Consider turning your Hong Kong layover into a longer stay. A Hong Kong stopover can add even more enjoyment to your visit in Asia and help beat jet lag, too!
A Hong Kong layover is a frequent consideration when travel to Asia destinations requires a change of flights in this popular hub. Please welcome our guest author, Judith Treanor, whose helpful tips will inspire you to lengthen your Hong Kong layover into a rewarding longer stay!
In my experience, a Hong Kong stopover needs to be a lot more than an overnight stay in a hotel. There’s so much to experience in this unique destination of islands, cities and towns, it’d be a shame to miss it!
This post contains affiliate links and/or references to our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on or make a purchase using these links.
Even if you’re only in Hong Kong for a night or two, it’s possible to fit a decent amount of sightseeing and experiences in because it’s so easy to get around.
Tip: Stay connected upon arrival in Hong Kong with a 4G Pocket Unlimited WiFi you pick up and return at the airport. Click here for information and pricing.
There’s an underground MRT system which is super quick, taxis are easy to hail, and the Star Ferry offers a lovely scenic experience from Kowloon to Hong Kong Island. If you have more time, the Star Ferry will also take you to the Outer Islands.
Tip: For Star Ferry Harbour Tour information and reviews, click here.
My recommendation is to purchase an Octopus Transport Card. For around $150HKD, you can use this card to hop on and off every mode of transport in Hong Kong.
Get Acquainted with Hong Kong Tour Ideas
Welcome to Hong Kong: Private Tour with a Local – Get an insider’s perspective on this fascinating city from a friendly local who will customize your tour based upon your interests. Click here for information and pricing.
Hong Kong:Evening Cruise Tour in Chinese Junk Boat with Wine – Lounge and sip while you take in the magnificent skyline aboard a traditional red-sailed junk boat. Click here for information and pricing.
Victoria Peak
When on a stopover in Hong Kong, a visit to Victoria Peak at sunset is a must. Be prepared though, this is the most popular tourist attraction at sunset in the world. My tip is to visit around 6-7pm – this is when you’ll see the most extraordinary vistas across the harbour, and when the lights come on in the city, it’s pure magic.
To get to Victoria Peak, it’s easiest and the best experience to travel there via the historic tram on the world’s oldest and most famous funicular railways which opened back in 1888. It’s a quick five minute tram ride, but once you arrive at Peak Tower, the views across Victoria Harbour are amazing.
There are plenty of viewing terraces up the top and plenty of places to eat.
Hot tips: Take plenty of water and a hand fan because it can get quite humid. The Lion’s Pavilion offers free entry and some say better views than the paid platforms.
Hong Kong History Museum
The Hong Kong Museum of History is intriguing, particularly when it comes to learning about Hong Kong’s absolutely fascinating history. History buffs like me love this place and how the colourful history of Hong Kong is plotted across eight galleries, from the prehistoric era right through to the present day.
It’s easy to get swept back in time here with dioramas, 750 graphic panels and scaled reproductions of peasant dwellings, junk boats, cultural celebrations and fashions. I recommend allowing at least two hours to visit the museum – you won’t be disappointed.
Guided Cultural Experiences In Hong Kong
Kowloon Market Walking Tour – Walk Kowloon’s back streets with an English-speaking guide. Visit the Jade Market, immerse in the densely populated Yau Ma Tei and Mong Kok districts’ daily life. Other stops: the Flower Market, Bird Garden, Ladies Market, Goldfish Market and the Fa Yeun Street Market. Click here for information and pricing.
Secret Menu in Tai Hang: Cultural Local Food Tour – Visit the Tai Hang neighborhood with its unique architecture, and sample taste in various settings according to time period. Your guide is a culture guru who grew up in the community. Click here for information and pricing.
Hong Kong Heritage – Past to Present – Walk the Central District in a small group with an English-speaking guide to discover the historical development and feng shui of modern architecture. Click here for more information and pricing.
Hong Kong Erotic History Tram Tour – Learn how politics and economic development were inextricably linked with eroticism and prostitution in Hong Kong during the 19th and 20th centuries. Click here for more information and pricing.
Michelin Star Restaurant – Lung King Heen
When you come to Hong Kong, you simply must experience the food. Although there are plenty of places to experience Hong Kong cuisine, one of my all-time favourites is Lung King Heen. This is the first Chinese restaurant to be awarded 3 Michelin stars. You’ll find it in the Four Seasons Hotel, overlooking Victoria Harbour.
If you love dumplings, Lung King Heen’s Chef, Chan Yan Tak, takes them to a whole new level. If you’re keen to experience these mouth-watering dumplings, visit for a dim sum lunch.
Think steamed lobster with scallop dumplings, Bird’s Nest Soup, wok-fried prawns with organic black garlic and chilli, and quail san choy bow that is both crunchy and texturally magnificent. These were dishes I will never forget. Are you feeling hungry yet?
Click here for additional information and reviews of Lung King Heen.
