Check out any Hong Kong guidebook or website and you’ll probably find a long list of tourist attractions and experiences. It can be too much to digest. It’s true that there’s a lot to do and see in the area. But the good news is that, geographically, the HK area is compact (for example, most of the action on HK island is concentrated on the northern end). Public transportation is excellent too, enabling you to see a lot in a relatively short time.
Below is my “48 hours in Hong Kong” itinerary, hitting the best HK sights and experiences. To be honest, it’s a lot—probably too much—for most people to pack into such a short time. To really do Hong Kong right, you’ll want to budget at least 4-5 days. Instead my two-day plan is one that looks good on paper…but the reality is that time flies when you’re traveling (getting lost, waiting in line, sidetracked by shopping/coffee break, etc). Also, some of these destinations can easily take up a half-day or more (for example, Lantau Island or Pacific Place mall if you’re a shopper).
So my advice is to prioritize and be prepared to cut a few stops along the way. On day one, for instance, your main goal might be to get up to Victoria Peak by dusk. On day two, your goals might be to beat the morning crowds headed to see the Big Buddha, and get to the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront to catch the 8:00pm laser & light show.
View Hong Kong in a larger map
[ NOTE: Open Google Map in another window to view all locations in left menu ]
48 HOURS IN HONG KONG > Day one:
Wake up early to watch tai chi

[ Note: above parks—and all these other attractions—are shown on above interactive Google map ]
Dim Sum brunch

By now, you’re probably hungry. What better time for Cantonese’s most famous cuisine, dim sum? Hong Kong has dim sum restaurants pretty much everywhere. For the full-on d.s. experience, most guidebooks and locals agree that the best ones are Luk Yu Tea House and City Hall Maxim’s Palace (see this Hong Kong restaurant guide). Even though both are popular tourist draws, they’re also popular with the locals so they’re not tourist trap-type of places. On weekends, it’s best to arrive on the earlier side of brunch (say, before 10:30am or so) to avoid waiting too long for a table.
Jump on a tram

[ See my HK transportation maps page for Tram route map or Central MTR station area map ]
Pacific Place (Admiralty)

The Mid-Levels Escalators (Central)

[ the Mid-Levels Escalators are also shown on the Central MTR station map ]
Lunch in SoHo

Hollywood Road & Cat Street

St. John’s Cathedral (or nearby Hong Kong Park or Zoological Gardens)

Peak Tram & Victoria Peak

The Peak Tram Terminal is on 33 Garden Road, next to Hong Kong Park (there’s also a shuttle bus that runs from the Central Ferry Terminal, # 15C at Pier 7). There are all kinds of ticket combos. For the best views, go for the Tram + Sky Terrace combo ticket. But budget travelers can still find good views without paying for the access to the viewing decks by strolling down one of the many paths offering equally nice views.
[ Lower Peak Tram Terminus is shown on Central MTR station area map ]
TIP: Dress warmly…especially at night when the temps can drop and winds can really get going. You’ll probably also be waiting in a long line outside to take the tram back down.
While you’re up on the Peak, you’ve got some options. Nothing to write home about, the Peak Tower is basically a small shopping mall, with some shops as well as a handful of restaurants. The Peak Lookout Restaurant (New York Times Pick & Frommer’s “Best Outdoor Dining”) has a nice outdoor terrace and an international menu that should have something for even the pickiest of eaters in your group. If you have kids (or even if you don’t), you can also check out Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum (www.madame-tussauds.com.hk) or the EA Experience, with free interactive video games. Victoria Peak also has one of HK’s best walks: the Peak Circle Walk, an hour-long easy, circular hike that starts at the Upper Tram terminus. The lighted path snakes around, giving great views of the area (popular as a romantic walk). You can also catch the laser & light show that lights up the city skyline while you’re up there (8pm every night).

