Top Things To Do in Hong Kong
Welcome to Hong Kong, a city with endless possibilities and the skyline endless. This metropolis is a journey of awe and splendor, from every majestic cultural site to every incredible market (and all the amazing parks!). Hong Kong promises you an unforgettable experience at every turn. If you’re here to jump beyond the ordinary outlook of travel, choose Hong Kong, its endless attractions, the top places to visit, the best Hong Kong tours, and experience everything from Ngong Ping 360 to Parque de Kowloon. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn more about what to see in Hong Kong and explore the city to its fullest, learn the A-to-Z of the attractions and sites to visit, and enjoy the true life and lure of the place.
Visit Top Hong Kong Attractions
First of all, let’s consider some of the top tourist sites in Hong Kong, of which the top ten are some that any tourist would be truly excited to experience and something we’re here to cover. From nightlife to magic in the day, Hong Kong attractions are some of the best in the world!
1. Ngong Ping 360
Amidst the captivating landscapes of Hong Kong, Nong Ping 360 stands as a quintessential reflection of the very essence of the city, providing visitors with the transcendental experience of immersion and enchantment on this bicable gondola lift on Lantau Island. Opened in September 2006, this aerial lift offers a scenic route with panoramic vistas of lush mountains, verdant valleys, and the majestic Tian Tan Buddha statue, and the destination boasts an additional entertainment site in the form of the Ngong Ping Village, which offers retail options, dining experiences, and more.
Unsurprisingly, Ngong Ping 360 is one of the best things to do in Hong Kong, connecting the North Coast of Lantau (where it’s based) to the center of Hong Kong via the Tung Chung line and the Skyrail itself. The Skyrail itself contains 109 cabins, where up to 17 adults can board a cabin at the same time, allowing you to enjoy the 360 vision and experience with your whole family, enjoying both the uniqueness of the destination and the fun of visiting it with people who enjoy it just as much as you do.
2. Temple Wong Tai Sin
Secondly, we have the Wong Tai Sin Temple, one of the most well-known shrines and, therefore, one of the most oft-visited tourist sites in Hong Kong. And in a city known for its spirituality and religious history, that is one of the greatest compliments. This particular temple is dedicated to the Great Immortal Wong, also known locally as Wong Tai Sin, a popular Chinese Taoist deity boasting a healing ability. Other lore puts this as the divine version of a Taoist hermit from the (Eastern) Jin dynasty period.
Regardless of its legend, this temple is also quite famous because the wishes and requests of many visitors have happened to come true, making it a truly mystical site to inhabit, albeit the practice of making the request may differ. Still, a wish-granting temple is a pretty enticing travel destination, and the 18,000 m2 Wong Tai Sin temple knows that. It is located on the Southern side of Lion Rock in the north of Kowloon, making it as accessible as it is interesting to think about.
3. Tian Tan Buddha | Big Buddha
No visit to Hong Kong is complete without paying one’s respects to the Tian Tan Buddha placed near the Po Lin Monastery at Ngong Ping (and, as we’ve mentioned, you can see it from the Ngong Ping 360, too!), and there’s no surprise to that. After all, the statue is a massive creation, towering at 34 meters and as heavy as 250 metric tonnes. It was also made from over 200 bronze pieces, making it particularly impressive in terms of the outer structure, but the inside is no joke, either, because the heavy load has to be supported by steel beams.
Of course, you’ll need to note that visitors do have to climb 268 steps to reach the Big Buddha. Still, the experience is half the fun because the journey is sometimes more important than the destination, and your spiritual intentions matter more than physical prowess. And, of course, the sight from that location is awe-inspiring!
Beyond the statue, the base is built on a model of the Temple of Heaven (Beijing), including the halls of the Universe Benevolent Merit and Remembrance. There is even a claim of a relic of the Gautama Buddha placed within, though this is only limited to those who buy an offering.
4. Man Mo Temple
Number four on our list is the Man Mo temples, which are another place of worship and one of the more spiritual Hong Kong activities, but unlike the Wong Tai Sin temple, this one worships the Literature God Man Tai and the Martial God Mo Tai. This combination may seem confusing in today’s separation of skills, but it remained a staple for scholars and students looking for holistic study in the Ming dynasties.
Man Mo temple is also a denominator for more than one temple that worships exactly these deities; therefore, there are multiple Man Mo temples in Hong Kong alone, though the best known is truly in Sheung Wan. The Sheung Wan Man Mo temple is the biggest in Hong Kong and is located at 124–126 Hollywood Road, making it take up more space than other temples. It was also built in 1847, making it both a source of culture and a bastion of history for visitors worldwide.
Other Man Mo temples include those in Tai Po, Lantau, and others spread out. Still, all of them host visitors searching for either the majesty of the literature and martial gods or looking to enjoy the sublimeness and serenity of spiritual centers of Hong Kong.
5. Nan Lian Garden
What you can see in Hong Kong includes the Nan Lian Garden, created in the image of a Chinese classical garden and found on Diamond Hill. Visitors can easily reach this delightful Diamond Hill sanctuary near the station. The stunning 3.5-hectare garden invites guests to enjoy its classical components. From intriguing water features to finely carved wooden structures, every garden nook exudes tranquility and timeless beauty, making it a great place to escape the city.
