What to See in Hong Kong: Top Attractions & Travel Tips

Getting Your Bearings in Hong Kong: The Neighborhoods

Before we dive into the individual sights and highlights, let’s take a quick look at the map. That’s definitely helpful for getting your first sense of orientation in this massive metropolis.

Hong Kong is divided into three major districts: Kowloon in the north and Hong Kong Island in the south are the most important neighborhoods where you’ll spend most of your time as a traveler. They’re connected by ferries, several bridges, and the metro.

The third Hong Kong district is called New Territories and encompasses the land area north of Kowloon as well as most of Hong Kong’s islands. This includes, for example, Lantau Island in the southwest of Hong Kong, which is also home to some interesting attractions.

Highlights on Hong Kong Island

Hong Kong Island has the most to see in all of Hong Kong, so let’s start right there.

Victoria Peak

Victoria Peak is easily one of the top things to see in Hong Kong — hardly any visitor wants to miss the stunning view of the skyline from this 1,811-foot hill on Hong Kong Island.

As beautiful as the view is, the Peak is unfortunately just as crowded. The most relaxed time to visit is early in the morning; around sunset it’s at its busiest.

That said, the view is also at its most impressive then, since you can capture photos in the soft evening light and, a little later, photos of the illuminated skyline.

At Victoria Peak there’s an observation deck you can visit for 50 HKD (about $6.50). The view up there is seriously excellent, but it’s also absolutely packed. Everyone wants their selfie here.

If you walk a bit to the right in front of the building, you’ll find similarly great vantage points that cost nothing and are far less crowded.

Getting to Victoria Peak

Many visitors ride the Peak Tram, which opened in 1888, to the summit. Wait times for the famous funicular are often an hour or more, which is why we wouldn’t recommend it.

It’s not that spectacular, really — many European cities, such as Lisbon or Budapest, have similar trams.

You can pay for the Peak Tram ride with the Octopus Card, which we strongly recommend. That way you can get straight in line to board and don’t have to queue at the ticket counter beforehand.

The round-trip fare is 45 HKD (about $5.50) or one-way 32 HKD (about $4). You’ll find all the info about the Octopus Card further down in the section on public transportation.

By far the fastest option is a taxi for the equivalent of about $6–7 to the summit, or bus lines 15 and 15B for around $1 (not 15C — that one only goes to the lower Peak Tram station!).

On the way back down, there’s a line again too. We therefore recommend walking down the well-signposted Old Peak Road. The walk takes about 20 minutes and offers one or two more lovely views along the way.

Central Mid-Levels Escalator

The Central Mid-Levels Escalator is a system of numerous escalators that covers 135 vertical meters over 800 meters in length, connecting the Central and Mid-Levels neighborhoods.

It’s considered the longest outdoor covered escalator system in the world. Between 6:00 and 10:00 AM the escalator runs downward, and after a changeover period of about 20 minutes it runs upward from 10:20 AM until midnight.

The complete ride takes about 20 minutes, but it’s worth hopping off along the way to explore the surrounding streets.

Soho: The Trendy Neighborhood on Hong Kong Island

The Soho neighborhood stretches around the Central Mid-Levels Escalator and we absolutely loved it. We could easily spend hours wandering its streets.

There are great designer shops, flea market finds and antiques, fantastic restaurants, and impressive street art around every corner. In the evenings, the neighborhood turns into a lively nightlife strip. It’s definitely not cheap here, but it’s very international and trendy.

If you love browsing antique shops, be sure to check out Hollywood Street and Cat Street.

Good to know: Why is it called Cat Street? In the 1920s a secondhand market sprang up there, where stolen goods were also sold over time. The stolen goods were called “rat goods” and the people who sold them were called cats. That’s how the street got its name! Pretty interesting, right?

Man Mo Temple

The Man Mo Temple is the oldest and, for us, the most beautiful temple in Hong Kong. Built in 1847, it’s a genuine oasis of calm amid all the high-rises.

