Hong Kong is a city of salt and light—salt from the sea breezes that once filled its fishing harbors; light from a skyline that still thrills even the most seasoned traveler. A British colony until 1997 and now a Special Administrative Region of China, it fuses southern Chinese tradition with colonial-era architecture, cutting-edge galleries, and a transport system so efficient you’ll measure distance by MTR stops.

Here, bamboo scaffolding and Michelin stars coexist. Street-side dai pai dongs turn out wok hei-kissed noodles; temples guard quiet courtyards; and on Lantau, a bronze Buddha looks out over the South China Sea. You’ll ride the Peak Tram, cruise Victoria Harbour, wander West Kowloon’s cultural park, and snack your way from wonton to egg tarts.

Practical notes: Pick up an Octopus card for easy transit, ride the Airport Express to the city in ~24 minutes, and bring a light layer for strong indoor A/C. Typhoon season peaks June–September; museums and indoor food halls are your rainy-day backup. English is widely understood, menus commonly bilingual, and coffee culture is thriving.

Hong Kong Island

Hong Kong Island is the city’s cinematic side: forested hills rising behind glossy towers, antique shops along Hollywood Road, and alleyway shrines perfuming the air with incense. Central and SoHo brim with cocktail bars and galleries; Wan Chai and Causeway Bay deliver classic roast meats, noodle shops, and late-night energy.

Don’t miss Man Mo Temple’s swirling coils of incense, the Mid-Levels escalator, Tai Kwun’s heritage courtyards, and sunset from the Peak’s Lugard Road. For a coastal reset, hop to Stanley and Repulse Bay for beaches, colonial traces, and breeze-cooled promenades.

• Getting in: Fly into HKG; compare fares on Trip.com or Kiwi.com. Airport Express to Central takes ~24 minutes (about HKD 115); taxis to Central are ~30–40 minutes, HKD 300–350.
• Where to stay (Island-side): Design-forward luxury at The Upper House; browse more stays via Hotels.com (Hong Kong) or apartment-style options on VRBO (Hong Kong).

Kowloon

Kowloon is Hong Kong turned inside-out: neon alleys, noodle steam, wholesale markets, and a harborfront promenade staring down that famous skyline. It’s also the city’s cultural engine now—West Kowloon’s M+ Museum and the Hong Kong Palace Museum sit beside lawns perfect for sunset picnics.

Explore Wong Tai Sin Temple, the timber serenity of Nan Lian Garden, and the bustle of Mong Kok’s Ladies’ Market and Sneakers Street. By night, Temple Street’s fortune tellers and claypot rice stands paint a very Hong Kong story.

• Move from Island to Kowloon: Morning MTR from Central to Tsim Sha Tsui via Tsuen Wan Line is ~10 minutes (HKD 10–12). Taxi is ~15–20 minutes (HKD 60–90). The Star Ferry offers a scenic 10-minute crossing (about HKD 6).
• Where to stay (Kowloon): Heritage glam at The Peninsula Hong Kong; stylish budget at Hop Inn or YHA Mei Ho House Youth Hostel. Browse more on Hotels.com (Kowloon) or VRBO (Kowloon).

Day 1: Arrival, Central Landmarks, and Harbour Lights

Afternoon: Land at HKG and ride the Airport Express to Hong Kong Station. Check in on the Island side—consider The Upper House for skyline views—and grab a pick-me-up at NOC Coffee Co. (smooth, nutty house blends) or The Coffee Academics (single-origin espressos). Stroll to Tai Kwun for art spaces in restored colonial barracks, then step into incense-laced Man Mo Temple.

Evening: Take the iconic Star Ferry from Central to Tsim Sha Tsui for golden-hour photos along the Avenue of Stars. Stay for the 8 p.m. A Symphony of Lights, then dine back in TST at Hutong (Northern Chinese, laser-etched harbor views) or in Central at Yat Lok (famed crispy roast goose, slightly smoky skin). Cap the night at Ozone on the 118th floor for a sky-high cocktail and city-lights panorama.

