Our Favorite Spots in Hong Kong
The amazing view from Victoria Peak in Hong Kong
Our Top 10 Recommended Places for You to Visit in Hong Kong
Hong Kong Introduction
Our good friends, Leighton and Sharon had been stationed in Hong Kong for a number of years. They were near the end of their term and this would be the last chance to visit before they were moving back to New Zealand.
We jumped on the chance as it would be wonderful to spend time with them and get to know their city.
Leighton and Sharon lived in a marvelous apartment at the Peak with an out-of-this-world view of the Hong Kong skyline and Victoria Harbour.
Hong Kong proved to be a vibrant city with hundreds of rich impressions which we have taken with us, both in photographs and in our memory bank.
Hong Kong Skyline and Victoria Harbour captured from The Peak at dusk
We often refer to Hong Kong as one of our favorite countries. Initially, we had planned to spend 3 weeks but as it happened we spent about two months during three visits.
Our goal with this post is to share with you our top 10 places we can suggest for you to visit in Hong Kong. Read on below but first a section on how to get around.
Getting Around in Hong Kong
Metro Hong Kong (MTR)
On one of the first days, Sharon gave us a quick lesson on how to use the MTR, Hong Kong’s metro system. She gave us MTR Octopus travel cards, which we could reload at any station. This was easy to do. Traffic and people move with an efficiency we haven’t seen anywhere else in the world.
The train cars are clean and we felt completely safe at any time of day. The sheer number of busses and trams here is staggering and a typical one-way fare is very reasonable at $1.35.
A train car on the Hong Kong MTR
Hong Kong Tram
One of our favorite and most memorable modes of transportation was the tram in Hong Kong. The trams can be a bit cramped and give yourself extra time to get from point A to B.
Nothing beats standing in front of the upper deck when the windows are open. This is a fantastic way to view and explore the city and you use all your senses. Ticket prices are very low at $0.33. Make sure to bring coins.
The upper deck of a tram at Fleming Road, Wan Chai
Taxi in Hong Kong
Transportation cost is reasonable in Hong Kong. The same goes for the classic red cabs. When we were out in the evening this was our best option for getting back to The Peak where we stayed. The fare is about $3 for the first two kilometers and then $0.15 cents for the next 200m or minute of waiting.
As I recall our fare from Central to the Peak would usually be around $7. The drivers are generally good and we have no horror stories to tell. It is good to have a screenshot of your location ready on your phone, as far from all drivers understand English.
Classic Red Toyota Crown Comfort Cabs lined up in Tsim Sha Tsui
Star Ferries
Not only is it a practical way to get between the Tsim Sha Tsui, Central, and Wan Chai Star Ferry Terminals but it is indeed a tourist attraction as well with a rich history dating back to 1888.
We took the ferry from TST to Central a few times and the view of the city is phenomenal. Fares again are extremely reasonable at about $0.40 for a one-way.
Star Ferries in Hong Kong
Bus in Hong Kong
We only took the bus once but made sure we had seats in the front of the bus on our day trip to Stanley. More about this is below.
Buses lined up in Mong Kok
1. Wan Chai
Wan Chai is a busy commercial area in Hong Kong and one of the earliest developed parts of the city. It is also home to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
It was one of the first districts we visited in Hong Kong and made a huge impact on us as we traveled by tram from the Central District.
From the tram we saw thousands of people going about their daily routines, commuting to and from work, people shopping, or headed to the market for groceries and kids on their way home from school.
Wan Chai is densely populated at if you go off the beaten path the apartment buildings are noticeably in decay.
Wan Chai Market
We headed for the market along Tai Yuen Street. This is combined meat, fish, vegetable, and fruit market with what seemed like hundreds of small shops.
Wan Chai Vegetable Market
The market was a beehive of activity with deliveries taking place, transactions happening left, right, and center. This being our first Asian market the intensity was something we had never witnessed before. All your senses are put to work here.
The market had plenty of colors to feast your eye on and a mixed smell of fish, fruits, meats, and vegetables. The market was a street photographer’s paradise. You could snap away completely unnoticed and I came away with several keepers.
Walking along the waterfront in Wan Chai you will see the land reclamation efforts and we found it fascinating that a huge part of Wan Chai indeed is on reclaimed land.
Wan Chai was often our destination for any kind of shopping, from drug stores to clothing and to dining out. We also paid a few visits to this part of the city when we applied for visas at the Chinese and Vietnamese Embassies.
Life is busy in Wan Chai
2. Mong Kok
Camera Stores in Mong Kok
Lured in by the promise of good camera deals, we made several trips to Mong Kok, famous for its markets and shopping.
My favorite spot to look for camera gear was at Sim City, a camera and lens retail mecca with dozens of photography stores all located in one building on 47-51 Shan Tung Street.
An interesting piece of trivia found on Wikipedia states Mong Kong was described as the busiest district in the world by the Guinness World Records.
It certainly gets busy here with just about any high-tech retail store you can imagine. But there is so much more than high tech. If you have money to spend you will be able to spend it here on almost anything you may desire.
Flower Market in Hong Kong
We would usually take the MTR from Central to Prince Edward Station and walk from here. It was not busy during the morning hours when we first arrived in Mong Kok. I would describe it as calm and relaxing. We found our way to the flower market and the city was just waking it seemed.
Di was impressed with the many flower shops which are all placed in the same neighborhood. An unusual concept as we normally would find different stores along a city block.
