Things to Do in Hong Kong
Discover 24 activities and experiences in Hong Kong, Hong Kong — from outdoor adventures to cultural events. Curated from real traveler recommendations.
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Ocean Park
A huge Disney-like (in both the good and bad sense) oceanarium. Marine biodiversity in the Atoll Reef and Shark Tank, and thrill rides will satisfy children and adults alike. It is popular with locals as well as tourists from mainland China. It has beautiful views from the cable car over the ocean and hills. The cablecar is an icon and an essential link between the two parts of the park. The view of the South China Sea from the cable car is always terrific. It would be fair to say that many local people would choose Ocean Park if they had to pick a single theme park to attend. For many, the chance to see Hong Kong's pandas would be a deciding factor. There are also large festivals each year, including summer, Halloween and Christmas. You can find out if there are tickets available on any given day from their website.
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- M-F 9AM-7PM, Sa-Su 9AM-9PM
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- Adults $206, children (up to 11) $103, under 3 free
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Walk between the main towns
The walk between Yung Shue Wan and Sok Kwu Wan is pleasant and not too challenging. Maybe plan 60 to 90 minutes to get across. Mo Tat Wan is another 30 minutes walk. Note in summer you should wear a hat for shade and carry plenty of water. This walk takes about an hour and is well sign posted. It passes a beach which offers swimming facilities within a shark free net and great views of the power station. The walk also provides great views of the island. After the walk, you can dine at the seafood restaurants adjacent to the ferry terminal. Although the walk is not difficult, it has a few steep sections and in summer with high temperature and humidity it can feel strenuous.
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Horse Racing
Horse Racing has been taking place at Happy Valley racetrack since 1846. Happy Valley is particularly impressive during the evening meets with the surrounding skyscrapers lit up. Unless you know the right sort of people your best chance of getting into the races is by the public entrance. Entrance will cost you just a few dollars and you will have the advantage of being at ground level next to the race track. Alcohol, especially beer, is sold at cheap prices. Unless you like fast-food, plan to eat before or after gambling away your holiday savings....
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Tai Po Waterfront Park
The Tai Po Waterfront Park is the largest park in Tai Po District. The Park provides a wide range of facilities including a 1.2 long promenade, rest-gardens, sitting-out areas, a jogging trail with fitness stations, a cycling track and a 600-seat amphitheatre. There is also a 32.4-metre-high Lookout Tower in the Park. After visiting the tower, visitors may move on to the Insect House nearby. Take a green taxi instead of bus if you have 4 or 5 people travelling together from Tai Po Market Railway Station.
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Kowloon Park
the location of a former British barrack. There, you will find not only pleasant gardens, but aviaries, museums, and sporting facilities, including Hong Kong's best swimming pool complex, which offers both indoor and outdoor pools. A wide range of swimming, diving and children's play-pools will appeal to kids of all ages, and their frazzled parents who are seeking a safe place for youngsters to play away from the traffic.
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Lantau Peak
At 934 metres, the second highest point in Hong Kong and the highest point on Lantau Island. You can also stay overnight at the Ngong Ping hostel, and wake up very early to reach the summit in time for the spectacular sunrise. Although not particularly high by international standards, this is a fairly hard climb and you should make full preparations, especially during summer.
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Hike the Dragon's Back
A 2-3 hour hiking trail with spectacular views of the south of Hong Kong Island. The ridge has little shade and you should take a lot of water and protection in summer. The path then drops into forests and creeks, before emerging at Big Wave Bay, where you can swim, eat, drink and return on the same number 9 bus.
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Tai Mei Tuk
Tai Mei Tuk is famous for the natural view of ''Pat Sin Leng'' and ''Plover Cove Reservoir'', the largest reservoir in Hong Kong. You can also make use of the free barbecue site in Tai Mei Tuk and the adjoining country park. Get off from Tai Po Market Railway Station and take bus 75K or green minibus 20C.
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Maclehose Trail
Stage I is ~3 hours, stage II ~6 hours of walking for a total of 10 stages and 100km. Parts are sealed/concrete road, other parts dirt/rock. if you hike late, take a light as public lights are sparse. Altitude is between 0 and 300m (Sai Wan Shan). Camping sites are available.
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Kam Shan Country Park
Kam Shan Country Park, also known as ''Monkey Hill'', is famous for the wild monkeys. It is at the north of Kowloon, can can be easily accessed by taking the KMB route 72, 81 or 86B from Kowloon or New Territories. A free barbecue site is available in the country park.
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Wellington St
Nice street with dried foodstuffs, various restaurants, majong pieces. Also check out Art Jam at 123 Wellington St. They provide you with canvas, paints and materials. From $200 to $500 depending on when you go and canvas size.
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- Central
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St Stephens Beach
Much quieter and more secluded beach that Stanley Main Beach, but still includes a beach café, changing rooms, public toilets and showers. A barbeque area is available up the hill from the beach, and is accessible via stairs.
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Stanley Main Beach
A popular beach for wind-surfing, and hosts annual dragon boat races. Facilities include a café, changing rooms and showers, shark nets, public toilets and a barbeque area.
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Shek O Beach
Attracts a young Chinese crowd, especially older teenagers and young adults. On a Sunday there is also a bus service from Exchange Square bus station in Central.
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Hong Kong Coliseum
Multi purpose in door arena with 12,500 seats. A famous landmark shaped almost like an upside down pyramid. Used for sport events, concerts and other things.
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- 9 Cheong Wan Rd, Hung Hom
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Marine Police Headquarters
Dating back to 1884, it is an attractive colonial building that has been recently renovated to become a major tourism attraction with shops and restaurants.
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- 2A Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
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Kamikaze Caves
These caves near Sok Kwu Wan were apparently built by the Japanese army to hide speedboats that could attack allied ships by surprise.
