Hong Kong: Ultimate Travel Guide By A Local Chinese (2025)

City Guides

21 Nov

Written By YenKid

(This guide has been written by the creator of the China online travel guide, YenKid In China. Out of all the cities in China, YenKid knows Hong Kong the best!)

Key Contents: attractions + activities + itinerary + directions + where to stay + what to eat + where to eat

Core Activities: skyscrapers, ferries, trams, cable cars, bridges, islands, mountains, scenic parks, theme parks

Introduction

This is my home city. I also spent many years abroad. Hong Kong is the city I know best, both from a local and outsider perspective.
Hong Kong is perhaps the best city to kickstart your trip in south China before you head into the deeper ends. It is the city that has the highest English proficiency in China.

Hong Kong is best known for

Having one of the most iconic skylines in the world, seen in movies such as Rush Hour, Police Story, the Dark Knight, and numerous Hong Kong movies.
Being the most international city in China where East meets West, with a significant multicultural community. About 8% of the population belong to an ethnic minority.
Some of the most remarkable megabridges in the world - Tsing Ma Bridge, Hong Kong Zhuhai Macau Bridge, Stonecutters Bridge

6 Facts about Hong Kong

75% of the city’s land area is greenery and mountains. It has over 250 islands.
Chinese and English are both official languages. The majority of the population speaks either Cantonese, Mandarin, English or a combination of them. Some of them also speak other dialects like Hakka (me!)
Public transport makes up 90% of journeys. Most people do not own a car. Ferries are also very popular.
Its name literally means “Fragrant Harbour” and is actually pronounced hēung góng.
Tallest city in the world when measured by number of skyscrapers. It has over 500 skyscrapers, compared to 300+ in New York and 200+ in Dubai.
City with the longest life expectancy in the world - 85.7 years in 2025. The diet, active lifestyle, and quality of healthcare are big reasons for this.

What I like particularly about Hong Kong 👍🏻

The fascinating skyline against the dramatic mountain backdrop of Victoria Peak
The MTR network - the most reliable metro in the world.
Swathes of stunning countryside to explore - you can go from crowded streets to jungles, beaches, remote islands, and mountaintops in an hour.

3 Things To See + Photographic Spots Not To Be Missed 📷

Admiring the classic sensational harbour view of the Hong Kong skyline from Tsim Sha Tsui promenade
Seeing a bird’s eye view of the city from the Peak Tram and the panoramic viewing platform on Victoria Peak - remember to pick a clear sunny day to guarantee good visibility of the harbour!
Riding the cable car to Ngong Ping and glancing up at the Tian Tan Buddha, one of the biggest seated Buddhas in the world

3 Things To Do 🚶🏻

Taking the Star Ferry from Tsim Sha Tsui to Central
Riding the double decker tram through the bustling streets of Hong Kong Island
Strolling Mong Kok, one of the densest districts in the world with around 130k people per square kilometre

Time-dependent 🕗

Large-scale fireworks over Victoria Harbour on New Year’s Eve, Chinese New Year (normally first or second day), and National Day (1st October)

Unique Experiences to Consider ⭐

Taking a boat out by Tai O, a fishing village with houses on stilts. See if you’re lucky enough to spot pink dolphins.
Taking a ferry to an outlying island like Lamma Island and spending the day there
Hiking one of Hong Kong’s most scenic trails. Some of the best ones are MacLehose Trail and Lantau Peak
Hopping on a bus ride along the longest sea bridge in the world
Seeing giant pandas, red pandas, and sea mammals at Ocean Park
Going on a public transport tour of MTR, buses, trams, ferries (to see how good it can be!)

Points of Interest / Attractions to Visit 🌆

The Must-Sees

Victoria Harbour - best harbour in the world in my opinion
Peak Tram and Victoria Peak - spectacular panoramic views of the Hong Kong skyline, both of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. Remember to choose a clear day because otherwise you might not see much through the clouds.
Star Ferry - the cross-harbour ferry. Best ferry experience in the world. Incredible value for money. The top routes are Tsim Sha Tsui to Central + Tsim Sha Tsui to Wan Chai.
Avenue of Stars - a line of handprints and statues of famous actors and singers such as Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan
Hong Kong Tramways - a double decker tram network travelling west-east along the northern part of Hong Kong Island. Makes the iconic “ding-ding” sound.
Best way to see community life across multiple districts. It’s incredible value for money. Seen in many Hong Kong movies. Look out for the special open-top sightseeing tram, which offers a unique experience for a higher price.
Tsing Ma Bridge - look out for this bridge! Every visitor will go through this bridge when travelling between the airport and the central districts
Hong Kong Observation Wheel - appeared in the movie Godzilla vs Kong. Costs 20hkd for a ride, an absolute bargain compared to similar attractions.
Central-Mid-Levels Escalators - world’s longest outdoor escalator system, climbing 135m over a distance of 800m.
Nathan Road - the main thoroughfare down the centre of Kowloon, lined with shops, restaurants, and hotels. Walk along this road and the side streets to get a taste of community life.