Unfortunately the air isn’t the best, since hundreds of incense coils are burned inside the temple. It doesn’t smell great, but it looks absolutely incredible.

The Man Mo Temple is open daily from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

Highlights in Kowloon

Kowloon is often described as the old Hong Kong, and indeed there are some areas here where time seems to have almost stood still, while just a few streets away glittering shopping malls beckon shoppers.

Symphony of Lights

The Symphony of Lights takes place every evening at exactly 8:00 PM. The buildings of the Hong Kong Island skyline are animated with a light show, all set to music.

From the opposite side in Kowloon you can watch the spectacle and listen to the music. The most popular spot is the harborfront promenade in Tsim Sha Tsui. If you’re watching from a different location, you can also tune into the accompanying music on FM 103.4 or by calling 35-665-665.

That said, don’t expect too much from the light show. Many visitors arrive with sky-high expectations and are disappointed that it’s not quite as spectacular as they imagined. The nighttime skyline is definitely a great photo subject, though — with or without the show.

Ferry Ride Between Kowloon and Hong Kong Island

A ferry ride between Hong Kong’s two most famous districts is an absolute must. The cheapest option is the ferry, which costs the equivalent of just about 30 cents. Ferries run regularly in both directions and the crossing takes about 10 minutes.

Avenue of Stars

Hong Kong is the Hollywood of Asia, and just like in Los Angeles, there’s a Walk of Fame here too. It’s called the Avenue of Stars and is dedicated to Asia’s film stars. You can see stars, handprints, and in some cases statues of legends like Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan.

Kowloon Park

Kowloon Park is a huge green space in the middle of Kowloon’s high-rises and a really pleasant spot to catch your breath.

Hong Kong is surprisingly green overall. We kept discovering small parks and green areas that we never would have expected to find there.

Markets in Kowloon

Kowloon is especially a paradise for shopping enthusiasts. While the major fashion chains line Nathan Road, the real market life takes place in Kowloon’s smaller streets.

Entire blocks have specialized in particular goods. The so-called Ladies Market focuses mainly on clothing and cosmetics, the Flower Market offers flowers, the Sneakers Market sells shoes, and the Temple Street Night Market is all about souvenirs for tourists.

Overview of the various markets and shopping streets:

• Ladies Market – Tung Choi Street – clothing, cosmetics, accessories.
• Temple Street Night Market – Temple Street – souvenirs and all kinds of cheap goods from China.
• Goldfish Market – Tung Choi Street North – fish and other animals.
• Flower Market – Flower Market Road – flowers.
• Jade Market – Kansu Street / Battery Street – jewelry and lucky charms made of jade.
• Sneakers Street – Fa Yuen Street – shoes.
• Electronics Street – Apliu Street – electronic devices of all kinds.

Highlights on Lantau Island

Lantau Island is the largest of Hong Kong’s islands and is home to several major attractions. Hong Kong’s international airport is also located on a small offshore island in front of Lantau that has been artificially expanded.

Big Buddha

The Tian Tan Buddha — often simply called the Big Buddha — is the most important attraction on Lantau and one of the standout highlights of any Hong Kong sightseeing trip.

The 112-foot bronze statue is one of the largest of its kind. It sits on a small hill that can be climbed via a total of 286 steps.

At the foot of the hill is the equally impressive Po Lin Monastery.

Admission to the Buddha and the monastery is free. You only need to pay if you want to see the exhibition inside the statue.

The Buddha can be visited daily from 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM.

Getting to the Big Buddha

You should plan plenty of time for the excursion to the Buddha, as the journey is relatively long. First you need to get to Lantau Island, which you can reach by metro (Tung Chung station) or various bus lines.

From there you have the option of either taking the cable car or the much cheaper bus. From Tung Chung MTR station, bus line 23 takes about 45 minutes up to the Buddha.

You’ll find detailed information about the cable car in the section after next, as it’s an attraction in its own right.

Wisdom Path

We really loved the Wisdom Path. Located only about 15 minutes on foot from the Big Buddha, far fewer visitors make their way there.

