In this article, you will find some of the best things to do and see in Hong Kong, including the best hiking trails and beaches.
Hong Kong: some love it, some hate it, but it rarely leaves anyone indifferent. This is a city where millions live in tiny apartments, overshadowed by ultra-modern skyscrapers, squeezed into pockets of land reclaimed from the tropical forest.
It’s one of the most fascinating cities in the world, with a unique mix of tradition and modernity. With its breathtaking bay views and buzzing nightlife, Hong Kong has something to offer everyone.
Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China (here is my China travel guide), right in front of Shenzhen. Every corner of Hong Kong offers some interesting views, especially if it’s your first time in Asia. From ancient temples and giant Buddha statues to massive shopping malls, surf beaches, endless hiking trails, and remote fishing villages, getting bored simply isn’t an option in this city.
Best Time to Visit Hong Kong
The best time to visit Hong Kong is from October to December, when the weather is at its most pleasant: temperatures are mild, humidity is low, and the skies are often clear. This period avoids both the summer heat and the typhoon season, which usually hits between June and September. Spring, from March to April, is also a good option, with cool days and blooming flowers in the city’s parks. If you’re looking for a more cultural experience, January or February offer the chance to witness Chinese New Year celebrations, but keep in mind that the city gets very crowded and prices tend to rise during this time.
What to do and see in Hong Kong
Star Ferry
Star Ferry is the most famous and best way to enjoy the view of the Victoria Harbour skyline. Since 1888, it has carried passengers from Hong Kong Island to Kowloon and back. It connects the Tsim Sha Tsui Ferry Pier on the Kowloon Peninsula, the Central Star Ferry Pier, and the Wan Chai Star Ferry Pier on Hong Kong Island. The price of the ticket is only about US$0.25!
Ding Ding (Ride the Tram)
Ding-Ding (叮叮) is a narrow-gauge heritage tram system on Hong Kong Island between Kennedy Town and Shau Kei Wan, with a branch circulating through Happy Valley. It opened in 1904 when Hong Kong was under British rule, and it’s one of the public transport systems in the city.
Temple Street Night Market
Temple Street is one of the most famous night markets in Hong Kong. You’ll find pretty much everything from jade to fortune-tellers and antiques to street food (just like in Taiwan). This market is named after the Tin Hau temple. Get there after sunset.
Hong Kong Disneyland
Opened in 2005, Hong Kong Disneyland is a huge theme park located on reclaimed land in Penny’s Bay, Lantau Island. Between 6 to 7 million people visit the park annually. The cheapest ticket starts at about 80 USD, but you can save money if you buy it online.
Hong Kong Ocean Park
Ocean Park is the second-largest theme park in Hong Kong. It is an amusement park, a marine mammal park, and an oceanarium that aims to educate people about endangered marine species conservation. The ticket price is about 65 USD.
Peak Tram
Peak Tram is the most convenient way to get to Victoria Peak, where you’ll have the best view of Hong Kong. With its 552m, the peak is the highest on Hong Kong Island. The tram runs from 7 am until midnight.
Wong Tai Sin Temple
Wong Tai Sin Temple is one of the most interesting and newest temples in Hong Kong. It’s located in Kowloon and is made up of several buildings. The original temple was built in 1920 and was later replaced with a new building in 1968.
Meet the Big Buddha
This is the world’s largest outdoor seated Buddha. To reach the statue, you’ll have to climb 268 steps. It was built in 1993. The Ngong Ping 360 Skyrail will give you stunning views of Lantau Island’s natural beauty and some great Big Buddha views.
10.000 Buddhas Monastery
Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery is the most colourful and attractive Buddhist temple in Hong Kong. Interestingly, no monks reside at the complex, and is managed solely by laypersons. The monastery contains nearly 13,000 Buddha statues. The Monastery was founded in 1951 by the Venerable Yuet Kai.
The statues are modelled after those at a temple in Kunming (Yunnan’s capital), the hometown of the founder Yuet Kai. The monastery is located on a hillside in Pai Tau Village.
Tai O Stilt Houses
Tai O is one of the few small fishing villages in Hong Kong where you can find the traditional bamboo houses supported by stone columns in water (stilt houses). For more than 200 years, the Tanka, also known as ‘boat-people,’ lived in this village. If you visit the Tao O fishing village, don’t forget to taste the local dried seafood.
To get to Tai O, take the MTR to Tung Chung Station Exit B. Then take the Ngong Ping Cable Car to Ngong Ping Village. Take bus 21 to Tai O terminus.
Devour Dim Sum
A trip to Hong Kong is not complete without trying the Dim Sum. It consists of small bite-sized food portions served in small steamer baskets or on a small plate.
