in the world? Well, a lot of those tall buildings also have bars on top! While many charge a premium for being able to take in those epic views or to see the Symphony of Lights, you’ll generally find it to be worth it for the experience. Read about my favorite rooftop bars here.
Do an Easy Hike over Dragon’s Back
Hong Kong is truly a city, with crowded sidewalks and crammed public transportation. But 80% of Hong Kong’s lands are actually filled with nature and beaches, so you would be remiss to not check out the more relaxing side of this unique city during your visit. The easiest and best way to do so would be to hike Dragon’s Back. After just a short 20 minute cab ride from Central (or an MTR ride to Shau Kei Wan + ride on the #9 bus) and 10 minute ascent up a gentle incline from the trailhead, you’ll immediately be rewarded with stunning views of Hong Kong’s coastline and beaches.
The short hike over rolling, beautiful hills can be done in a loop back to the starting point, or you can just turn around and come back the way you came from once you reach the summit, allowing you to take a short bus ride to the best beach on Hong Kong Island for a refreshing swim and delicious meal after the hike.
Experience the best of Hong Kong’s nature in Sai Kung
If you’re in HK for a longer time, you should definitely make a day in Sai Kung part of your itinerary. This outlying area boasts the best beaches and hiking that will make you feel like you’re in Hawaii, and you can also rent boats for wakeboarding, go kayaking, or book a seat on a boat to visit smaller islands and beaches. The best part is that you can indulge in delicious fresh seafood after the day’s activities.
Read my guide on the best things to eat and do in Sai Kung
Party around Lan Kwai Fong
If you like to drink, you’re in the right place. Hong Kong boasts one of the most unique nightlife cultures thanks to 2 key factors:
- It’s legal to consume alcohol on the street
- All of the clubs in the city are centered around a 4 block square called Lan Kwai Fong (or LKF).
On the weekends, the 4 streets that create this square are actually closed to traffic, so since you can drink on the street, you’ll find that all of the bars spill out into a party on the street. That said, since the pandemic this 4 block area doesn’t have the same vibe that it used to. Instead, I recommend checking out the bars and clubs just outside of LKF. Read about my favorite spots around LKF here.
Roam around SoHo for Shopping, Art, and Drinking
Like NYC and London, Hong Kong boasts its own SoHo neighborhood, a hip area of bars, restaurants, cultural sites and shopping that lies South of Hollywood Road. Since it neighbors LKF, it’s often the starting point of a night out, though it boasts enough of its own great bars that it’s actually my preferred option for enjoying HK’s nightlife.
SoHo boasts a lot of street murals for taking photos, and you can also check out two historic cultural sites. Tai Kwun is a former police headquarters and prison converted into art museums, restaurants (Madame Fu and The Chinese Library are personal favorites here), and stores. The courtyard is particularly impressive with its heritage architecture, which you can admire while having a drink at happy hour hotspot The Armoury. You can explore the various buildings within the Tai Kwun complex, including an art museum and even former prison cells.
PMQ is an old police married quarters that’s been converted into an arts, design, and shopping complex. Tai Kwun. You can roam the halls to find endless independent, local artisans and shops, so it’s a lot of fun to go shopping after a few day drinks.
My favorite spots for drinks in SoHo are:
The Shady Acres – laid back, dog-friendly neighborhood bar with a great selection of wines and killer cocktails on a pedestrian-only street
Barkada – my very own restaurant has a street-facing bar and terrace that are made for people-watching. Plus we serve happy hour daily from 4-7PM.
Bar Leone – for the best dirty martini ever with smoked olives, an insanely good mortadella sandwich, and classic Italian cocktails. Plus it was recently named the No. 1 bar in Asia
The Pontiac – the closest thing to a proper dive bar in HK
Quinary – for their famous earl grey martini and other unique cocktails with a deep house soundtrack at one of the World’s 50 Best Bars
The Old Man – another World’s 50 Best Bar, with an older vibe and old school tunes hidden in an alleyway. Ask the bartender to try one of their flaming cocktails.
Staunton’s – for the ultimate people-watching pub right next to the escalator, so you’ll find the bulk of the crowd hanging out of the stairs just outside of the bar
La Cabane – cozy wine bar with a great selection and a fun little swing to sit on
Stazione Novella – for Aperol spritzes, beer and wine with a crowd that spills onto the street. They offer apertivo (free snacks at the bar to go with your drink) and also allow dogs
Visit a Temple, Garden, and Instagrammable Housing Complexes
Hong Kong boasts plenty of photo worthy places, from temples to uniquely architectured public housing complexes. If you have the time to explore Kowloon, I would definitely recommend doing the following loop to take advantage of the close proximity between 2 major temples and 2 photogenic housing complexes.
