Hong Kong in 3 days: itinerary, Octopus card, the Peak and a Macau day trip

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Hong Kong is a city of harbour views, steep streets, dim sum and surprisingly wild green hills a short ride from the skyscrapers. Three days covers the highlights, with an optional extra day for Macau.

Before you go

Many nationalities can visit Hong Kong visa-free for a short stay, but the length allowed depends on your passport. Check the Hong Kong Immigration Department's website for your nationality.

Getting around: the Octopus card

The MTR is fast, frequent and covers most of the places you will go, including the Airport Express to the city. Pay with an Octopus card, bought at the airport or MTR customer service centres, or added to a phone wallet. It works on the MTR, buses, trams, ferries and minibuses and in convenience stores and many cafés. Contactless bank cards are also accepted on much of the MTR. The Star Ferry across Victoria Harbour and the double-decker trams ("ding dings") on Hong Kong Island are transport and sightseeing at once, and very cheap.

Day 1: Central, the Peak and the harbour

Morning: wander Central and Sheung Wan: the Central–Mid-Levels Escalators, Man Mo Temple, and the antique shops of Hollywood Road.
Lunch: dim sum. Many places are busiest at weekend lunchtimes; go early.
Afternoon: Victoria Peak. Take the historic Peak Tram up (queues can be long; go early or late) or a bus or taxi. For a quieter view, walk the flat Lugard Road loop around the summit.
Evening: come down for the harbour at night. Cross on the Star Ferry to Tsim Sha Tsui for the skyline from the promenade. The Symphony of Lights show runs most evenings; check the current schedule.

Day 2: Kowloon

Temple Street and Ladies' Market for street markets, best after dark.
Wong Tai Sin Temple and Chi Lin Nunnery with the Nan Lian Garden next door.
Sham Shui Po for street food, fabric and electronics markets, and old-style cha chaan teng cafés (try milk tea and a pineapple bun).
The M+ museum and Hong Kong Palace Museum in the West Kowloon Cultural District, if you prefer art.

Day 3: islands and hills

Hong Kong is far more than its skyline; most of its territory is countryside.

Lantau Island: the Ngong Ping cable car to the Big Buddha and Po Lin Monastery, then a bus down to the stilt-house fishing village of Tai O. Check for cable car maintenance closures.
Or take a ferry from Central to Lamma Island or Cheung Chau: car-free villages, seafood and easy walks.
Or hike the Dragon's Back trail on Hong Kong Island, which ends at a beach.

Day trip to Macau

Macau, an hour or so away, mixes Portuguese colonial streets and churches with huge casino resorts.

By ferry: from terminals in Sheung Wan and Tsim Sha Tsui to Macau's Outer Harbour or Taipa.
By bus over the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge: shuttle buses run across the bridge from the Hong Kong port near the airport.
The border: Hong Kong and Macau have separate immigration. Bring your passport; you leave Hong Kong and enter Macau, then do the reverse on the way back. Many nationalities can enter Macau visa-free, but the rules differ from Hong Kong's, so check Macau's official immigration information for your passport.
What to see: the Ruins of St Paul's, Senado Square, the old streets of Taipa Village, and a Portuguese egg tart. Macau's currency is the pataca, but Hong Kong dollars are widely accepted.

Practical notes

Summer is hot, humid and wet, with typhoons possible; autumn and early winter are the most comfortable months.
Tipping is not generally expected; many restaurants add a service charge.
Air-conditioning is strong indoors. Carry a light layer.
Taxis are coloured by area: red for urban areas, green for the New Territories, blue for Lantau.

Planning a Hong Kong trip, or been recently? Share your questions and favourite spots in the comments.