On our second visit to Hong Kong, we were at the flower market for the Chinese New Year. The flower market was filled with orange trees. Oranges are a popular symbol of good luck.
Orange trees and the Flower Market in Mongkok, Hong Kong
Bird Market in Hong Kong
Equally, impressive Mong Kok is also the home of a giant bird market. Admittedly this did not grab our attention as much. Just imagine the difference in smell from the Flower Market and you are clued into why we rushed through the bird market. It is however interesting to see the sheer size of this market.
Goldfish Market Hong Kong
All along Tung Choi Street North you will find stores selling goldfish and everything you may need to keep goldfish including aquariums, fish food, and the list goes on. Goldfish are believed to bring good luck in this part of the world, which explains their popularity.
Fish bagged up and ready for a new home at the Goldfish Market in Hong Kong
Markets of Mong Kok
As you figured by now, this is what Mong Kok is all about and we did indeed visit a couple of other well-known markets that were recommended to us by our host.
Fa Yuen Street, also known as Sneaker Street has everything you can imagine from sportswear, and sneakers to bags and cheap electronic gadgets, umbrellas, and souvenirs.
The same goes for the Temple Street Night Market. After writing all this about markets I have something to admit. I am not really a big fan of the markets. It could be because I know I am not in the market to buy anything.
Diana on the other hand loves the markets and can easily spend hours walking up and down the street and checking out the merchandise and the atmosphere. I mostly enjoy the markets for street photography.
Mong Kok, The market along Fa Yeun Street, Sneaker Street
3. Hong Kong Jockey Club
A ticket to the Hong Kong Jockey club is a ticket to witness one of the most popular sporting events in Hong Kong. 55,000 people gather here mid-week to watch the races and to place their bets.
Betting is a serious business and you see people studying the odds meticulously in long charts before betting on their favorites. The Hong Kong Jockey club is a place to take in the atmosphere, to place a bet, and maybe the odds will be with you.
We highly recommend spending an evening at the Hong Kong Jockey Club
5 . The Peak
We were very lucky to be staying at The Peak while in Hong Kong. Make sure to add The Peak to your Hong Kong agenda but not only for the views.
Most people will take the Hong Kong Peak Tram and visit the viewing platform and shopping mall at the top but we strongly encourage you to allocate more time as the hiking at the Peak is spectacular.
There are several marked trails that wind around the Peak area, taking you through lush rainforest terrain. Some hikes can be done quite easily and others are intermediate to advance depending on the elevation gain.
Hiking at The Peak provides the best views of Hong Kong
6. Central
Welcome to the bustling part of Hong Kong. Central is for banking, hotels, shopping malls, highrises, buses, trams, restaurants, office towers, street markets, MTR Stations, and for people-watching. As a street photographer, Central is the place to be.
There is so much action no matter in which direction you point the camera. We spent hours walking in Central and frequented Mid-Levels with the many stairs taking you from one level of the city to the next.
Central was also our hub for transportation to anywhere we went in the city including the MTR to the airport, trams, and buses.
Offices and shopping malls are connected by enclosed walk ways such as here in Central Hong Kong
7. Lamma Island
The ferry for Lamma Island leaves from the Central Ferry Pier 4, takes a short 45 minutes, and takes you to what feels like a different world.
Life happens at a slower pace on Lamma Island in the quaint village of Yung Shue Wan. One of the first things you notice is the fact that there are no cars on Lamma Island. A nice change from the city of Hong Kong.
We hiked through the rainforest and along beaches from Young Shue Wan to Sok Kwu Wan and even stopped for a swim along the way. This was a great hike and we highly recommend it.
When we arrived at Sok Kwu Wan, a cozy fishing village on the waterfront, we had a wonderful lunch at The Rainbow Seafood Restaurant which had been recommended to us.
The quaint fishing village of Sok Kwu Wan on Lamma Island
8. Stanley
An easy Hong Kong day trip by double-decker bus Stanley is like a vacation from your vacation in Hong Kong. With so much to see and explore in Hong Kong, Stanley was like a breath of fresh air with a quiet waterfront and lovely beach.
On the pier, we spotted a group doing qigong and elderly men fishing. Dozens of small vessels were anchored in the bay. The beaches are lined with fancy apartment buildings and apparently, prices are not for the faint of heart.
We could easily have gone for a swim at the beach in Stanley
9. Dragon's Back Hike
Most people we have spoken with since returning to Canada do not associate Hong Kong with breathtaking nature, rainforests, or amazing hiking trails. We only explored a small percentage of the many natural trails in Hong Kong.
The Dragon’s Back hike was indeed a great three-hour workout and took us through scenic forests, trails, and viewpoints. We were lucky to be able to join our friend Sharon's walking group.
We only made one wrong turn but the trails were otherwise well-marked.
Hiking the Dragon’s Back in Hong Kong
10. Shek O
Shek O is another great example of a destination we had never expected to witness in Hong Kong. This list is not meant as a ranking from best to worst and Shek O was certainly not a the bottom of our recommended list in Hong Kong.
Travel time was about two hours from the Peak but the reward was worth it with a beautiful oceanside hike on the cliffs above the sea.
Our friends Helen and Robert were our tour guides for the day and we shared a cozy lunch in the small village before returning to the city.
Taking in the beautiful scenery at Shek O in Hong Kong
Hong Kong Wrap Up
As mentioned in the first paragraph, Hong Kong was one of our favorite destinations during our travel. To read more from Hong Kong, please check this link:
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