Yes, the “World of Winners” campaign was my gateway to Hong Kong. Without winning the ticket, I doubt I would have made my way here so soon already. Flights can be quite costly from Europe, but my longstanding interest in exploring the vibrant eastern part of the world was ignited when I got the opportunity to visit Hong Kong through this campaign. Here are my insights and recommendations for an ideal 4-day travel itinerary in Hong Kong:
Arrival
I landed at the Hong Kong International Airport after a direct flight from Frankfurt. It’s advisable to withdraw cash at the airport as you might need it for the metro if you decide to take it.
Depending on your stay duration, consider getting a metro line card called Octopus ($50 HKD deposit) to simplify your transportation. You can inquire about this at the selling stands in the airport’s arrival area.
Day 1
My first day began early in the morning, adjusting to the time difference from Germany. I immediately headed to the city to drop off my belongings. (I was very lucky to be able to stay at the place of an amazing Italian friend of mine, so I will be quite limited on giving accommodation recommendations, however, there are many hostels to be found on Hostelworld).
Starting around Central, I recommend the following itinerary for day 1 (I will mention restaurant recommendations below):
- Avenue of Stars, Hong Kong, and neighboring K11 Musea.
- Have lunch (see below)
- Take the metro to:
- Walk to:
Each of these places possesses its own charm. Kowloon Walled City Park, once one of the most dangerous parts of Hong Kong, has transformed into a peaceful spot.
Nan Lian Garden is also super serene, so bring a book and chill a bit as well.
If you have time, also feel free to go to Choi Hung Estate Rooftop Basketball Court for some pretty views and shots.
Day 2
Hong Kong has a lot of hikes to offer – even though the city is super crowded and dense, it just takes from about 30 minutes to escape the trouble and mass and find beautiful nature.
We decided to do the Dragon’s Back Trail, however, further below I will list more options.
For the Dragon’s Back Trail, just take the public transportation. From Shauk Kei Wan Metro Station, take the bus number 9 up to To Tei Wan;Shek O Road to start the hike. It’s a comparatively easy hike and it will bring you up to Big Wave Bay Beach, where you can end the hike with a swim and take a minibus for $10HKD back to the train station.
The total hike is about 8-9 km and will take you approx 2-3 hours. It starts with a little ascent but as soon as you reach the hill, the path you will encounter is smooth and will reward you with beautiful views. It is easy to follow the route on Google Maps, however, you will find enough signs everywhere, leading you to the right track.
After the hike we went, as mentioned, for a quick swim to make our way back, shower and explore Hong Kong at night!!!
And where to do that better than at Temple Street Night Market?
We strolled around a bit and then, as restaurants there were quite expensive, made several stops at places nearby to try some duck, egg roll and dim sum.
Then, I recommend for night time views, to go back to the avenue of stars (or the Victoria Peak), which is also an amazing spot for sunset and to see the city lighten up at night.
Day 3
I don’t know why, but Hong Kong made me sleep super long hours haha. So we started the third day fairly late as well and walked all the way to central, to have lunch at Tim Ho Wan, a great place for dumplings – definitely try the Wonton!
Then we took the metro to the M+ museum, a museum of contemporary art, which I can highly recommend – student discount is half price, so you will only have to pay 45$ HKD entry fee. It’s definitely worth it and a beautiful museum with amazing views.
You can easily spend a couple of hours there.
And then we did what I suggested the day before already: go to the Victoria peak got sunset / to see the lights in the dark at least! The best spot for that is actually not Victoria park viewpoint itself, but I suggest taking the 15 minute walk at night to Lugard Road Lookout.
After that it was time to: GO OUT!
Going out:
The best area for young people is around Lan Kwai Fong in Central. Many people just hang out on the streets and buy their alcohol and drinks at the 7/11s that are – like in the whole city – all around.
You will also find cool bars and clubs to go out to! Many are even free to enter so I will just mention 1-2 but explore the area at night, as I can promise you: you will not get bored!
- Maggie Choo’s Hong Kong
- Zeus LKF
- Oma (costs entry though)
What area to stay in in Hong Kong:
I think it always depends what vibe you are looking for. Taking the metro will be unavoidable, so you will have to travel by public transport in any case.
Considering my specific suggested itinerary, I guess Hong Kong island is great, as the area to go out and many cool restaurants and places are around central.
Restaurant recommendations in Hong Kong:
- Waso Café Waso Cafe (Tsim Sha Tsui)
- Kau Kee Food Cafe
- One Dim Sum
- Tim Ho Wan
And all simple food stands all around the city!
There is much more to do than the things I did during my stay, so in case you have more days available, here are suggested additional activities:
Additional activities:
•Monster Building: a famous building, not much more than that, but cool to see.
•Ngong Ping 360: there is the Gondola you can take up the mountain on Lantau Island (I believe you can also hike all the way up) and take the additional steps up to Buda Tian Tan. From there, take the bus or hike to the fisher village Tai O.
•Day Trip to Macau: the ferry to Macau takes 1 hour/1:30 and leaves from Hong Kong island. It’s an old Portuguese colony with many casinos and ideal for a day trip.
•More hikes: there are maaaany more hikes to do! Some start around HKUST university and lead you along great beaches.
Another example hike:
Bramaer Hill ‘hike’ (more like a walk) and perfect for sunset to get the most amazing view over HK
Overall, I loved Hong Kong. My days were just amazing and I could picture myself staying longer. Even though the center of Hong Kong is pretty dense and tight, the proximity to the nature is incredible. Further, I was able to stay on approximately a 30 Euro budget while eating A LOT, so if you find a good hostel, my budget of 30-40 Euros a day is attainable.
So, I hope you enjoyed the itinerary inspiration, I would be happy to read your comments and get feedback!
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