As first time Hong Kong travelers, we covered most of the touristy areas in the city including the theme parks. There are tons of things to do and see in Hong Kong. As it is a major shopping destination, gourmet paradise and the list goes on.
You can create your own itinerary depending on the duration of your stay and your interest. In our case, we decided to stay central so we can easily access the places we want to visit. We actually divided our whole week in Hong Kong into two. We spent our first 5 days exploring Hong Kong Island and Kowloon area, plus a day trip to Macau. The last remaining 3 days and 2 nights were allotted for Hong Kong Disneyland.
Where we stayed?
We stayed in Holiday Inn Express Mongkok during our first 5 days and we transferred to Disney Hollywood Hotel for our Disneyland adventure. (READ: Hotel Review: Disney Hollywood Hotel Hong Kong)
Outlined below is our 7 days full itinerary including a day trip to Macau from Hong Kong. It is also a roundup of my Hong Kong blog series.
Day One – Nan Lian Garden, Tsim Sha Tsui & Victoria Peak
Nan Lian Garden – Located in Diamond Hills, this garden is a must-visit when you are in Hong Kong. Many tourists didn’t know about this beautiful garden. If you can spare a couple of hours, go and visit this place. It would be worth your time.
Explore Tsim Sha Tsui – A popular shopping and nightlife district in Kowloon. Several attractions can be found within the area like the Avenue of Stars, Kowloon Park, the Promenade and the famous Nathan Road.
Victoria Peak & Hong Kong Park – The Victoria Peak is Hong Kong’s highest point. From here, you will have amazing views of the the city plus you can also visit their beautiful gardens. Hong Kong Park, on the other hand, houses a number of waterfalls, ponds, an aviary and a children’s playground. These two sites are near each other. So if you’re going to visit one might as well visit the other. (READ: 3 Must-See Gardens In Hong Kong)
Day Two – Macau Day Tour
Macau is a small city and most of the important attractions can be explored in just one day. It is only a 2-hour ferry ride from Hong Kong. That’s why a day trip to Macau from Hong Kong is very doable. Unless you want to try all the major casinos in the city then you’ll need to stay longer. (READ: Macau Day Trip From Hong Kong) to know how we spent our day in Macau.
Day Three – Hong Kong Ocean Park
Ocean Park is a marine mammal park, oceanarium, animal theme and amusement park all rolled into one. The park has two sections The Summit and The Waterfront which is separated by the mountains. The Summit can only be reached by a 15-minute cable car ride. It is a huge park that take at least one whole day to explore. By the time you’re done trying out all that the park has to offer, you’ll surely be dead tired in the end. The only thing you can do after is to give yourself a delightful dinner before hitting the sack. (READ: FAT-Moments In Ocean Park Hong Kong)
Day Four – Lantau Island & Light Show
Lantau Island & Ngong Ping 360 is another interesting site in Hong Kong that you wouldn’t want to miss. Many tourists flock here to see the huge Buddha, visit the monastery and experience an amazing cable car ride. (READ Exploring Lantau Island: Ngong Ping 360 Experience)
Symphony of Lights Show & Kowloon Park – From Lantau Island we still have plenty of time to spend in the city so we decided to visit Kowloon Park. The Symphony of Lights show starts at 8 o’clock in the evening daily. While waiting for the show you can check some shops or have a relaxing dinner in Tsim Sha Tsui.
Day Five – First Day In Disneyland
On the fifth day of our stay in Hong Kong, we transferred hotel from Mongkok to Disney Hollywood Hotel. We got settled into our room at around 12 noon and had our lunch first before we explored the Park. We chose some exciting rides to try and then waited for the ‘Flights of the Fantasy’ Parade from our designated area. After the parade we watched some shows and stayed to witness the magical fireworks at the end of the day.
Day Six – Second Day In Disneyland
The next day we went early to beat the crowd and long queues for picture taking with the famous Disney characters. The remaining hours were spent shopping for souvenirs.
Day Seven – Lazy Day at the Resort & Departure
Basically our last day in Hong Kong was spent at the resort. Had our last breakfast with Chef Mickey at his cafe. We could have used our free time swimming but decided against it to avoid bringing wet clothes, as it adds extra weight to our luggage. Instead we had a fun photo shoot at the resort gardens before flying back home.