Other Foodie Experiences in Hong Kong
Hong Kong Street Food Feasting – Taste popular street foods in hidden neighborhoods while learning about the provenance of different street cuisines from an enthusiastic local foodie. Click here for information and pricing.
Hong Kong: Floating Restaurant Dinner with Cruise or Market – Choose from unlimited drinks on a harbour cruise or explore the famous Temple Market before transferring to the Floating Restaurant for an eight course Chinese dinner. Click here for information and pricing.
Shopping During Your Hong Kong Layover
You can’t stopover in Hong Kong and not experience their shopping; there are at least a couple of hundred shopping malls! Jump on one of the Mid-Levels, the world’s longest outdoor covered escalator system complete with footbridges and exits, and jump off at Central. Central is where you’ll find wall-to-wall designer boutiques, chain stores, cafes, bars and restaurants.
There’s also the IFC Mall which is attached to the Four Seasons hotel, complete with all the high-end fashion boutiques you’d expect as well as the more mainstream brands.
But, for the wow factor of shopping, head to Times Square in Causeway Bay. At Times Square there is, wait for it, 14 floors of stores ranging from mid-range to luxury. When you visit Times Square, you should try one thing. Go to the ground floor and look up!
Big Buddha
The Big Buddha on Lantau Island is yet another popular tourist spot for good reason. Not only do you get to experience the views of the ocean and mountains as you climb up in the chairlift, but the sheer size of the second largest outdoor sitting Buddha is equally sensational.
If you’re feeling fit and full of energy and the humidity isn’t too bad, the Big Buddha platform and Po Ling Monastery are 268 steps up.
Great Buddha Walk with Skip-the-Line NP360 Cable Car – Enjoy the panoramic cable car ride, visit the Buddha, and walk the Wisdom Path’s Heart Sutra with a guide. Continue with the Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas and return to the Po Lin monastery for refreshment. Click here for more information and pricing.
Or – If You Just Can’t Get Enough Hiking
Hong Kong: Half-Day Dragon’s Back Hike – Trek the back hills with a panoramic view of Hong Kong’s urban areas on what has been deemed Asia’s best urban hike. Click here for more information and pricing.
Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery
Located in Sha Tin, you cannot miss the colour and uniqueness of the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery. Be prepared to climb a lot of steps at this Buddhist temple and through not just one but five temples, four pavilions and one pagoda that make up this Monastery.
There are literally hundreds of different Buddha statues here, each with their own eccentric positions and poses.
The best way to get to the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery is via the MRT. Take the East line to Sha Tin station and take exit B.
For Family-Friendly Amusement Park Lovers:
Hong Kong Disneyland: Magic Tour with Transfers & 1-Day Pass – Includes hotel pickup with meet and greet ambassador, access to all 7 themed areas and the Iron Man experience. Click here for more information and pricing.
Hong Kong Disneyland Tour with Pick-Up from Tsim Sha Tsui – Includes a one-way transfer to the park, access to all themed areas with unlimited stay – return on your own. Click here for more information and pricing.
Hong Kong Ocean Park Ticket with Pick-Up Points – Includes skip the line admission and transportation to one of the world’s top ten aquariums and theme parks. Click here for more information and pricing.
A few tips for visiting Hong Kong
1. If possible, avoid the shopping malls on the weekend. Everyone in Hong Kong goes shopping then.
2. Shop around for hotels because they can be expensive. Click here for a list of hotel deals in Hong Kong and use the slider on the left to filter your price range.
3. Enjoying the odd drink can be expensive in Hong Kong. Look out for happy hours during the early evening.
4. Many museums offer free entry on Wednesdays.
5. If possible, avoid using the MRT during peak times – 7am to 9.30am and 5pm to 7pm.
Packed full of culture, history, architecture and food, a Hong Kong stopover is not just an opportunity to recharge your batteries but to experience an often under-appreciated location.
Hong Kong is most definitely more than a stopover destination. It’s a holiday destination in its own right and the perfect place to break up a long haul flight.
Author Bio: Judith is an avid traveller who has spent many years in South East Asia with her growing family. Judith is passionate about empowering SE Asian locals to earn a living wage through her ethical gift store Temples and Markets. You can read about some of Judith’s South East Asian adventures here.
Pinnable Images:
Tips for Trip Success
Book Your Flight
Find an inexpensive flight by using Kayak, a favorite of ours because it regularly returns less expensive flight options from a variety of airlines.
Book Your Hotel or Special Accommodation
We are big fans of Booking.com. We like their review system and photos. If we want to see more reviews and additional booking options, we go to Expedia.
You Need Travel Insurance!
Good travel insurance means having total peace of mind. Travel insurance protects you when your medical insurance often will not and better than what you get from your credit card. It will provide comprehensive coverage should you need medical treatment or return to the United States, compensation for trip interruption, baggage loss, and other situations.Find the Perfect Insurance Plan for Your Trip
PassingThru is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
To view PassingThru’s privacy policy, click here.
