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🇭🇰Things to Do in Hong Kong
From Victoria Peak's skyline view to the Big Buddha on Lantau Island - the essential sights, and how to keep your own record of them.
Travel guide - last updated September 2026
Hong Kong packs one of the world's most dramatic skylines, hiking trails, and some of Asia's best dim sum into a compact territory connected by an efficient metro and a historic tram-and-ferry network. Victoria Harbour's skyline view, from either side, remains the single image most associated with the city. Here are 8 places worth building a trip around.
Top attractions
The sights most first-time visitors build an itinerary around.
Victoria Peak
Hong Kong Island's highest point, reached by a historic funicular tram, with the best panoramic view of the skyline and harbour - go at dusk to see the transition from daylight to the nightly skyline lighting.
📍 Hong Kong Island
🚉 Nearest station: Central on the MTR, then the Peak Tram from Garden Road, which climbs at up to 27 degrees; bus 15 from Exchange Square is the cheaper, slower alternative.
Star Ferry
A harbour crossing between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon that has run since 1888, and one of the cheapest, most scenic ways to see the skyline from the water.
📍 Victoria Harbour
🚉 The ferry runs between Central Pier 7 and Tsim Sha Tsui, both beside their MTR stations - the crossing takes eight minutes and costs a few dollars, and it is still the best view in the city.
Big Buddha & Po Lin Monastery, Lantau Island
A 34-meter bronze Buddha statue reached by climbing 268 steps or taking the Ngong Ping 360 cable car, with the adjacent monastery serving a well-known vegetarian meal to visitors.
📍 Lantau Island
🚉 Take the MTR to Tung Chung, then the Ngong Ping 360 cable car for 25 minutes, or bus 23 up the mountain road when the cable car is closed for maintenance.
Hong Kong Disneyland
The smallest of the global Disney parks, with several Hong Kong-specific attractions and a more manageable crowd size than its larger counterparts in the US or Japan.
📍 Lantau Island
🚉 Nearest station: Disneyland Resort on the MTR's dedicated branch from Sunny Bay, with themed trains running every few minutes.
Dim Sum & Food Culture
Hong Kong holds one of the highest concentrations of Michelin-starred restaurants per capita in the world, alongside cha chaan teng (local diner-style) spots serving dim sum at a fraction of formal restaurant prices.
📍 Hong Kong Island & Kowloon
🚉 The old teahouses sit on top of stations: Lin Heung and Lung King Heen near Sheung Wan and Central, Tim Ho Wan at Sham Shui Po, and the dai pai dongs of Temple Street at Jordan.
Dragon's Back Trail
A ridge hike on Hong Kong Island's south side, once named Asia's best urban hiking trail by Time magazine, ending near a beach at Shek O.
📍 Shek O, Hong Kong Island
🚉 Take the MTR to Shau Kei Wan, then bus 9 to To Tei Wan on Shek O Road - the ridge walk ends at Big Wave Bay, where the same bus route returns.
Temple Street Night Market, Kowloon
A street market known for street food, fortune tellers and Cantonese opera performances - most active after dark, as the name suggests.
📍 Kowloon
🚉 Nearest station: Jordan or Yau Ma Tei on the Tsuen Wan line, both a couple of minutes from the stalls, which run from about 6pm.
Ocean Park
A marine-life theme park and aquarium built across a hillside, combining rides with animal exhibits including giant pandas on loan from mainland China.
📍 Aberdeen, Hong Kong Island
🚉 Nearest station: Ocean Park on the MTR South Island line, one stop from Admiralty, with the entrance directly outside.
Mark Hong Kong, get the stamp
In MyPassportStory, every country you mark - visited, lived in, or still on the list - becomes a stamp like these in your own travel passport. Add the cities you stopped in, draw the route between them, and turn the whole trip into a shareable passport-style image.
Open MyPassportStoryPlanning questions
How many days do you need in Hong Kong?
3-4 days covers Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and a day trip to Lantau Island well. A week lets you add Hong Kong Disneyland or slow the pace considerably.
What's the best time to visit Hong Kong?
October-December has the most comfortable temperatures and lowest humidity. Summer (June-September) is hot, humid, and includes typhoon season, which can occasionally disrupt travel plans.
Is Hong Kong good for a first-time visit?
Yes - it's one of the most efficient and English-friendly cities in Asia for independent travel, with the MTR metro system connecting nearly everything on this list.
Do I need a visa to visit Hong Kong?
Many nationalities, including the US, UK, Canada, Australia and most of the EU, can visit visa-free for short tourist stays (typically up to 90 days), separate from mainland China visa requirements. Check the official visa information for your nationality: immd.gov.hk.
What are some things to do in Hong Kong on a tight budget?
The Star Ferry crossing costs only a few Hong Kong dollars for one of the city's best views, cha chaan teng diners serve full meals cheaply, and many hiking trails, including the Dragon's Back, are completely free.
Can I rent a car in Hong Kong, and what licence do I need?
You can, but almost nobody should: the MTR reaches every attraction on this list, taxis are plentiful, and parking is scarce and expensive. If you do rent, a foreign licence is accepted for up to 12 months for visitors, with an International Driving Permit needed if it is not in English or Chinese. Minimum age is generally 25 with two years of experience. Traffic drives on the left, and cross-border driving into mainland China requires separate permits that ordinary rentals do not carry. The Transport Department publishes the rules at td.gov.hk; cars come from Hertz and Avis.