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Spending one day in Hong Kong is a monumental feat. But it’s completely possible…if you do it right. I once spent 24 hours in Hong Kong as a pit stop to see family before jetting off to Japan.
It. was. fantastic.
Whether you’re in Hong Kong for a layover or you just want a slice of the city’s chaos and charm, 24 hours will give you a sizzling taste of what this frantic city has to offer. Plus: it’s a great way to tackle jet lag! Hong Kong’s frenetic energy will keep you awake without you even needing to try.
With limited time though, you’ll want to prioritize your Hong Kong itinerary with some major landmarks, popular food stops, and a little bit of indulgent shopping. Because you’re not seriously going to leave Hong Kong without admiring Victoria Harbour? Or tasting classic Cantonese dim sum? And you should definitely treat yourself with some self-pampering purchases at Harbour City: Hong Kong’s largest shopping mall (yes, that’s their tout, and yes, it’s worth it).
This post will help you make every hour count. You’ll be prepared to take on Hong Kong stress-free and without feeling like you missed out.
Basics about Hong Kong to know before you go
Language: Locals mainly speak Cantonese Chinese, but Mandarin Chinese is common too. Most businesses are also comfortable speaking in English.
Currency: the Hong Kong Dollar (HKD).
Visa requirements: See Hong Kong’s immigration department for all entry requirements. I’ve also got useful tips for your first trip to Hong Kong.
Voltage: 220 volts. Hong Kong uses the 3-pronged UK-style plugs. See my post on Travel Handbag Essentials: What to Pack (and Skip) for tips on what plug adapters to buy.
Major Train Station: The MTR subway system is the best way for getting around Hong Kong. It’s fast, timely, and inexpensive.
Major Airport: Hong Kong International Airport (HKG)
Best time to visit: During the colder months of November to February or April. It gets really hot and humid starting in April, so bring plenty of water and sunscreen.
Your One Day in Hong Kong Itinerary at a Glance
A little tight on time and simply want all the highlights up front? Then here’s my quick and easy cheat sheet on what to do in Hong Kong in 24 hours.
And buy your tour tickets in advance to top attractions! Don’t waste time in line if you only got a day to tour the city.
Morning: coffee for fuel
📍 Kowloon Side
☕ Halfway Café — Order a flat white and sourdough with smoked salmon and poached eggs. Cozy, quick, and energizing.
📍Hong Kong Island
🥯 Shragels Bagels — Jewish deli with daily fresh bagels (they even cater to the The Peninsula!). Try their smoked white fish bagel or pastrami on rye.
Afternoon: explore Hong Kong’s iconic landmarks
Option 1: Big Buddha on Lantau Island
- Ride the Ngong Ping 360 cable car with mountain and sea views.
- See the towering bronze Buddha, light a foot-long incense, and explore monasteries.
- ⏳ Reserve 4–5 hours. It’s far and near the airport.
- 👉 Buy tickets online to skip summer crowds.
Option 2: The Peak, Central Hong Kong
- Ride the historic Peak Tram up a 25° incline.
- Take in sweeping city views from the Peak Tower.
- ⏳ Takes about 2–3 hours. Better choice for staying central in Hong Kong.
- 👉 Book ahead to breeze through the line.
Lunch: dim sum done right
🥢 Lei Garden (multiple locations)
- Savour classic Cantonese dim sum: har gow, siu mai, BBQ pork buns, spring rolls.
🥟 Din Tai Fung (Causeway Bay)
- Iconic Shanghainese dumplings and spicy noodles. Try the gyoza, onion pancakes, and signature beef noodle soup.
Evening: harbour walk and dinner
- Stroll the Tsim Sha Tsui promenade. Watch Symphony of Lights and catch the iconic red junk boat sailing by.
- Massive designer mall with MoMA Design Store. Shop luxury without questioning authenticity.
🍽️ Dinner Picks
🥢 Lai Ching Heen @ The Regent — Elegant, fine, classic. Get the house-roasted Peking duck.
