Hong Kong is a city-region where old temples perfume the air with incense a block from Michelin-starred roast goose, and glassy towers reflect South China Sea light. Once a British colony and now a Special Administrative Region of China (since 1997), it’s home to more than 260 islands and one of the world’s greatest natural harbors.

Beyond the famous skyline, you’ll find mountain trails like Dragon’s Back, stilt-house villages in Tai O, and temples such as Wong Tai Sin and Man Mo. Food is the local language—dim sum pushed on trolleys, egg tarts warm from the oven, dai pai dong street stalls tossing noodles over roaring flames.

Practical notes: Pick up an Octopus card for tap-and-go rides on the MTR, buses, trams, and ferries. English and Chinese signage make navigation easy. Weather is humid from May–September; October–April is cooler and ideal for hiking. Always check museum and cable car maintenance days before you go.

Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s energy never idles. Ride the historic Star Ferry, glide up to The Peak, scan galleries inside the West Kowloon Cultural District, then end with a dai pai dong feast. Expect fast service, late nights, and superb public transit.

• Top sights: Victoria Peak, Star Ferry, Man Mo Temple, Tai Kwun, PMQ, Nan Lian Garden & Chi Lin Nunnery, M+ museum, Hong Kong Palace Museum, Big Buddha & Ngong Ping 360, Tai O fishing village.
• Iconic bites: Dim sum (Tim Ho Wan, One Dim Sum), roast goose (Yat Lok, Kam’s), beef brisket (Kau Kee), tomato noodle soup (Sing Heung Yuen), pineapple buns (Kam Wah), egg tarts (Tai Cheong).
• Neighborhoods to roam: Central/SoHo/Sheung Wan for heritage-and-cool; Tsim Sha Tsui for harbor views; Mong Kok for markets; Sham Shui Po for authentic eats and gadgets; Stanley and Shek O for seaside.

Where to stay (mid-range focus): For value with views, The Salisbury – YMCA of Hong Kong (Tsim Sha Tsui). Style-forward and green, Hotel ICON (Tsim Sha Tsui). Lively and creative, Eaton HK (Jordan). Solid and central, Ibis Hong Kong Central & Sheung Wan. For apartment-style stays, browse VRBO.

Book stays: Search stays on VRBO Hong Kong or compare hotels on Hotels.com Hong Kong.

Flights and transport: Find flight deals to Hong Kong on Trip.com Flights or Kiwi.com. If you add mainland China rail travel, compare routes on Trip.com Trains. From HKIA, the Airport Express to Central takes ~24 minutes (about HKD 115); taxis and buses are easy too.

Day 1 — Arrival, Harbor Lights, and Classic Cantonese

Morning: Travel day. Aim to arrive with an Octopus card ready (buy at the Airport Express counter). If you’re early, fuel up with a pineapple bun and milk tea at Kam Wah Café in Prince Edward—old-school, quick, and delicious.

Afternoon: Check in, then stroll the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade and Avenue of Stars for world-class skyline views. Ride the Star Ferry to Central at golden hour—short, cheap, and the most romantic way to cross Victoria Harbour.

Evening: In Central, try Yat Lok for lacquered roast goose and rice (Michelin-starred; go early to avoid queues) or Mak’s Noodle for springy shrimp wonton noodles. Cap the night with a sky-high drink: Ozone (Ritz-Carlton, 118/F) for dizzying heights or DarkSide (Rosewood) for live jazz and serious cocktails.

Day 2 — Central & Sheung Wan + The Peak

Morning: Espresso at NOC Coffee Co. (Gough Street) or Blue Bottle (Lyndhurst Terrace). Explore Man Mo Temple (incense coils and literary history), browse design shops at PMQ, and wander Tai Kwun, a beautifully restored colonial police compound turned art-and-dining hub.

Afternoon: Lunch at Sing Heung Yuen, a beloved dai pai dong serving tangy tomato noodle soup with crispy beef and condensed milk toast—pure Hong Kong nostalgia. Ride the Peak Tram (round-trip ~25 minutes; buy timed tickets) and walk the Lugard Road loop for wraparound harbor views.

Evening: Dinner in SoHo/Sheung Wan: Yardbird (yakitori; order the meatballs with tare and egg yolk) or Ho Lee Fook (playful Cantonese—wagyu char siu is a favorite). Bar-hop Peel Street and Bridges Street, or try COA for agave spirits that top Asia’s lists.

Day 3 — Kowloon Temples, Gardens, and Night Markets

Morning: Start at Wong Tai Sin Temple, where locals “kau cim” (fortune sticks) beneath bright Taoist roofs. Continue to Chi Lin Nunnery and the adjacent Nan Lian Garden—Tang-dynasty aesthetics in cedar and stone, a calm counterpoint to the city’s pace.

Afternoon: Dim sum time: One Dim Sum (Prince Edward) or Tim Ho Wan (multiple branches) for wallet-friendly classics—siu mai, har gow, and baked BBQ pork buns. Then visit the revamped Hong Kong Museum of History in Tsim Sha Tsui to trace the city’s story, from fishing village to financial hub.

