Melo Villareal
How to Make Your Trip to Hong Kong Memorable
Whether it’s your first time traveling alone, or forgetting a very important document while in the middle of a large, foreign city, there is always something about the places we go to that make them unforgettable. Even a traveler such as myself, who has been to several countries and cities both across the globe and within the country, does not have a hard time remembering each of those wonderful places I have been to.
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However, it takes conscious effort to make something worth remembering, and if you are going to a trip to the bustling streets of Hong Kong, there is more than just the neon lights, the busy streets, and the sky-scraping buildings to remember. What is Hong Kong beyond our urban idea of it?
Here are a few tips on how to make your trip to Hong Kong memorable:
Have a ride on the Peak Tram
The Peak Tram is not just a tourist attraction; it is a transport system that is perhaps comparable to the quintessential jeepney in the Philippines. Just like our country’s favorite mode of transportation, the Peak Tram has been in operation early in Hong Kong’s history. Now, aside from transporting passengers from the base to the top, the Peak Tram also offers alternate routes, like the Peak Tram Historical Gallery (learn HK’s history while in the tram), and Sky Terrace 428, which stands at 428 meters above sea level.
The Peak Tram Sky Pass
- Travel on Hong Kong’s famous railway up to the Peak
- Redeem for a ticket with your e-voucher at any time during the opening hours
- Get access to Sky Terrace 428 for the best views over the city
- Book your Peak Tram Sky Pass Here
Pump your adrenaline in Hong Kong Disneyland
Although Hong Kong Disneyland has a reputation around the world for bringing joy to the hearts of its visitors, there are some hidden gems in the world-famous theme park that could satisfy your craving for adrenaline, or your desire for something new, for a change. Try the Runaway Mine Cars at Big Grizzly Mountain and wait for your heart to stop as you marvel at the sights while holding on to dear life with its jaw-dropping, scream-inducing drops and sharp turns.
Hong Kong Disneyland Ticket
- Spend a day at the happiest place on earth, Hong Kong Disneyland
- Enjoy all rides and attractions at the park’s seven themed areas with the 1-Day Ticket or 2-Day Ticket by scanning QR CODE and entering directly into the park
- Meet Minnie, Mickey and other favorite characters – they’re all at Hong Kong Disneyland!
- Watch amazing live shows and parades throughout the day
- Book your Hong Kong Disneyland Ticket HERE
Chill in the Ngong Ping 360
See the best sights (like Tung Chung Bay and Lantau Island) in this aerial lift, which, aside from being a favorite tourist activity of sorts, is also the preferred mode of transportation of locals who want to travel to and from Tung Chung station. One trip up this gondola lasts about 25 minutes, so there is plenty of time to chill, sit back, and appreciate the view.
Ngong Ping 360 – One Way Standard Cabin + One Way Crystal Cabin (Roundtrip)
- With the exclusive Klook VIP Lane, you can skip the long queue!
- Enjoy a 25-minute ride with spectacular views over Lantau Island, the airport, the seascape and Ngong Ping Village
- Once at the top, make a visit to the Tian Tan Buddha – the tallest, outdoor statue of a seated Buddha
- Choose the glass-bottomed crystal cabin for incredible views just below your feet!
- Get to ride both the crystal cabin and the standard cabin with a ticket for both types of cabins
- Ngong Ping Village is also home to the Po Lin Monastery and the giant wooden steles of the Wisdom Path, giving you a lot to explore
- Book your Ngong Ping 360 Ride HERE
Make your pilgrimage…in the shopping districts
Hong Kong is home to some of the largest names in the history of, you name it, clothes, jewelry, watches, and even gadgets. Tourist favorites include IFC, Pacific Place, Times Square (yes, Hong Kong has its own Times Square), and Jade Market. You can also find the best street side stalls along Temple Street and the small shops at Tsim Sha Tsui.