🔥 Yardbird — Trendy izakaya bar. All parts of the chicken are roasted to umami perfection. Get the ume thighs on skewers!
Want More Detail?
Keep scrolling for in-depth details and my personal takes on each stop. Or download my FREE 7-day travel planner to start noting all the places you’re going to visit.
Getting from Hong Kong Airport to the City
There are two major areas in Hong Kong and that’s Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. You’ll most likely be visiting these two areas if you only got a day to enjoy the place.
Should you stay in Kowloon or on Hong Kong Island?
Kowloon is considered the more local of the two parts. Think huge billboards and neon lights in Chinese, the night markets and street markets. Hong Kong Island is the more modern part with skyscrapers, business districts, and chic bars and restaurants.
Best places to stay in Kowloon for a night
I’m fortunate enough to get to stay with family when I visit Hong Kong. But these are the hotels I’d stay in that fit my criteria of location, walkability, cleanliness, service, and safety when I’m picking a hotel to stay at.
Enjoy an artful stay at Hotel Stage
Experience type: for travellers who want a balanced experience of a value-driven price point and comfort. Check Booking.com – Hotel Stage now for the best rates to reserve your room.
Rooms: Modern decor with marble showers and comfortable beds. High-tech gadgets in the room make it easy to manage your stay.
Location: Top reviews from guests rave about the location. It’s only a few minutes walk to the Jordan MTR subway station. Get your reloadable octopus card in advance so you can ride the subway ASAP when you arrive.
Cleanliness and service: Guests who gave ratings of 9 or 10 say the rooms are wonderfully modern, clean, and most importantly quiet. Guests also say the staff are friendly and helpful in giving tips on how to travel around town.
Hotel Stage would be one of my top choices to stay at if I wanted a balance between value and location. Jordan station is a great spot to stay by. It’s on the major MRT subway line and only a stop away from the major Tsim Sha Tsui MTR subway station where all the hubbub is.
👉 Book ahead of time for best rates.
Bathe in opulence at The Peninsula: Grande Dame of the East
Experience type: for travellers who want a deluxe, premium hotel experience. Travellers gave this hotel an exceptional rating of 9.5 on Booking.com. It’s my dream to be able to stay in this decadent hotel from 1928. The Peninsula to Hong Kong is like the Rockefeller to New York City: emblematic. Reserve a room as soon as you can on Booking.com – The Peninsula for the best rates.
Rooms: Almost every traveller gave this hotel a perfect 10 for room comfort. Their tip is to make sure you get a room high up in the building, so you get perfect views of Victoria Harbour. Each room features a spa bathtub which I’d happily use every night of my stay. Yes there are state-of-the art gadgets in each room, but I’d enjoy the sumptuous decor and incredible views instead.
Location: The ultimate prime location for travellers to stay in. The Peninsula is smack in the centre of Tsim Sha Tsui where all the action takes place. Walk out the front doors and there you are on Victoria Harbour where you can sail the Star Ferry or catch a show at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre.
Cleanliness and service: Travellers who gave this hotel a 10 in their reviews raved about the impeccable service and the top-notch facilities (like the roman-style swimming pool). Ever wanted to ride in a Rolls-Royce? You can order an airport transfer and they’ll happily pick you up in a Rolls from their fleet.
Decadence, opulence, style, luxury: the Peninsula checks off all the top hospitality points. You won’t worry about noisy nights in this grand hotel. It is a dream to be able to enjoy a stay in the hotel that put Hong Kong on the map. You’ll be at the centre of attention in Hong Kong when you stay here.
👉 Rooms sell out quickly. Book now for the best rates.
Best places to stay in Hong Kong Island for a night
99 Bonham in Sheung Wan
Experience type: best for travellers with a mid-tier budget who are focused on a decent place to stay in a hip neighbourhood. Happy travellers on Booking.com- 99 Bonham gave this place a Very Good rating of 8.
