4 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 and Tian Tan Buddha and Po Lin Monastery, then Star Ferry in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Victoria Peak and the Peak Tram

      Allow 2–3 hours (low cost). Go up an hour before sunset, walk Lugard Road as the lights come on, and return by bus 15 or taxi if the tram queue is long.

   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

      Allow Half a day (mid-priced). Start early to beat the cable car queues, and check that it is running; it closes for maintenance and in strong winds.

   5. 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: Hong Kong Disneyland and Tai O fishing village

   Hong Kong Disneyland, Tai O fishing village and Hollywood Road and Man Mo Temple, then Temple Street Night Market in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Hong Kong Disneyland

      Highlights include the Frozen-themed World of Frozen land, Mystic Manor and the castle night show. It suits younger children well, and a day is enough.

   2. Late morning

      Tai O fishing village

      Allow 2–3 hours (free). Pair it with the Big Buddha: bus 21 links Ngong Ping and Tai O in about 20 minutes.

   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

      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.

   5. Evening

      Temple Street Night Market

      Come after dark for a claypot rice or seafood dinner and haggle politely for anything you buy.

3. Day 3: Tai Kwun and Ladies' Market and Mong Kok street markets

   Tai Kwun, Ladies' Market and Mong Kok street markets and Wong Tai Sin Temple, then Lan Kwai Fong in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Tai Kwun

      Allow 1–2 hours (free). Enter from the Mid-Levels Escalator on Hollywood Road and finish with a drink in one of the courtyard bars.

   2. Late morning

      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.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Wonton noodles

      Noodle shops in Central, Sheung Wan and Mong Kok.

   4. Afternoon

      Wong Tai Sin Temple

      Allow 1 hour (free). Combine with Chi Lin Nunnery, two MTR stops away, for a half-day of temples and gardens.

   5. Evening

      Lan Kwai Fong

      A steep L-shaped lane in Central packed with bars and clubs; crowds spill onto the street on weekends.

4. Day 4: Day trip to Macau

   About 1 hour by ferry each way. Getting there: TurboJET ferry from Sheung Wan, or bus via the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Macau

      About 1 hour by ferry (TurboJET ferry from Sheung Wan, or bus via the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge); about 60 km.

   2. Day

      Macau

      Macau's UNESCO-listed historic centre mixes Portuguese squares, the ruined façade of St Paul's and Chinese temples, while Cotai's casino resorts lie across the bridge. Try Portuguese egg tarts and Macanese food, and check entry requirements on official sites before travelling.

   3. Evening

      Back in Hong Kong

      Dinner: try Egg tart.

Before you go

Reserve timed tickets for Victoria Peak and the Peak Tram, Tian Tan Buddha and Po Lin Monastery and Hong Kong Disneyland before you travel; the rest of this plan needs no advance booking.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 4 nights, Central keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Sheung Wan ($$$) suits culture, couples, food lovers and solo travellers. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 21–29 hours of visiting over 4 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 10.8 hours in December to 13.5 hours in June.

More or fewer days

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

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