Its main draw is the Nan Lian Garden’s genuine Chinese garden, complete with a greenhouse and other traditional aspects. Chinese gardening’s inventiveness and architecture are on display in the garden. Visitors can enjoy a sensory feast as they stroll around the lush garden, listening to the soothing sounds of flowing water and seeing artistically made wooden constructions. With its meticulous design and arrangement, the Nan Lian Garden showcases Chinese traditional gardens’ rich cultural heritage and timeless beauty.
6. Chi Lin Nunnery
In the same vein as Wong Tai Sin and Man Mo, the Chi Lin Nunnery arose as a Buddhist temple complex in Diamond Hill, built first in 1934 and then renovated in 1998. It also has a Chinese garden out front and temple halls with magnificent statues of Buddha, the goddess Guanyin, and other important bodhisattvas. Plus, the halls and the garden are open to tourists and visitors daily without cost, making it a perfect option for a short, culturally and spiritually infused visit.
7. Hong Kong Observation Wheel
The Hong Kong observation wheel is a must-visit for any tourist. Like Europe has the London Eye, Hong Kong boasts its incredible Ferris Wheel built at the Central Harbourfront, which opened first in December 2014.
Sixty meters tall, this observation wheel has over 40 gondolas equipped to take up eight people in the seats and has air conditioning and communication systems, making it perfectly safe and comfortable. The trip takes fifteen minutes and has around three rotations per charge.
8. Lai Chi Wo
In the northeastern New Territories of Hong Kong, you will find a small Hakka village called Lai Chi Wo. Though it might sound like a strange thing to place on a list of the best things to do in Hong Kong, it earns its place by presenting itself as one of the most popular hiking sites for tourists, not to mention its cultural and national value as the sixteenth special territory of Hong Kong.
9. Pak Tai Temple
Lung On Street in Wan Chai will offer you a visit to the Pak Tai temple, yet another notch in your temple bucket list in Hong Kong. This particular temple is dedicated to Pak Tai, a martial deity, in whose honor the temple also holds a 3-meter-tall statue built in 1603.
10. Kowloon Park
Kowloon Park is one of the larger parks in the Tsim Sha Tsui area and has an area of 13.3 hectares. It used to be once the site of the British army’s Whitfield Barracks, but all the buildings in the area were demolished to give way to the now beloved landmark in 1970. Here, you’ll find amazing flora and gardens, interesting natural and historical museums, and more.
Visit Iconic Places In Hong Kong
Iconic destinations in Hong Kong mix tradition and modernity and have thus shaped the uniqueness of the city’s character, which every visitor now sees. From bustling streets to natural sanctuaries, islands, sky rails to temples and museums, Hong Kong has something to offer anyone looking to find particularly iconic places. You can take the chance to travel to the Hong Kong Disneyland or step into the Avenue of Stars – whatever you choose, the sky(line) is your limit.
Visit Iconic Parks In Hong Kong
Hong Kong has more than just indoor or activity-centric attractions, as number ten on the top Hong Kong attractions list must have told you. Parks and Gardens make up much of Hong Kong’s spirit, allowing spaces of tranquillity and self-care where the classical meets the modern spirit. Parks beyond Kowloon include Victoria Park, Sha Tin Park, and more.
Museums Hong Kong
There are several museums in the city, some of which are the best tourist sites in Hong Kong, telling stories of ages long past and artifacts collected that etch history into being.
1. Tsim Sha Tsui | Hong Kong Space Museum
Tsim Sha Tsui is also known, abbreviated as TST, and hosts one of the best-known museums in the city. The Space Museum was opened in 1980 and has a hemispherically shaped building that hosts a planetarium for interested visitors. It can be found on Salisbury Road.
2. Art Museum Hong Kong
The Art Museum of Hong Kong is also known as HKMoA and is the city’s first and most important art museum. It has more than 17000 pieces of art within its walls and, for permanent exhibitions, the entry is incidentally free.
3. Hong Kong Science Museum
Also located in TST, this site is a public science museum that was completed in 1990. It has over 500 exhibits within the permanent exhibitions area, and temporary ones are set up whenever new material is received or loaned to the museum.
4. M+ Museum Hong Kong
Another art museum, M+, can be found in the West Kowloon Cultural District. Its exhibits explore twentieth- and twenty-first-century art through visual art, design, architecture, and moving images. It’s no surprise that such a modern work was only completed recently, and also no surprise that it has since become one of the most popular sites for tourists and art lovers to visit.
5. Hong Kong Museum Of History
Found next to the Hong Kong Science Museum, the Museum of History has links to both history and culture, as any good history museum would. Its exhibitions are divided into natural history, archaeology, ethnography, and local history, with more than 4000 exhibits.
Hong Kong Walking Tour
To commit to Hong Kong tours via walking, you’ll need to narrow down your line of exploration, at least within the day you’re taking a walking tour. After all, though walking tours are particularly impressive in relaying the true depth of the city, they are also time-consuming since you can never walk as fast as a vehicle. Still, you can narrow down your options, choosing a Lantau Island walking tour, a guided tour of Central areas of the city, or even food tours if you’re hungry for more!
Hop-On, Hop-Off Hong Kong
Lastly, we have the Hop-on, Hop-off Hong Kong tours option, which will take you all around the city via public transport. You can take the bus via these tours and get off wherever you feel is a must-see. Then, you can return to the tour to find your next step, depending on your interests, and explore the city at your own pace.