We visited Hong Kong on a long layover and we fit so much into 24 hours. From the colorful flower market to the Instagram-famous Monster Building, here’s our detailed one-day itinerary for Hong Kong.
I was surprised by how quickly I fell in love with Hong Kong – it’s one of the most fast-paced cities I’ve been to and has an energy like no other city I’ve visited in Asia. It’s also full of incredible sights like Victoria Peak, Temple Street Night Market, and the colorful Choi Hung Estate.
One day is a popular amount of time to spend in the city as Hong Kong is one of the most popular layover destinations in the world thanks to the huge and busy Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA). From the airport, you can easily access almost every other Asian destination as well as a massive 150 destinations worldwide.
If you’re planning to spend a day in Hong Kong this blog post has you covered. So, read on to find out how it took just 24 hours for this vibrant city to capture my heart.
One Day in Hong Kong Itinerary
Morning – Explore Kowloon
Did you know there are two sides to Hong Kong – Kowloon and Hong Kong Island and they are both separated by Victoria Harbor? We recommend exploring both sides of the city today. But I suggest starting your 24 hours in Hong Kong in Kowloon, the more traditional side of the city. As it’s best explored in the morning when it’s a little quieter.
Kowloon has more of an authentic feel than the rest of Hong Kong and to me, it feels quite chaotic (in a good way). The sidewalks are jammed with street food sellers and locals rushing about their day. It’s also where you’ll find most of Hong Kong’s temples and markets.
Below, you’ll find my suggestions on how best to spend your morning in Kowloon –
Check out a local market:
There are hundreds if not thousands of market stalls scattered across Hong Kong. They remain a staple in everyday Hong Kong society and the locals use them to buy anything from meat to beauty products. One of the busiest markets in Kowloon is Ladies Market in Mongkok.
But arguably the prettiest market in Kowloon is the Flower Market in the Mongkok neighborhood. Here you’ll be treated to a dizzying visual display of colorful flowers and plants. It’s like being in a dream, wandering the narrow street that’s overflowing with flowers of all colors of the rainbow.
Snap some photos of the Clock Tower:
The Clock Tower is a Hong Kong icon and it’s located in Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon. It’s one of the most photographed structures in the city and for good reason – it’s a mighty 44 meters tall. The clock on the tower chimes every hour (starting at 8 am and ending at midnight).
Relax in Nan Lian Garden:
You may also have time to wander around Nan Lian Garden in the Diamond Hill neighborhood near Diamond Hill station. It’s a classical Chinese garden styled in the Tang Dynasty style and it’s spread across 3.5 hectares. It’s so scenic here and is a welcome escape from the hustle and bustle of Kowloon.
I recommend packing a light picnic with some snacks you picked up at one of the markets this morning and enjoying it in one of the lovely gardens here.
Afternoon – Hong Kong Island
If Kowloon is the more traditional side of Hong Kong, then, Hong Kong Island is its modern face. There are lots of skyscrapers here and overall it has a very cosmopolitan feel. I’ve made lots of suggestions below on how best to spend your afternoon on Hong Kong Island and, likely, you won’t squeeze them all into a couple of hours.
Although we did tick all of the below off in one afternoon in Hong Kong it did feel very rushed. So, pick the attractions that are best suited to your travel style.
I will add, that my two favorite places in Hong Kong were the Monster Building and Choi Hung Estate. However, they are a fair distance from one another – it’s a 30-minute bus ride (on the 608 bus) or you could hop in a 10-minute taxi (our suggestion).
Monster Building:
If you’ve seen Transformers: Age of Extinction, this next building will look familiar.
Yick Cheong Building, or the Monster Building, as it’s been nicknamed by locals, isn’t actually a single building but a complex composed of five connecting structures. They were built during a population boom in the 60s to offer government-subsidized housing for low-income residents.
As always when taking photos here be respectful of the locals – this is their home.
Central Mid-Levels Escalator:
This next suggestion is just a quick stop-off. The Central Mid-Levels Escalator can be found on Jubilee Street in Central Hong Kong. It is in fact the longest outdoor covered escalator in the world. If you’re a movie buff, you may be interested to learn that the escalators were used in The Dark Knight (the Batman movie) and many Chinese movies.