General Attractions

Hong Kong Palace Museum - an iconic museum with a golden facade, displaying over 900 historic artifacts from the Beijing Palace Museum.
M+ Museum - an inverted T-shaped building with contemporary art by artists from all over the world.
ICC Observation Deck - highest observation deck to view Victoria Harbour from Kowloon. To reopen in H1 2026.
Kai Tak Stadium - a colour-shifting pearl shell stadium, the biggest in Hong Kong to host sporting events and concerts. Built on the site of the historic Kai Tak Airport and opened in 2025.
Ocean Park Cable Car - you have to pay the entrance fee for Ocean Park so only go if you’re interested in experiencing some of the other attractions. But the cable car is definitely one of the highlights. You can catch spectacular views of the surrounding mountains and the Pacific Ocean.
Night Bus Tour - various routes allowing you to experience different parts of the city on an open-top bus. Note some tours only operate a few times a day so remember to look up the timings.

The Landmark Skyscrapers

International Commerce Centre (ICC) - tallest building in Hong Kong at 484m, 13th tallest in the world, and home to the 3rd highest hotel in the world
International Finance Centre (IFC) - 2nd tallest building in the city at 412m
Central Plaza - 3rd tallest building in the city at 374m. A triangular design, located centrally behind the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, and home to the highest church inside a skyscraper
Bank of China Tower - 4th tallest building in the city. The most recognisable skyscraper in the city at 367m with a triangular design and double spires
The Center - 5th tallest skyscraper in the city at 346m, an entirely steel-structured building
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre - the centrepiece of Victoria Harbour with an iconic wing-like roof. It holds major fairs such as the Electronics Fair and Book Fair.
The Monster Building - a group of buildings featured in movies like Transformers: Age of Extinction and Ghost in the Shell. Houses 10k people across 2.2k apartment units

My favourite vantage points 🏙️

Looking across the harbour from Tsim Sha Tsui promenade
Looking west towards IFC from Wan Chai Tamar Park promenade
Looking at Hong Kong Island from West Kowloon promenade
The Peak Tram climbing up to Victoria Peak
The upper floors of The Peak Tower

The Markets 🧺

Temple Street market - lots of street food stalls here offering both local and international cuisine. Comes alive at night.
Electronics market - I recommend Golden Computer Arcade in Sham Shui Po, which has hundreds of shops selling a huge range of consumer electronics and accessories. If you’re looking for good deals, you’ll have the best chance here.
Mong Kok markets
- Ladies market - don’t let the name put you off - suitable for gentlemen too! You can find clothing and souvenirs here.
- Sneakers street - loads of sneaker shops on Fa Yuen Street
- Flower market - florists on Flower Market Road near Prince Edward station.
- Goldfish market - so many goldfish varieties on Tung Choi Street North

The Outdoors (I recommend you do at least one of these to get a more balanced picture of Hong Kong. It’s not all dense concrete jungle!) 🌳

Lamma Island - 3rd largest island in Hong Kong with fishing villages, temples, hiking trails, and beaches. Accessed by ferry.
Cheung Chau - an island between Lantau Island and Hong Kong Island with seafood restaurants, rock carvings, caves, hiking trails, and beaches. Accessed by ferry. Site of the Cheung Chau Bun Festival in April or May.
Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark - two huge areas to explore, Sai Kung Volcanic Rock Region and the Sedimentary Rock Region.
- You can find Po Pin Chau, a stunning columnar rock stack island with breathtaking views, and High Island Reservoir. There are numerous islands and caves to explore here.
- The MacLehose Trail’s eastern section goes through this area. I still have a lot of exploring to do myself.
- If you prefer sailing over hiking, you can hire a ferry at Sai Kung Pier.
Sai Kung Pier - you’ll find seafood restaurants, boat tours, and water sport activities.
Shek O - one of the best beaches in the city. You can take part in water activities.
Clear Water Bay - come here for two great beaches, hiking trails, and outdoor activities like rock climbing.

Coast of Tai Long Wan and Long Ke Wan - there are several outstanding beaches here and the water is pristine. It does take nearly an hour to get here from Tsim Sha Tsui as they’re located along the east coast of Sai Kung district. So many scenic points to visit.

Tai Wai to Tai Mei Tuk cycle route - segregated cycle route along the entire route. There are bike rental shops at both ends where you can rent and drop off your bike.