Partying at Lan Kwai Fong

48 HOURS IN HONG KONG > Day two:
Big Buddha and Po Lin Monastery (Lantau Island)
Take the MTR (Tung Chung MTR station) over to Lantau Island to see Hong Kong’s second most popular tourist attraction: the giant Tian Tan Buddha, weighing over 200 tons. As big fans of superlatives (even if it requires some qualifiers), they like to refer to it as the world’s largest Buddha….to be specific, it’s the world’s largest that is bronze, outdoors, and in a seated position! But it’s still pretty damn big, but 
Chungking Mansions (Kowloon)

[ Chungking Mansions–and below Peninsula Hotel–are shown on Tsim Sha Tsu MTR station map ]
Afternoon tea at the Peninsula

Visit a Kowloon museum

Depending on your interest, there are three good options for your next stop in Kowloon (translating as “Nine Dragons”). Across the street from the Peninsula, you find the Hong Kong Museum of Art. With seven galleries housing everything from Hong Kong contemporary art and Chinese antique ceramics to international exhibitions to historical photos, it’s widely considered as an excellent collection worth seeing if you’re an art lover. A few minutes away is the Hong Kong Museum of History, taking visitors through an interesting walk through HK’s rather remarkable history. The eight galleries present everything from prehistoric Hong Kong (going back some 6,000 years ago) to replicas of village dwellings to WWII film footage and interviews. Or if you have kids in your group, the Hong Kong Science Museum next door, offers over 500 displays illustrating the workings of everything from physics and chemistry to computers and other technologies (and interactive, kid-friendly exhibits).
[ All three museums are shown on Tsim Sha Tsui MTR station map ]
Chi Lin Nunnery

Jump back on the MTR heading north to find the Chi Lin Nunnery (Diamond Hill MTR station). Dating from 1934, the peaceful haven—containing beautiful bonsai trees and lotus ponds in the gardens and courtyards—is considered one of HK’s most beautiful and interesting (architecturally). The entire Buddhist complex was built of wood (almost 230,000 pieces of timber)….and without a single nail. Instead, the interlocking design is intended to illustrate our potential harmony with nature. The construction is also an excellent example of feng shui principles. If you have time, the Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple is one MTR stop away (Wong Tai Sin).
Dinner in Tsim Sha Tsui
Ashley Road and Lock Road in TST. Kowloon’s restaurants are mostly found in hotels and shopping malls on, or close to, Nathan Road, the main drag. On a pleasant night, look for Knutsford Terrace for many alfresco dining options.
Harbor Views at Tsim Sha Tsui’s Waterfront

[ See Avenue of the Stars shown on Tsim Sha Tsui MTR map ]
Temple Street Night Market
Next stop: Hong Kong’s biggest and liveliest night market, located a two MTR stations north of TST in Kowloon. Selling everything from imitation handbags, clothing, and watches to Chinese souvenirs to pirated CDs to sunglasses to dishware, it’s the best place in HK to pick up cheap, random gifts (and also a good place for rookies to sharpen their bargaining skills). Keep walking down Temple Street—close to the Tin Hau Temple— and you’ll run into a bunch of stalls with fortune tellers (many who speak English), along with street singers. The area is also a good dining option, with many cheap seafood eateries with cramped tables that spill onto the street action. There used to be a lot more, but most have been forced to move into covered markets (there are a bunch at the intersection of Public Square St. and Temple Street). Most sellers set up their stalls around 6pm and shut down around 11pm. For more info on Temple Street Market, see my Hongkong Shopping Guide .
[Temple Street Market is shown on Yau Ma Tei MTR station map).
Star Ferry ride back to HK Island
Assuming you’re staying on HK island, take the Star Ferry from Tsim Sha Tsui pier back to Central. Even if you’re staying in Kowloon, you should find a way to squeeze a Star Ferry ride in before leaving Hong Kong. The short ferry ride is cool during the day…but much better at night when the city’s skyscrapers light up the skyline. Dating back to 1898, the ferry pier is a HK institution and always listed as one of Hong Kong’s must-do experiences. Cheap too—the most expensive upper-deck weekend tickets are less than $US0.50 (you can use your Octopus card). Though the TST to Central is the most popular ferry, they also go further, to the Outlying Islands. [operating daily 6:30am-11:30pm, www.starferry.com.hk]
Still looking for something to do in Hong Kong? Here’s some other HK area top picks, including some cheap outdoor day trips. Despite what you see on TV, Hong Kong isn’t all skyscrapers and urban jungle. Believe it or not, about 70% of the Hong Kong area is countryside, which includes some great beaches, country & marine parks, and hikes with amazing seaside landscapes.
HK ISLAND > Happy Valley Racecourse