Alternative Recommendations
Where to eat – There are only 3 restaurants that I can recommend where we really enjoyed the food. First is Tim Ho Wan (Olympic Branch). They serve delicious dim sums and the best pork buns. The price is very affordable too. Second is Yuet Lai Shun, located at Dundas Street just across Holiday Inn Express Mongkok. They offer variety of authentic and mouthwatering Chinese dishes. Third is Lan Fong Yuen. (READ: Authentic Taste Of Hong Kong: LAN FONG YUEN Cha Chaan Teng)
Shopping Option – I’m sure there are countless of Malls and shopping centers within the city however if you are looking for big discounts, I highly recommend to visit Tung Chung Citygate Outlets. Variety of signatures stores can be found inside the shopping center. Most of the items can go as low as 70% off. The outlet is located right outside Tung Chung MTR station. It is the same station you go to for the Ngong Ping 360 tram ride.
Get an Octopus Card – Actually getting an Octopus card is a must as soon as you land at the airport. The card can be used as payment for public transportations, retail shops, convenience stores, supermarkets, fast-food restaurant and vending machines. It is very convenient if you’re using the MTR (Mass Transit Railway) all the time. You can get the card at the Information Center of the airport. You can check their website here to learn more.
As much as possible we wanted to make our Hong Kong trip a very relaxing one that’s why we only chose a few attractions to accommodate per day. You may copy the same itinerary as what we did or you can create your own based on your personal preferences. This only serves as a guide if in case you’re planning to visit Hong Kong soon.
Here are the blog links, if in case you haven’t read my Hong Kong blog series.
- 3 Must-See Gardens In Hong Kong
- Exploring Lantau Island: Ngong Ping 360 Experience
- FAT-Moments In Ocean Park Hong Kong
- Hong Kong Disneyland: 3 Magical Days Experience
- Hotel Review: Disney Hollywood Hotel Hong Kong
- Authentic Taste Of Hong Kong: LAN FONG YUEN Cha Chaan Teng
- Macau Day Trip From Hong Kong
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Looks like a super fun holiday in HK. Great information here Joy and I love the pictures!
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Yes, it was super fun and memorable trip. Thank you for dropping. Hope to see you again in my blog. 🙂
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HK is definitely one of the places I want to see the most. Your posts made me want to book tickets ASAP 😛
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Don’t worry Kat, I’m sure you’ll get to visit HK after the wedding and many more places to explore with your hubby. 🙂
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Just went to HK last week and the weather very good, windy and around 18 – 22 degree. Will post soon.
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Awesome! That’s good to hear. I can’t wait to read your HK stories and experience. 😉
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Hope to visit HK next year so your account of HK was very helpful indeed. Thanks Joy. 😉
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Great! I’m so excited for you! Don’t hesitate to ask if you have questions. 🙂
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Thanks lovely 😊
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I was really upset that I couldn’t see the Buddha when I went to Hong Kong and Macau. 😦 It was under renovation. I loved the custard tarts in Macau!
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Oh that’s a bummer! Anyways just use it as a reason to visit HK again. Love the egg tarts too, so yummy! 🙂
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As someone who’s planning to visit Hong Kong, its so easy for follow your path, as you were a first time visitor too, lolz!
Nan Lian Garden is just gorgeous! I’m reading a lot about Macau these days! I may skip Disneyland though. Hope to visit soon!!!
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That’s good to hear. I can’t wait for you to experience what Hong Kong has to offer. Frankly I felt like I still have a lot of things to do and see in Hong Kong. If opportunity come I would definitely visit Hong Kong in a heart beat. 🙂
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Essentially, for a fun holiday, a good option is HK and Macau. You found tons of things to fill into your itinerary. The food looks good too!
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Yes, and still there are things that I haven’t done when we were there. Would love to go back. Thanks for dropping by! 🙂
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I treated my parents to a trip to HK almost two years ago, and we truly enjoyed our visit to Ngong Ping. It was a cool February morning, and there was so much fog that magnified the novelty of the experience.
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That’s cool! Honestly, I prefer to visit Hong Kong on a colder months as it is very humid during summer. Thanks for dropping by, Rye! 🙂
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Such an extensive itinerary. I’mm guessing you guys were dead tired at the end of each day.. 🙂
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Hehehe! You guessed it right, Johnny! 🙂
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I want to go to Hong Kong so bad! Great advice here, thanks!
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Hello Aggie. I glad you liked this article. Hope to see you again in my blog. Thank you!
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Glad you enjoyed your HK + Macau tour and visited those touristic places. You should have visited the SSP, sham shui po for crafts and tried the ding dings.
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I’m with 2 men who aren’t interested about crafts, so we ditched SSP. The dings dings are cute and only good for the photos and the experience are similar to riding trams in Europe. Thanks for the comment!
