36 Hours in Hong Kong - Destination Guide
A quick note…
This 36 hours in Hong Kong guide is written by myself, a person that frequently visits HK and has done since the age of 8. Even so, I do not live in Hong Kong!. That said, I have gained a lot of experience in this brilliant city, and for someone looking to visit the fragrant harbour, this guide will be very helpful in navigating the public transport system, and some well-balanced itineraries for a 3-day stay. Please read on for some great restaurant, bar and shopping tips, as well as some outdoor adventure ideas!.
Day One - Getting Your Bearings
Morning and Midday
First things first, get your Octopus card. You can purchase this prior to arrival in Hong Kong by simply downloading the Octopus App for tourists and adding funds to it before you even arrive. This means when you land, if you want to get into the city cheaper than a taxi cost (around $350HKD), you can simply tap on to the airport train and away you go!. Also, keep in mind you can use your Octopus card to pay for many things at local convenience stores and supermarkets.
On your first day, I think its a great idea to head to the Kowloon area and experience this rich and vibrant, and sometimes hectic part of the city. It’s busy and often noisy, but presents excellent shopping opportunities as well as street eats, or some excellent fine dining. The vibe is quite electric, and although not much happens in Hong Kong in the Mornings, you can find interesting things to look at no matter the time.
One of the best things about Kowloon is the incredible view of Victoria Harbour looking towards Hong Kong Island itself. There is a nightly laser show at 8pm also, which is well worth seeing at least once.
Looking towards HK island from Kowloon side, with the Star ferries on the water.
If you’re enjoying the lovely view, it’s worthwhile having a look at the excellent Harbour City shopping mall. This is not the newest shopping mall in Hong Kong, but it’s still a fantastic place to visit, whether you’re after high-end luxury items, or more budget-friendly there is something for everyone.
From here, I’d suggest taking the train which is a short walk to East Tsim Sha Shui station, on the Tuen Ma line to the beautiful Nan Lian gardens.
The is right nearby the Chi Lin Nunnery, a stunning Buddhist temple complex, best to check if this is open at your time of visit in advance.
This area is a bit of a trek away from the main Kowloon area and harbour, however it really is worth the trip. You will get to see some of Mongkok on this journey as well, a very vibrant and authentic HK area. Mongkok is also where many of the famous street markets are located, but I suggest coming back for these later in the trip.
From here, head to Mak Man Kee noodle house at Kowloon. This Cantonese noodle house has been in operation for over 60 years, and serves incredibly good wonton soup amongst other things, and is very cheap. Keep in mind the service is very no frills!, but it all adds to the experience in my opinion.
In the Evening
For your first full night in this wonderful city, I suggest heading to the unbelievably fun, and literally oldest continually running pub in Hong Kong, Ned Kelly’s Last Stand. This pub has great food and drinks, and has a fantastic house band play every night at the same location its been in for over 50 years at Kowloon. It’s also a great area to kick-on afterwards with many great bars to choose from should you wish!.
Day Two - HK Island
Morning and Midday
With having spent a day and night around Kowloon and Mongkok, it’s time to venture out over on Hong Kong Island. Central at Hong Kong Island is where, as the name suggests, the central business area is located. It is absolutely saturated with world-class Michelin starred bars and restaurants, as well as cheaper options to suit all budgets.
One of the newest and most stunning shopping malls in Hong Kong is the IFC mall, boasting a massive variety of stores and costing a whopping $6.4 billion USD to construct, it is absolutely worth visiting. It’s located close to the Central ferry terminals, and the Hong Kong Observation Wheel.
If these ideas seem a bit hectic for you after the previous day out and about in Kowloon, you could instead opt to see one of Hong Kong’s under-rated beaches over at Stanley. You can travel from Central to Stanley via bus, which your Octopus card works to tap on and off, or Uber which will be faster, but significantly more expensive.
Stanley is home to the famous Stanley markets, and a great small shopping mall, as well as numerous bars and eateries. On the way back stop by Repulse Bay Beach for some fantastic swimming and relaxing should you wish. There’s also a fabulous restaurant here called Limewood, serving a variety of cuisines including Asian, Hawaiian and Mexican and is super relaxing with a view of the beach and ocean.
In the Evening
I think for your second night it’s time to spoil yourself a bit more and head out for a fancy dinner at one of the many incredible restaurants in Hong Kong. It really is not easy to pick one, but I do think Duddell’s is a fantastic choice. Serving Michelin star dumpling, with incredible Char Sui pork, and BBQ, the atmosphere and quality here is, in my experience, always consistent. Duddell’s is undergoing a renovation at time of writing, and will re-open in August.
