HONG KONG
Loud, dense, chaotic in the best possible way. Hong Kong is a city that hits you immediately – the street food smells, the neon signs, the sheer number of people. It has beaches, skyscrapers, markets, great restaurants, proper hiking trails. 3 days is a solid long weekend and you won’t be short of things to do.
Itinerary Overview
- Day 1: Tsim Sha Tsui / Yau Tsim Mong / Temple Street
- Day 2: Wan Chai / Central / Victoria Peak
- Day 3: Soho shopping / Nan Lian Garden / Choi Hung Estate
Getting around
Metro (MTR) and walking cover everything. You can pay directly with Apple Pay or Google Pay at the MTR gates, very easy.
Day 1 – Kowloon side
Start at the Avenue of Stars, the classic spot for a skyline photo with Victoria Harbour in the background.
Then walk north along the water and up through the Yau Tsim Mong district via Tung Choi Street. Along the way you’ll pass the
- Ladies Market,
- Mong Kok
- Flower Market
This area is the soul of old Hong Kong. Crowded, noisy, markets spilling onto the pavement. At night under the neon lights it looks straight out of an old film.
Evening: Head to Temple Street Night Market. Opens from 6pm, best after dark. Street food to try the local specialities or market to buy some souvenirs.
Day 2 – Hong Kong Island
Morning: Monster Building in Quarry Bay, famous from films and social media. Walk into the central courtyard and look up.
Then wander through Wan Chai, Soho and Central: old buildings next to glass towers, temples, independent cafes. Stop by Blue House, one of Hong Kong’s last pre-war “walk-up” buildings with its striking turquoise façade, and Lee Tung Avenue nearby for a stroll among its pretty tree-lined streets and boutiques. Take the Central-Mid-Levels escalator up (longest outdoor escalator in the world). Go to Lan Kwai Fong street for a drink.
Afternoon: Grab up to Victoria Peak Garden, walk down slightly to the viewpoint. Best at sunset. Peak Tram from Central is the classic option but expect long queues on weekends so we took a Grab.
Day 3 – East side
Morning: shopping in Soho if you haven’t done it yet – independent boutiques, good coffee, more relaxed than the Mong Kok side.
Afternoon: Nan Lian Garden (Diamond Hill): free to enter and a beautiful contrast with the buildings around it. Right next to the Chi Lin Nunnery which is worth a quick look too.
Choi Hung Estate: finish the trip here. Choi Hung means “rainbow” in Cantonese and the name makes sense because the rooftop basketball court of the estate is painted in soft pastel colours, it is a very famous photographed spot in Hong Kong.
Honest verdict
Hong Kong is one of those cities that just works as a destination. It’s compact enough to cover a lot in 3 days, the food scene is exceptional, and the mix of old market culture with a proper global city energy is unlike anywhere else in Asia. Not cheap, but not as expensive as people expect either if you eat at local spots rather than hotel restaurants.
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