HK Outlet Shopping and Sightseeing Day Tour
- Enjoy huge discounts while shopping at Horizon Plaza in Ap Lei Chau
- Take the Sampan ride to explore Aberdeen Harbour
- Enjoy unparalleled, fantastic views of the city at Victoria Peak
- Once you’re at the peak, don’t forget to visit Madame Tussauds and the Trick Eye Museum for a day well spent!
- Ride the iconic Peak Tram down from the Peak
- The set includes Sampan ride, downhill tram ticket, tour guide and other transportation fees
- Book your Outlet Shopping Tour Here
Also See: Hong Kong: Your Next Shopping Destination
Say hello to the marine animals in Ocean Park
Another renowned theme park in Hong Kong is Ocean Park. It is easy to lose yourself in this giant oceanarium and marine mammal park, but it’s best to go here for what it’s known for: the Grand Aquarium, the largest viewing dome in an aquarium in the world. Seeing deep-sea animals like scalloped hammerhead up close is a great experience.
Ocean Park Hong Kong Pass
- Explore the park’s many popular attractions, including the Polar Adventure, Old Hong Kong, Thrill Mountain, Rainforest, Aqua City and Amazing Asian Animals
- Get to know some of Asia’s most precious native animals at the Giant Panda Adventure
- Cross the Park via cable car and view the entire area from a bird’s eye view!
- Enjoy a meal at a panda themed café or at Hong Kong’s first aquarium dining experience!
- Get Ocean Park Hong Kong Pass HERE
WATCH: Ocean Park Penguin Encounter in Hong Kong
Food tripping in Kowloon
Kowloon, which is located in the northern part of Hong Kong, is the food capital of the country. If you came to Hong Kong with a hungry tummy and a curious foodie soul, come to Kowloon. Here, you will be presented with many food options: there’s Knutsford Terrace (the “party district” of Kowloon), Cantonese, Indian, and even Pakistani cuisine.
Good Evening Kowloon Walking Tour
- Visit a century-old fruit market
- Soak up the atmosphere of a local art deco-style restaurant
- Visit Temple Street market and an old-school singing parlour
- Have your fortune told by one of the area’s fortune tellers
- Book your Evening Kowloon Walking Tour Here
Also See: Hong Kong Food Trip: “Eatsperience” Hong Kong like a local
Take a panoramic shot of Hong Kong Clock Tower
The Hong Kong Clock Tower, which stands at 44 meters high, is a historical landmark that was listed as a Declared Monument in HK in 2008. It is the only remaining remnant of the Kowloon Station which operated in the early 1900s.
Unseen Hong Kong Tour
- Travel the way locals have done since the early 1900s: aboard the Star Ferry and the double-decker ‘Ding Ding’ (tram)
- Learn about the traditional practice of ‘Villain Hitting’ (Da Siu Yan), given by fast-chanting old ladies to help clients curse various ‘villains ‘in their life
- See the Mid-Levels Escalators, the longest series of covered outdoor escalators in the world – over 800 meters in length!
- Visit Stone Slab Street, named for its granite stone steps – a Hong Kong rarity – now lined with pubs, restaurants, and stalls
- Take a walla-walla boat ride at Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter before visiting Hong Kong’s oldest public housing, supposedly enriched with feng shui
- Book Unseen Hong Kong Tour Here
See wax models of your idols up close in Madam Tussauds Hong Kong
No need to go to the White House, South Korea, or to the United Kingdom to see icons like former President Barack Obama, Kim Soo-Hyun, or Queen Elizabeth the II. They are all here, at Maddam Tussauds Hong Kong. Other notable wax figures include Kendall Jenner, Robert Pattinson, and Iron Man.
Madame Tussauds Ticket Hong Kong
- Meet the world’s most famous faces with just one ticket to Madame Tussauds Hong Kong!
- Rest on Andy Lau’s chest, meet the world’s most famous celebrity couple, and get a few acting tips from Louis Koo
- Curtsy correctly in front of Queen Elizabeth II, and strike a post next to hundreds of other wax replicas of famous people!
