Spending one day in Hong Kong and want to make the most of your time?
Perhaps you’re stopping over in Hong Kong on the way to somewhere else and need ideas on how to experience Hong Kong in 24 hours?
I hope this one day in Hong Kong itinerary can help you with that.
This guide is to help you maximize your time and explore the best things to do and see during a day trip to Hong Kong.
I traveled solo to Hong Kong for two days on my own. I did not do any Hong Kong 1 day tour package. In this post, I will share my experiences, tips, and recommendations to help you have the best time even if you’re short on time.
One day in Hong Kong should let you experience the best of Hong Kong as long as you prioritize what’s important to you.
Let me share my proposed itinerary for how to explore Hong Kong in one day. This itinerary is based on my 3 days combination of Hong Kong and Macau travel I have taken as a solo traveler.
This post is about how to best spend one day in Hong Kong.
One Day in Hong Kong
It’s worth noting that this itinerary is highly focused on sightseeing on the Kowloon side of Hong Kong.
I have always wanted to see the Hong Kong harbor skyline in person on a boat cruise at night. For me, the Victoria Harbour is the best view in Hong Kong. So, I recommend, if you care to see this famous spot, then spending most of your day around that area should suffice and will let you explore nearby attractions.
An unmissable experience
Explore the captivating night view of Hong Kong Skyline and appreciate the colorful lights reflecting on the waterfront.The colorful buildings bring such vibrant energy that you can easily appreciate.
Book your experience HERE —> Victoria Harbour Night Cruise & Symphony of Lights
24 hours in Hong Kong highlights:
Morning:
- Hotel breakfast buffet
- Victoria Harbour
- Harbour City
Lunch
- Harbourside Grill (if you want to eat with a nice view)
- Cafe de Coral (if you’re traveling on a budget)
- Have Dim Sum (if you want to experience traditional meal)
Afternoon
- Cultural Centre
- Avenue of the Stars
- K11 Musea Mall
Evening
- Boat cruise Symphony of Lights Tour
Dinner
- Dinner at the hotel
- Explore unique cafe
HONG KONG ONE DAY TRIP – IN DETAILS
Morning
Start your day early to maximize your time
Where I stayed (RECOMMEND): Four Points by Sheraton Tung Chung
I had an international breakfast buffet at my hotel from 07:30 am to 08:30 am. Then, I took a taxi from Four Points by Sheraton to Harbour City. It’s about 30 minutes ride.
I took a taxi instead as I felt it would save me time as I didn’t have to ask around and figure out directions.
Tip:
- Ask to be dropped off at Harbour City (the mall) if you want to see Victoria Harbour. Then, just walk about 4-5 mins and you’ll see the Victoria Harbour.
Victoria Harbour
Explore Victoria Harbour in the morning FIRST.
Victoria Harbour is a must-see attraction in Hong Kong. You cannot miss seeing the beautiful waterfront view of Hong Kong Skyline.
Just like any tourist attraction, usually arriving in the morning means there are fewer people and it’s less hot.
Don’t forget to walk around and take some photos here!
Harbour City
Harbour City is a large mall with multiple shops and restaurants.
Explore the Harbour City for some shopping experience or just window shopping is totally fine too. However, with limited time, I don’t recommend spending a lot of time here unless you plan to buy something.
I honestly just walked around, where I saw many luxury brands and designer shops. When I walked around outside the mall, I felt the Hong Kong atmosphere more as I was walking with the locals and other tourists.
Lunch
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Harbourside Grill
You can choose to have your lunch at Harbour City if you want to experience a nice rooftop view while eating. Based on research, Harbourside Grill is recommended and shows a lovely outdoor panoramic view. I’d go there if I were to back to Hong Kong again because of the rooftop experience.
Don’t forget to make your reservation ahead of time!
When I did my Hong Kong and Macau trip, it was very last minute. I only had hotel reservations. Everything else was only planned the night before or the same day.
-
Cafe de Coral
This is located within walking distance from Victoria Harbour.