Cleanliness, service, rooms: Most travellers complained that there’s little to no hotel service. The staff didn’t even help carry luggage. And there’s no dining options on site. But there are plenty of late-night restaurants in Hong Kong that you’ll definitely find a place to eat. The rooms are modern and clean. Most travellers commented that this is a good place to sleep, but don’t expect too much from the service.
Location: Only a 3-minute walk to Sheung Wan MTR subway station. A major subway stop so it’ll take you anywhere you need to go. About 20 minutes to Central Plaza (a prime tourist district).
👉 Check for availability on Booking.com
I might stay here if I wanted to spend on a good place to sleep in a great location with no other criteria being fulfilled. This doesn’t seem like the best value for money, but I wanted to list it as an option since most happy travellers said it was great for location and comfort.
The Hari in Wan Chai
Experience type: for travellers who want a mid-tier to premium hotel experience. There are over 1000 positive reviews on Booking.com – The Hari and the average rating is 8.9 making this a Fabulous property to stay at.
Location: Travellers raved about the location because it’s right by Central Plaza, Times Square, and close to the airport.
Rooms and service: Happy travellers love the modern and comfortable decor in the rooms. Most say the rooms are a bit small, however. But the views of the harbour make up for the smaller rooms. The staff are very friendly and helpful. The main complaint from travellers was that the restaurant closes after 10 PM. But it’s Hong Kong, so there are plenty of late night joints open if you need a snack.
👉 Book soon to seal the best rates.
I’d pick the Hari because being close to Central is super convenient for getting around. I prize location and service, and the Hari seems to provide friendlier and more helpful service for the value they’re charging.
What to do in 24 hours in Hong Kong from Sunrise to Sunset
Now that you’ve picked a place to stay, get the nifty details on why you should visit or eat at certain places for your one day extravaganza in Hong Kong.
Morning coffee and breakfast with a stroll at Victoria Park
On the Kowloon side, get your morning caffeine fix at Halfway Coffee. This is an adorable, rustic café tucked away in a side street. They serve homemade sourdough breads with fresh eggs and salad: a perfect breakfast to fuel you up.
Their coffee tastes like real coffee; not coloured water. I find Hong Kong’s coffee culture is starting to pick up in the last few years, but this place nails it. If you’re a traveller who expects a good cup of coffee to start their day, then this is the place to go.
Head over to Shragels Delicatessen if you’re staying on the Hong Kong Island side. This is the breakfast joint to rush to in the morning for their fresh bagels. This is a deli founded by Rebecca Shrage who’s born to a Hong Kong mother and a Jewish father from New York.
Her grandparents also ran Jewish delis in New York during the ’50s and ’60s and passed down their bagel recipe to Rebecca. These are some of the best bagels I’ve tasted to date. They’re made fresh every morning and stone baked to perfection.
Her pastrami on rye is super flavourful. The chef said he literally cooked it from Rebecca Shrage’s memory of what she remembers pastrami tasting like as a kid living in New York.
When I bit into the pastrami, it tasted more pastrami than the pastrami found in New York.
It. was. splendid.
Get the smoked white fish bagel if you want something slightly lighter.
Stroll along Victoria Harbour at Tsim Sha Tsui with the Avenue of Stars
And now that you’re fueled up, take a nice stroll along Tsim Sha Tsui where you can admire Victoria Harbour: one of the most recognizable skylines in the world.
There’s something romantic to be said about the cluster of towers in their glories of metal and steel glittering at night. Which is why at around 8 pm every night, you can enjoy the Symphony of Lights. This is when the skyscrapers on the Hong Kong side light up in choreography to music.
Try to spot the Dukling red junk sailing back and forth that’s been running since 1955 ferrying passengers to and fro on the harbour. You can sail this classic junk to get a stunning view of Hong Kong from the water.
Keep heading down the boardwalk and you’ll end up on the Avenue of Stars. Get a picture with the statue of Bruce Lee whose martial arts fame set Hong Kong on the map.