Here, you can find the list of the best restaurants in Hong Kong according to Condé Nast.
Goldfish Market
Goldfish are very important in Feng Shui since it’s believed that they attract wealth, and that’s why the Goldfish Market (Tung Choi Street North) is popular among Hongkongers. To enter the market, take the MTR to Prince Edward Station, Exit B2. Walk east along Prince Edward Road West until you reach the market.
Central–Mid-Levels escalator
Central–Mid-Levels escalator, with its 800 meters, is the longest outdoor covered escalator system in the world. It opened in 1993 to better connect the Central and Mid-Levels districts.
Flower Market
Open every day from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, the Mong Kok Flower Market is one of the largest in the world and especially busy during the Chinese New Year. It is located on Flower Market Road, easily reachable from Prince Edward MTR station.
Float on a traditional junk boat
Very few cities in the world can rival the beauty of Hong Kong’s skyline. One of the things that makes this city unique is the junk boats. These iconic boats, with their graceful teak-wood hulls and curved sails, were once popular and primarily used for fishing, ocean exploration, and trade. Today, there are only very few left. But you can still enjoy this experience (you can book a boat ride here). They offer several tours, and you can even enjoy the Symphony of Lights (one of the best light shows) while sailing on the boat.
Sai Kung Peninsula
While Hong Kong’s Mong Kok district is the most densely populated place on Earth, almost 40% of Hong Kong remains undeveloped. So even in this city, it’s possible to avoid the crowds, especially if you decide to hike some of the trails I suggested. One of the best places to find some peace is Sai Kung. Often called Hong Kong’s “green lung”, this pristine peninsula is home to fishing villages, beautiful beaches, miles of hiking trails, and some cool lava formations in the Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark.
Top Hiking Trails in Hong Kong
Hong Kong has many hills, parks, and mountains that are great for hiking. In the list below, you can find the top 5 hiking trails in Hong Kong.
Wan Chai Green Trail (Wan Chai Gap)
Right in the heart of Hong Kong Island, you’ll find the Wan Chai Green Trail (Wan Chai Gap Road). This is a steep and challenging urban hiking trail that connects Kennedy Road to Wan Chai Gap, offering a mixture of lush greenery and occasional city skyline views along the way.
- Average hiking time: about 1,5 hours.
- Trail length: 3 Km.
- How to get to Wan Chai Gap Road: MTR Wan Chai Station Exit A3, then take the tram and get off at O’Brien Road. MTR Hong Kong Station Exit A, then take buses 6, 6A, 15, or 66 from Central Bus Terminus to Amoy Street or buses 75, 90, or 97 to Southorn Playground.
Po Toi Island
Po Toi is a beautiful granite island often called by the locals the “South Pole of Hong Kong.” You’ll find impressive rock formations and many dried seafood products that the locals sell. Don’t forget to try the seaweed soup. The circular hike from Po Toi pier will take you to famous landmarks like Tortoise Rock, Ngau Wu Teng Pavilion, Nam Kok Tsui lighthouse, and Monk Rock.
- Average hiking time: about 2,5 hours.
- Trail length: 4 Km.
- How to get to Po Toi Island: Board a kaito (small ferry) at Aberdeen Pier (on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays) or from Stanley Blake Pier (on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays).
Dragon’s Back
Dragon’s Back is probably the most famous and well-known urban hiking trail in Hong Kong. It offers splendid and enchanting views of Hong Kong Island’s rugged coast and beautiful beaches.
- Average hiking time: about 4 hours.
- Trail length: 8,5 Km.
- How to get to Dragon’s Back: From MTR Shau Kei Wan Station Exit A, walk to the Shau Kei Wan Bus Terminus. Take bus 9, or the red minibus with the “Shek O” sign, to the To Tei Wan stop on Shek O Road.
Sunset Peak
Sunset Peak is the third-highest peak in Hong Kong (869m). It is quite a difficult hike. It is better to avoid the hottest months and hike this trail in Winter. You’ll have a panoramic view of the Lantau coastline from the peak.
- Average hiking time: about 4,5 hours.
- Trail length: 9 Km.
- How to get to Sunset Peak: From MTR Tung Chung Station Exit B, take the bus 3M, 11, or 23 at Tung Chung Bus Terminus and get off at Pak Kung Au.
Twin Peaks and Violet Hill
Twin Peaks and Violet Hill are beautiful mountain peaks offering a splendid view of Stanley Village, D’Aguilar Peninsula, and the ocean beyond.
- Average hiking time: about 3 hours.
- Trail length: 4,8 Km.
- How to get to Twin Peaks and Violet Hill: From MTR Causeway Bay Station Exit D, take green minibus 5 at the Jaffe Road and Cannon Street crossroad to Wong Nai Chung Reservoir. You can also take the 76 bus on Pennington Street.
