The Hong Kong Ngong Ping 360 cable car

How many days in Hong Kong is enough

Explore the top attractions of Hong Kong with our handy guide!

Plenty to do, so little time! Here are our recommendations for 3-4 days’ worth of sightseeing in Hong Kong.

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.

Ride the the Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car

The Big Buddha at Ngong Ping on Lantau Island, Hong Kong
The Big Buddha at Ngong Ping on Lantau Island

Ride the the Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car

The Ngong Ping 360 cable car is perhaps the quintessential Hong Kong attraction for those spending 3-4 days 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 tratitional Tai O fishing village and colorful Po Lin Monastery, founded by a trio of monks more than a century ago, are some of the other must-see highlights in this most magical of places.

Peking duck at a street-food stall in Hong Kong
Peking duck at a street-food stall in Hong Kong

Whether you’re staying for one day or 100, a Hong Kong 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 more of our favorite things to do on a 3-4 day break in Hong Kong…

Take a Whistle Stop Bus Tour

Woman sightseeing in Hong Kong
Woman sightseeing 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 bucket list Hong Kong attractions 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

View from the Sky100 observation deck in Hong Kong
View from the Sky100 observation deck in Hong Kong

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

M+ Museum in Hong Kong
M+ Museum

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 the Go City Hong Kong pass.

Night Markets

Kowloon Night Market in Hong Kong
Kowloon Night Market

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

Couple taking a selfie on Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade in Hong Kong
Couple taking a selfie on Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade

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 catch 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

Hong Kong's Peak Tram
The Peak Tram in Hong Kong

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.

So why not grab a Hong Kong pass and save while you sightsee!

Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
Freelance travel writer

Stu caught the travel bug at an early age, thanks to childhood road trips to the south of France squeezed into the back of a Ford Cortina with two brothers and a Sony Walkman. Now a freelance writer living on the Norfolk coast, Stu has produced content for travel giants including Frommer’s, British Airways, Expedia, Mr & Mrs Smith, and now Go City. His most memorable travel experiences include drinking kava with the locals in Fiji and pranging a taxi driver’s car in the Honduran capital.

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Day Trips from Hong Kong
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Day Trips from Hong Kong

If you're planning a vacation to Hong Kong, you're in luck. With its unusual mix of east-meets-west culture, it's one of the most exciting and unique cities on the planet. However, there's a whole world out there to explore, so if you're in the area, you might be wondering about day trips from the city. In this guide, we'll try to answer all your burning questions, as well as give you our recommendations for the best day trips from Hong Kong! Including: How many days is ideal for Hong Kong? Is 7 days in Hong Kong too much? Can you do a day trip to Macau from Hong Kong? A roundup of the best day trips from Hong Kong How many days is ideal for Hong Kong? There is plenty to see and do in Hong Kong, and if you combine that with a day trip out of the city, we recommend you set aside anywhere between 4-7 days on your vacation. Is 7 days in Hong Kong too much? Seven days is arguably on the higher end of the scale, but you'll certainly have enough fun experiences to pack into those seven days! You could even pick a couple of day trips from our list below and make the most of your trip abroad! Can you do a day trip to Macau from Hong Kong? You can easily pack a day trip to Macau into your Hong Kong vacation plans. More on that down below. However, Macau is one of the most popular day trips from Hong Kong, so we recommend booking your journey in advance to make sure you don't miss out! And that's everything you need to know about the best day trips from Hong Kong! If you're spending a few days in the city and want to know what unmissable experiences Hong Kong has to offer, check out Go City! With our All-Inclusive Pass and Explorer Pass, you can see all of the city's best bits for one low price! So grab a Hong Kong attraction pass and go see the sights!
Dom Bewley
Hong Kong in August
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Hong Kong in August

If you're thinking of visiting Hong Kong in July, check out our comprehensive guide so you know what events you can attend, the best attractions you can't afford to miss, as well as what to pack and what to expect weather-wise. Including: What is the wettest month in Hong Kong? Can I drink the water in Hong Kong? How many days in Hong Kong is enough? Hong Kong in August: Weather Hong Kong in August: What to pack August Events in Hong Kong The Best August Attractions in Hong Kong What is the wettest month in Hong Kong? With an average of 80% of Hong Kong's rain falling between May and September, there's already a 1 in 5 chance that August is the wettest month of the year. That chance further increases when you take into account Hong Kong's tropical summers. And, yes, that chance further increases to 100% when you find out that, typically, August is the wettest month in Hong Kong. Could we have just come out and said that? Yes. Why didn't we? Where's the fun in that? Can I drink the water in Hong Kong? While we wouldn't recommend you start guzzling down the downpour you may experience on your August vacation, the good news is that drinking water in Hong Kong is one of the safest in the world. So feel free to drink from the tap like a child, or at the very least, fill up your glass or water bottle. How many days in Hong Kong is enough? While it's possible to speedrun a Hong Kong visit in a couple of days, you should dedicate at least three days to ensure you can see all the city's best bits. If you plan on making a trip outside of the city, to Macau, mainland China, or one of Hong Kong's many islands, up that number by a day for each place on your itinerary.   And that's everything you need to know about visiting Hong Kong in August. If any of the above suggestions don't take you fancy, never fear; Go City's got you covered! With our All-Inclusive Pass and Explorer Pass, you can see all of Hong Kong's best bits for one low price! Grab a Hong Kong pass and see it all this summer!
Dom Bewley

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