Along the path stand 38 large wooden steles carved with Chinese characters, representing one of the most important prayers in Buddhism and Confucianism.

We walked the entire path but aren’t entirely sure whether we found wisdom along the way.

360 Grad Cable Car

Probably the most beautiful way to reach the Big Buddha is the Ngong Ping cable car. In just under 20 minutes, the cable car whisks you up high with stunning views of the landscape and Hong Kong’s airport.

Since the Ngong Ping cable car is one of the absolute top tourist highlights in Hong Kong, it gets very crowded here as well.

Our tip: Buy tickets in advance on the Ngong Ping website. You’ll save 10% off the ticket price and can skip the queue at the ticket counter.

You’ll still have to wait in line to board the cable car — we stood there for a good half hour.

You have the choice between standard cabins and so-called Crystal Cabins, which have a glass floor. We definitely recommend the Crystal Cabins, as they make the ride truly special. Even if you’re afraid of heights, it’s actually quite manageable.

In our opinion the cable car isn’t an absolute must, but it’s a really enjoyable experience. If you just want to see the Buddha, taking the bus is of course much cheaper and probably faster too.

Hong Kong Disneyland

We didn’t visit Disneyland ourselves, but of course it can’t be left out of an article about things to do in Hong Kong.

The park is the smallest of the five Disneylands worldwide, but still welcomes almost 8 million visitors per year.

Our tip: The best way to buy tickets is online in advance: Hong Kong Disneyland Tickets. It saves you from waiting in line at the ticket counter and is also cheaper.

Highlights in the New Territories

The New Territories north of Kowloon have very few points of interest. This area is mainly residential. However, there is still one standout highlight to be found there.

10,000 Buddhas Monastery

The 10,000 Buddhas Monastery is certainly one of the most extraordinary attractions in Hong Kong — and honestly one of the most memorable.

You climb many, many steps lined with highly unconventional Buddha statues. Every single figure is different. Some have wonderfully funny facial expressions and poses.

At the top there are various temple halls containing thousands of small Buddha figurines. Photography inside the buildings is unfortunately prohibited, which is why we can only show you photos of the statues along the stairway.

The temple is open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM and admission is free.

Hiking in Hong Kong

Honestly, we didn’t associate Hong Kong with hiking, but we were pleasantly proven wrong. Hong Kong is very hilly, which is why buildings in the few flat areas are constructed very densely and tall.

All around those areas, however, there are many green and undeveloped spaces with some great hiking trails. If you’re only there for a few days, hiking isn’t strictly necessary — but for a second or third visit, it makes for a wonderful change of pace.

Dragon's Back: A Hike Along the Dragon's Back Ridge

We went on a hike along the Dragon’s Back. The trail is one of the most popular in Hong Kong and offers some seriously great views.

If you’ve had enough of the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong’s streets, a hike over the Dragon’s Back is exactly the right remedy.

It’s amazing how quickly you can escape the city and suddenly find yourself in nature. The climb isn’t particularly challenging either.

It takes about 30 minutes to reach the top, and then about one and a half hours to walk along the trail at elevation.

Once you’re up there, you’re rewarded with excellent panoramas. On one side, the high-rises of the nearby city peek out between the green hills.

The other side offers stunning views of the sea and the surrounding fishing villages.

Getting to Dragon’s Back

Take the metro to Shau Kei Wan first. From there, continue by shared taxi. The shared taxis can be a bit tricky to find — your best bet is to ask around on-site.

Alternatively, you can take bus No. 9 toward Shek O and get off at the To Tei Wan, Shek O Road stop. The trail itself is well signposted, so you really can’t get lost.

We visited Dragon’s Back as part of a guided hike. Our hiking-enthusiast guide has lived in Hong Kong for many years and was able to tell us a lot about life in the city during the tour.

We can highly recommend this tour. You can book the Dragon’s Back hike here: Dragon’s Back Hike.

