Hong Kong Travel Guide
Hong Kong in Three Days
A day-by-day plan for a first visit: Central, the Peak and the Star Ferry on day one, Kowloon temples, markets and museums on day two, and Lantau's Big Buddha on day three.
Three days is the perfect length for a first visit to Hong Kong. It is enough to see the harbour from every angle, ride the classics, eat well, visit the temples and markets, and take one big day trip into the mountains. This itinerary balances sightseeing with the realities of the climate: outdoor sights early and late, indoor sights in the heat of the day, and flexibility for the weather. Swap days around to put the Peak and the cable car on your clearest days.
Day one: Hong Kong Island. Start in Sheung Wan with breakfast at a local cafe, then walk up to Man Mo Temple on Hollywood Road, ideally in the morning when the light falls through the incense smoke. Wander east along Hollywood Road past the antique shops, down the Cat Street flea market, and on to PMQ and Tai Kwun, the restored police station and prison turned arts centre. For lunch, have dim sum in Central; get there before noon to avoid the office crowds. In the afternoon, ride the Central-Mid-Levels escalator, then walk to the Peak Tram terminus on Garden Road and ride up to Victoria Peak in the mid-afternoon, before the sunset queues. Walk the Lugard Road loop, then watch the sunset and the lights from Sky Terrace 428 or the free viewpoints. Come down by tram, bus or taxi, have dinner in Central or Soho, and finish with a Star Ferry crossing to Tsim Sha Tsui for the skyline at night.
Day two: Kowloon. Begin at Wong Tai Sin Temple, a minute from its MTR station, to see the fortune-stick ritual among the red pillars, then take the MTR two stops to Diamond Hill for the peaceful Chi Lin Nunnery and Nan Lian Garden. Head to West Kowloon after lunch for the museums: the Hong Kong Palace Museum for imperial treasures from the Forbidden City, and M+ for modern art and design, a short walk apart (remember M+ closes on Mondays and the Palace Museum on Tuesdays). Rest on the Art Park lawn, then take a taxi to the Tsim Sha Tsui promenade for sunset over the island skyline, walking along to the Avenue of Stars. For dinner, head up to Temple Street Night Market for clay-pot rice and stir-fried clams at the open-air restaurants, then the Ladies Market in Mong Kok if you still have energy.
Day three: Lantau and the Big Buddha. Take the MTR to Tung Chung early and ride the Ngong Ping 360 cable car (book ahead, and choose the glass-floored Crystal cabin for thrills) over the mountains to Ngong Ping. Climb the 268 steps to the Tian Tan Buddha, visit Po Lin Monastery and have its vegetarian lunch, and walk the Wisdom Path. In the afternoon, take the bus to Tai O, the fishing village of stilt houses, for grilled seafood snacks and a boat ride. Return by bus to Tung Chung and the city. In the evening, treat yourself to a harbour-view dinner or a drink with a view in Tsim Sha Tsui or Central, or book afternoon tea at the Peninsula on another day.
If the weather is bad. On a day of heavy rain or a typhoon signal, swap in the museums (M+, the Palace Museum, the Museum of Art, the Hong Kong Museum of History), the malls of Harbour City and IFC, and a long dim sum lunch. If the cable car is suspended, take bus 23 from Tung Chung, or swap Lantau for another day. Never hike or take island ferries during signal 8 or higher.
With a fourth or fifth day. Families should add Hong Kong Disneyland (a full day, ideally midweek) or Ocean Park. Nature lovers should hike the Dragon's Back and finish at Big Wave Bay, or take the ferry to Cheung Chau for seafood and beaches. And anyone with a full spare day can take a ferry or the bridge bus to Macau for its UNESCO-listed historic centre, Portuguese egg tarts and casino resorts.
Practical tips. Use an Octopus card or contactless card for all transport. Stay in Tsim Sha Tsui or Central to minimize travel. Pace yourself in summer, with air-conditioned breaks and lots of water. Book Disneyland, the Palace Museum and the cable car in advance, and check for maintenance closures. And save the best view for last: a final Star Ferry crossing at night is the perfect goodbye to the harbour.
Where to eat along the way. On day one, Central and Sheung Wan have the widest choice of dim sum, from old teahouses to polished hotel restaurants; aim for an early lunch to beat the office crowds. On day two, the cha chaan teng cafes around Mong Kok and Yau Ma Tei make an easy breakfast or lunch, with milk tea and pineapple buns, and Temple Street's clay-pot rice is the dinner. On day three, Po Lin Monastery's vegetarian lunch and Tai O's grilled seafood snacks keep you going until a celebratory dinner back in town. Wherever you are, follow the local queues and do not be shy about sharing tables.
Getting the most from three days. Keep evenings for views and mornings for temples, when they are calm and most beautiful. Leave space for wandering: some of the best moments in Hong Kong come from taking a tram with no plan, stepping into a side street market or following a staircase up the hillside. And if you find yourself falling for the city, as most people do, the islands, hikes and Macau are waiting for the next trip.