Hong Kong travel guide

Victoria Peak

Hong Kong Island

Ride the Peak Tram for the classic skyline view

Victoria Harbour

Tsim Sha Tsui

Watch A Symphony of Lights at 8pm from the promenade

Star Ferry

Central to Tsim Sha Tsui

Historic, cheap harbour crossing

Tian Tan Buddha

Lantau Island

Giant bronze Buddha reached by the Ngong Ping 360 cable car

Temple Street Night Market

Jordan

Street food, stalls and fortune-tellers

Dragon’s Back

Hong Kong Island

Short ridge hike ending at Big Wave Bay or Shek O beaches

Man Mo Temple

Sheung Wan

Incense-filled 19th-century temple

M+

West Kowloon Cultural District

Contemporary visual-culture museum on the harbourfront

Central

Financial heart — skyscrapers, the Peak Tram and the Mid-Levels escalators

Guides in Central →

Tsim Sha Tsui

Kowloon waterfront with skyline views, museums and shopping

Guides in Tsim →

Mong Kok

Dense, neon-lit district of street markets and snack stalls

Guides in Mong →

Wan Chai

Local eateries, markets and the convention centre

Guides in Wan →

Sheung Wan

Dried-seafood shops, antiques on Hollywood Road and trendy cafes

Guides in Sheung →

Sai Kung

Seaside town and gateway to beaches and the Geopark

Guides in Sai →

✈️ Hong Kong — Hong Kong International (HKG)

• Airport Express train to Kowloon and Hong Kong stations in about 25 minutes
• Cityflyer “A” buses to most districts
• Taxis: red (urban), green (New Territories), blue (Lantau)

✈️ Macau — Macau International (MFM)

• Alternative gateway; cross by the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge bus or by ferry

🚆 Getting around

• The MTR metro covers almost everywhere and is fast and clean
• Use an Octopus card (or Octopus in your phone wallet) for MTR, buses, trams, ferries and convenience stores — many routes also take contactless bank cards
• Ding-ding trams along the north of Hong Kong Island are slow but very cheap
• Ferries from Central serve Lantau, Lamma and Cheung Chau

🙏 Culture & etiquette

• Don’t eat or drink on the MTR — it’s banned and fined
• Stand on the right on escalators and let people walk past on the left
• Queue for everything — buses, minibuses and taxis
• Don’t stick chopsticks upright in rice

📍 Places, scams & seasons

• Typhoon and rainstorm signals (T8, Black Rain) close businesses and transport — follow the Hong Kong Observatory
• Summer hikes are hot and humid; carry plenty of water
• Check the UK Foreign Office or your government’s advisory for current warnings

⚖️ Laws & restrictions

• Smoking is banned in indoor public places and many outdoor areas; e-cigarettes and heated tobacco cannot be imported or sold
• National security laws apply to speech and actions — avoid political protests
• Littering and spitting bring on-the-spot fines
• Carry your passport or ID

💬 Words & topics to avoid

• Avoid heated political discussion about Hong Kong’s status or the 2019 protests
• Don’t assume everyone speaks Mandarin — Cantonese is the main language
• Refer to it simply as Hong Kong, a Special Administrative Region of China

Kowloon

Tsim Sha Tsui, Jordan or Mong Kok

Good value, central and near markets

Hong Kong Island

Central, Sheung Wan, Wan Chai or Causeway Bay

Pricier but close to the Peak and nightlife

Lantau

Tung Chung or Mui Wo

Quieter, near the airport and Big Buddha

Budget idea

Hostels and guesthouses in Tsim Sha Tsui and Mong Kok

Rooms are tiny — check the size before booking

Temple Street

Jordan

Night-market stalls and claypot rice

Mong Kok street snacks

Mong Kok

Fish balls, egg waffles and skewers

Sham Shui Po

Kowloon

Old-school local eateries and noodle shops

Sai Kung waterfront

Sai Kung

Pick-your-own seafood restaurants

Dim sum

Har gow, siu mai and char siu bao, best at breakfast or lunch

Roast goose

Crispy roast goose or char siu pork over rice

Wonton noodles

Shrimp wontons in broth with thin egg noodles

Egg tart

Flaky pastry filled with egg custard

Pineapple bun

Sweet bun with a crackly top, often with butter

Hong Kong-style milk tea

Strong “silk-stocking” tea with evaporated milk

Lunar New Year

January/February

Citywide — fireworks over Victoria Harbour

Art Basel Hong Kong

March

Wan Chai

Cheung Chau Bun Festival

April/May

Cheung Chau

Dragon Boat Festival

May/June

Stanley, Aberdeen and other waterfronts

Mid-Autumn Festival

September/October

Victoria Park and citywide lantern displays

Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance

Mid-Autumn

Tai Hang

Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival

October/November

Central Harbourfront

📱 SIM & eSIM

• Main networks: CSL, SmarTone, 3HK, China Mobile Hong Kong
• Tourist prepaid SIMs at the airport and convenience stores require real-name registration with your passport; eSIMs also work

📶 Coverage & Wi-Fi

• Excellent 4G/5G coverage, including on the MTR
• Free Wi-Fi in MTR stations, malls and many public places
• Unlike mainland China, Google, WhatsApp and other foreign apps are not blocked

🔌 Power plugs

220V, 50Hz — plug type G (UK-style)