Evening: Yau Ma Tei and Jordan come alive after dark. Eat claypot rice at Hing Kee (sizzling rice with Chinese sausage and chicken) then browse Temple Street Night Market for trinkets and fortune-telling. For dessert, try Kai Kai Dessert (black sesame soup, sweet tofu pudding).

Day 4 — Lantau Island: Big Buddha, Ngong Ping 360, and Tai O

Morning: MTR to Tung Chung and ride the Ngong Ping 360 cable car up to the Ngong Ping plateau (check for scheduled maintenance). Visit the Tian Tan (Big) Buddha and Po Lin Monastery; don’t miss the meditative Wisdom Path lined with wooden steles.

Afternoon: Bus to Tai O, a photogenic fishing village of stilt houses. Take a short boat ride to spot (if you’re lucky) Chinese white dolphins and then wander lanes selling shrimp paste and dried seafood. Snack on Tai O Bakery doughnuts or egg waffles hot off the iron.

Evening: Return to Tung Chung for an easy dinner at Citygate eateries, or head back to the city for Cantonese comfort at Tsui Wah (café classics) or Samsen (Wan Chai) for excellent Thai boat noodles. Rest—tomorrow is culture and street food.

Day 5 — West Kowloon Culture + Sham Shui Po Food Crawl + Mong Kok Markets

Morning: West Kowloon Cultural District: start at M+, a gleaming museum of visual culture (Hong Kong and Asian design, moving image, and contemporary art). Coffee at % Arabica along the waterfront, then continue to the Hong Kong Palace Museum for imperial treasures and rotating exhibitions.

Afternoon: MTR to Sham Shui Po for one of the city’s best-value food safaris. Try Hop Yik Tai for silky rice rolls with sweet soy, Kung Wo Beancurd for fresh tofu pudding, and Sun Wah Café for pineapple bun with butter. Browse Ap Liu Street for electronics, craft components, and quirky camera gear.

Evening: Hit Mong Kok’s Sneaker Street (Fa Yuen Street) and the Flower Market, then dinner at Kam’s Roast (if you missed goose) or The Ale Project (TAP) for local craft beers and creative gastropub plates. Night owls can try a late dessert at Hui Lau Shan (mango everything).

Day 6 — Day Trip to Macau (Heritage + Pastéis + Cotai Glitz)

Morning: TurboJET ferry from Sheung Wan to Macau (about 1 hour; bring your passport—many nationalities are visa-free). Begin at Senado Square’s Portuguese pavements, then climb to the Ruins of St. Paul’s and Fortaleza do Monte for city views.

Afternoon: Lunch in Taipa Village—O Santos for hearty Portuguese classics (African chicken, bacalhau) or sample Macanese minchi. Don’t miss egg tarts: Lord Stow’s (Coloane) is the legend; Margaret’s Café e Nata (near Senado) is another staple. Stroll Rua do Cunha for snacks and souvenirs.

Evening: Peek at Cotai’s casino resorts (free spectacles, indoor canals, and big-ticket shows), then ferry back to Hong Kong for a quiet nightcap. If you’d rather stay in HK, swap this day for Hong Kong Disneyland (World of Frozen is a delight) or a slower outlying-island day on Cheung Chau.

Day 7 — Parks, Tea, Brunch, and Departure

Morning: Pack, then decompress in Hong Kong Park: ponds, an aviary, and the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware. Brunch nearby at The Coffee Academics (pedigreed local roaster) or Elephant Grounds (solid brews and comfort plates).

Afternoon: Last-minute gifts at K11 MUSEA or PMQ (local designers), then ride the Airport Express to HKIA (budget ~1 hour from hotel to gate). Grab final egg tarts from Tai Cheong or a last milk tea for the road.

Evening: Fly home with Octopus card balances refunded at the airport if you wish, and a camera roll full of harbor light.

Practical Tips and Budget Notes

• Transit: The Octopus card is your best friend. Most cross-harbour MTR rides cost ~HKD 10–20. Taxis are metered and affordable for short hops.
• Costs: Dim sum sets run ~HKD 40–120; museum tickets ~HKD 50–150; Peak Tram round trip ~HKD 100–150; ferries a few HKD across the harbour. Your mid-range budget (49/100) fits great eats, a few paid attractions, and one “splurge” dinner.
• Etiquette: A 10% service charge is common at sit-down restaurants; additional tipping is optional. Lines move fast—know your order, and bring small bills for street stalls.
• Closures: Many museums close on certain weekdays; cable cars have maintenance windows—check schedules the day before.

Book your stay now: VRBO Hong Kong | Hotels.com Hong Kong | Flights: Trip.com or Kiwi.com.

Seven days in Hong Kong lets you taste the city’s full spectrum—skyline trails and temple courtyards, slurped noodles and curated galleries, neon markets and island breezes. With this itinerary, you’ll move like a local and eat like one too, all while keeping an eye on value.