I had a friend tell me that she is planning on going to Hong Kong with her boyfriend and I had so many things to tell her! This made me realise that I never did a post on my time in Hong Kong… So here it FINALLY is – my tips on what to do in Hong Kong!

My first overseas trip with my man was a week trip to Hong Kong. It was a spur of the moment kind of thing but it was heaps of fun and definitely worth it. We were only there for 6 days/5 nights so we didn’t get to do everything, but I will share what I did and the things I will do during my next trip to Hong Kong.

Day Time Activities

Tsim Sha Shui Promenade: This is the promenade down by the water, and it is definitely a nice place to go for a walk (both during the day and at night) and become familiar with the city. If you book boat trips, this will be the place you need to come to. The promenade also has the Avenue of Stars, which is similar to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It’s a great place for photo opportunities or for grabbing a bite to eat. We stopped for a refreshing drink – my partner had a beer and I had a delicious cocktail!

Soho: The swanky part of Hong Kong is called Soho and it has a huge variety of food and wine. There’s lots of fashion boutiques and art galleries that are intertwined with the older styled buildings stacked up on top of one another. The streets are narrow and winding, but have so much character and you could happily get lost amongst them. We found a funky bar that we had a few glasses of wine at while we stared at a traditional red building adorned with gold.

Man Mo Temple: After wandering around in Soho, this temple was a nice place to escape from the hustle and bustle. This temple is a tribute to two Gods (the God of Literature and the God of War) and it combines the three main Chinese traditions (Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism). It isn’t a particularly large temple, but it is still a decent size. There are huge coils of incense hanging from the ceiling, and I found it a very serene place to visit. You are permitted to take photos, provided you don’t use the flash or disturb those praying.

Disneyland: if you have kids, or if you are a big kid like me, you will probably be thinking about Disneyland. I didn’t go as it seemed too far out of the city for a visit, but I would definitely be going here next time I go to Hong Kong.

Ocean Park: Instead of going to Disneyland, my partner and I decided to do something different and go to Ocean Park. It was an amazing day and so much fun! Ocean Park is located a small distance out of Hong Kong city, right over a mountain. It is a family friendly amusement park with a small zoo and large aquarium on one side of the mountain, then rollercoasters and rides are located on the other side of the mountain. You need to take a cable car on the cliff face side of the mountain to get to the other side. Alternatively the train that goes straight through the mountain can also get you from one side to another. Another thing about Ocean Park is that it had one of the best rollercoasters I have ever been on – you are literally riding off the side of the cliff with the ocean down below! The zoo had cute pandas playing with one another, there was a toucan just casually sitting on a vendors cart, and there were about a million jellyfish and various sea life in the giant aquarium. I would definitely recommend anyone who goes to Hong Kong to go to this attraction!

Day trip to Deep Water Bay: If rollercoasters and aquariums arent your thing, you can still head out to Deep Water Bay, the bay that Ocean Park looks out on. It is considered a nice place to swim and it isn’t overcrowded with tour groups like some of the other Hong Kong bays and beaches, It is a really pretty area and you can just gaze at the expensive boats and yachts at the Yatch Club on Middle Island.

Shopping at Harbour City: The majority of goods in Hong Kong are tax free, so it is even more of a reason to go shopping! On our first day we went to Harbour City the largest mall in Hong Kong. The Habour City mall is actually a combination of smaller malls, which what has made it so big now. It has been designed so that there are four sections to Harbour City – Kids, Sports, Fashion, and Cosmetics & Beauty. There’s also lots of cafes and restaurants scattered throughout the mall, as well as a cinema and three hotels. Many stores are open until night time, and with the abundance of food and even places to sleep, you could really shop til you drop!

Ladies markets/floating markets: I never say no to markets, even if it is an over abundance of wallets, sunglasses, handbags and jewellery. The ladies markets (or also known as the floating markets) are still worth checking out, especially if you want to get souvenirs. I bought a cute Asian style dress for around $AU15.

Victoria Peak (The Peak): Hong Kong is surrounded by a large mountain, and this has been capitalised up on the top of a mountain that overlooks the city. It’s a fantastic view and you have to get this retro tram up to the top. The tram is on a 45 degree angle and it’s amazing it’s able to actually get up the hill! You will experience a perceptual illusion while riding this train… That the skyscrapers and tall buildings look like they are are “falling” towards the hill because of the step incline on the train up to the top. Half of the experience is taking this tram up to The Peak, so it’s definitely worth the nail biting 5-10 minute ride. The line to wait to actually get the tram can be a long wait, so I would recommend getting there early in the morning.

Once you are up there, you will see the Peak Tower. It’s a strange architectural piece, looking like a large bowl perched up on a stand. There’s plenty of nines to do inside this “bowl” including shops and restaurants. Apparently there are nature walks around The Peak, but we did not go on any.

You should also visit the viewing platform called The Sky Terrace 428. This 360 degree viewing platform is apparently 428 metres above sea level (hence the name). It is a fantastic view moving around from the stunning Hong Kong city skyline to the landscape greenery on the other side. It’s a great place for photo opportunities too, but it does get busy which makes getting a photo a little difficult!