Take the MTR to Wong Tai Sin and you’ll end up at Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple, an open air Taoist shrine where you can rub your Chinese zodiac statue for good luck, visit a fortune teller, and light incense for prayers. Don’t miss Good Wish Garden behind the temple for a more peaceful environment away from the crowds and incense with beautiful archways and bridges for photos as pictured above.
From there, it’s a 20 minute walk (or 1 MTR stop) to the serene Nan Liang Garden and Chi Lin Nunnery, which offers a beautiful juxtaposition of older Chinese temples against a city backdrop. (Watch this video until the end to see a walk-through of all of these sites). Note that as of November 2024, parts of Nan Lian Garden are under maintenance so you won’t be able to get a clear photo standing in front of the bridge pictured below, but there’s still plenty to see otherwise.
Another 20 minute walk or 1 stop on the MTR from Chi Lin Nunnery takes you to the Choi Hung Estate, a rainbow-colored housing complex and basketball court that you’ve probably seen on your Instagram feed. Look for a staircase inside the parking garage to take you to the rooftop basketball court.
Finally, head to Ping Shek Estate and enter one of the hallways to the housing complexes courtyards. Look up and you’ll find this beautiful optical illusion waiting for you, but remember to always be quiet and respectful in these public housing complexes.
Bargain at the Ladies Market & Temple Street Market
The two most famous local markets are the Ladies Market in Mongkok and Temple Street Market in Jordan, both on the Kowloon side. Frankly, if you’ve been to other night markets in Asia, these will feel underwhelming, but it can still be fun to bargain at the seemingly endless stalls of clothing, sunglasses, souvenirs, toys, and fake bags. More importantly, you can find solid street food in the areas surrounding the markets so use this as an opportunity to try curry fish balls or egg waffles.
Take a Cable Car to the Big Buddha
The largest standing Buddha statue is located on Lantau Island, about an hour MTR ride plus a short, incredibly scenic cable ride from the main parts of Hong Kong. It’s definitely worth taking the all glass cable car to see the Big Buddha, as there’s a shorter wait time and you’ll have 360 views as you ride over the water. Once you get to Lantau, you’ll take the stairs up to the Big Buddha and you can also explore the monastery. From there, you can also take a bus to the other parts of Lantau Island, like the Tai O Fishing Village.
Place a bet at the Horse Races
If you’re in Hong Kong on a Wednesday, you should definitely plan a night at the races for Happy Wednesday which happen at the Happy Valley Racecourse in between Wan Chai and Causeway Bay. A short cab ride or tram ride takes you right into the action, where they’ve created a party around the races complete with beer and food tents, games and prizes, and a live band.
It’s a fun juxtaposition between the hardcore locals holding newspapers, trying to decipher which horses to bet on and eventually waving them in the air as they yell over the results, and all of the drunk expats and tourists who are placing more casual bets and largely just enjoying the party. You can place bets as a tourist by going inside and handing cash and a betting ticket to the counter.
You can also try Pang’s Kitchen nearby for delicious, Michelin-recommended Cantonese food (especially the crispy garlic chicken) before the race. Or if you have some more time, have dinner at my favorite roast goose & char siu restaurant before walking 15-20 minutes to the racetrack.
Take the Central-Mid-Levels Escalator
This one is funny for me to write because I take the escalator to get around multiple times a day, but it IS something very unique to Hong Kong and worth checking out if you’re already in the area. Since the city is built on a mountain, the hills are SERIOUS, so someone figured out that they should build an escalator to help people get up/down from Central. It’s the longest escalator system in the world, with many escalators, moving sidewalks, and overpasses broken up by intersecting streets. It goes downhill from 6AM to 10AM and then changes direction to travel uphill until midnight.
There are some nice views of Central and SoHo as you travel up (the best being from the top of the escalator on Caine Road). There is also a ramp off the escalator near Hollywood Road that takes you to Tai Kwun, a unique historical, cultural, and dining complex that’s been converted from the old police headquarters that is definitely worth a visit. You can also take the escalator to get to the Hatton Road hiking trail that leads to Victoria Peak as mentioned earlier. Just please don’t stand on the left side of the escalator while you’re taking your photos so you can let the people walk up the left side as I do on a daily basis
You can also take the escalator to some of my favorite places to eat in Hong Kong
[…] Stay tuned as I will be pulling together a part 2 of Where to Eat in Hong Kong featuring western food! And check out my list of the Top Things to Do in Hong Kong […]
Such a helpful article tho!