3 days in Hong Kong: The perfect first timer itinerary

sweeping views from the top of Victoria Peak

the french toast is a must have

Why Hong Kong is great for a short trip

Yes, 3 days is enough to see Hong Kong’s highlights, and this is exactly how I’d spend them.

Being based in Australia, let’s be real: most overseas trips are going to involve a 5+ hour flight, but I’ve been wanting to challenge my concept of where it’s possible to visit for just a long weekend.

Hong Kong likely isn’t the first place you’d think of for such a trip, but with direct flights from Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, I consider anywhere with a direct flight to be achievable for a long weekend - in this instance, a Friday to Monday.

Having travelled to Vietnam, Thailand and Singapore in the past couple of years, Hong Kong was a destination I’d been drawn to visiting, namely for a mix of the viral food seen online, its British colonial and Chinese influences, and being a bustling city packed into the valleys of the bordering mountains.

Who this itinerary is for

If, like me, you enjoy a mixture of wandering on foot, visiting a few main attractions and having a few boujee moments, then this itinerary is for you.

I love having my Google pins planned ahead of time, having researched where to go, what to do and where to eat, but I also leave room to just wander and see where you end up.

I’m very Type A, so whether you are or not, I’ve done the research and planning for you to take what works for you!

What you'll cover in 3 days

This itinerary predominantly covers

• Wan Chai, Hong Kong Island

• Central, Hong Kong Island

• Causeway Bay, Hong Kong Island

• Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon

• Sheung Wan, Hong Kong Island

Before you go

Octopus card

An Octopus Card is probably the most convenient thing you can have in Hong Kong, as it saves you buying a ticket every time or getting coins out on the bus.

Pick one up at the Airport Express counter at the airport or at any MTR station. They cost HK$150 (around $27-$30 AUD), which is a mixture of a deposit for the cost of the card, plus preloaded value to get you started. You can then top it up at most convenience stores, including the countless 7-Elevens around the city. You can also add an Octopus card to your phone wallet, which you may find even more convenient.

Airport to city

While Ubers are convenient, I’d personally suggest catching the train if you’re looking to save $$. It’s the perfect time to use your newly acquired Octopus card, and the train takes you to most of the popular areas in Hong Kong, either directly or with just 1 line change.

Currency

It’s the Hong Kong dollar, commonly shortened to HKD and often written simply as HK$. For easy maths while you're there, divide whatever the HK$ amount is by 5 for the rough AUD amount.

How many days do you actually need?

This really comes down to what you want to do and how much you plan to see. The public transport makes it easy to get around the different districts, but with lots of stairs and walking likely involved, it’s easy to overcook your itinerary (myself included).

Hong Kong would make a great city for a long stopover.

We travelled here for 4 days and 3 nights, but we could easily see how a week would allow you to explore beyond the main districts of Hong Kong and see more of the mountain and beach areas.

Where we stayed and my honest review

Being low to mid-budget travellers, we booked the Ramada Hong Kong Harbour View, a 38-storey high-rise located on Queen’s Road West on Hong Kong Island. We found Agoda to be the cheapest for booking hotels.

Room

We booked a harbour-facing room but instead ended up in a mountain-facing room. When we asked to swap, we were told the mountain-facing room was better, as you couldn’t see the harbour as prominently as expected. The beds were very firm. This was fine for a night or two, but by night three I was craving a little more comfort.

Aircon

The air conditioning in the room wasn’t great, particularly as the days and nights were very humid.

Amenities

We were further disappointed to find the rooftop swimming pool wasn’t yet open for the season. You can go up to the rooftop to enjoy the views, but the pool was off limits without a lifeguard.

Wi-Fi

The Wi-Fi worked fine throughout our stay. Our room didn’t feature a proper desk, so I’d recommend checking the room inclusions if you want to work from there.

Location

What we did like about this hotel was the location. Some may view it as a bit far from the main areas, but we preferred not to be in the centre of the hustle and bustle, so we were happy with the location and the proximity to the nearby train station (Sai Ying Pun) and trams (Eastern Street).

Overall, I’d give the Ramada Hong Kong Harbour View a 2.5/5.

If I were to stay again, I’d stay at:

Backpacker / hostel: Check Inn HK (Tsim Sha Tsui). It’s worth noting that hostel options in Hong Kong are limited and often small.

Low-budget: Ibis Hong Kong Central & Sheung Wan

Mid-budget: Hotel Indigo Hong Kong Island (Wan Chai) or Novotel Century Hong Kong (Wan Chai). If you’d prefer to be on the Kowloon side, check out Tsim Sha Tsui options near the MTR, so the Star Ferry and Avenue of Stars are within walking distance.

High-end: The Peninsula (Tsim Sha Tsui) or Mandarin Oriental (Central)

Day 1 - Central Hong Kong & Victoria Peak

★ Breakfast: Milk Tea + French Toast @ Wah Lok Cafe

★ Wander: Cat Street + Upper Lascar Row (also known as Antique Street)

★ Coffee: Halfway Coffee

★ Beer: Blue Supreme

★ Lookout: afternoon/evening Tram up to Victoria Peak (less busy)

Hong Kong's thriving food scene

Day 2 - Trams, Causeway Bay and Wan Chai eats

★ Coffee: Masala Chai Latte @ Fineprint

★ Pastry: Egg tart @ Bakehouse

★ Transport: Hop on the double decker trams

★ Snack: Pineapple bun or bubble waffle

★ Explore: Causeway Bay

★ Eat: Noodles in Wan Chai

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Day 3 - Across the harbour to Kowloon

★ Breakfast: Cha chaan teng @ Australia Dairy Company

★ Transport: Catch the Star Ferry across the harbour

★ Visit: M+ Museum

★ Wander: Avenue of Stars

★ Eat: Temple Street Night Market (even better, jump on a guided street food tasting tour)

★ Drink: Cocktails @ Ozone Ritz Carlton (the highest rooftop bar in the world!)

Hong Kong Travel Tips

Is Hong Kong safe?

I wouldn’t immediately call this a surprise, but I did want to point out how safe I felt. Crime is low in Hong Kong, so I’d definitely recommend it to solo travellers, while still applying the usual precautions and common sense.

What to wear

The humidity was no joke, so make sure to pack light, breathable clothing, particularly if you plan to spend lots of time walking around.

Getting around

The good news is the public transport is very easy to navigate, especially if you’re using Google Maps to get around. Combined with the Octopus card that can easily be topped up at convenience stores like 7Eleven.

What I’d do differently

If I were to go back with a bit more time, I’d love to explore the local mountains and hiking trails. Dragon’s Back and the Victoria Peak circular trails would definitely be on my list.

What to book ahead in Hong Kong

• Peak Tram timed tickets: this helps you avoid the huge queues at the ticket office.

• Ozone cocktail bar: easy to book online. (Note - as it's a premium bar, they ask that men wear closed shoes and long trousers. We didn't check this before going but thankfully they provided my partner with slip on shoes and loose trousers which he wore over his shorts.)

the iconic, old style red taxis

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