This article includes links to our travel partners at Tripadvisor, where you can read traveller reviews, book tours and plan your visit to Hong Kong.
Hong Kong is known to be a dazzling and ultra-modern city, well worth even just a quick visit. Should you find yourself with a layover in Hong Kong that is over six hours, we urge you to experience the city’s famed public transit and dive into the extravagance. For a quick layover, most people visit Victoria Peak or Victoria Harbour for some of the most impressive views of the city skyline. Shopping and eating are not to be overlooked since they tend to form the cultural backbone of this rapidly developing city. So, be sure to check out emerging designers and talented chefs who create some of the planet’s most inventive East-West fusion food. Suggestions on what to do and how to do it follow in the guide below.
Airport Overview
Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) is another popular airport in Asia, which most travellers pass through at some point. There are plenty of entertainment options to help you fill an airport of less than five hours within the terminal perimeter. Travellers who stay in the airport during their layovers can watch a movie at the country’s largest IMAX theatre – accommodating 350 people! Others may prefer the spa, a shower, shopping, snacking or sports simulation at the i-Sports center. The options are endless! Check out our Hong Kong Airport Guide for more information on the airport.
Hong Kong Sightseeing Attractions
Below are a few of the top things to do in Hong Kong:
Victoria Peak
For the ultimate view of the Hong Kong skyline, you must board the Peak Tram. This funicular railway carries passengers 396 meters above sea level on an impressively steep pitch. It drops you at the top of The Peak, where you can take in spectacular panoramic views of this pulsing and dazzling world city. For some, a walk around the top may be sufficient. However, the newly revitalized wok-inspired Peak Tower offers a little extra entertainment, given that it houses a handful of shops, restaurants and local art galleries. Should you prefer to stretch your legs, several short walking trails wind along the mountain’s slopes and through the tropical forests. Hong Kong Park, at the base of the tram, is also an excellent spot for a stroll.
- Time Required: It is recommended that you take at least two hours to explore The Peak and the associated shops, galleries and museums. This does not include time to get to and from the airport.
- How to Get There: Check out this Google Map for details on public and private transit options and the required time.
- Plan Your Visit: Visit Tripadvisor for more information about visiting The Peak, book a tour or read traveller reviews.
Starstreet (Wan Chai) District
A quick visit to Hong Kong would be incomplete without experiencing the city’s culinary and consumer-driven scene in the self-proclaimed ‘Cultural Precinct.’ There are few better places to immerse yourself in the madness than in the Starstreet District. Filled with tea and food halls (cha chaan teng), tiny boutiques and high-end stores, this region will keep you entertained for as long as you can afford it. Hip, trendy, and constantly evolving, this gives visitors a glimpse into the city’s evolution and the area’s best artisans and entrepreneurs.
- Time Required: Days can be spent browsing through the shops and sampling the restaurants of Starstreet. We would recommend a minimum of an hour and a half for exploration. This does not include time to get to and from the airport.
- How to Get There: Check out this Google Map for details on public and private transit options and the required time.
- Plan Your Visit: Visit Tripadvisor for more information about visiting the Starstreet District, book a tour or read traveller reviews.
Victoria Harbour
A stroll along the iconic Victoria Harbour is another essential activity on a stopover in Hong Kong. A promenade surrounds the harbour, leading you past some of the most crucial sights. Be sure to try to find the Clock Tower and the Avenue of Stars before potentially boarding the Star Ferry to head over to Wan Chai or Central. If you happen to be there at night, watch for the evening display of ‘A Symphony of Lights.’ This light and laser show lights up the city skyline.
- Time Required: Victoria Harbour can be explored in as much or as little time as you like. We recommend taking at least an hour to walk the promenade and visit the primary sights – though 2 to 3 hours would be more leisurely. This does not include time to get to and from the airport.
- How to Get There: Check out this Google Map for details on public and private transit options and the required time.
- Plan Your Visit: Visit Tripadvisor for more information about visiting Victoria Harbour, book a tour or read traveller reviews.
Airport Transportation
HKG is serviced by several private and public transit options, making it easy to access the city center. The airport also provides services to assist with connections to mainland China on its website. As a point of interest, Hong Kong’s public transit is among the most efficient and profitable systems worldwide.
Public transit options include:
- Airport Express (Airport Station): Connects passengers with the city center in 24 minutes. Ticket price includes a free porter and shuttle bus service to most major hotels and transport interchanges in Hong Kong. For fares and schedules, visit the Airport Express Web Site
- Bus: Several routes connect passengers with various areas throughout Hong Kong.
Private transit options include:
- Taxi (Arrivals Hall): Taxi Station organizes cars to the various regions of Hong Kong.
- Rental Cars: Several companies offer rental car services to travellers.
Before You Go: Layover Tips
Now that you are motivated and excited about your mini layover vacation, check a few final logistical concerns off your list before you fully commit.
- Do you need to organize a visa to leave the airport? Requirements change frequently and for each nationality, so be sure to seek out current details on the availability, cost, and procedures of obtaining a transit visa.
- When is your next flight’s check-in time? Double-check with your airline exactly when you need to be at the airport – and plan your layover accordingly.
- What are security wait times like at the airport? Some airports are notorious for extended security wait times, so research in advance and factor that into your overall time budget.
- What’s happening with your luggage? When you check in to your first flight, confirm whether your luggage is checked through or needs to be picked up between your connecting flights. Visit our Hong Kong Airport Guide for information about luggage storage.
Other Useful Resources
Finally, here are a few handy resources to help you plan your layover even more thoroughly:
- Tripadvisor – Visit Things to Do in Hong Kong to plan a tour or the Hong Kong Travel Forum to check out past threads to see what other travellers have shared about sightseeing during long layovers at Hong Kong Airport and post your questions.
- Hong Kong Airport Transit Information
- Mainland China Connection Information