Hong Kong inspires and attracts lots of tourists and business professionals as it is a promising place to have fun and work. The Hong Kong skyline is a mesmerizing view that enthralls anyone who visits this magnificent place. The city delivers on being one of the top destinations for tourists the over the world.
24 hours in Hong Kong
is just not enough time to see everything the city has to offer. Hong Kong is an all-out assault on the senses. Trying to absorb everything in a short period of time will only lead to an obsession with returning as soon as possible. The culinary scene in Hong Kong alone may be enough to urge you to turn one day into a week in order to avoid a revolt from your palate and their new favorite flavor combinations!With just one day in Hong Kong, you will not have much time to relax, but you will see and do a lot, enough to entice a longer return visit. Begin with these suggestions for the ideal 24 Hour Hong Kong schedule.
Visit the Kowloon Park
Get out of bed early morning to get a rejuvenating start of the 24 hours in Hong Kong with Kowloon Park. An early-morning stroll through this quiet green park in Tsim Sha Tsui is the ideal way to transport from jet lag-induced sleep to Hong Kong’s busy streets.
Join scores of Hongkongers perfecting their Tai Chi practices to warm up for the day ahead. Sneak over to the Bird Lake, Aviary, and Chinese Garden after limbering up to see some of the over 100 bird species that call Kowloon Park home.
Before you go, take a look at the park’s unique Hong Kong Avenue of Comic Stars, which features life-sized statues of Hong Kong comic book characters such as Wang Xiao Hu from Dragon Tiger Gate & Q-Boy from White Cat Black Cat.
Fuel your adventure in Hong Kong with a hearty breakfast
Hong Kong is one of Asia’s top cuisine cities, and its reputation extends even to breakfast. Breakfast in Hong Kong is less about stuffing yourself and more about socializing. Quantities are generally reasonable, albeit not equivalent to the mounds found at IHOP or Denny’s.
Don’t be astonished if you see Hongkongers eating delicious dumplings early in the morning. Dumpling sum is a popular breakfast in Hong Kong, despite our perception that it is more of a midday or late snack.
To further enhance your tastebuds, please visit the following breakfast joints and check the exquisite local cuisine:
- Australia Dairy Company located at 47 Parkes Street famous for scrambled eggs, and macaroni with Chinese ham.
- Café Kool situated at 64 Mody Road serves out both Asian and Western delicacies.
- The Verandah at Salisbury Road is Hong Kong’s oldest luxury hotel serving a continental-style breakfast.
Zip across the Victoria Harbour on the Star Ferry
After you have finished your meal, make your way to the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade on Kowloon’s southern outskirts. The sights of Victoria Harbour and even the Hong Kong Island skyline are breathtaking all along the promenade. On your way to the Kowloon Public Pier, travel westward along the Avenue of Stars, past the Bruce Lee statue (now temporarily relocated across Salisbury Road).
The Star Ferry, which has been running the Kowloon-Hong Kong path for over a century, departs from the dockEven though the road tunnels and a metro line now join the main mainland to Hong Kong Island, millions of people continue to crisscross the city on one of the best commutes in the world.
The Star Ferry is likely the best cruise you’ll ever find for so cheap, costing only HK$2.50-HK$3.40 each way—the vistas are simply stunning! It’s no surprise that it’s consistently ranked as one of the key places in Hong Kong for all first-time travelers .
Swoon over the gorgeous skyline in Hong Kong at Victoria Peak
Walk for around 20 minutes or hire a cab from the Central Ferry Terminal in Hong Kong to reach Peak Tram’s Garden Road Terminus. The Peak Tram has significant importance in Hong Kong history like the Star Ferry. The Peak Team began transporting passengers up Victoria Peak, Hong Kong Island’s highest point, in 1888. Every year, millions of people ride the tram, taking in spectacular vistas of the city as they travel the 1.4-kilometer path.
A basic return ticket on the Peak Tram will cost HK$45 ($5.77), but the Peak Tram Skypass is worth the extra money. The HK$90 ($11.54) package is well spent since it includes both a tram return ticket and admission to The Sky Terrace 428–which is a 360-degree panoramic point in Peak Tower offering some of the best views of the impressive Hong Kong skyline.