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There’s so much stuff to do and see around Hong Kong. Next time I go back I’ll go to these places mentioned. Didn’t realize two hour ferry ride Lang to Macau!
Thanks for this post!
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Yeah Macau and HK are magkalapit lang. We had so much fun exploring the city. Thanks din for reading. 🙂
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Hong Kong looks a lot different from China. Quite an interesting place to visit. Great guide by the way… 🙂
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Thank you! 😀
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Never been to HK, it looks like a place where everyone can find something they enjoy. You made it to places I never heard of. I associate HK with food, busy city and skyscrapers roofs!
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Yes, HK has something for everyone. I hope you’ll be able to see Hong Kong in the future.
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you did a lot of touring during your stay. I really like the photos you shared – very informative content.
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Thank you Sylvie! I hope to see you again here in my blog. 🙂
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This seemed like a suprr fun holiday. Even tho it was a short one. Great pictures.
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Indeed! Thanks for dropping by! 🙂
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Hong Kong is high on my list, especially after reading your blog post with lovely pictures. XX from The Netherlands
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Hello Bonnie! I hope you’ll be able to explore Hong Kong soo. Thank you for dropping by!
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I also traveled to Hong Kong for the first time this year. I missed the Disneyland and Macau and Lantau, but I spent a lot of time exploring Kowloon and Hong Kong including Ocean Park. I loved the Hong Kong Street markets.
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Yes Kowloon and Hong Kong island alone has a lot of things to do. Lantau is something to look forward on your net visit to Hk. Thanks for the comment.
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Such a beautiful experience! I have never been to HK, but I would love to go there one day! Your article is amazing and your pics are really very nice:)
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Thank you Mirela! I hope one day you’ll get to see Hong Kong.
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Hong Kong is fantastic, isn’t it? It is one of my favourite places in the world. I haven’t made it to Macau yet, but after reading your suggestion, when I plan a trip, I will go for longer than a day trip.
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Yes a day trip in Macau is really short. Would love to go back to and explore more. I’m sure you will enjoy Macau with all its glittery casino lights. 🙂
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Wow your photos are stunning. I’ve always wanted to go to Hong Kong but now I’m more sure than ever. Great post!
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Oh thank you! I hope you’ll get to visit HK soon. 🙂
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I wish Hong Kong was a bit closer (I’m from Europe)! Such a fascinating place. I loved your photos from Nan Lian Garden – definitely a must-see! I also had no idea there was a Disneyland in Hong Kong!
Thank you for sharing, Joy!
Happy travels,
Ioanna
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Thanks for dropping by Loanna! Don’t worry I’m sure you’ll the chance to see HK in the future. 🙂
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Ahhh I love the energy of Hong Kong! I do like that you have more than the usual 3 day itinerary. I feel like most trips I had there were only that long but with so many sights, you can accomplish so much in a week!
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Yes, I think 3 days is really short for HK, you need extra days to enjoy the city fully. Thank you for dropping by!
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You packed a lot into your week! Hong Kong looks like a great city to visit. I wonder how Disneyland there compares to Disneyland and Disney World in the States?
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Hi Sherrie! I haven’t been to Disneyland in the USA yet, so I can’t tell the difference. 🙂
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Love love love HK! Sabi ko no’n sa self ko, kapag yumaman ako talaga ng bonggang bongga, titira ako d’yan kahit mga six months lang ganyan. Hehehe
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Hahaha! Why not! Who know’s darating ang araw na yun. Sarap mag shopping dun hahaha. Ubusan ng pera.
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[…] Related Post: DIY Hong Kong Itinerary + Macau Day Tour […]
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This post makes me want to go! Looks like so much fun. Disney World in HK, WOW. One day…. Thanks for sharing your vacation. 🙂
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You’re definitely welcome… It’s always nice to know whenever one of my articles trigger a fellow blogger’s travel lust. Hope you do get to see HK soon… Happy travels… 🙂
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Very detailed and informative. Love your blog
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Thanks for the compliment and for dropping by… 🙂
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Hi Ms Joy,
How did you go to your hotel from the airport? Like, dis you use your octopus card already? Or do you need to buy another ticket like the airport express? Bottom line I need to know how to get out of the airport by bus or train and what card to use. Thank you for your help
Selle
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Hi Selle. We arrived in Hong Kong around midnight. Given the late hour, we just took the cab from the airport to our hotel. You can use an octopus card right out of the airport going to your hotel. Just study Hong Kong’s metro lines to see what station your hotel is nearest to. Hope that helps and thanks for dropping by 🙂
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