13 amazing things to do in Hong Kong
Hong Kong is the type of place that causes decision fatigue: the sheer amount of indulgences – from foot massages to horse races to sparkling views of the Victoria Harbour – can disorient even the most seasoned traveller. It doesn’t help that this bustling metropolis also claims rolling mountains, a vast wetland park, plus a number of quaint outlying islands that feel like proper time capsules. But fret not, Telegraph Travel destination experts Lee Cobaj and Fionnuala McHugh have compiled a list of all the exhilarating sights you shouldn’t miss in Hong Kong, from scenic harbour cruises to abandoned villages, and everything in between.
Hong Kong Island
Take in Hong Kong’s incredible skyline
At 1,811 ft, Victoria Peak isn’t the tallest mountain in Hong Kong (that’s Tai Mo Shan, 3,140 ft, in the New Territories) – but everyone loves The Peak Tram, a funicular railway that takes you nearly to the top. It’s a short but amazingly steep trip uphill, and on a clear day, the views are stupendous. Be prepared to queue and try to avoid going at predictable times such as Sundays and public holidays.
Insider's tip: Ignore the packed Sky Terrace at the top and instead start walking along leafy Lugard Road where the crowds thin out and the air is noticeably cooler and fresher.
Contact: 00 852 2522 0922; thepeak.com.hk
Opening times: Daily, 7am-12am
Nearest metro: Central
Prices: £
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Go on a thrilling journey across Victoria Harbour
The Star Ferry, a 10-minute crossing between Hong Kong Island and Tsim Sha Tsui, on the Kowloon peninsula, is one of the cheapest and most evocative journeys in the world. The chug of the engines and the smell of the sea will remind you that Hong Kong was, is, and always will be a maritime city.
Insider's tip: Time your journey for about 8pm when the Symphony of Lights starts, to see buildings on both sides of the harbour slice up the sky with a laser-show for about 15 minutes.
Contact: 00 852 2367 7065; starferry.com.hk
Opening times: Daily, 6.30am-11.30pm
Nearest metro: Central
Prices: £
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Explore Hong Kong’s unique maritime heritage
The Maritime Museum sits next to the Star Ferry, but for some reason, locals and tourists haven’t quite discovered it yet – which is a shame because it’s beautifully laid out and full of fascinating information. It’s designed like a ship, with the early history of Hong Kong and China trade on C-Deck (expect lots of oil paintings and ceramics). Hong Kong’s shipyard history is told on B-Deck, overlooking the very harbour where it all began. It's highly recommended.
Insider's tip: The Maritime Museum is one of seven Hong Kong museums which offer free entry on Wednesdays.
Contact: 00 852 3713 2500; hkmaritimemuseum.org
Opening times: Mon-Fri, 9.30am-5.30pm; Sat, Sun, public holidays, 10am-7pm
Nearest metro: Central
Prices: £
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Get schooled on local history in a former prison
The transformation of Tai Kwun – the former Victoria Prison and Central MTR metro station – is one of the largest and most intricate conservation projects the city has seen. So complicated, in fact, its official opening was delayed for almost two years. The name, which means 'big house' in Cantonese, is a nod to the complex's history. It is now an arts and heritage centre with changing exhibitions that are dedicated to Hong Kong’s history and culture.
Insider's tip: Although entry is free, visitor numbers are restricted at peak times. To avoid waiting or missing out, book a free pass and time slot online before visiting.
Contact: 00 852 3923 2323; taikwun.hk
Opening times: Daily, 10am-11pm
Nearest metro: Central
Prices: Free
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Hitch a ride on a retro tram
Like the Star Ferry, 'the ding-ding' – as everyone in Hong Kong calls the tram – offers a cheap and exciting way to see the city. It runs across the top of Hong Kong Island and whether you’re on it for five minutes or an hour, the fare remains at about HK 3 (25p). The sound of the ringing bells and wheels scything through the streets, combined with staggeringly sleek skyscrapers, form a quintessential Hong Kong memory.
Insider's tip: You can hop on anywhere, of course, but if you begin at the Catchick Street tram terminus, you can grab a window seat on the top deck and watch the streets unfurl along the waterfront before you.
Contact: 00 852 2548 7102; hktramways.com
Opening times: Daily, 5am-12am
Nearest metro: Kennedy Town (for Catchick Street tram stop)
Prices: £
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Go to the races
The Happy Valley Racecourse has been a Hong Kong institution for 170 years, and everyone should go at least once. The races are usually held on Wednesday evenings during the season (mid-September to early July). There are plenty of places to eat and drink: its stalls, such as Beer Garden, sell the likes of fish and chips, crispy chicken wings, burgers and hot dogs.
Insider's tip: Children under 18 aren’t allowed on race nights but can visit the racing museum, which is free and open daily from 12pm-7pm (9pm on a race night).
Contact: 00852 2895 1523; happyvalleyracecourse.com
Opening times: Races on Wed, 7pm-11pm
Nearest metro: Causeway Bay
Prices: £
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Learn about Hong Kong’s military past
The Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence, originally built as a fort in the 1880s, overlooks the Lei Yue Mun channel on the eastern side of Hong Kong island. It’s a great place to learn about the former colony’s short, and ultimately futile, battle with Japanese forces in December 1941. The exhibition galleries tell that story and earlier maritime tales, and special sections are also aimed at children.