Cafe de Coral is a fast-food restaurant that serves Chinese food at a low price. It’s a good place to try if you’re traveling on a budget.
I honestly didn’t know about this budget restaurant only until I met a young teen Chinese couple who took me to this place and PAID for my food! They’re so kind! I asked if I could treat them to lunch since they’re so friendly and took my pictures as a solo traveler, but they ended up paying for my meal instead.
I felt really bad and shy because they didn’t want to take any money from me even if I insisted and they didn’t want me to get them anything after eating. So I gave some USD cash as I said goodbye.
I’d say the food was good. I appreciated my first meal as I also had some good company to eat with as a solo traveler.
Tip:
Go for the Dim Sum meal at LUNCH. From my experience, most restaurants only serve it during lunch.
If you’re a foodie, I’d recommend experiencing a traditional Dim Sum meal made up of small plates of dumplings and other snack dishes to experience the best meal.
I had planned to do this for dinner, but it was wrong timing because I learned most of the restaurants [I went to said] they only served dim sum for lunch. They said they don’t serve dim sum for dinner.
Afternoon
Tip: Bring a travel umbrella and/or portable pocket mini fan as it can be humid and hot depending on WHEN you go.
Hong Kong Cultural Centre
Watch and hear some performances around this location
Notice how this landmark does not have any windows and it’s located on the Victoria Harbour waterfront as a performance facility. It hosts a variety of events throughout the year and cultural performances, including music, dance, theater, and film.
There was no event going on when I went so I just walked near and around it and took photos. If I remember clearly, I saw a band performing outside/near the area and stopped by for a bit to hear them sing.
Avenue of the Stars
See the statue of one of Hong Kong’s most iconic actors, Bruce Lee.
The Avenue of Stars is very famous for tourists and locals as it offers a fantastic view of the Victoria Harbour skyline and features handprints and statues of famous Hong Kong movie stars. It’s located along the waterfront.
K11 Musea Mall
Try famous egg tarts and milk tea as an afternoon snacks
The mall is just walking distance from Avenue of the Stars. You can explore art installations, galleries, and rooftop gardens. The mall has international retailers, unique boutiques, and various restaurants.
If you’re a foodie or into a shopping experience, then visit K11 Musea Mall located in the Tsim Sha Tsui area.
Evening
Boat cruise Symphony of Lights Tour
My favorite experience in Hong Kong!
The Symphony of Lights tour is a 45-minute harbor night tour to enjoy the world’s largest permanent light and sound show.
T I P: Make sure you purchase your ticket in advance online
I purchased my ticket in person at the ticketing booth that afternoon while walking along the Victoria Harbour.
You can purchase your ticket where you see a sign “Star Ferry Harbour/Water Tour” or book online HERE to save time!
Pick the evening time slot to see the stunning and colorful skyline of Hong Kong with a symphony of lights and beautiful night views.
Dinner
Dinner at the hotel restaurant
The restaurants I went to did not serve dim sum for dinner. They said dim sum is served only for lunch.
So, I chose to dine-in at one of the restaurants at Hotel Sheraton & Four Points by Sheraton instead.
To my surprise, there are a variety of restaurants inside the hotel as well as restaurants located within walking distance from the hotel.
Explore nearby cafe
If you happened to stay at the same hotel, I highly recommend trying Rose latte at 3 Italiani.
It is sooo good.
I love it.
Summary
To have an amazing Hong Kong day trip, in summary, I recommend starting your day early, taking the taxi to save time, getting dropped off at Harbour City. Then, you can just walk to all the attractions mentioned on this post. You cannot miss the boat cruise Symphony of Lights Tour as that’s the best view in Hong Kong at night. Don’t forget to eat dim sum for LUNCH and try egg tarts and milk tea to experience the perfect day in Hong Kong.
I hope you enjoy your one day in Hong Kong! Feel free to reach out for any questions you have.
Related Post:
How to see Macau in one day from Hong Kong ?
- MACAU EASY TO FOLLOW GUIDE: Macau Day Trip from Hong Kong (Steps how to get there by bus + itinerary)
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