Hong Kong · best-of list
9 Top Things to Do in Hong Kong
All 9 things to do our route editors picked in Hong Kong, across 2 destinations, gathered in one list. Expect sights and experiences, with Hong Kong Island and Kowloon contributing the most (5).
Our curated picks
9 things to do in Hong Kong, grouped by destination. Destinations with the most picks come first; this is not a ranking.
Hong Kong Island and Kowloon 5 picks
Chi Lin Nunnery and Nan Lian Garden
Hong Kong Island and Kowloon · On our Hong Kong, Lantau & Macau route
Timber Buddhist complex built without nails beside a Tang-style garden.
Tip: Free entry; quiet on weekday mornings.
Photo: Lewis So · Google
M+ Museum
Hong Kong Island and Kowloon · On our Hong Kong, Lantau & Macau route
Museum of visual culture in West Kowloon with harbor-facing terraces.
Tip: Pair with the Hong Kong Palace Museum next door.
Photo: Hideko Murakami · Google
Man Mo Temple
Hong Kong Island and Kowloon · On our Hong Kong, Lantau & Macau route
Smoky 1847 temple hung with giant incense coils, dedicated to gods of literature and war.
Tip: Walk down to Cat Street antiques afterward.
Photo: Yasu kov · Google
Star Ferry
Hong Kong Island and Kowloon · On our Hong Kong, Lantau & Macau route
Green-and-white ferries crossing Victoria Harbour since 1888 for a few dollars.
Tip: Sit on the upper deck for the skyline.
Photo: Pat Chun Chan · GoogleVictoria Peak and Peak Tram
Hong Kong Island and Kowloon · On our Hong Kong, Lantau & Macau route
Historic funicular up to the city's highest viewpoint over the harbor.
Tip: Walk the flat Lugard Road loop for the best free views.
Photo: SUHAS Dubey · Google
Lantau Island 4 picks
Ngong Ping 360
Lantau Island · On our Hong Kong, Lantau & Macau route
Cable car from Tung Chung over the bay and hills to Ngong Ping plateau.
Tip: Crystal cabins have glass floors and shorter lines.
Photo: T dack I'm-heart · Google
Po Lin Monastery
Lantau Island · On our Hong Kong, Lantau & Macau route
Active monastery with colorful halls opposite the Big Buddha.
Tip: Buy a vegetarian lunch ticket at the Buddha base.
Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Enochlau assumed (based on copyright claims · CC BY-SA 3.0
Tai O Fishing Village
Lantau Island · On our Hong Kong, Lantau & Macau route
Stilt houses over tidal creeks, dried seafood stalls and short boat trips.
Tip: Boat rides sometimes spot pink dolphins offshore.
Photo: 樂luck see · Google
Tian Tan Buddha (Big Buddha)
Lantau Island · On our Hong Kong, Lantau & Macau route
Bronze Buddha 34 meters tall, reached by 268 steps.
Tip: Clouds roll in by afternoon; go early for clear views.
Photo: Murugan Manokaran · Google
How we picked these
Every entry is a stop on at least one of TripsCircle's hand-curated routes, chosen by our route editors, who wrote the reason to go shown with each place. These are our curated picks, not a scored ranking: we haven't rated or reviewed them against each other. The list is grouped by destination, and within each destination places that appear on more routes come first.
Prices ($ to $$$$) and visit lengths are rough guides from our route notes, not quotes. Check opening hours before you go.
About this list
How did you choose the things to do in Hong Kong?
Each one is a stop on a TripsCircle route that our editors built by hand, and each comes with a written reason to go. This page shows all 9 of them. They are curated picks, not a ranked score.
Which part of Hong Kong has the most things to do on this list?
Hong Kong Island and Kowloon has the most (5 of 9), followed by Lantau Island (4).
Are any of these free?
4 picks on this list are marked free in our route notes: Chi Lin Nunnery and Nan Lian Garden, Po Lin Monastery, Man Mo Temple and Tian Tan Buddha (Big Buddha). Check ahead, since parking or special exhibits can cost extra.
More lists for Hong Kong
Top things to do nearby
Destinations on this list
- Hong Kong Island and Kowloon 5 on this list
- Lantau Island 4 on this list
Turn this list into a plan
Open a curated route in TripsCircle, add the spots your crew wants, vote with polls and keep everyone on one shared itinerary.