Insider's tip: Be sure to wear flat shoes for the hilly historical trail which, on a clear day, has spectacular views.
Contact: 00 852 2569 1500; coastaldefence.museum
Opening hours: Mar-Sep: Mon-Wed, Fri-Sun, 10am-6pm. Oct-Feb: Mon-Wed, Fri-Sun, 10am-5pm
Nearest metro: Shaukeiwan
Prices: £
Cruise on a red-sailed junk
Even if you've never set foot on the Aqua Luna, you've probably seen the highly photogenic red-sailed Chinese junk that plys Victoria Harbour. You can do daytime trips to Stanley, but the 45-minute evening cruise from Central (or from Tsim Sha Tsui’s Pier 1) is when Hong Kong’s skyline is most spectacular. It’s fun lying on cushions with a drink in hand, while one of the world’s most fabulous harbours unfolds before you.
Insider's tip: Sailings during The Symphony of Lights – a light show that taking place nightly around 7.30pm-7.45pm – cost HK $70 (£7) more than other evening tours, but it’s not really worth paying extra.
Contact: 00 852 2116 8821; aqualuna.com.hk
Opening times: See website
Nearest metro: Central
Prices: ££
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Kowloon
Breakfast your way around the city
Sham Shui Po is one of Hong Kong's most atmospheric neighbourhoods, packed with colourful 1960s architecture, vibrant street markets hawking rivers of fabrics, buttons, ribbons and bows, as well as a multitude of small family-run restaurants. One of the best ways to get into the local flow is on a breakfast tour with Hong Kong Foodie Tours, which pit stops at six traditional breakfast stores, including a cha chaan teng (tea house).
Insider's tip: Be sure to try Hong Kong's version of French toast, a curious – and scrumptious – colonial-era amalgam of eggy fried bread smeared with peanut butter and condensed milk.
Contact: 00 852 2850 5006; hongkongfoodietours.com
Opening hours: Tours, Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat, 9.15am
Nearest metro: Sham Shui Po
Prices: £££
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Recharge with a cheap and cheerful massage
Foot reflexology has become a Hong Kong institution – a fun thing to do with friends, particularly after dinner. There are lots of places that offer the service, but Tai Pan Reflexology Parlour should be on the top of your list, for no better reasons than that it’s fairly cheap and extremely convenient if you’re on the Kowloon side.
Insider's tip: Your therapist probably won’t speak much English but you can easily indicate what level of discomfort you’re able to withstand.
Contact: 00 852 2301 1990; taipanreflexologyparlour.com
Opening hours: Daily, 11am-2am
Nearest metro: Tsim Sha Tsui
Prices: ££
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Immerse yourself in the story of Hong Kong
The Hong Kong Museum of History begins its permanent exhibition – called The Hong Kong Story – 400 million years ago. Since there’s so much to see, it’s best to skip the prehistoric bit and take up the narrative in gallery four (Folk Culture in Hong Kong), which eventually ends with the 1997 handover of Hong Kong to China.
Insider's tip: The museum offers free guided tours in English every Saturday, Sunday and public holiday at 3pm, on a first come, first served basis. To join, go to the 'docent stop' at the ground floor Gallery 1 entrance.
Contact: 00 852 2724 9042; hk.history.museum
Opening hours: Mon, Wed-Fri, 10am-6pm; Sat, Sun, public holidays, 10am-7pm
Nearest metro: East Tsim Sha Tsui
Prices: £
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New Territories
Discover a deserted island
No one lives full time on the tiny island of Yim Tin Tsai anymore, but former residents return at weekends and operate a 15-minute ferry service (reservations recommended) from Sai Kung for visitors interested in exploring. It’s a highly evocative lost landscape. Yim Tin Tsai means 'Little Salt Field', which is how the inhabitants, the Chan clan, once made their living. In the 19th century, they all converted to Catholicism and built St Joseph’s Chapel, which has been restored several times (and has received a UNESCO Award of Merit).
Insider's tip: The real draw are the abandoned village houses. Listen to the creaking bamboo and imagine the ghostly rustle of past occupants (either that, or there are snakes in the undergrowth – don’t go poking about too much in flip-flops).
Contact: 00 852 2791 6226; yimtintsai.com
Opening hours: Ferries operate Sat, Sun, public holidays: from Sai Kung at 10am, 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm; from Yim Tin Tsai at 12.20pm, 2.20pm, 4pm, 5pm
Nearest metro: Hang Hau, then mini-bus 101 to Sai Kung, then ferry
Prices: £
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Outlying Islands
Go back in time on a charming island
Cheung Chau is about an hour from Hong Kong Island on the ferry, or 35 minutes if you splash out on a fast-ferry fare, and approximately half-a-century back in time. It has no cars and in the evening everyone potters about the streets in a Chinese version of the passeggiata. The island is full of interesting walks, temples, quaint shops, nice beaches and excellent seafood restaurants.
Insider's tip: It has become very popular with day-trippers in recent years; consider going over early in the morning, late in the afternoon or spending the night at a B&B.
Opening hours: Daily, frequent sailings
Nearest metro: Central, then walk to Central Ferry Piers
Prices: £