From MTR Hong Kong Station Exit D, take bus 6 at the Exchange Square Bus Terminus. At the Wong Nai Chung Reservoir Park bus stop, you will see a petrol station. From there, cross the road and head up Tai Tam Reservoir Road to walk for about 10 minutes to Hong Kong Parkview. Wong Nai Chung Reservoir will be on your right.
Hong Kong Beaches
One thing many people don’t think about when visiting Hong Kong is the beaches. Being a city built on an island, Hong Kong has plenty of them. These are some of the most popular ones.
Big Wave Bay
Big Wave Bay Beach is near the Dragon’s Back hiking trail on Hong Kong Island. This is a favourite place for surfers, and it’s also home to prehistoric rock carvings.
How to get to Big Wave Bay Beach: MTR Shau Kei Wan Station, Exit A3, then take the bus n°9 to Big Wave Bay Beach.
Hung Shing Yeh – Lamma Island
Hung Shing Yeh is the most famous beach on Lamma Island. It attracts locals and tourists.
How to get to Hung Shing Yeh Beach: Take a ferry from Central Pier 4 to Yung Shue Wan. From the Yung Shue Wan Pier, turn right and walk along the Family Trail to the beach. It takes about 30 minutes.
Repulse Bay
Repulse Bay Beach is famous for its calm waters, white sand, and palm trees. It’s one of the best and most popular in Hong Kong. You’ll also find some award-winning restaurants in the area to make your day perfect.
How to get to Repulse Bay Beach: Bus 6, 6A, 6X, 66, or 260 from Exchange Square bus terminus (near MTR Hong Kong Station, Exit D), then get out at Repulse Bay Beach.
Pui O and Cheung Sha
The other two beautiful beaches are Pui O and Cheung Sha Beach. Cheung Sha Beach is one of the longest beaches in Hong Kong.
How to get to Cheung Sha Beach: Ferry from Central Pier 6 to Mui Wo, then take the bus n°1 to Pui O Beach (about 15 minutes) or bus 1 or 2 to Cheung Sha Beach (about 25 minutes).
How to get to Pui O Beach: Ferry from Central Pier 6 to Mui Wo, then take the bus n°1 to Pui O Beach (about 15 minutes).
Kwun Yam and Cheung Chau Tung Wan
Tung Wan Beach offers a charming night view of Aberdeen and Lamma Island. It’s the perfect beach for surfers. In a small nearby garden, a sculpture of a windsurfer commemorates Shan Shan’s achievement. Cheung Chau Beach is where Shan Shan (Lee Lai-shan) trained for the Atlanta Games in 1996 and won the gold medal.
How to get to Tung Wan Beach: Ferry from Central Pier 5 to Cheung Chau. From the Cheung Chau Ferry Pier, walk along Tung Wan Road for approximately 10 minutes.
Kwun Yam Beach: Walk another five minutes from Tung Wan Beach towards the Warwick Hotel.
This official Hong Kong website has updated info about beaches and swimming pools.
Best Cheap Accommodation in Hong Kong
Although the prices have decreased, Hong Kong is still a very expensive city to live in and travel to (here you can find the list of the cheapest and most expensive countries in the world). If you have a tight budget, you can expect to stay in some of the smaller hotel rooms in the world. I couldn’t believe how tiny my room was when I first visited Hong Kong. Here, you can find several options. If possible, avoid traveling to Hong Kong during the National Holidays.
Best Transportation in Hong Kong
Moving around Hong Kong is very simple thanks to the wide range of public transportation options available. You can choose from the MTR (Mass Transit Railway), buses, trams, and ferries, and most likely you will never need to take a taxi. Recently, a new high-speed rail station was opened connecting Hong Kong to mainland China. You don’t even need to get off the train when crossing the border because passport control is done inside the station.
Final thoughts
Hong Kong might strike you at first as just another big, modern, fast-paced metropolis, and it is. The skyline is packed with skyscrapers, and everything moves fast. But look a little closer, and you’ll find a city full of depth. Traditional temples sit tucked between glass buildings, incense wafts through alleys behind luxury malls, and Cantonese culture is alive.
What’s even more surprising is how quickly you can escape the urban chaos: in under an hour, you can be hiking in lush mountains, kayaking around quiet islands, or relaxing on hidden beaches. Few cities in the world offer such an intense mix of city life, cultural richness, and natural beauty, all packed into one compact territory.
If you have any other suggestions about some of the most exciting things to do in Hong Kong, feel free to share them in a comment. If you need an eSIM, I recommend this one. This is a good travel insurance.
You can find my travel guides to Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, the Philippines, and Jordan here.