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- Sok Kwu Wan
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Hung Shing Ye Beach
This is a nice beach close to Yung Shue Wan. It is somewhat overshadowed by having a coal fired Power Plant in the background.
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South Bay beach
Never too busy, even on weekends, but you will need to take a taxi from Repulse Bay.
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Repulse Bay Beach
Biggest and most popular beach and is suitable for families with small children.
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Middle Bay beach
Popular with gay men and is a 20 minute walk along the coast from Repulse Bay.
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Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts
A venue for dance, music and drama.
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- The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts 1 Gloucester Road Wanchai
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Lamma Winds
A wind farm.
Exploring Hong Kong: A Traveler's Guide to Activities
Hong Kong rewards curious travelers with an exceptional range of experiences. Whether you have a weekend or several weeks, the city's 24 documented activities cover the full spectrum — architectural landmarks and world-class museums at one end, local neighborhood festivals and underground cultural scenes at the other. The activities listed on this page come from Wikivoyage contributors who have personally explored Hong Kong and written detailed, practical descriptions to help you plan your visit.
The most rewarding way to experience Hong Kong's activities is with company. Solo travelers who arrive without plans often find that meeting a fellow traveler at a hostel, cafe, or through the Nomax app opens up entirely new itineraries — a museum visit becomes a half-day exploration, a street food crawl turns into an evening of discovery, a day trip to a nearby site becomes an adventure. Hong Kong has an active traveler community, and the city is designed to reward those who explore it with open curiosity.
When planning what to do in Hong Kong, consider mixing well-known attractions with neighborhood-level experiences. The city's most photographed sights are popular for good reason, but Hong Kong's character lives in its quieter corners too — the local markets, the parks where residents spend their weekends, the small performance venues where the next generation of artists and musicians are finding their voice. The 24 activities on this page include both categories, ordered by the richness of their traveler-written descriptions.
How to Get the Most from Hong Kong's Activities
Timing matters in Hong Kong. Many of the city's best attractions have shorter queues and better atmospheres on weekday mornings. Major cultural sites — museums, galleries, historic monuments — often run free admission windows on certain days or evenings; check before booking. Outdoor activities and walking tours are best enjoyed in the morning before the city heats up or fills with tour groups.
Budget-conscious travelers will find that Hong Kong has a strong free-to-access layer. Public parks, open-air markets, architectural walking routes, and many community events cost nothing. The price information included with activities on this page (where available) helps you plan a realistic daily budget. A mix of free and paid activities across a week in Hong Kong is entirely feasible for most traveler budgets.
For travelers who want to do more than just sightseeing, Hong Kong offers organized activities through local guides, tour companies, and traveler apps like Nomax. Group activities — cooking classes, cycling tours, kayaking excursions, photography walks — are a natural way to meet people while experiencing the city. Many travelers who use Nomax in Hong Kong coordinate these types of group experiences together, splitting costs and building memories that last beyond the trip itself.
Activities for Different Travel Styles
Not every traveler wants the same experience. History enthusiasts will gravitate toward Hong Kong's museums, heritage sites, and guided historical walks that reveal the layers of the city's past. Outdoor and adventure travelers will focus on the parks, cycling routes, climbing areas, and day trips to surrounding natural areas. Food travelers will treat Hong Kong's markets, restaurants, and food tours as the primary activities of each day. Culture seekers will fill evenings with concerts, theater, gallery openings, and street performances.
The 24 activities documented on this page span all these categories. Use the numbered list above to browse in order of description quality — longer descriptions generally mean more detailed, firsthand traveler knowledge. For each activity, the address and opening hours (where available) give you everything you need to plan your visit without needing to search elsewhere.
Connecting with Travelers in Hong Kong
One of the best things about traveling to Hong Kong is the community of international travelers already there. Backpackers, digital nomads, long-term expats, and short-trip tourists all share the same city at any given moment. Nomax makes it easy to find who is in Hong Kong right now, see what activities they are joining, and coordinate plans. Whether you want a hiking companion, someone to split museum entry with, or a group for an evening out — the app connects you to people with the same itinerary in minutes.
Download Nomax before your trip to Hong Kong to set your travel dates and start discovering who else will be there at the same time. The app is free, requires no subscription, and works across all the major traveler destinations worldwide — meaning the community you build in Hong Kong often extends to your next destination too.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best things to do in Hong Kong?
Hong Kong offers 24+ activities and experiences for travelers. Top highlights include Ocean Park, Walk between the main towns, Horse Racing, and much more. This page lists every documented activity in order of description quality, so you can find both the major attractions and the hidden gems.
Are there free things to do in Hong Kong?
Yes — Hong Kong has a strong selection of free activities. Public parks, open-air markets, walking routes through historic neighborhoods, and many cultural institutions offer free admission on specific days. Scroll through the list above and look for activities marked with free or no price information — these are often the city's most authentic experiences.
How do I meet other travelers while exploring Hong Kong?
Download Nomax — a free travel companion app that shows you other solo travelers currently in Hong Kong. You can join group activities, chat with travelers at the same spots, and plan outings together. Many travelers in Hong Kong use Nomax to find companions for day trips, museum visits, and evening activities.
What activities can I do with travel companions I meet in Hong Kong?
Hong Kong has activities for every interest — guided tours, food experiences, outdoor adventures, cultural events, and nightlife. Use Nomax to coordinate with other travelers: join a group for a walking tour, split a day-trip cost, or simply explore the city together. The app makes spontaneous plans easy.
Explore Hong Kong with fellow travelers
Download Nomax — find travel companions, join group activities, and chat with solo travelers in Hong Kong right now. Free forever.
Travel tips by Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA 3.0). Content may have been updated since publication.