Kowloon Walled City Park - the site of the infamous Kowloon Walled City, which was demolished in 1993. It was home to 35,000 residents living an area roughly the size of four football fields. See the movie Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In for an idea of the maze-like environment, extreme space density, and criminal underworld. It also inspired location settings for Blade Runner and Ghost in the Shell.
Lion Rock - looks like a crouching lion overlooking Kowloon. It is referenced frequently in Hong Kong popular culture.

The Megabridges 🌉

Tsing Ma Bridge - world’s longest suspension bridge carrying both road and rail traffic in 2025
Stonecutters Bridge - world’s 5th longest cable-stayed bridge in 2025
Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge - world’s longest sea crossing in 2025, with three cable-stayed bridges and an undersea tunnel

The Amusement Parks 🎢

Hong Kong Disneyland - has eight themed lands and a themed railway, the only one of its kind in the world.
Ocean Park - has giant pandas, red pandas, sea mammals, penguins, rollercoasters, water rides, cable car, funicular railway all in one park. I love the scenic views from different areas of the park.

My Suggested Itinerary

General highlights

Day 1 - Avenue of Stars ➡️ Star Ferry across Victoria Harbour ➡️ Peak Tram ➡️ Victoria Peak ➡️ Central Mid-Levels ➡️ Lan Kwai Fong ➡️ Hong Kong Observation Wheel ➡️ Hong Kong Tramways (to Wan Chai) ➡️ Wan Chai ➡️ Causeway Bay
Day 2 - West Kowloon Cultural District ➡️ Palace Museum ➡️ Mong Kok street walk ➡️ Temple Street Night Market ➡️ Tsim Sha Tsui
Day 3 - Ngong Ping 360 ➡️ Ngong Ping village ➡️ Tian Tan Buddha ➡️ Tai O ➡️ Tung Chung

My skyscraper tour (that you can do yourself)

ICC ➡️ IFC ➡️ The Center ➡️ Cheung Kong Centre ➡️ Bank of China Tower ➡️ The Henderson➡️ Central Plaza

(either take the MTR or the ferry from West Kowloon Pier to get from ICC to IFC)

Summary of Attractions 🎟️

Attraction | Ticket Price | Metro Station Exit

Star Ferry | from 4hkd | Tsuen Wan Line/Tuen Ma Line, Tsim Sha Tsui, Exit L6
Peak Tram | from ~108hkd round trip | Island Line/Tsuen Wan Line, Central, Exit J2
Victoria Peak | free to access lower levels | take the Peak Tram
Hong Kong Observation Wheel | 20hkd | Island Line/Tsuen Wan Line, Central, Exit A
Hong Kong Tramways | ~3.3hkd | major roads in the northern districts of Hong Kong Island
Avenue of Stars | free | Tsuen Wan Line/Tuen Ma Line, Tsim Sha Tsui, Exit E/J
Hong Kong Palace Museum | from 70hkd | Tung Chung Line OR Tuen Ma Line, Kowloon - exit E4/E5 OR Austin - exit D2
M+ Museum | from 190hkd | Tung Chung Line OR Tuen Ma Line, Kowloon - exit E4/E5 OR Austin - exit D2
International Commerce Centre (ICC) 100th floor observation deck | reopens in H1 2026 | Tung Chung Line OR Tuen Ma Line, Kowloon OR Austin, exit C1/D1
Ngong Ping 360 | from 295hkd round trip | Tung Chung Line, Tung Chung, Exit B
Tian Tan Buddha | free | Ngong Ping 360 or bus 23 from Tung Chung station
Wong Tai Sin Temple | free to enter | Kwun Tong Line, Exit B2
Ocean Park | see park website | South Island Line, Ocean Park, any exit
Hong Kong Disneyland | see park website | Disneyland Resort Line, Disneyland Resort, any exit

(Information last checked in Oct 2025)

Recommended Days in Hong Kong 📅

3-5 days depending on how much you want to venture into the islands or countryside. Additional days for Hong Kong Disneyland, Ocean Park, and mountain hikes

Best Time to Visit ☀️

November to April for the most comfortable temperatures. Can get a little cold in the winter months.
Personally I recommend winter for the cooler temperatures and sunny days. Freezing temperatures are rare but it is colder on the mountains.
Extremely hot and humid during the summer. 30-35C in the daytime, 25-30C at night, 90%+ humidity is common.
If you are interested in water activities or beaches, the summer months are still feasible, but you should take all heatstroke precautions.
See my Weather Dashboard for temperature ranges by month.