The racing season is from September to June, with races held twice weekly –alternating between Happy Valley and the Shatin race tracks (Happy Valley is much more impressive as well as historic and convenient). The live races at Happy Valley are usually on Wednesday nights.
HOW TO GET THERE: Take the tram to Happy Valley terminus station. Or take the MTR to Causeway Bay station (exit A), then walk south on Matheson/Wong Nai Chung road for 15-20 minutes.
[ For Tram route map and Causeway Bay MTR area map, see HK transportation maps ].
More things to see & do
HK ISLAND > Southern District > Stanley


Stanley’s two beaches—Stanley Main Beach and St Stephen’s beach, which both get crowded during summer weekends—are also big attractions.
HOW TO GET THERE: Unfortunately, Stanley is beyond the reach of the MTR so you’ll need to catch a bus or light mini-bus. From the Admiralty MTR station (exit C1), take bus 6, 6X (express), 6A (during morning & evening rush hours), 66, or 260 from Queensway Road.
HK ISLAND > Southern District > Repluse Bay

HOW TO GET THERE: From Central’s Exchange Square, take Bus No.6, 6A, 6X, 260 or 262 (bound for Stanley). Or take minibus No.40 (bound for Stanley) at Causeway Bay’s Tang Lung Street (Corner of Percival Street and Hennessy Road). Or take the Star Ferry Pier from Central.
HK ISLAND > Southern District > Shek O Beach

HOW TO GET THERE: From the Shau Kei Wan MTR station (exit A3), take the # 2 Minibus to Shek O.
HK ISLAND > Ocean Park (theme park)




HOW TO GET THERE: Take the MTR to Admiralty station. Then take bus # 629 (first stop after clearing Aberdeen Tunnel). www.oceanpark.com.hk
Sai Kung Peninsula

Located on the east side of the New Territories, Sai Kung features the MacLehose Trail, a 100km route that starts at Pak Tam Chung. Sai Kung Beach is another great day in the sun, with clean beaches and excellent water quality (take bus # 92 from Diamond Hill MTR in Kowloon).
[ Click here for my Best Hong Kong Hiking Trails (HK island, Sai Kung, and Lantau) ]

HOW TO GET THERE: Unfortunately the MTR doesn’t extend all the way to Sai Kung Peninsula. But there are many ways to get to Sai Kung Town— the most popular is to take the MTR to Choi Hung station, then take minibus route 1A (the quickest way from Kowloon). From Hong Kong island, the fastest way is to take the MTR to Hang Hau station, then take minibus route 101M.
Lamma Island
Only a 20-minute ferry ride from HK Island, laid-back Lamma Island is another popular mellow escape from the urban jungle that is Hong Kong. The third-largest island of the area (behind Lantau and HK Island), Lamma only has some 5000 residents, including many ex-pat slackers & hippie types (my kind of folk!). The main village of the 13 sq km island is Yung Shue Wan, a tiny town where you can spend some time relaxing in one of their down-to-earth coffee shops, bars or restaurants.

HOW TO GET THERE: From HK Island, take a ferry from HK Central (Pier 4 for Lamma Island Ferries). Ferries every hour to Yung Shue Wen and every 90 minutes to Sok Kwu Wan (make sure to check the time of the last ferry leaving Lamma).


