In this guide
💡 The Short Version: Get an Octopus card or put one on your phone: it pays on the MTR, trams, buses and the Star Ferry. A Tourist Octopus is HK$39 with no deposit (Octopus). The Airport Express to Central is HK$130 single or HK$120 with Octopus (MTR). The Star Ferry across the harbour is HK$5 upper deck on weekdays (Star Ferry). British citizens can visit visa-free for 180 days, and US, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, Irish, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Dutch passport holders for 90 (Immigration Department). Book the sights in the table below before you fly.
What to book before you go
The Star Ferry pier at Tsim Sha Tsui, with Wan Chai and Central across the harbour. Photo: Hwaufraliumea, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Each sight has its own guide with the operator’s current prices and booking advice.
| Sight or service | What to know | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Airport Express | HK$130 to Hong Kong Station, HK$115 to Kowloon Station (HK$120 and HK$105 with Octopus) | Airport to city |
| Victoria Peak | The Peak Tram and Sky Terrace 428 | Peak Tram and Sky Terrace 428 tickets |
| Lantau Island | Ngong Ping 360 cable car and the Big Buddha | Ngong Ping 360 and Big Buddha tickets |
| West Kowloon | M+ and the Hong Kong Palace Museum | M+ and the Hong Kong Palace Museum |
| Theme parks | Hong Kong Disneyland needs a reserved visit date and its prices follow a four-tier calendar; Ocean Park | Disneyland tickets, Ocean Park tickets |
| Observation deck | sky100 at the ICC | sky100 observation deck |
| Islands | Cheung Chau ferry from HK$16.70, Lamma from HK$24.90 (Monday to Saturday) | Cheung Chau and Lamma |
| Harbour | The Star Ferry, from HK$5 | Public transport, Victoria Harbour cruises |
| Transit card | Tourist Octopus HK$39; iPhone Octopus HK$50 refundable deposit | Octopus card guide |
Planning pages
- Arriving: airport to city compares the Airport Express, the Cityflyer buses and red taxis.
- Getting around: public transport has the MTR, tram and Star Ferry fares, and the Octopus guide covers the cards.
- Where to stay: where to stay compares five areas, and hotels in Tsim Sha Tsui and Central looks at the two main bases.
- When to go: best time to visit and the weather and typhoons guide use the Observatory’s monthly averages; the festivals are Chinese New Year 2027 and Mid-Autumn Festival 2027.
- Money, phone and safety: money in Hong Kong, eSIM for Hong Kong, is Hong Kong safe and Hong Kong etiquette.
- What to do: things to do, 3 days in Hong Kong, free things to do, Hong Kong with kids and day trips.
- Eating: where to eat, best dim sum, roast goose and siu mei, cha chaan teng, Temple Street and food tours.
- Walks and neighbourhoods: Central to Sheung Wan, Tsim Sha Tsui to West Kowloon, Tai Kwun and PMQ and Monster Building and Quarry Bay.
- Beyond the city: Lantau and Tai O, Cheung Chau and Lamma, Sai Kung, Macau and Shenzhen.
Entry rules
The Immigration Department’s visit visa and entry permit page lists the visa-free period by nationality. For the passports most readers hold:
| Passport | Visa-free stay |
|---|---|
| British citizen | 180 days |
| United States | 90 days |
| Canada | 90 days |
| Australia | 90 days |
| New Zealand | 90 days |
| Ireland and the other EU member states (all 27) | 90 days |
- Funds and tickets: visitors need adequate funds for the stay and, unless in transit to the Chinese Mainland or Macao, an onward or return ticket.
- Working: visitors may not take up employment, paid or unpaid, or enter school as a student.
- Admission is not automatic: the immigration authorities can refuse landing even where the requirements are met.
- Frequent visitors: the Hong Kong Tourism Board notes that eligible frequent visitors can enrol for the e-Channel service through the Immigration Department’s Go Hong Kong app. Eligible e-Channel visitors receive a landing slip showing their limit of stay.
