2 days in Hong Kong

Day by day

1. Day 1: Victoria Peak and the Peak Tram and Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade and Avenue of Stars

   Victoria Peak and the Peak Tram, Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade and Avenue of Stars, Tian Tan Buddha and Po Lin Monastery and Hollywood Road and Man Mo Temple, then Star Ferry in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Victoria Peak and the Peak Tram

      The Sky Terrace 428 rooftop charges entry, but the free Lugard Road loop — an easy 3.5 km walk on a ledge path — gives equally fine views over Central and Kowloon.

   2. Late morning

      Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade and Avenue of Stars

      The free Symphony of Lights show of lasers and building lights runs nightly at 8pm.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Dim sum

      Traditional dim sum halls across the city and Michelin-listed budget dim sum chains in Sham Shui Po and Central.

   4. Afternoon

      Tian Tan Buddha and Po Lin Monastery

      Most visitors arrive on the Ngong Ping 360 cable car, a 25-minute ride from Tung Chung with views over the airport and the mountains; bus 23 is the slower, low-cost alternative.

   5. Late afternoon

      Hollywood Road and Man Mo Temple

      Giant incense coils hang from its smoky ceiling. The steps of nearby Upper Lascar Row (Cat Street) hold a curio market.

   6. Evening

      Star Ferry

      Sit on the upper deck on the side facing the skyline; the Tsim Sha Tsui-bound trip has the best view of Hong Kong Island.

2. Day 2: Tai Kwun and Temple Street Night Market

   Tai Kwun, Temple Street Night Market, Ladies' Market and Mong Kok street markets and Wong Tai Sin Temple, then Hong Kong Disneyland in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Tai Kwun

      The restored Central Police Station, Central Magistracy and Victoria Prison form a heritage and arts complex of colonial buildings around two courtyards, with free contemporary-art galleries, heritage displays in old cells, restaurants and bars.

   2. Late morning

      Temple Street Night Market

      It is best for atmosphere and food rather than shopping bargains.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Roast goose and char siu

      Siu mei shops in every district; Wan Chai and Sham Shui Po have well-known names.

   4. Afternoon

      Ladies' Market and Mong Kok street markets

      Tung Choi Street's Ladies' Market sells clothes, bags and souvenirs from about a hundred stalls, while the streets nearby specialise: the Goldfish Market with fish in hanging bags, the Flower Market on Flower Market Road and the Yuen Po Street Bird Garden where elderly men bring caged songbirds.

   5. Late afternoon

      Wong Tai Sin Temple

      Its red pillars and gold roofs sit right above the Wong Tai Sin MTR station.

   6. Evening

      Hong Kong Disneyland

      Visit on a weekday outside mainland and local school holidays, when queues are noticeably shorter.

Before you go

• Victoria Peak and the Peak Tram: Buy Peak Tram tickets online or with an Octopus card to skip the ticket queue, though the boarding queue remains at busy times.
• Tian Tan Buddha and Po Lin Monastery: Book cable car tickets online for weekends and holidays; a crystal (glass-floored) cabin costs more.
• Hong Kong Disneyland: Buy dated tickets online in advance; busy dates can sell out.

If it rains

• Swap in M+ (West Kowloon): Walk out to the Art Park lawn afterwards for one of the widest skyline views in Kowloon.
• Swap in Hong Kong Palace Museum (West Kowloon): Special exhibitions can need separate timed tickets; check what is showing before you go.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 19–26 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 10.8 hours in December to 13.5 hours in June.

Getting between stops: Metro. The MTR runs from about 6am to around 1am, with trains every few minutes on core lines.

More or fewer days

• One day in Hong Kong
• 3 days in Hong Kong
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• 7 days in Hong Kong

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