5 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

      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. (2–3 hours, low cost).

   2. Late morning

      Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade and Avenue of Stars

      Combine the light show with a Star Ferry ride back to Central to see the lights from the water. (1 hour, free).

   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

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

   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: Hollywood Road and Man Mo Temple and Tai Kwun

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

   1. Morning

      Hollywood Road and Man Mo Temple

      Ride the Mid-Levels Escalator up from Central, walk west along Hollywood Road, and finish with coffee on Tai Ping Shan Street. (2 hours, free).

   2. Late morning

      Tai Kwun

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

   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

      Temple Street Night Market

      Come after dark for a claypot rice or seafood dinner and haggle politely for anything you buy. (1–2 hours, free).

   5. Evening

      Hong Kong Disneyland

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

3. Day 3: Ladies' Market and Mong Kok street markets and Wong Tai Sin Temple

   Ladies' Market and Mong Kok street markets, Wong Tai Sin Temple and Chi Lin Nunnery and Nan Lian Garden, then Lan Kwai Fong in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Ladies' Market and Mong Kok street markets

      Visit the Flower Market and Bird Garden in the morning, then work south to the Ladies' Market as stalls open in the afternoon. (2–3 hours, free).

   2. Late morning

      Wong Tai Sin Temple

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

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Wonton noodles

      Noodle shops in Central, Sheung Wan and Mong Kok.

   4. Afternoon

      Chi Lin Nunnery and Nan Lian Garden

      Walk the garden's loop towards the golden Pavilion of Absolute Perfection for the classic photo with skyscrapers behind. (1–1.5 hours, free).

   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. Best for first-timers, culture and food lovers.

   3. Evening

      Back in Hong Kong

      Dinner: try Egg tart.

5. Day 5: M+ and Hong Kong Palace Museum

   M+, Hong Kong Palace Museum and Dragon's Back hike, then SoHo and Peel Street in the evening.

   1. Morning

      M+

      Walk out to the Art Park lawn afterwards for one of the widest skyline views in Kowloon. (2–3 hours, mid-priced).

   2. Late morning

      Hong Kong Palace Museum

      Special exhibitions can need separate timed tickets; check what is showing before you go. (2 hours, mid-priced).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Egg tart

      Bakeries and cha chaan tengs, including long-running bakeries in Central and Sheung Wan.

   4. Afternoon

      Dragon's Back hike

      Take bus 9 from Shau Kei Wan MTR to To Tei Wan, finish at Big Wave Bay beach, and avoid the midday heat in summer. (3–4 hours, free).

   5. Evening

      SoHo and Peel Street

      Cocktail bars and wine bars along the Mid-Levels Escalator above Hollywood Road.

Before you go

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

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 5 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 27–37 hours of visiting over 5 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
• 4 days in Hong Kong
• 7 days in Hong Kong

Questions travellers ask