- Other nationalities: check the Immigration Department page; periods range from 7 to 180 days, and some need a visa in advance.
Closed days to check
| Place | Closed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| M+ | Mondays | M+ |
| Hong Kong Palace Museum | Tuesdays (except public holidays) and the first two days of the Lunar New Year | HKPM |
| Hong Kong Museum of Art | Thursdays (not public holidays) and the first two days of the Lunar New Year | Museum of Art |
| Fireboat Alexander Grantham Exhibition Gallery, Quarry Bay | Tuesdays (except public holidays) and the first two days of the Chinese New Year | Hong Kong Museum of History |
The practical numbers
- Airport Express: HK$130 to Hong Kong Station and HK$115 to Kowloon Station, or HK$120 and HK$105 with Octopus (MTR).
- MTR: HK$4.90 from Central to Wan Chai and HK$10.60 from Central to Tsim Sha Tsui with Octopus (MTR fare data).
- Tram: HK$3.30 flat (Hong Kong Tramways).
- Star Ferry: HK$5 upper deck and HK$4 lower deck on weekdays on the Central route, HK$6.50 and HK$5.60 at weekends (Star Ferry).
- Disneyland: adult Octopus fare from Central to Disneyland Resort is HK$27.90 (HK$22.20 from Tsim Sha Tsui), and every visit needs a reserved date (MTR fare data; Hong Kong Disneyland).
- Day trips: Sun Ferry to Cheung Chau is HK$16.70 ordinary or HK$32.90 fast Monday to Saturday (Sun Ferry); green minibus 1A to Sai Kung is HK$10.90 (Transport Department data).
- Hotel tax: 3% on room charges from 1 January 2025 (Inland Revenue Department).
- Departure tax: HK$200 for passengers aged 12 and over leaving by air (Hong Kong Tourism Board).
- Emergencies: 999. The Hong Kong Tourism Board runs visitor centres at the airport and at the Tsim Sha Tsui Star Ferry pier.
- Planning journeys: the Transport Department’s HKeMobility app covers MTR, buses, minibuses, trams and ferries.
The concourse at Kowloon Station, the Airport Express stop under the Elements mall. Photo: LN9267, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
For a first trip to Asia, best cities in Asia for a first trip sets Hong Kong against the other Asian cities we cover, with the entry rules, how easy each is to get around and what catches newcomers out.
Itineraries
Day-by-day plans for a first visit.
Which ticket to buy
The official ticket, the tours that include entry, and which sells out first.
Tickets
Hong Kong Disneyland Tickets: Prices & Frozen Guide
How Hong Kong Disneyland tickets are sold, the Early Park Entry and Premier Access add-ons, World of Frozen, and the Disneyland Resort MTR line.
Tickets
Ocean Park Hong Kong: Tickets, Cable Car & Pandas
Ticket prices, the coastal cable car, Ocean Express funicular, giant pandas, and direct MTR Ocean Park Station access.
Tickets
Ngong Ping 360 Tickets: Cable Car & Big Buddha
Compare Standard, Crystal, and Crystal+ glass-floor cabins on Ngong Ping 360, Tian Tan Buddha steps, and Po Lin Monastery on Lantau Island.
Tickets
Peak Tram Hong Kong: Tickets, Prices & Sky Terrace
Tickets and boarding advice for the 6th generation Peak Tram, Sky Terrace 428 viewing deck, and the free Lugard Road viewpoint alternative.
Tickets
sky100 Hong Kong: Closure, Renovation & Views
sky100 observation deck on the 100th floor of the ICC is temporarily closed for renovation. Details on the closure, reopening, and alternative city viewpoints.
Day trips from Hong Kong
Out and back in a day, with the tours compared against going on your own.
Day trip
Day Trips from Hong Kong: 5 Excursions Compared
Compare day trips from Hong Kong: Macau, Lantau and Tai O, Cheung Chau and Lamma, Sai Kung and Shenzhen, with the fares and what each needs.
Day trip
Macau Day Trip from Hong Kong: Ferries & Bridge Bus
How to visit Macau from Hong Kong: TurboJET and Cotai Water Jet ferries from HK$192, the HK$65 bridge shuttle bus, passport rules, and the historic centre.
