My first Hong Kong Tour! I recently visited magical Hong Kong with some friends, and I am sad to say this is my last Asia trip during my exchange in Seoul. It was the perfect last trip while I was here.
In this blog post, I want to recap our trip and help you organise your itinerary! This post will go through everything from accommodation tips to what to eat during the day.
Almost everything in this post is free to visit, helping you cut back on costs (excluding transportation and meal costs).
A special thanks to my friends Alina and Myrthe for showing us around 🙂 much love!
TLDR: Our Full Itinerary for our Hong Kong Tour
Day 1:
Morning
- Choi Hung Estate
- Nan Lian Garden
- Chi Lin Nunnery and Sik Sik Temple
Afternoon
- Kowloon Walled City Park
- Hau Wong Temple
Evening
- Avenue of Stars
- Mong Kok District
- Temple Street Night Market
Day 2:
Morning
- Explore SoHo
- Try Egg tarts from Bakehouse
Afternoon
- Tim Ho Wan Dumplings
- Victoria Peak Tram
Evening
- Lan Kwai Fong for nightlife
Day 3
Morning
- Horse Race!
Afternoon/Evening
- Flea Market
- Symphony of Lights
- Try an Egg Waffle
Much of our travel was through something other than the Hong Kong bus tour; we used the Octopus card and travelled around whenever we wanted.
Accommodation and Review
Our Hong Kong Tour began with our stay at Chungking Mansions, which was a wake-up call. Chungik Mansions is a massive building with multiple accommodation blocks in it.
We initially booked through a fortunate guest house, but when we arrived, there was a mishap, so we needed more room. We were moved to a different building block with a different company.
The room was tiny for 4 of us (two single beds), and we could not walk around at all. It was a decent room, but the lock to the door was broken, so we felt unsafe.
It was much better once we were moved the next day, but we never stayed with Fortunate Guesthouse because they didn’t have a room for us.
In sum, the location is excellent for Chungik Mansions (right in the centre of TST), but the organisation is what makes it unappealing. The prices are great (super affordable for a Hong Kong tour), and I would give it a 6 on a cleanliness rating.
Overall, I would not recommend it. Although the building has other hosting options, I think it’s worth paying more to stay in a safer and cleaner place. Our host was helpful when we didn’t get our rooms, but it shouldn’t have been like that in the first place.
Choi Hung Estate (Free!)
We began our Hong Tour with a visit to the Choi Hung Estate. One of my friends on the trip is studying architecture, so we had to check it out.
Choi Hung Estate is known for its rainbow-coloured homes and shocking heights (like most buildings in Hong Kong). More importantly, the basketball court gives you a great view of the apartments.
This is a great cultural experience to immerse yourself in, as you can visit a local housing residence in Hong Kong and see what a typical neighbourhood might look like.
However, I recommend this if it is on the way to your Hong Kong tour. It is not essential, but it is worth checking out if you are into architecture and have the extra time!
Sik Sik Wong Temple
This would only be a proper Hong Kong tour if you visited one of the many temples. We went to this temple as a recommendation from a friend who loved the fortune telling here.
The temple is so stunning, the colours are incredibly vibrant, and it looks like it was painted this year. They’ve done a great job with the upkeep.
To the temple’s left are a ton of fortune tellers; from palm reading to face readings and zodiac sign readings, you can learn all about yourself. These are, however, not free but can be as cheap as $3.
Inside the temple, you can do a free fortune reading by shaking a box of sticks, and once a stick falls out, you read the fortune according to the number on the stick. This was just as fun!
Nan Lian Garden and Chi Lin Nunnery (Free!)
After our temple visit, we went directly to the Nan Lian Garden and Chi Lin Nunnery.
The garden is a must-do! This was by far my favourite part of the day; it was so peaceful, and there was so much to explore.
It’s fascinating that in the smack middle of such a loud and bustling city, you can experience the calmness of a quiet and peaceful garden.
Inside is a nunnery, which you can visit, and an architectural building. Not to mention, there is also a coy fish pond with giant fish! You can easily spend a few hours just wandering around.
One of my favourite parts was the gift shop! You can pick up some nice souvenirs here for friends and family or for yourself to remember your trip.
Lunch at Nan Lian Garden Veggie Restuarant
Once we finished strolling around, we were starving from our Hong Kong tour. Lucky for us, there is a beautiful vegetarian restaurant in the garden.
I can’t recommend this enough; although it is not the cheapest meal (around 15 dollars for a dish) – it is very filling!
We had a braised eggplant dish and stir-fry noodles, which was incredible. The noodles also had a special pulled tofu that tasted like chicken.
It was not spicy at all and had an incredible flavour. It was also seasoned with soy sauce and sweet sauce, but whatever it was, it was tasty! You have to eat here!
Additionally, the view is incredible! You have to add this to your Hong Kong food tour.
Kowloon Walled City Park
Following our lunch feast, we continued our itinerary and headed directly to the Kowloon Walled City Park. This was quite a fascinating monument to visit.
I’m glad we made it to this area for our Hong Kong tour, as you learned a lot about the history of Kowloon and how it came to be.
I was in shock about the wall separating Kowloon, and honestly, I did not know the difference between Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. I’m glad I went here to learn more about it.
Just like the garden, it was another nice monument to stroll through.
Temple Street Night Market
If you are looking for a place to find brand-new souvenirs and classic touristy gifts, this is where you want to be. The endless streets of the Temple Street night market have plenty to offer you.
This is a must-do for your Hong Kong tour package. It’s a perfect way to end day one of the Hong Kong tour and wander around aimlessly while trying to barter with the vendors.
The iconic “I love Hong Kong” t-shirts and fridge magnets are here. It’s a great place to find gifts and souvenirs to bring back home.
Be sure to bring cash, as most do not accept credit cards and will charge an extra fee if you use one. Most Hong Kong tours recommend the same, as cash is usually the way to go.
Conclusion: Hong Kong Tour
Although we did not use a Hong Kong tour agency for our trip, you can organise it yourself without it being too hectic!
Stay tuned for the day 2 post to learn more general tips and an explanation of the next-day itinerary! And, of course, more places to add to your Hong Kong food tours.
Thank you for sticking around until the end, and if you read up until this point, comment your favourite travel tip so I know who stayed till the end!
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