How to Get There ✈️

By air:

Land at Hong Kong International Airport

By land:

Take the high speed train to Hong Kong West Kowloon station (香港西九龙）
OR
Cross a border checkpoint at Shenzhen. The most convenient ones are Futian or Luohu due to the metro connections.
OR
Take a cross-border ferry in Guangzhou or Macau
OR
Take a bus from Zhuhai or Macau via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge

How to Get Around 🚇

The best all-round public transport network in the world. 90% of journeys are by public transport.
The MTR is the best metro network in the world in terms of frequency and reliability. Delays are almost non-existent. Coming from me, a transport engineer.
Buses are also exceptional. Probably the most efficient bus network in the world. Easy to navigate.
Use ferries to get across the harbour in the cheapest and most scenic way.
Use Hong Kong Tramways to travel along the northern coast of Hong Kong Island. Slower than the MTR but cheaper.
Top Tip: Get an Octopus card + top it up. Get your deposit refunded at your nearest station on the day you leave.
Almost all businesses take Octopus cards as a payment method (with a few exceptions like some independent restaurants). Today, it is still more widely accepted than credit cards as it charges the businesses a lower commission fee. For large purchases (e.g. over 1000hkd, still use a credit card or cash).
City taxis, DiDi, and Uber are available in the city.

Where Should You Stay 🛏️

Personally, I’ve stayed in 10 hotels in different areas of Hong Kong. Here’s my advice:
- Kowloon West, particularly Tsim Sha Tsui and Mong Kok, if you want the most centralised location with quick access to most of Hong Kong’s attractions
- Hong Kong Island if you want a less busy atmosphere with plenty of international cuisine. I personally like Wan Chai and Causeway Bay. #
- New Territories if you want quick access to the deep countryside. I recommend the Sha Tin area.
- Lantau Island if you want quick access to the airport. But it’s around 30 minutes from the central districts. Disneyland has its own hotels.
I recommend staying close to a MTR line for convenient access. Check out my article Things To Consider When Booking a Hotel in China

As for specific hotels, I recommend Royal Plaza in Mong Kok and Novotel Century Hong Kong. I recommend you compare prices on both Trip and Booking. Trip is the top hotel booking platform in China. Check out my article How to Get The Best Deal For Hotels in China.

What Should You Eat 🥢

Most famously, it’s known for Cantonese food. In fact, a lot of the Cantonese food you’ve eaten in your home country is cooked by chefs from Hong Kong or neighbouring Guangdong. My dad was one of them!
Hong Kong has a very diverse food scene, since it has a major international community. Especially outstanding for Asian cuisine. Hundreds, maybe thousands of restaurants. I have Thai, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, Italian food all the time.
Major specialties in Hong Kong are:
- Dim sum | dím sām | 點心
- Roasted meats | sīu méi | 燒味
- Pineapple bun | bō lòh bāau | 菠蘿包
- Egg waffle | gāi daahn jái | 雞蛋仔
- Beef chow fun | gōn cháau ngàuh hó | 乾炒牛河
- Won ton noodles | wàhn tān mihn | 雲吞麵
Most waiting staff will be able to understand some English. So you don’t need to worry too much about translating, maybe on occasion.
Check out my article 80 Cantonese Dishes You Should Try In Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong for a full list.

Where Should I Eat 🧑🏻‍🍳

Tim Ho Wan and Tai Hing for authentic Cantonese dishes
Check out Red Tea for a budget friendly cha chaan teng. For more cha chan teng, download the OpenRice app and look up the local ones in your area.
Cafe de Coral is a budget friendly fast food chain for simpler local meals.
Tong kee bao dim - a fast food takeout chain offering steamed buns and dim sum. No indoor dining to my knowledge.
Food courts in malls e.g. Langham Place, Moko, BaseHall, Eaton
If you want to be spontaneous and have a variety to choose from, Tsim Sha Tsui and Mong Kok are the best districts in my opinion.
Don’t forget to check out the bakeries - there are lots of great independent ones.
For food delivery, use either Keeta or FoodPanda.
You can use the OpenRice app to check out the food and reviews.

If you’re staying in another district, just search for your nearest mall or streetside restaurants.

Things To Consider Buying 🛍️

Buy small consumer electronics and accessories. Some of the cheapest prices in the world due to zero VAT. Do beware that some things like laptops can be more expensive though.

Best Places to Relax ☺️

City Parks: West Kowloon Cultural Park (my personal favourite place to chill), Tamar Park, Kowloon Park, Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens, Kowloon Walled City Park
Promenades: Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade, West Kowloon Promenade, Central Promenade
Malls: Times Square, IFC Mall, K11 Musea, Langham Place, Moko, Harbour City, New Town Plaza, Golden Computer Arcade, Citygate Outlets

Some Extras

Hikes: MacLehose Trail, Lantau Trail, Kowloon Trail
Country Parks: Lantau South, Sai Kung East, Shek O, Lion Rock, Pat Sin Leng (my bias since my family village is here)
Beaches: Shek O, Clear Water Bay, Repulse Bay
Core shopping districts: Mong Kok, Tsim Sha Tsui, Causeway Bay, Wan Chai, Central