Want a little quiet time with a view of Victoria Harbour to yourself? There’s a Starbucks a bit away where you can sip a latte on the second floor balcony and admire the view of Victoria Harbour in air conditioned settings.
Afternoon: Explore Hong Kong Landmarks the Big Buddha or the Peak
This is where the caffeine and scrumptious breakfast pays off. Either hop on the Star Ferry to get to Hong Kong Island and ride the tram up to The Peak…
…or take the MTR and whisk yourself to Lantau Island and ride the cable car to see the impressive Bronze Buddha.
Do you want to experience more history and culture? Then ride the Ngong Ping 360 cable car up over the ocean and mountains to see the Big Buddha. Tour the monastery with gold dragons and painted ceilings, admire the foot-long incense sticks, then hike up the stairs to see the Bronze Buddha.
👉 Grab your tickets online to avoid the crowds. Summer gets busy and with one day in Hong Kong, you don’t want to be wasting time in line.
Do you prefer to see more city-scapes? Then ride the original tram from the 1860s up the mountain and head to the observation deck. You’ll be presented with the most famous view of Hong Kong. You know, the one they show on postcards and such.
👉Get a skip-the-line tour to breeze through the line-ups. Get yourself on that tram before the crowds hit.
Which tourist sight is more worth it: Bronze Buddha or The Peak?
Both are touristy sights and both are famous for several reasons. Not having seen either is like saying you didn’t see the Colosseum in Rome or the Eiffel Tower in Paris. These sights are kind of must-do’s even if they’re touristy.
Which doesn’t mean they’re not worth it!
If you’re OK with travelling back towards the airport, and riding a 30-minute cable car ride to see stunning views, then the Buddha is for you. You’ll learn about Buddhist culture and the ancient monasteries are quite beautiful.
If you want to spend more time on Hong Kong Island, where you can appreciate modern architecture and British colonial influence, then touring up to the Peak will probably be more your thing.
Both activities will take a few hours to enjoy. However, seeing the Buddha does require travelling farther back to the airport. But touring The Peak takes you to the Hong Kong Island city side, which is slightly faster to get to.
👉 Either way, get tickets in advance for the Ngong Ping 360 cable car ride. Line-ups can be long during high season. And get tickets beforehand if you’re heading to the Peak. Waiting in line can be excruciating during tourist season.
What’s for lunch: dim sum, Shanghai cuisine, or shawarma?
That’s a lot of different choices for sure. And if you’re wondering why you would try anything else besides Chinese food, then know that Hong Kong is also the gourmet hub of the world. It’s a place where you can taste the spices of the original silk road.
Order a spicy delectable shawarma from Ebeneezer’s in the Nong Ping village if you happen to be visiting the Tian Tan Bronze Buddha. Yes, it’s a fast food joint, but the flavourful meat, the juiciness of the sauce, and the fresh bread mixed with the spices are fireworks in your mouth.
I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy eating a take-out wrap at the top of the world. There are plenty of little restaurants all over Ngong Ping village, but this semi hole-in-the-wall joint is a perfect tasty treat.
Head over to Lei Garden for classic, delicious, Cantonese dim sum. It’s a chain but the Kowloon location is the one I’ve been going to for a decade now. Get ready to use that Google Translate though.
Order har gow, siu mai, BBQ char siu buns, turnip patties, and even a nicely roasted squab.
Want a bit more variety than dim sum? Head to Din Tai Fung, a cheap Michelin bib gourmand joint that’s better than it has any right to be. Order the scrumptious onion pancakes, pot stickers, dan dan noodles (spicy peanut sauce with noodles), and spicy beef noodles.
Evening: Experience Hong Kong’s Food Culture and Deluxe Shopping
A day of sight-seeing merits some self-pampering shopping mixed with fine cuisine.
Shop at Harbour City: Hong Kong’s largest mall
And, you’re probably wondering dear traveller, why on earth would you head to a mall? Hong Kong is THE shopping capital of the planet. And if you leave without a decadent shopping experience, it’s like you didn’t experience capitalism at its maximum.
