Hong Kong is the closest to an urban paradise out of any city I’ve ever visited. It’s got an incredibly lively city center with great food and shopping. It’s also got a lot more nature than you’d expect from a city of its size — everything from long hikes to warm beaches.
Table of contents
Open Table of contents
Logistics
Where to stay
I’d recommend staying in either Kowloon or somewhere close to Central on Hong Kong Island, expecially if it’s your first time visiting.
Connectivity
If you have an eSIM-only iPhone, getting a prepaid eSIM from 3HK is probably your best bet. If you’re only going to be in Hong Kong, buy a local plan with however much data you think you’ll need. If you’re planning on checking out Macau, or going to the mainland, I’d recommend the travel eSIM that covers all three regions. It should be called something like “30-Day Pass - Greater Bay Area”. Regardless of which one you choose, note that you’ll have to complete the real name registration requirement - just follow the instructions in the email you receive.
Getting around
The MTR is one of the world’s crown jewels of public transit systems. You can get virtually anywhere in the city through a combination of the metro and buses. To ride, pick up an Octopus card! You can pick up a physical one from almost any convenience store, or you can download the Octopus Tourist app if you don’t want to deal with a physical card. You can get a refund on the unused balance either way.
Airport connections
I’d recommend take the Airport Express train from HKG that’ll drop you right in either Kowloon or Central. It’s more expensive than a bus, but it’s also the fastest and comfiest ride into the city. On the way back, try using their In-town Check-in service if you’re checking any bags, and flying on one of the participating airlines. If you have an evening flight, it’s a great way to offload any heavy bags in the morning after checking out. That way you won’t have to rush back to your hotel before heading to the airport.
Things to do
Food and shopping
Instead of listing out every single place, I created a Google Maps list for these.
Nature
Below I’ll also include some links to nature and hiking trails:
- Sunset Peak (HK Tourism Board): a beautiful full-day hike on Lantau Island
- Suicide Cliff (AllTrails): despite the name, this is apparently a pretty well-used trail in Kowloon
- Victoria Peak (AllTrails): short hike up to Victoria Peak, if you don’t feel like taking the Peak Tram.
Macau day trip
If you want to go to Macau, you have two main options: ferry or bus.
Ferry
Two companies operate regular ferries from Sheung Wan (上環): TurboJET and Cotai Water Jet.
Bus
This is a good option if you’re going straight from the airport or if you’re prone to motion sickness on boat rides. From HKG, the Golden Bus is your best option. If you’re coming from downtown, there’s also a service called One Bus that runs from downtown HK directly to some of the Sands-owned casinos on the Cotai Strip.