Hong Kong in 3 days - the perfect stop over
- Irene
- Aug 18
- 6 min read
Updated: Aug 31
Hong Kong is a vibrant blend of East and West, where modern skyscrapers meet ancient temples and lush mountains. It can be a fantastic stop over on your trip to Asia. We flew in for 3 days before going to Taiwan and had an amazing time!
Hong Kong 3-Day Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrival & Tsim Sha Tsui
Arrive in Hong Kong
Victoria Harbour
Day 2: Hong Kong Island Highlights
Star Ferry
Hong Kong Park
Victoria Peak
Tai Kun
Man Mo Temple
Cat Street
Central-Midlevels Escalator
Pottinger Street
Day 3: Lantau Island & Local Delights
Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car
Po Lin Monastery
Nan Lian Garden
Mong Kok
Where to stay – we stayed at the Peninsula hotel and I have to say that it was absolutely incredible! The rooms, the location and the views from the rooftop swimming pool are incredible. The hotel is located in the area of Tsim Sha Tsui which is mainly a commercial area with loads of shops and restaurants. Even though most of the people seem to stay on Hong Kong Island near Central – I did like our location a lot so I would definitely consider it when looking for hotels.
General advice – you are going to need some cash. While most of the things can be paid with card, small businesses and especially taxis do not accept card and you will have to have some cash handy. You can however, use uber whenever you need so you will not need a card for that
Best time to go - generally from late October to early December and from March to May. These months have mild weather with less humidity and rain. We went at the beginning of May and it was quite humid so ideally April if you have flexibility.
Day 1: Arrival
We arrived in the afternoon to HK and took the train to the city centre.
We were a bit tired and decided to rest before heading for dinner. However, if you have the energy, I would recommend to go to the Victoria Harbour to see the Symphony of Lights and the skyline views at night.
For dinner, we went to “Skewer Kitchen (Tsim Sha Tsui)”, a place specialising in yakitori which was incredible. I would highly recommend that you try different ones including the weirdest combinations because they are absolutely delicious! You should also book in advance – you can ask your hotel for help with the booking as the website is not in English.
Day 2: Hong Kong Island
Start the day bright and early taking the star ferry from Tsim Sha Tsui to Central. From Central you just need to walk around 10 min to the Peak Tram. You can take a detour through Hong Kong Park as it is a quite nice to walk around the park.
The Peak Tram queue can get completely insane so either arrive there at 9.30am or buy a VIP Ruby pass to skip the queue. Note that even though the tram opens at 7.30am, the peak tower and sky terrace are not open until 10am. The price of the Peak Tram Ruby special (with priority lane) is HK$298. The regular price is HK$108. The tram ride takes around 10 minutes.
From Victoria Peak you can enjoy the stunning panoramic views of the city. It will take you around 45 mins to see the area.
When you get back down to the tram station, walk for 15 min to Tai Kun (former Victoria Prison) - a revitalized former Central Police Station compound, transformed into a space for heritage, contemporary art, and social interaction. The site includes the former Central Police Station, Central Magistracy, and Victoria Prison.
After another 15 min walk you will arrive at Man Mo Temple - Hong Kong's oldest temple, dedicated to the gods of literature and war, and its role in the community's traditional social and religious practices. It served as a place for resolving disputes and making promises before the gods, reflecting the cultural values of the Chinese community.
Around the corner just 2 min walk you will find Cat street - a famous street known for its antique shops and flea market atmosphere.
You can stop for lunch at “Sushi Masa (Sheung Wan)”, a very nice Japanese with super good bento boxes.
After lunch, head towards central-midlevel escalator which is the longest in the world, just 5 min walk away.
Your final stop of the day will be Pottinger Street (4 min walk away) - a historic street known for its unique granite steps. It stretches from Queen's Road Central to Hollywood Road, with a steep, cobbled section featuring granite steps designed to aid pedestrians and manage rainwater runoff
For dinner we stayed near the hotel area and went to “Zither Garden (Tsim Sha Tsui)“, an incredible restaurant where you definitely have to order the Peking duck. It is incredible!
After dinner you can go to “KABOOM” rooftop for a drink and to enjoy the views of the city at night.
Day 3: Lantau Island
On your second full day you will unfortunately have to wake up early as well to go to the Ngong Ping 360 cable car which will take you to the Tian Tan Buddha. A lot of people tends to leave this activity for their last day before going to the airport as this is nearby so that is another option to consider.
To get to the Ngong Ping 360 cable car from the city centre it takes around 1 hour (maybe a bit less). The station to get off at is Tung Chung. The queues here again can get quite crazy even if you pre book in advance so be there as soon as they open to avoid them. I would again recommend you to be there at 10am when they open as the line will be much shorter. The price of the cable car is HK$205 standard cabin single trip per adult and HK$295 standard cabin return trip per adult and takes around 25 minutes.
Another option if you arrive late is to go by taxi to the Tian Tan Buddha and return by cable car. If you are 3 people sharing the taxi the price will be the same as the cable car and if 4 it will come out cheaper. The only thing to note is that is a very windy road.
With the cable car you will arrive at the impressive Tian Tan Buddha - also known as the Big Buddha, which is a large bronze statue which symbolizes the harmonious relationship between humanity and nature, and it embodies the Buddhist values of peace, harmony, and wisdom. In this same area you will also find Po Lin Monastery a prominent Buddhist monastery renowned for its tranquil setting and impressive architecture, originally established in 1906.
After visiting the Big Budha, head towards Nan Lian Garden which is again 1hr from Tung Chung and closer to the city centre. This is a beautiful traditional Chinese garden reflecting Tang Dynasty aesthetics and Buddhist principles, offering a tranquil escape amidst the bustling city of Hong Kong.
For lunch a good spot is “Dim Dim Sum Mong Kok”, obviously to try delicious dim sum. Also this restaurant is in Mong Kok a neighbourhood known for its mix of old and new buildings.
After lunch, walk around Mong Kok and go to Nathan road which is a very famous spot for photographs.
For dinner we went to Central to “The Square” – this is more on the fancy side of things offering delicious Cantonese cuisine! Highly recommended.
One more restaurant that we didn’t have the chance to try was “Ho Lee Fook”, just make sure you book well in advance as it is quite popular.
For a drink after, head to “The Mixing Room”, “Apothecary” or “25:00 Twenty Fifth Hour” or simply have a walk around this area as it is super lively at night.
Day 4: Departure
This was our last day in the city and went directly to the airport to go to Taiwan! HK was an amazing place with unbelievable views and landscapes and incredible food! We will definitely go back.
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