Day trip
Tai O & Lantau Day Trip: Stilt Houses & Buses
How to do Lantau and Tai O in a day: Ngong Ping 360 from HK$295 return, New Lantao Bus 11 and 21 fares, the 20-minute boat ride and the tours.
Day trip
Cheung Chau & Lamma Day Trip: Ferries & Trails
Hong Kong's car-free islands: Cheung Chau ferries from HK$16.70 and Lamma ferries from HK$24.90, the Family Trail, Pak Tai Temple and the seafood piers.
Day trip
Sai Kung Day Trip: Geopark Rock Columns & Seafood
Reach Sai Kung by minibus from HK$10.90, the East Dam rock columns by Saturday, Sunday and holiday minibus 9A, and Sharp Island and the seafood promenade.
Day trip
Shenzhen Day Trip from Hong Kong: Trains & Visas
How to travel from Hong Kong to Shenzhen: High Speed Rail from HK$79, East Rail to Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau, border rules and tech-district tours.
Where to stay
Areas and hotels, chosen for a visitor rather than a resident.
Where to stay
Where to Stay in Hong Kong: Best Areas & Hotels
For a first visit to Hong Kong, stay in Tsim Sha Tsui for harbour views and Star Ferry access, or Central for dining and airport trains. The 5 areas compared by MTR station, with hotels in each.
Where to stay
Hotels in TST and Central: Harbour Views & Heritage
Handpicked hotels in Tsim Sha Tsui and Central comparing harbour view luxury, MTR proximity, and heritage character.
Airport transfers
From the airport to the centre, every option priced and timed.
Getting around
Tickets, passes and the transport a visitor actually uses.
What's on, month by month
Festivals, holidays and closures that change a visit.
Events
Best Time to Visit Hong Kong: Weather, Rain & Peak
When to visit Hong Kong by season: pleasant dry autumn weather, typhoon warnings, humid spring fog, and winter festival celebrations.
Events
Chinese New Year in Hong Kong 2027: Dates & Events
Lunar New Year in Hong Kong in February 2027: the 6, 8 and 9 February holidays, the Tsim Sha Tsui night parade, flower markets, Sha Tin racing and Che Kung and Wong Tai Sin temples.
Events
Mid-Autumn Festival Hong Kong 2027: Fire Dragon
The Mid-Autumn Festival in Hong Kong on 15 September 2027: the three-night Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance, Victoria Park lanterns, the 16 September holiday and how to get to Tai Hang.
Food and drink
Where to eat, what to order and when to book.
Food and drink
Where to Eat in Hong Kong: What to Order & How
A guide to eating in Hong Kong: dim sum, roast goose and siu mei, cha chaan teng, wonton noodles and street food, with how to order, pay and tip.
Food and drink
Best Dim Sum in Hong Kong: Dishes & Where to Go
How dim sum works in Hong Kong: the eight dishes to order, tea etiquette, and where to go: trolleys at Lin Heung and Maxim's Palace, Luk Yu, Tim Ho Wan and Sun Hing.
Food and drink
Hong Kong Cha Chaan Teng: Milk Tea & Pineapple Buns
How to eat at a Hong Kong cha chaan teng: silk-stocking milk tea, pineapple buns with butter, French toast, set meals and how to order and pay.
Food and drink
Hong Kong Food Tours: Street Eats & Tasting Walks
Hong Kong food tours compared: a HK$450 three-hour street and restaurant tour, Kowloon street food walks and private tastings, with what each covers.
Food and drink
Roast Goose & Siu Mei in Hong Kong: What to Order
Hong Kong's roast meats explained: roast goose, char siu, siu yuk and white cut chicken, how to order by cut, and a guided tasting tour.
Food and drink
Temple Street Night Market: Street Food & Stalls
A guide to Temple Street Night Market in Yau Ma Tei and Jordan: claypot rice, seafood and street snacks, the Tin Hau Temple square and how to get there.