Day 2: Old Town Central, Street Food, and SoHo Nights

Morning: Dim sum breakfast at Luk Yu Tea House (historic tea salon; try the char siu bao and shumai) or Sing Heung Yuen (open-air noodle joint; beloved tomato-beef noodles). Join a guided tasting to meet the city through its snacks:

Hong Kong Street Food Tour with Locals - Dim Sum, Wonton & more

Afternoon: Walk Hollywood Road’s antique arcades and murals, then pop into PMQ for indie designers and tea ware. Snack stops: Tai Cheong Bakery (buttery egg tarts) and Mak’s Noodle (springy wonton noodles in delicate shrimp broth).

Evening: Dinner at Yardbird (yakitori, order chicken oyster and KFC—Korean fried cauliflower) or Mott 32 (Cantonese with modern flair; applewood-roasted Peking duck). Drinks at Coa (agave spirits, Asia’s top-ranked bar) or Argo (innovative, produce-driven cocktails at Four Seasons).

Day 3: Victoria Peak, Beaches, and Southside Breezes

Morning: Ride the Peak Tram (return + Sky Terrace 428 is ~HKD 148) for sweeping views. Walk the Lugard Road loop (flat, shaded) for postcard angles of the harbor.

Afternoon: Head south to Aberdeen for a sampan ride through the typhoon shelter, then onward to Repulse Bay’s crescent beach and Stanley’s market lanes. Lunch picks: Limewood (coastal grill, bright ceviches and smoky tacos) or local chaan teng plates at Repulse Bay’s promenade.

Evening: If you prefer a curated day including dim sum and skip-the-line Peak access, book this small-group favorite:

Top-Rated Hong Kong Tour: Peak Tram, Dim Sum & Cultural Sights

Return to SoHo for dinner at Ho Lee Fook (creative Cantonese; roast meats and inventive small plates). Dessert at Kai Kai Dessert in Jordan later if you cross the harbor—black sesame soup and sweet tofu pudding are classics.

Day 4: Island-to-Kowloon Move, Temples, and Night Markets

Morning (transfer): Check out and ride the MTR Central → Tsim Sha Tsui (~10 minutes, HKD 10–12) or taxi (~15–20 minutes). Check in at The Peninsula Hong Kong for legendary service, or keep it cool and budget-friendly at Hop Inn. Coffee at N1 Coffee & Co. (smooth flat whites) to fuel the day.

Afternoon: Visit Wong Tai Sin Temple where locals pray for fortunes, then the serene Nan Lian Garden and Chi Lin Nunnery (cedar halls and lotus ponds). Lunch ideas: Sister Wah in Tin Hau (deeply aromatic beef brisket noodles) or Islam Food in Kowloon City (halal, famous curry beef brisket and pillow-soft beef cakes).

Evening: Dive into Kowloon’s markets with a local guide and eat like a resident:

Hong Kong: Kowloon Street Market & Food Culture Walking Tour

After, savor claypot rice at Four Seasons Pot Rice in Yau Ma Tei (smoky “wok hei,” crispy crust) and wander Temple Street Night Market for trinkets and fortune-telling. Nightcap at DarkSide (Rosewood; live jazz and barrel-aged cocktails).

Day 5: Lantau Island—Cable Car, Big Buddha, and Tai O (Full Day)

Ride the Tung Chung line to Ngong Ping 360 (round-trip standard cabin ~HKD 235) and glide over forests and sea. Walk to the 34-meter Tian Tan Buddha and Po Lin Monastery, then continue to Tai O fishing village for stilt houses and shrimp paste stalls. To keep it streamlined—hotel pickup, cable car, and boat ride—book this door-to-door option:

Private Lantau Tour: Cable Car, Tai O Boat Ride & Hotel Pickup

Back in town, tuck into Kam’s Roast Goose (Wan Chai; glossy skin, juicy meat) or Joy Hing (Wan Chai; legendary char siu and roast pork). If you prefer all-private transport on Lantau, this alternative also shines: The Big Buddha & Lantau Island - Private Tour with Private Car.