More Hiking Trails in Hong Kong

Dragon’s Back is certainly the most popular hiking trail in Hong Kong, but there are of course many more.

An exciting route runs along the MacLehose Trail. The trail is approximately 100 kilometers long and winds through the New Territories.

It offers numerous options for day hikes well away from the tourist crowds.

Sarah gives you a glimpse of the landscape on her blog Rapunzel will raus: Hiking in Hong Kong: The MacLehose Trail.

A great day trip also leads to Lamma Island in the south of Hong Kong.

The small island is perfect for a leisurely stroll away from the big city and is also known for its excellent seafood restaurants.

Shaoshi shows you what there is to discover on Lamma Island on her blog: Lamma Island – Hong Kong’s Little Paradise Island.

Tours and City Tours of Hong Kong

Hong Kong is easy to explore on your own. At first the city may feel a little overwhelming, but after a short time we found our bearings very quickly.

That said, Hong Kong is one of those cities where it’s especially worthwhile to look a little deeper behind the scenes. That’s why we can highly recommend taking a guided tour.

There are many exciting tours available — from classic city tours to very specialized themed experiences — and we’d like to introduce you to a selection here.

Classic City Tours of Hong Kong

Private Tour of Hong Kong: On this tour you have an English-speaking guide all to yourself for a full day. We love these private tours the most, because you can shape the focus of the tour and discover the city much more intensively than on a group tour.

Book the Private Tour of Hong Kong

Specialty City Tours of Hong Kong

Private Kowloon Markets Tour: On this private, English-language tour you’ll explore some of the most exciting markets in Kowloon. You’ll get plenty of insider information and a great behind-the-scenes look at local life.

Book the Private Kowloon Markets Tour
Culinary Tours of Hong Kong: Hong Kong is a paradise for foodies. On a food tour you’ll discover the local cuisine and sample various specialties at multiple restaurants.

Our tip: We did the Sham Shui Po Foodie Tour and tried some really delicious things there. We can’t recommend it highly enough — not only do you learn about the culinary culture, but also a great deal about everyday life in Hong Kong. Another very popular option is the Street Food Tour with a Local, which combines culinary experiences with culture.

Book the Sham Shui Po Foodie Tour

Book the Street Food Tour with a Local

Our Best Hotel Recommendations for Hong Kong

If it’s your first time in Hong Kong and you want to do a lot of sightseeing, we recommend staying on Hong Kong Island.

The area is also great if you’re just making a brief stopover in Hong Kong before continuing on to another Asian country.

Our absolute reader favorite among Hong Kong hotels is The Stellar. It’s located on Hong Kong Island in North Point, a neighborhood that isn’t touristy — but it offers the best value for money.

More centrally located, and also very popular, is The Harbourview. It’s also on Hong Kong Island, but in the Central district. Here you’ll find many attractions as well as the hip Soho neighborhood with its many bars, restaurants, and small shops.

A genuine heartfelt recommendation is the Kerry Hotel. A very stylish hotel in the non-touristy Hung Hom district of Kowloon. This is one of the places we stayed. Spoiler: it’s one of the best hotels we’ve ever been to.

In a separate article we’ll tell you which other neighborhoods in Hong Kong are also great for your stay. For each neighborhood we give you great hotel recommendations — including more options for Hong Kong Island.

Our Best Travel Tips for Hong Kong

Getting from Hong Kong Airport to the City Center

Hong Kong’s airport is located in the southwest on an offshore island of Lantau Island. There are several options for getting from Hong Kong Airport into the city.

The fastest option is the Airport Express. The train runs every ten to twelve minutes and gets you to Hong Kong Station on Hong Kong Island in 34 minutes, or to Kowloon Station in 29 minutes. The fare is 115 HKD (about $14.50) to Hong Kong Station or 105 HKD to Kowloon Station.

Depending on where your accommodation is located, it may be cheaper to take a bus from the airport into the city. There are nearly 40 lines operating from the airport in total.

