This itinerary will take you through what to do for three days in Hong Kong. You might ask, is that enough? We were actually there five days in total. However, we flew very far to get there, so one day was essentially a rest day, and our fifth day was a one-night stopover on the way out of Asia, so we took it easy and didn´t make plans for that day. I think four to five days is perfect if you´re traveling from far away, and three days if you´re more local.
For more about the city of Hong Kong, its history, important tips, and recommendations for where to stay in Hong Kong, check out my post, Everything You Need to Know Before a Trip to Hong Kong.
Day 1 in Hong Kong
It took us more than thirty hours to get to Hong Kong, so the evening we got there, we went to dinner and bed. I always recommend staying up as late as you can that first night just to try to beat the jet lag. Another thing I do to beat jet lag is to keep going. If you have plans, and you´re out on the town, you´ll be able to resist napping more than if you´re in your room or sitting by a pool. This is critical to beat the jet lag.
Hike Victoria Peak
For your first day in Hong Kong, I recommend visiting Victoria Peak. This is Hong Kong´s “mountain” with iconic views and the famous tram. I recommend hiking up and taking the tram down. The hike takes approximately 90 minutes and can be done from many routes. I recommend this website which gave incredible step-by-step instructions better than I could ever do without living there! You can take the tram both ways, but the hike will give you even more rewarding views than the tram. You can use your Octopus card to hop on the tram. It´s $88 HKD ($11 USD) one-way or $62 HKD ($8 USD) to just go down.
The top of the Peak features one big mall along with 360 views of the city. At the top of the peak, you can walk around, check out the views of Hong Kong from all sides – which are spectacular. You can even go to restaurants there. When you go down on the tram, try to get a spot at the front for the best views going down!
Take the Star Ferry to Kowloon
After your Victoria Peak hike in the morning, head back down to the city and hop on the Star Ferry. The iconic Star Ferry has been around Hong Kong since 1888 (and privately before) and is still both a tourist attraction and an inexpensive transport option for crossing from Hong Kong Island to Kowloon. These cool, vintage ferries are a part of Hong Kong heritage, and also, way more fun than the metro.
Once again, you can use your Octopus card to hop on the Star Ferry and take in the open-air views of both sides of the harbor. The cost is $5 HKD ($0.64 USD) each way. The ferry still boasts vintage seats that can flip backward and forward depending on which way you want to sit, and the views are unmatched. I recommend going at sunset for some great photos, but it´s an amazing thing to do any time of day.
Once on the other side, you can explore Kowloon! There are many cool neighborhoods in Kowloon, and it feels a bit more like the classic Hong Kong. I recommend the neighborhoods of Mong Kok, Tsim Sha Tsui, and Sham Shui Po. A few sites on the Kowloon side that are worth checking out include the following. There is so much more, these are just a few options!
- Harbour City Mall – think the Champs Elysee of Hong Kong
- K11 Musea Mall – which is more a museum than a mall
- Jade Market in Jordan
- Yaumatei Tin Hau Temple
- Temple Street Night Market
- Coffee Shops between Jordan & Sham Shui Po
- The Penninsula Hotel – for decorations & afternoon tea
Day 2 in Hong Kong
Day two in Hong Kong for us meant a continued exploration of Hong Kong´s incredible hiking. I love that in this city, you can hike in the morning, be back in the afternoon for lunch, and go out on the town at night.
Hike Section II of the MacLehose Trail
This is one of my favorite things to do in Hong Kong because you can wake up early to do this hike and be back in the city in the afternoon. Check out my post on How to Hike Section II of MacLehose Trail (coming soon) for exact details on how to get to and do this beautiful hike in the New Territories. It is not to be missed!
Get Some Dim Sum
Once you get back from your hike, you´re likely hungry. One of the most iconic foods of Hong Kong is Dim Sum. If you don´t know, Dim Sum is essentially Hong Kong´s version of tapas, but with delicious Asian food. Some of the essential chains are Din Tai Fung and Tim Ho Wan (which are actually Taiwanese chains), but you can find dim sum all over the city from simple to very fancy options. Don´t miss out on Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings), fried rice, and really any dumplings. You can´t go wrong.
Check out the shopping in Causeway Bay
After eating your fill of Dim Sum, check out Causeway Bay. There´s a Din Tai Fung in this area. In and around Hysan Place, there are a ton of options for shopping. Hong Kong has every store imaginable, so it´s a fun place to walk around and shop if that´s something you enjoy! We also went to a great coffee shop in Causeway Bay called Project C which I really recommend.
Day 3 in Hong Kong
Explore the Wan Chai & Central Areas
At this point, you´ve probably gone through so many areas of Hong Kong, whether on the metro, walking, or the many other modes of transportation. One great thing to do is explore Hong Kong neighborhood by neighborhood. You won´t have time for everything, but walking in and around Wan Chai and then making your way to Central is a good way to spend a morning. My recommendations along the way include:
- Blue House – one of the few remaining examples of tong lau architecture in Hong Kong, now a cultural heritage site.
- Wan Chai Pak Tai Temple
- Lee Tung Avenue – A shopping center where you can get lunch, shop, and see the decorations. Also known as “Wedding Card Street” as it used to be a culturally historical street that was known for publishing wedding cards.
- Star St. – A tiny street with boutiques and restaurants. Check out the Kapok Sun Street boutique.
- Fuk Wing St. (Toy St.) – A tiny street in Central with vendors selling all kinds of decorations and trinkets depending on the season.
- Mid-Levels Escalators – Of course, you can´t go to Hong Kong without checking out the Mid Levels and their famous escalators!
- Tai Kwun – Formerly the HK Central Police Station, this area has been redeveloped into museums and a boutique shopping center. It´s quite interesting and you can even visit the former jail.
Finish the day in SoHo for dinner. There are so many restaurants to choose from, and I do recommend making reservations since space is limited. Some recommended restaurants in this area include Motorino (pizza), Ho Lee Fuk (high end dim sum), Chom Chom (Vietnemese), Chicano (Mexican), etc. There are truly so many options in Hong Kong, you can´t go wrong!
More Hong Kong Ideas
For more ideas for what to do in Hong Kong, and to book tours, click the link below!