- Immerse yourself in the mind of Yaoi Kusama, the ‘Princess of Polka Dots’, a new exhibit exclusively at Hong Kong Madame Tussauds
- Get Madame Tussauds Ticket Hong Kong Tickets Here
Visit the Tian Tan Buddha
The Tian Tan Buddha is a gigantic bronze statue located at the top of Ngong Ping, Lantau Island. What is so magnificent about this 34-meter tall monument of Buddha is that it is constructed from more than 200 bronze pieces. The Buddha has three floors under it: the Universe, Benevolent Merit, and Remembrance halls. Furthermore, the statue houses what is believed to be the cremated remains of Gautama Buddha.
Lantau Cultural and Heritage Insight Tour
- Get a full tour of Lantau Island’s most famous attractions
- Climb up the stairs to visit the giant Buddha, which stands at over 34 meters tall
- Ride a boat through the traditional stilted Tai O fishing village, which was once a huge part of a thriving salt industry
- Visit the century-old Po Lin Monastery, a once-remote Buddhist monastery
- Take home some souvenirs from Ngong Ping Village
- You can also join our 360 Lantau Sunset Tour to take in Lantau’s gorgeous views and attractions by sunset!
- Enjoy a free upgrade to Crystal Cabin for all 2:30pm weekend sessions in March and April
- Book your Lantau Island Tour Here
Stargazing at the Hong Kong Space Museum
Learn the history of the universe, travel millions of light-years into space, feel “solar winds”, and understand how the Big Bang Theory works. These are just some of the things that one can do in the Hong Kong Space Museum, which, aside from being a unique destination, is also a venue for international science conventions and lectures.
Best of Hong Kong Island
- At 552 meters high, the world-famous Victoria Peak gives visitors a bird’s eye view of one of the finest skylines in the world
- Opt for a sampan ride through Aberdeen Harbour or simply visit Aberdeen Fishing Village, home to what remains of Hong Kong’s boat people
- Drop by Repulse Bay, a popular beach destination on the south side of Hong Kong Island
- Bargain-hunt for anything from designer sportswear and silk garments to brass objects and Chinese crafts at Stanley Market
- Visit a renowned jewelry factory in Aberdeen and discover the fine art of handmade jewelry
- Book your Best of Hong Kong Island tour here
Hong Kong Travel tips
- If you plan to visit a collection of Hong Kong and nearby Macau’s most known attractions, it is highly recommended to purchase tickets like iVenture Hong Kong and Macau Pass via Klook.com. The ticket is inclusive of colored guides, an itinerary that you can modify for yourself, and access to tourist attractions like Ngong Ping 360. Meanwhile, if you are coming to Macau, consider the TurboJet Roundtrip (Book Here), which is the quickest ferry service to Macau from Hong Kong.
- Get a Hong Kong Disneyland Meal Coupon (book here) if you are planning to spend lunchtime in Disneyland. You may use the ticket for Starliner Diner, Explorer’s Club Restaurant, and Clopin’s Festival of Foods, among many others.
- Hong Kong Airport Express and Ocean Park Admission with Transfer may prove to be cheaper compared to getting around using cabs. Additionally, the Hong Kong Tourist Octopus Card (with HK$ 50 credit preloaded) is great for those who plan to get around using public transport.
- For digital nomads, get 4G WiFi (Hong Kong pickup) via Klook.com. The device for rent has 4-6 hours battery life and can connect up to 5 devices at a time.
Also See:
- Hong Kong Itinerary: How I Spent 3 Days and 2 Nights in Hong Kong and Macau for Only PHP 15,000
- 10 Ways to Enjoy Hong Kong on a Budget
- Macau Budget Travel Guide: DIY Tour, Itinerary and Travel Tips
- The Ultimate Hong Kong Budget Travel Guide