They’re cheaper than the Airport Express and may also be the best option time-wise, since you can potentially get directly to your hotel without transferring. You can find an overview of all lines here. Your hotel will usually let you know which bus is the right one for you.

Taxis also wait in front of the terminal for arriving travelers. The red taxis take you to Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. A ride to Kowloon costs about 250 to 300 HKD (roughly $35), and to Hong Kong Island it’s 350 to 400 HKD (roughly $45).

The most comfortable option is a private transfer. A driver waits for you with a sign at the airport and takes you directly to your hotel. This luxury costs approximately $80 and can be booked online here.

Public Transportation in Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s public transportation network is very well developed. There isn’t a corner of the city that at least some bus doesn’t reach.

Buses are the most common form of transportation in Hong Kong. The large double-decker buses modeled after London’s are ubiquitous throughout the city.

There are also minibuses that serve less heavily traveled routes. A real eye-catcher, of course, are the double-decker streetcars that trundle through the streets of Hong Kong Island.

Things get a bit more modern underground. A total of seven subway lines connect the most important locations in Hong Kong. The subway is called the MTR in Hong Kong.

This is what the double-decker trams in Hong Kong look like!

Octopus Card

Buses and trains in Hong Kong are extremely affordable. You pay for rides with the Octopus Card, a rechargeable prepaid card that you simply tap against the card reader before and/or after boarding.

In principle, you can also buy a single ticket for each ride or pay exact change on the tram or bus. But that’s significantly more cumbersome.

You can get the Octopus Card right at the airport as well as at all MTR Service Points. The card costs 150 HKD, of which 100 HKD is credit and 50 HKD is a deposit.

You can top up the Octopus Card at machines in all MTR stations. It’s worth loading a bit more at once so you don’t have to go back to the machine as often. Any remaining balance and the deposit are refunded when you return the card at the end of your trip.

The Octopus Card can also be used for payment at many small supermarkets, at vending machines, and at some attractions (such as the observation deck on Victoria Peak).

Costs & Prices for Public Transportation in Hong Kong

Buses have fixed fares that are posted at each stop. Most rides cost the equivalent of between $0.60 and $1.20.

Our most expensive ride cost just under $2.50 and took us all the way to Lantau Island in just under 40 minutes. On buses you pay when boarding by tapping your Octopus Card against the reader at the front near the driver.

Even cheaper are the streetcars. A ride costs a flat fare of just 2.30 HKD (about $0.30), no matter how far you travel. On streetcars you board at the back and exit at the front, tapping your Octopus Card only when you get off.

On the MTR, the Octopus Card must be tapped at the turnstiles both when entering and when exiting the station. Depending on how far you traveled, a different amount is deducted from your card when you exit. Most rides cost us about $1.20. It only gets more expensive for very long routes.

Ferry rides are also very affordable and rarely cost more than about 60 cents. At some ferry terminals you pay before boarding, at others afterward — there doesn’t seem to be a consistent rule.

Taking Taxis in Hong Kong

Taking a taxi in Hong Kong is also very affordable and sometimes even faster than public transportation, especially when you’d otherwise have to transfer several times.

The starting fare in taxis is 24 HKD (about $3) and covers the first two kilometers.

Each additional kilometer costs 8.50 HKD (just under $1.10), and once the fare reaches 83.50 HKD it drops to just 6 HKD per kilometer. Fares are calculated in increments of 200 meters.

Luggage transported in the trunk costs 6 HKD ($0.75) per piece. Overall, we can highly recommend taking taxis in Hong Kong.

Hotels in Hong Kong

The most popular neighborhoods for accommodations are Central on Hong Kong Island and Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon. Hotel prices in Hong Kong are generally very high.

We’ve written a detailed article about which neighborhood is best for your stay and which hotels we recommend.

Our Hong Kong Hotel Tips article

With this article we’ve given you an overview of what to see in Hong Kong and the city’s most popular attractions.

If you want to dive even deeper into the city and are also looking for sights off the beaten path, check out our article 10 Real Insider Tips for Hong Kong.