How many days in Hong Kong is enough
How many days in Hong Kong is enough? This space-age peninsula and island archipelago on the South China Sea is compact enough for short stopovers and long weekends, but has enough going on – museums, heritage trails, night markets and more – to fill up a week. For newbies, three days in Hong Kong probably just about hits the sweet spot, giving sightseers enough time to spend a day exploring Hong Kong Island, another for getting to know Kowloon, and a third to mop up any essential missed attractions or even take a trip out to one or more outlying island attractions.
Whether you’re staying in Hong Kong for one day or 100, an attraction pass from Go City is your friend, allowing you to save $$$ on Hong Kong tours, cruises and bucket-list landmarks. The pass is conveniently stored on your mobile device for speedy entry to your chosen attractions. Choose the Explorer Pass for your choice of 3-7 attractions to visit (you’ll have up to 60 days to see them all), or opt for the All-Inclusive Pass which gives you up to seven days to squeeze in as many attractions as you can – a bit like an old-fashioned supermarket trolley dash, but with attractions and activities including the famous Big Bus night tour, the Ngong Ping 360 cable car, Hong Kong Disneyland, and even an authentic Peking duck dinner! Read on for our quick guide to some of the top things to do on a 3-4 day break in Hong Kong…
Take a Whistle Stop Bus Tour
A hop-on hop-off sightseeing tour is hands-down the best way to tick off multiple Hong Kong bucket listers in one fell swoop. We’re talking Hong Kong must-sees like Man Mo Temple, Victoria Park, Causeway Bay and more. Choose the Hong Kong Island red route for your fix of everything from soaring skyscrapers to traditional temples and colorful colonial architecture. Or hop on the Stanley green route for a spin along the lush southern bays of Hong Kong Island. The tour commentary (available in 10 languages, no less) keeps you informed and entertained along the way!
Sky-High City Views
There’s no shortage of sky-high vantage points from which to gaze across Hong Kong (and beyond), but the Sky100 Observation Deck is one of the finest. It’s also the fastest way to reach such dizzy heights in town. Sixty seconds is all it takes for the double-decker elevator to speed you to the top, a casual 1,289 feet above terra firma. Once you’ve gathered sufficient nerve, step onto the amazing indoor observation deck for far-reaching panoramic vistas that take in Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong Island, the Kowloon Peninsula and more. Night-time views that reveal the downtown skyline in all its twinkling glory are also very special indeed.
Kowloon’s Cultural Highlights
Kowloon is where it’s at for some of Hong Kong’s best cultural experiences. Hit up the Hong Kong Museum of History to see the story of the region’s rich past rendered in fossils, colonial documents, ancient Chinese pottery and elaborate dioramas. The awesome Science Museum is just next door and it’s also just a hop and a skip to some of the most eye-catching Asian art in town at the Hong Kong Museum of Art. The permanent exhibitions here, covering sculpture, calligraphy, painting and more, are free to enter. The nearby M+ Museum has you covered for more contemporary visual art, and entry is included with attraction passes from Go City.
Night Markets
No matter how many days you’re spending in Hong Kong, a visit to one of its legendary night markets should be considered essential. Kowlooon’s are (rightly) the most celebrated, a heady, intoxicating mix of street food aromas, technicolor neon signs and stalls hawking everything from cheap knock-off watches and jewelry to teas and herbal remedies. Heck, you can even have your fortune told if you fancy it. Sure, the Temple Street market is a tourist trap, but it's also the liveliest and most eclectic around. Fill your pockets with hard-won trinkets (haggling is all part of the fun here) and mosey over to Woo Sung Street for spicy bowls of wok-fried noodles washed down with an ice-cold Snow beer from China.
Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade
This epic promenade that skirts Kowloon’s waterfront is the place to nab the most Insta-perfect nighttime views of Hong Kong Island’s skyline. Take a stroll as the sun goes down and take in Kowloon landmarks including the busy Star Ferry Terminal, Clock Tower, and Avenue of Stars (a bit like the Hollywood Walk of Fame). Stick around for the nightly Symphony of Lights show at 8PM, which transforms both sides of the harbor into a carnivalesque kaleidoscope of beautiful light and color. Magical.
Ride the Peak Tram
Taking the Peak Tram up the steep ascent from Garden Road to Victoria Peak is one of Hong Kong’s bona fide must-do experiences. With awesome city views and mind blowing optical illusions to take in along the way, it truly puts the ‘fun’ in ‘funicular’. Hop aboard one of the tram’s antique carriages and enjoy the 1.3km ride to the summit, where the futuristic Peak Tower (with inevitable Sky Terrace) awaits. It’s way up here in the clouds that you’ll be rewarded with some of the finest Hong Kong views known to man. To wit: Victoria Harbour, the Central district skyscrapers, the ICC Tower, and beyond to Lamma Island, Lantau Island and Cheung Chau Island.
Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car
From one essential Hong Kong thrill ride to another, the Ngong Ping 360 cable car is perfect for those spending a third or fourth day in the region. Hop aboard at Tung Chung Station for the astonishing 25-minute voyage across Lantau Island and up to the pretty mountain village of Ngong Ping. As if the epic ride isn’t enough, once there you’ll have access to some of the island’s most sought-after attractions. We’re talking the massive Tian Tan Buddha, only one of the biggest sitting Buddha statues on the planet. It can be spotted from miles around on clear days, but here’s your chance to get right up next to it. The colorful Po Lin Monastery, founded by a trio of monks more than a century ago, is another must-see attraction in this most magical of places.
Save on things to do in Hong Kong
Save on admission to Hong Kong attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram for the latest top tips and attraction info.