Located in Lantau, Precious Lotus (Po Lin) Monastery is one of the most popular Buddhist temples and tourist attractions in Hong Kong. Famed for the Tian Tan Buddha, or Big Buddha, visitors flock here to see the 112-feet-tall (38-meter) Buddha and to enjoy the peaceful environment of the monastery and surroundings.
Across the water from Hong Kong Island on the tip of the Kowloon Peninsula, Tsim Sha Tsui (TST) is a buzzing, dynamic district that encapsulates Hong Kong’s diversity. From the Indian restaurants and martial arts schools in Chungking Mansions to fascinating museums and luxurious hotels, this is Hong Kong in all its glorious color.
Get a glimpse of traditional culture at Yuen Po Street Bird Garden, where Hong Kong’s bird lovers gather to socialize, shop, and show off their songbirds. Designed in the style of a traditional Chinese garden, the garden also features numerous stalls selling everything you need to take care of birds—including the birds themselves.
Get a glimpse of old Hong Kong in the unusual shops and markets along Bonham Strand. Located in Sheung Wan on Hong Kong Island, Bonham Strand is known for its large concentration of shops selling traditional Chinese medicine, herbal remedies, as well as dried seafood and other exotic animal products.
Nathan Road, one of Kowloon’s main thoroughfares, runs in a south-north direction from Tsim Sha Tsui to Sham Shui Po. It’s a shopper’s paradise, where you can find everything from large malls to designer boutiques to electronics shops, as well as extensive dining, entertainment, and nightlife options.
With no cars, a small population, old-fashioned buildings, excellent hikes, hidden beaches, and al fresco seafood restaurants, Lamma Island offers welcome respite from Hong Kong’s bustle. The closest and third-largest island of Hong Kong’s outlying islands, Lamma remains largely undeveloped, with a decidedly bohemian vibe, thanks in part to its youthful expat population.
A quintessential Hong Kong experience, the iconic Star Ferry has been transporting locals and visitors between HK Island and Kowloon since 1888. Riding the ferry provides the most scenic views of Victoria Harbour, one of the most photographed waterfront areas in the world.
Set amid bustling Mongkok, Fa Yuen Street Market is a must-visit Hong Kong street market. It’s best known for sportswear—one stretch with scores of sports shops is known as Sneaker Street—but it’s a mecca for all sorts of goods and clothing. There’s an indoor wet market with stalls selling cooked food and nary a souvenir in sight.
Located in Yau Ma Tei, the Jade Market houses hundreds of stalls selling jade in all shapes and sizes, including jewelry, souvenirs, accessories, figurines, knickknacks, and more. In addition to jade, vendors sell pearls and semiprecious stones, as well as calligraphy and letter-writing services.
For over 100 years, the Victoria Peak Tram has been inclining its way up Victoria Peak on Hong Kong Island. The service began as a coal-fired tramway in 1888 and was electrically powered starting in 1926. Today, some 7 million people take a ride on the funicular railway every year for its spectacular panoramic views. At the top, you’ll find the ultramodern Peak Tower with its restaurants and Sky Terrace 428 viewing platform, nature trails, and the Victoria Peak Garden.
Located at the northernmost part of Hong Kong Island, and east of Causeway Bay, is the North Point District. Formerly an industrial area, North Point is primarily a residential neighborhood, but one that offers great dining options, bustling wet markets, historic landmarks, and other hidden gems off the beaten path.
Located at the foot of Lantau Peak, Wisdom Path is a landscaped installation made of 38 wooden columns inscribed with the complete verses from the centuries-old Heart Sutra. Walk the Wisdom Path—a short distance away from the Big Buddha and Po Lin Monastery—to experience art and philosophy in a peaceful environment with lovely views.
Tung Chung started out as a small fishing village but today is a thriving town with plenty to offer. On the northern coast of picturesque Lantau Island, Tung Chung has great shopping at Citygate Outlets, access to Ngong Ping 360 and the Big Buddha, and close proximity to the airport and a number of other attractions on the island.
Located in Shatin, the Hong Kong Heritage Museum is built as a traditional siheyuan house. The museum focuses on the art, history, and culture of the New Territories and Hong Kong, with a particular focus on art, Cantonese opera, popular culture, and cultural heritage.
Opened in 1970, Kowloon Park’s Chinese-style gardens provide an escape from the bustling streets in Tsim Sha Tsui. Once a military base, the 32.8-acre (13.3-hectare) green space now hosts playgrounds, sculptures, and fitness facilities, as well as a range of flora and fauna, including several protected trees.