Choi Hung Estate:
Choi Hung estate and, in particular, its colorful basketball court is one of the best Instagram spots in Hong Kong! The buildings are actually council flats, and back in the 70s, the council decided to paint them all different colors to lift the resident’s spirits. I wonder did they foresee how popular it would become with tourists?
To get here from Jordan Station in Hong Kong (one of the biggest and most popular metro stations in the city) you will need to hop on the Tsuen Wan Line (the red line) to Mong Kok station. Change to Kwun Tong Line (green line) to Choi Hung. Take exit C4 and then walk for 7 minutes to Choi Hung estate. Luckily, they have little signposts now pointing you in the right direction.
You will see a car park, go up the stairs next to the car park. The basketball courts are on top of this car park.
Avenue of Stars:
If you’re a movie buff, then make sure to make a brief pitstop to the Avenue of Stars in Tsim Sha Tsui. Here, you can see Hong Kong’s biggest movie stars immortalized as statues or see their handprints.
Late Afternoon – Peak Tram to Victoria Peak
Hopping on the Peak Tram to Victoria Peak is one of those must-do Hong Kong activities. The tram ride takes around 10 minutes and on the way up you’ll get a birds-eye view of the city. At the top, you’ll find a shopping center and the Madame Tussauds Wax Museum. You can also head up to Peak Tower, aka, the upper terminal of the Peak Tram – from the viewing platform here you can take in what I always say is the best view of Hong Kong.
Pre-book the Peak Tram and Sky Terrace Pass here. You can use it at any time on the day you book for. It costs from $19 USD for a return ticket.
Evening – Star Ferry
The Star Ferry is the best way to see the city all lit up. You can choose to travel between Tsim Sha Tsui and Wan Chai (like we did) or do a full harbor tour.
Aboard the Star Ferry is also the best way the see the Symphony of Lights light show that takes place on the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront every evening at around 8 pm. It’s so magical to see and by watching it from the ferry you won’t have to battle with the crowds.
Late evening – Temple Street Night Market
End your 24 hours in Hong Kong on a high with a visit to the vibrant Temple Street Night Market near Jordan Station. In my opinion, it’s the best spot to experience real Hong Kong culture. Its former nickname as a “poor man’s nightclub” rings true as it is where locals come to socialize, now that Hong Kong has gotten so expensive to party in.
Here, you’ll find street food stalls mixed in with market stalls – selling everything from clothing to trinkets. It’s a sense-evoking experience – noise, smells, and colors!
For food, my suggestion is the Woosung Street Temporary Hawker Food Bazaar where you can sample all sorts of dishes from fish balls to egg tarts to dumplings.
Where to Stay in Hong Kong
We were on a budget when we visited Hong Kong so we chose to stay at the Holiday Inn Express in Kowloon. Rooms are cheap (around $80 USD a night) and exactly what you’d expect from the Holiday Inn brand – clean and comfortable. Although they are on the small side. Given the hotel’s central location, we were able to walk pretty much everywhere in Kowloon and we were near Kwun Tong Station when we wanted to go further afield.
When I next visit Hong Kong I’d like to splurge – we passed the Kowloon Shangri-La hotel a couple of times during our stay in the city and it looks fantastic. It’s a 5-star harbourside property and looking at their website and reading reviews there rooms look so opulent. Many of their rooms also overlook Victoria Harbour – imagine waking up to that view? The Shangri-La also has a gorgeous indoor pool and spa. It’s surprisingly reasonably priced at around $160 USD a night.
Because both options are in Kowloon (the older part of the city), if you’re keen to stay on Hong Kong Island then I recommend the modern Renaissance Harbour View Hotel. A 4-star property with excellent harbour views and spacious rooms. A room here costs from just $50 USD per night.
Have I convinced you to spend one day in Hong Kong?
In short, Hong Kong is a vibrant, cosmopolitan city. It’s a city of old vs new with the traditional area of Kowloon standing in stark contrast to the skyscrapers of Hong Kong Island. But we loved both sides equally. It is well worth spending 24 hours in Hong Kong – stay for a few days if you can!
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While you’re here, you may want to check out my other South East Asia blogs, like –
The Most Photogenic Places in Sri Lanka (A Unique Itinerary)
Our Honest Opinion of Sri Lanka (and the Best Things to Do)
The Ultimate One Month Itinerary for Vietnam!
Last Updated on September 12, 2024 by snaphappytravel