If heading out after dinner you could head to the main nightlife zone in Hong Kong, Lan Kwai Fong. These streets are lined with bar after bar, you literally can take your pick here with everything from dive bars, or world-class cocktail offerings. Quinary always provides excellent service should you wish to go for the cocktail option.
For something different, you can try The Savory Project, these guys are incredible, serving cocktails that taste like savory dishes, such as Thai Beef Salad!. These are only a couple of examples of outstanding bars around LKF and Central, you can literally take your pick.
As a cheaper but also fantastic dinner option, you could opt for the best Bao on the planet, Little Bao. Chef May Chow, awarded the best female chef in Asia in 2017, and featured in an episode of Anthony Bourdain’s Part’s Unknown created this place.
The bao here are huge and incredibly delicious, as are the sides. A little note also, the hot sauce they have here is phenomenal, and you can buy a bottle if they have enough in stock. It is made in Hong Kong.
Day 3 - Further Out
Morning through Afternoon
Having seen a bit of both Kowloon, Central and possibly Stanley now, I think its time for a bit more adventure. Head to Central piers to catch the ferry over to Lamma Island. You can simply use your Octopus card here as well, tap on and off. Head to Yung Shue Wan pier at Lamma Island on the way over, when you arrive youll be greeted with many local stores and eateries run by locals.
Its very quiet, and a polar opposite to the fast-paced action of the Hong Kong you’ve experienced so far. The Beer Shack is a fantastic place for a burger and beer should you feel like it!.
The real challenge on Lamma is whether or not you feel like walking from one side to the other. For an approximate 5km walk you can head over and depart from the Sok Kwu Wan pier number 2, meaning its a one way walk. Keep in mind there are some very steep sections of this walk and you should certainly take sufficient water with you.
That said, I feel anyone of reasonable fitness will be fine, and its a beautiful walk with excellent views along the way. When you near the departure ferry pier you’ll walk through many casual fresh seafood restaurants that are absolutely fantastic!. Reward yourself for the walk with some beautiful fresh scallops, prawns, fish or anything else you feel with a bucket of ice cold beers!.
The restaurant named The Lamma Mandarin Seafood Restaurant was excellent with outstanding friendly service and great quality food, however the place just next door historically has been great also. Head to the nearby pier for the ferry to take you back to Central!.
In the Evening
Back at Central, I think its worthwhile heading up to the highest peak in Hong Kong, Victoria Peak. There is an old tram that heads up this incredibly steep incline which is very fun to experience, however be advised the line for this can be extremely long!. If thats OK with you, by all means do it, however if you’re keen to simply head up, just order a taxi or Uber up to the peak.
You can view stunning panoramic vistas of all of Hong Kong from up here at sunset. There’s a good shopping mall up here as well, along with some bars and restaurants. For those keen to try a famous HK Portuguese tart, there is a fantastic bakery on the top floor of the mall, of all places, that serve beautiful examples of them!.
Heading back down to HK I suggest heading back over to Kowloon to visit the excellent Temple Street night markets for a look at some local wares, but mostly for the great street food. Take your pick and sample from the local vendors on the street here. From here its also a very short walk to the Ladies market, this one does not have street food but does have significantly more merchandise for sale.
If you’re keen to soak in the beautiful nighttime HK harbour view one last time, and perhaps that laser show at 8pm, the Tapas bar at the Kowloon Shangri-La hotel is simply wonderful. Sitting along the window here, or even outdoor should you prefer, you can watch the skyline and soak up the wonderful vibe at this venue. From cold beers and wonderful cocktails to beautiful hand-carved 36-month iberico ham and many Tapas to choose from, this is a classy but casual way to finish off your stay.
Finishing Thoughts
Of course, it’s impossible to fit everything Hong Kong has to offer in 36 hours, but this itinerary will give you an excellent taste of the seemingly endless great experiences the city provides. I feel I must provide mentions of the sublime Man Wah at the Mandarin Oriental hotel at Central if you feel like some incredible Yum Cha for lunch, as well as the two Michelin starred Tin Lung Heen at the Ritz-Carlton.
Finally, for something very special you can book a cruise offered by the world famous Peninsula Hotel, which has retrofitted a Star Ferry for afternoon tea cruises around the harbour on Saturday’s and some Sunday’s, and although it’s not cheap I can assure you it’s worth every dollar. Think silver service, an insane amount of bottomless champagne, and an extremely talented live band seems to get everyone up dancing to new songs and old ones in no time!.
Thanks for reading Trippaway’s 36 hours in Hong Kong destination guide!, I really hope this helps to inform your future travel plans!.