In the modern metropolis of Hong Kong, you’re never short on options for how to get around. For a really authentic Hong Kong experience, though, you should ride the Hong Kong Tramways at least once. The tramways are one of the city’s earliest forms of public transportation, plus one of the most eco-friendly and cost-effective.
Located in northeast New Territories, Sai Kung East Country Park is one of the most scenic parks in the city. A popular day trip destination, the park offers stunning scenery, numerous hiking trails, rugged peaks, unique rock formations, secluded beaches, pristine islands, and the largest reservoir in the city.
Located in Tsim Sha Tsui, the Hong Kong Science Museum is committed to educating the public about science, technology, and astronomy. The museum offers a wealth of learning opportunities, including daily live demonstrations, interactive exhibits, science films, and lectures, and is a fun and educational day out for the whole family.
Located within the Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark, Sharp Island (Kiu Tsui Chau) packs a lot into a small area, with two popular beaches, barbecue areas, hiking trails, stunning scenery, and interesting geological formations. Sharp Island is easily accessible, and is one of the most popular islands in the Sai Kung area.
The largest of the three main areas of Hong Kong, the New Territories stretches from north of Kowloon to the Chinese border and also includes the outlying islands of Hong Kong. New Territories offers both the urban sprawl typical of the city, as well as the natural beauty of mountains, beaches, and unspoiled countryside.
Located within the Plover Cove Country Park, Plover Cove Reservoir is the second-largest reservoir in Hong Kong, and the first “reservoir in the sea” in the world. Part of the Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark, the area around the reservoir offers fantastic hiking and cycling, and is a popular destination for day trips.
Called the “back garden of Hong Kong,” Sai Kung is known for its laid-back fishing villages and stunning natural beauty, with beautiful country parks, rugged peaks, unique geological features, pristine beaches, and over 70 islands. Located in the New Territories, it’s a popular day trip and weekend destination for locals and visitors.
Located southwest of Hong Kong Island, charming Cheung Chau Island has long been a favorite day-trip destination of locals. Known for its beautiful beaches, fresh seafood, traditional temples, and laidback village vibe, Cheung Chau offers an idyllic escape from the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong.
Built in 1846, Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware is the oldest remaining British Colonial building in Hong Kong. Formerly the residence of the Commander of the British Forces in Hong Kong, today it features exhibitions, demonstrations, and lectures on tea, tea culture, and the history of tea in China.
Located on Hong Kong’s Victoria Peak, Lion’s Pavilion at the Peak offers some of the best free views in the city. Visit the multilevel structure, built by the Tai Ping Shan chapter of the Lions Club International, alongside plenty of other tourists for the stunning views over Victoria Harbor and the Hong Kong skyline.
Happy Valley Racecourse is one of Hong Kong’s most iconic sports venues, with a history that dates back to 1845. Located on Hong Kong Island, this famous horse racing venue can accommodate around 55,000 spectators in public stands and member areas. There is also an on-site museum to explore: the Hong Kong Racing Museum.
Located in Kowloon Bay, the modern Hong Kong Kai Tak Cruise Terminal serves as a gateway for exploring Hong Kong. A former British colony and a Special Administrative Region of China, Hong Kong is an international and cosmopolitan city with a rich culture and history, and plenty to do and see.
Zipping over the waves, TurboJET’s fleet of scarlet hydrofoil ferries link Hong Kong and China’s Shenzhen area to Macau in a fraction of the time (or carbon cost) of flying. Services nip between Hong Kong’s Sheung Wan and Macau’s Outer Harbour day and night in a little under an hour. Other routes run shorter and less frequent schedules.
See the unique geological landforms of Hong Kong at the Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark. The Geopark includes eight designated geo-areas across the Sai Kung Volcanic Rock Region and the Northeast New Territories Sedimentary Rock Region. The terrain includes islands, cliffs, sea caves, volcanic rocks, and rare hexagonal columns.
Noah's Ark Hong Kong was the world’s first full-size replica of the famous biblical vessel and remains a Hong Kong attraction for Christian families. The centerpiece of the park is the full-scale replica ark, which houses a collection of smaller ark models, an interactive children’s museum, plus a hotel, a cinema, and restaurants. Outside in the garden, guests walk among 67 pairs of life-size animal sculptures.