Day 6: Choose Your Adventure—Disney Magic or Peakside Trails

Option A: Hong Kong Disneyland (Full Day). Ride the dedicated MTR line to the park and spend the day in World of Frozen, Mystic Manor, and Hyperspace Mountain. Skip logistics with this combined ticket + hotel transfer:

Hong Kong Disneyland: One-Day Ticket and Private Hotel Transfer

Dine at Explorer’s Club (Asian food hall) and stay late for the castle show. If you want to overnight near the park, consider Disney Explorers Lodge or Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel.

Option B: Nature Day. Hike Dragon’s Back (undulating ridge with sea vistas; 2–3 hours, moderate) and finish at Shek O beach. Or join a guided highland hike for dramatic views across Sai Kung’s islands:

Small Group Hike to Ma On Shan Highland

Post-adventure feast at Under Bridge Spicy Crab in Causeway Bay (peppery, garlicky signatures) or Mak Man Kee in Jordan (silky wonton noodles and beef brisket).

Day 7: Final Bites, Last Looks, and Departure

Morning: Brunch with a view at Tin Lung Heen (Ritz-Carlton; refined dim sum, sweeping harbor vistas) or casual comfort at Australia Dairy Company (lightning-fast scrambled eggs and toast; expect a queue). Swing by K11 MUSEA or Harbour City for any last-minute gifts—pineapple cakes, tea, and local ceramics are easy to pack.

Afternoon departure: Airport Express from Kowloon Station takes ~22 minutes; taxis are ~30–40 minutes depending on traffic. Compare return flights on Trip.com or Kiwi.com, then tap any leftover credit on your Octopus at convenience stores for snacks and water.

Optional Add-On Day (Swap Into Day 6 if You Prefer): Macau History & Flavors

Macau blends Portuguese tiles and Chinese temples, UNESCO-listed ruins, and a storied street-food scene. This full-day excursion covers the classics with round-trip transport via the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge:

Full- Day Macau Tour from Hong Kong via HZM Bridge

Prefer to sail? Book the classic one-hour sailing instead: TurboJet Ferry E-Ticket from Hong Kong to Macau.

Handy Eats & Coffee Shortlist (Save for Maps)

• Roast meats: Yat Lok (Central), Joy Hing (Wan Chai), Kam’s Roast Goose (Wan Chai).
• Dim sum: Luk Yu (Central), Lung King Heen (Four Seasons), Tin Lung Heen (ICC).
• Noodles: Mak’s Noodle (Central), Sister Wah (Tin Hau), Mak Man Kee (Jordan).
• Sweet treats: Tai Cheong Bakery (egg tart), Mammy Pancake (Hong Kong-style waffles), Kai Kai Dessert (classic tong sui).
• Coffee: NOC Coffee Co., The Coffee Academics, Elephant Grounds, Hazel & Hershey Coffee Roasters.

Wherever you base yourself, you can tailor each day with a private driver-guide for efficiency and insider finds:

Private Hong Kong Car Tour - Half Day or Full Day

For a classic hop-on overview, especially on Day 1 or 3, this is a low-stress primer with commentary:

Big Bus Hong Kong Open Top Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Tour

Hotel picks at a glance: The Peninsula Hong Kong (iconic service and harbor views), The Upper House (design-forward serenity), Hop Inn (great-value base in TST), YHA Mei Ho House Youth Hostel (retro Hong Kong design in Sham Shui Po), and for a Disney stay, Disney Explorers Lodge or Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel. Browse wider on Hotels.com or VRBO.

In a week, Hong Kong gives you temples and towers, cable cars and cocktails, and the kind of meals you’ll measure future trips against. With this day-by-day plan, you’ll taste the city’s past and present—and still leave a few secrets for your return.