A Great Weekend in Hong Kong
As the main financial & commercial hub in Asia, Hong Kong is a common place for travelers across the globe. If you find yourself in the city for a couple days, here’s a great way to spend the weekend.
Day 1: Incredible Views and the Central District
Start off your sojourn in Hong Kong right with its most famous attraction: Victoria Peak. This hill can either be summitted by taking a tram that runs throughout the day, or if you are able to wake up early enough, a couple hour hike to the top is well worth it. At Victoria Peak, you’ll get stunning panoramic views of the Hong Kong skyline; it’s amazing to see the skyscrapers that crater over the city. Furthermore, the Peak Lookout runs a great restaurant, offering both breakfast and lunch with a view given you may be hungry at this time.
After cooling off from the morning hike, take in the sites that make Hong Kong the financial hub that it is. The Central District is where most of the city’s commerce occurs, with the HSBC Building and St. John’s Cathedral being notable buildings to check out. This area also has top tier restaurants and hawker stands, many of which are of Michelin-quality.
Given you have some energy left, the nightlife in Hong Kong is surely not to be ignored, with the Lan Kwai Fong neighborhood hosting many of the city’s trendy bars and clubs. Argo and Mostly Harmless are two internationally recognized cocktail bars in this area that are well worth a drink or two.
Day 2: Seeing Hong Kong’s Beautiful Cultural Sites
After a whirlwind of a start in Hong Kong, your second day should be more about cultural exploration and shopping/eating your way around the city. Get some famous Hong Kong milk tea at Lan Fong Yuen along with some breakfast before going to the nearby Man Mo Temple. This is a gorgeous Taoist temple in the center of the city that allows visitors throughout the year. After visiting Man Mo Temple, if you would like to further venture into this cultural side of Hong Kong, it could be worth a trip to Lantau Island to see the Big Buddha. This is just a short ferry ride away, but the structure was one of the most amazing sights I saw across my time in Asia and I found it well worth it.
In the afternoon and evening, make some time to indulge in the amazing street food and restaurants that Hong Kong is known for. Din Tai Fung is a Michelin-starred restaurant, particularly famous for the soup dumplings; they are quite popular, so make sure to go or call ahead to ensure you get your place! Tim Ho Wan is also another stunning restaurant that has some locations throughout the continent, but I found to be especially great for their dim sum as well.
If you have energy, a great way to encapsulate your trip is to do the evening Victoria Harbor cruise. This runs for around 2 hours and takes you around the harbor by ferry, offering food and cocktails as you soak in the views and reminisce as your time in Hong Kong comes to a close.
Anything else you’d recommend to do in Hong Kong? Let us know!
