18 Hour Layover in Hong Kong

On our way to Bali from San Francisco on Hong Kong Airlines, we had an 18-hour layover in Hong Kong. We arrived at 6pm, and our next flight left at 12pm the next day. Here is what we did to explore Hong Kong in 18 hours.

Where to Stay in Hong Kong

Once we landed in Hong Kong, we hopped on the MTR airport express to take us into Kowloon. Kowloon is the island opposite of Hong Kong island where there are great views of the buildings and the water. We stayed in the popular Tsim Sha Tsui area.

We checked into The Hotel Kowloon. The rooms are small and nothing special, but the location was great for our short stay.

Here are some other hotel options centrally located in the Tsim Sha Tsui area:

• The Peninsula Hong Kong – High-end option close to the water with good views
• Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel & Towers – Good views at a more reasonable price
• The Salisbury Hotel YMCA of Hong Kong – Mid-range option
• Dash Hotel on Minden – Budget-friendly option
• Hao’s Inn – Hostel

Where to Eat in Hong Kong

There are a lot of Michelin star restaurants in Hong Kong.

For dinner, we picked up dumplings from the Michelin-rated street vendor, Cheung Hing Kee Shanghai Pan Fried Buns.

I had read about egg puffs as a unique type of dessert so I grabbed one from another vendor. It’s like a puffy soft waffle, and it was delicious!

We ate breakfast at the top of Victoria Peak. There were a few dining options available, and we went with Gordon Ramsey’s Bread Street Cafe. It was on the pricier side compared to other options, but it was tasty and had a nice ambiance.

What to do at Night in Hong Kong

A Symphony of Lights

Every night at 8pm there is a 13-minute light show called A Symphony of Lights. We went over to the recently renovated Avenue of Stars along the water to watch.

We had planned to do a few different activities that night, but since we had to be up at 4am for a business call we decided to grab some dumplings and call it a night.

Here’s what we had on our original plan:

Victoria Peak

After the show, we had planned to hop on the Star Ferry to take us over to Hong Kong Island, and head up to Victoria Peak see the night view of the city.

Bars

On Hong Kong Island there is a historic district called Lan Kwai Fong where you can find restaurants, bars, and clubs on some narrow streets and alleys.

Night Markets

Once we were finished there, we would’ve headed back across the water to check out the night markets. There’s the Kowloon night market and the Temple Street night market.

Walk Around the Streets

Two main streets that are filled with neon lights at night are Nathan Road and Jordan Road.

Hong Kong Daytime Activities

Since we were up so early for a call, we decided to stay up and walk around the town. It was such a nice change to be able to explore when the streets were empty rather than jam-packed with people.

Kowloon Park

We walked a couple blocks to Kowloon Park. It’s a cute little park that has all sorts of different sections in. It’s not very big so you can walk through the whole park rather quickly.

We stopped and visited the flamingos, checked out the statues on the Avenue of Comic Stars, walked through a maze garden, and watched some cute older locals doing their morning practice in Kung Fu Corner.

Avenue of Stars

The Avenue of Stars is Hong Kong’s equivalent to Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. On this walkway you’ll find celebrity handprints from the Hong Kong film industry. You can also take in the views of Victoria Harbor and the Hong Kong Skyline.

Peak Tram and Victoria Peak

Since we didn’t go up to Victoria Peak at night, we decided to go early in the morning instead. We were on the first Peak Tram up the mountain of the day at 7am. This was great as there weren’t too many people on board. Most of the day it’s packed and there’s no formal line once you get through the turnstiles, so everyone just pushes their way in. We witnessed this once we came down the mountain.

The Peak Tram is an experience in itself. It’s a very steep funicular railway that goes straight up the mountain, with great views.

If you want to go to the Peak but the wait for the tram is too long, there are regular buses you can take to the top instead.

It was nice to be able to take in the view from the top without crowds of people. We went to two different lookout points. The first was the Lion’s Pavilion which is right by the tram terminal.

The second was about a 20-minute walk around the side of the mountain on Lugard road.

The only con about going so early is that the main lookout point, the Sky Terrace 428 at the top of The Peak Tower, wasn’t open yet. On the bright side, it saved us a few dollars since there’s an entrance fee.

Street Art

There is a lot of beautiful street art and graffiti around Hong Kong. You can find works from the French street artist Invader around town, like this one in Harbour City.

Photo Spots

Since our original plan was derailed, we didn’t get to visit any of these spots I wanted to hit for photos. My wish list consisted of:

• Choi Hung Estate
• Yik Cheong Building
• Ping Shek Estate
• Chi Lin Nunnery
• Nan Lian Garden
• Tank Lane

For this visit with just our long layover, these options didn’t make sense. On a future visit I would hit all these spots, and with more time I’d also check out the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery and Disneyland Hong Kong.

Long Layover Tip

Time is of the essence on long layovers. Do as much research as possible ahead of time. Things you’ll want to know ahead of time is transportation, how you’ll get to your hotel, what sights you’ll want to see, what activities you want to hit, opening/closing times, restaurant options, etc. Your time is precious so the more you can prepare, the more time you’ll have to enjoy your short mini-trip!

What are your go-to spots in Hong Kong that can’t be missed? Share with us in the comments below!

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