Slurp noodles for lunch in Central
Returning to the city, stop by Wellington Street in Central Hong Kong for a hearty lunch. Wellington Street is regarded as one of the world’s best culinary streets, with its sweet and savory aromas billowing into the pavements as passers-by salivate.
For lunch few restaurant options are mentioned below:
- Mak’s Noodle at 77 Wellington Street serves the best wonton noodles. Try the shrimp noodles to blow your tastebuds.
- Tsim Chai Kee Noodle Shop at 98 Wellington Street serves hand-pulled noodles boosted with shrimp wontons, fish balls, and thinly-sliced beef that are sure to make you crave for more.
- Butao Ramen at 69 Wellington Street serves the best Japanese-style noodles worth trying.
Get your afternoon tea at Luk Yu Teahouse
Around the corner from Wellington Street’s delectable offerings is the Luk Yu Teahouse, a relic of Hong Kong’s colonial past. The traditional art deco interior, with stained glass windows and beautiful hardwood wainscotting, is ideal for afternoon tea.
Luk Yu Teahouse is famed in Hong Kong for its dim sum, in addition to its selection of delectable Chinese teas. If you have some room in your stomach post-lunch, try their silky xiao long bao dumplings or pork buns.
Shop until you are broke at Causeway Bay
From Central, take the MTR to Causeway Bay in Wan Chai. Causeway Bay is the answer to Fifth Avenue in New York, with all the glitz, glamour, and pricing to match.
One of Hong Kong’s most popular malls, Times Square, is a wonderful place to start exploring Causeway Bay. Times Square, like Ginza in Tokyo, is home to major fashion labels such as Dior, Louis Vuitton, and Gucci. It is not just about fashion. Sketchers, Columbia, and Vans compete for your attention, as do cafés, bookstores, and eateries.
If flying up the escalator in a 9-story shopping mall isn’t your cup of tea, head down to road level and peruse the shops along Kingston and Patterson at Hong Kong’s so-called Fashion Walk, where worldwide brands like H&M, Diesel, DKNY, and Fossil can be found.
Have a Hong Kong dim sum (dumpling) dinner!
As you have arrived in Hong Kong, one of the world’s best cities for foodies,ouldn’t it be a shame to squander the opportunity to eat a little more?
Take the MTR from Hong Kong Island to Kowloon’s Mong Kok station via Victoria Harbour. Mong Kok is one of Hong Kong’s busiest districts, humming at all hours of the day. Ply around the markets and street vendors of Mong Kok to catch a glimpse of a Hong Kong that is slowly fading as the city expands.
Admire the city from the harbor on an evening Chinese junk boat cruise
Don’t let your dim sum dinner derail your Hong Kong night plan! Return to Victoria Harbour, either on foot or by MTR, and prepare to dominate the evening on the water.
Looking for an unforgettable experience during your Hong Kong visit?
- Take an evening trip around Victoria Harbour on the Aqua Luna, a historic Chinese junk boat. The 45-minute boat ride offers a welcome drink to sip while watching the sun set behind the bay.
- Even more impressive is Aqua Luna’s Symphony of Lights voyage, which coincides with Hong Kong’s nighttime light show.
- In any case, if you choose one of the more frequent Victoria Harbour evening cruises, proceed back to the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade by 8 p.m. to witness the cavalcade of colors that overtakes the Hong Kong skyline.
Stay in Hong Kong
Selecting where to lodge in Hong Kong for 1 day will not be as stressful as finding in a huge city like Tokyo. It’s also far from simple.
The quality of Hong Kong’s accommodations ranges from dingy cheap guesthouses in the slightly shady Unique feel Mansions to ritzy harbourside luxury hotels.
And what about the prices? Let’s just say Hong Kong isn’t the most affordable city in Asia. In either case, there are a couple of high-quality hotels to get your search started.
How to Reach Hong Kong
By plane: Hong Kong is well connected with the major cities of the world.
Besides significant holidays such as Chinese New Year, the best time to visit Hong Kong for airfare is in the fall and winter.