Harbour City offers labels like Zara and Tommy Hilfiger, but also high-end ones like Ralph Lauren, Burberry, Max Mara. You can get designer items here without the added VAT in home countries (like in Canada where the extra 13% comes in).
In Hong Kong, someone is always trying to get you to part with your hard earned money at every corner. So…why not head to a high-end mall with mid-tier and premium stores to grab some quality labels? And get a drink on the rooftop bar when you need a break.
Harbour City is the one place to glimpse all the glitz of high-end shopping. And please don’t buy counterfeit designer products on the streets (no matter how tempting they look). You will not have a fun time if you’re caught at customs with it.
Dinner at a modern izakaya or revel in classic fine Chinese food
Now that you’ve purchased some investment worthy designer handbags, it’s time for dinner. For your one night stay in Hong Kong, there are 2 places I’d recommend for a memorable dining experience.
If you’re on the Hong Kong Island side, you are obligated, I declare, to eat at Yardbird: a Modern Izakaya and Bar. You might be thinking shouldn’t I be only eating Chinese food for my 24 hours in Hong Kong?
Sure, dear traveller, but Hong Kong is more like a modern Silk Road where the flavours of the world come together. And this hip izakaya is a gem.
Yardbird was founded by a couple of expat Canadians from Vancouver who’ve established themselves as the joint for modern skewers. It’s a waste-not-want-not joint where the whole bird is deconstructed and made into skewers (think breast, neck, thigh, skin, knees).
They’re inventive with their flavouring; making mini fireworks in your mouth each time. It’s also a joint where the sides are as important as the mains. Every single dish is fun. I want you to remember Hong Kong more as a place where you got to experience the absolutely amazing flavours of the world, instead of as just a place where you ate Chinese food.
BUT! For classic fine Chinese dining, head to Lai Ching Heen at the Regent for the phenomenal, classic Cantonese dish—roast peking duck. Make reservations for a table in advance and reserve the peking duck in advance so you know you can get it. They sell out like…hot cakes!
The peking duck is oven roasted to insane temperatures. It’s perfectly crispy on the outside with perfectly cooked juicy, tender meat on the inside. It’s carved table-side and served with rice-flour wrappers (almost like tortillas) with fresh cucumbers, carrots, scallions, and oyster sauce.
Return to Hong Kong at your Earliest Impulse
Hong Kong is impressive. Exploring Hong Kong in 1 day can be mind boggling. I suggest taking it slow, and seeing a few good things, rather than cramming too many activities in one day.
Pick a hotel at a good location (like The Hari in Wan Chai or The Peninsula in Tsim Sha Tsui). Staying in a prime location is key to maximizing your 24 hours in Hong Kong.
Book your tickets in advance to the major attractions (like the Tian Tan Bronze Buddha or the Peak Tram ride). Trust me, standing in line in the burning heat with the crowds is not fun.
You must book a future trip and promise yourself you’ll stay for at least 3 nights. Even better, make it 5 days to truly enjoy the sights, the food, the frantic energy of the place.
Need to mark down all the goodies listed in this post? Get my FREE 7-day travel planner to mark down your favourites with a few others. Keep yourself organized with a game plan if you only got one day to spend in the fabulous city of Hong Kong.
Wishing you happy travels,
Chloe
Useful guide, interesting dining route.
Hi JY! Thanks for reading! I hope you’ll find the tips helpful!
Hi Chloe,
I had to leave a comment saying how much I enjoyed this article. You clearly put a lot of time and effort into your travel blogs. As someone who has always planned on visiting Hong Kong one day, I am actually excited to go and use this blog to help me make the most of my trip. Please continue doing what you do, it’s incredible!
Thank you! 🙏
Hello Omar! Thanks for stopping by and for taking the time to read and comment on this post! I hope you find the tips helpful for when you do go to Hong Kong.