Walks
Self-guided routes, stop by stop.
Walk
Central to Sheung Wan Walk: Heritage, Escalators & Art
A self-guided walk of about 2 km from Central up the Mid-Levels Escalator through Tai Kwun, PMQ, Hollywood Road and Man Mo Temple to Western Market.
Walk
TST to West Kowloon Walk: Avenue of Stars & M+
A self-guided harbourfront walk of about 4.4 km from the Star Ferry pier past the Clock Tower and the Avenue of Stars to M+ and the Palace Museum in West Kowloon.
More guides
Guide
Things to Do in Hong Kong: 15 Best Attractions
The essential sights in Hong Kong: Peak Tram and Sky Terrace, Star Ferry, Tian Tan Buddha, M+ Museum, Mong Kok markets, and outlying islands.
Guide
Free Things to Do in Hong Kong: 12 Top Sights
Hong Kong sights with no entry fee: the harbour light show, Nan Lian Garden, Man Mo Temple, the Lugard Road walk, Hong Kong Park and free museum days.
Guide
Hong Kong Octopus Card: Mobile App vs Tourist Card
How to buy, top up, and use the contactless Octopus card for MTR, trams, Star Ferry, convenience stores, and dining across Hong Kong.
Guide
Hong Kong with Kids: Theme Parks, Transit & Tips
A family guide to Hong Kong: Disneyland vs Ocean Park, child fares on the MTR, tram, Star Ferry and cable car, hands-on museums and parks.
Guide
Victoria Harbour Cruises: Aqualuna & Sunset Tours
Compare traditional Chinese junk boat cruises, yacht cruises, and Star Ferry harbour tours for Victoria Harbour evening views.
Guide
Hong Kong Etiquette: Trams, Tables & Temples
Hong Kong manners that come with rules: how to pay on trams and minibuses, HK$3,000 fines, the 10% service charge, table sharing, tea and temples.
Guide
Money in Hong Kong: Cash, Cards, ATMs & Octopus
Banknotes, card and phone payments, Octopus, ATMs, airport money changers, the 10% service charge, hotel tax and why there is no sales tax to reclaim in Hong Kong.
Guide
eSIM for Hong Kong: Tourist SIM, Wi-Fi & Setup
Hong Kong's Discover Hong Kong Tourist SIM from HK$58, its eSIM version, airport SIM counters, free Wi-Fi at the airport and MTR stations, and how to set up an eSIM on an iPhone.
Guide
Is Hong Kong Safe? Official Advice & Local Laws
What the Hong Kong Police, the UK Foreign Office and the US State Department say about visiting: crime, taxis, emergency numbers, medical costs and e-cigarette and drug laws.
Guide
Hong Kong Weather: Typhoons, Seasons & Best Time
What typhoon signals 1, 3, 8, 9 and 10 and the amber, red and black rainstorm warnings mean in Hong Kong, with monthly climate from the Observatory's 1991 to 2020 averages.
Guide
M+ & Hong Kong Palace Museum: Tickets & Highlights
How to visit the West Kowloon Cultural District: M+ modern visual art, Hong Kong Palace Museum imperial treasures, tickets, and Kowloon MTR access.
Guide
Monster Building Quarry Bay: Photo Tips & Access
How to visit the Monster Building (Parker Estate) in Quarry Bay: the five blocks, photo etiquette, MTR fares from Central and Tsim Sha Tsui, and what else is nearby.
Guide
Tai Kwun & PMQ Guide: Central Heritage & Design
Explore Central's creative heritage hub: restored Victorian prison cells and magistracy courts at Tai Kwun, and artisan boutique ateliers at PMQ.
Plan your trip
The rules and costs that apply to every city on the site.
Common questions
Do I need a visa to visit Hong Kong?
British citizens can visit visa-free for 180 days. Holders of US, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, Irish, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Dutch passports get 90 days. Visitors need adequate funds and, unless transiting to the Chinese Mainland or Macao, an onward or return ticket (Immigration Department).
How much is the Airport Express?
A single adult ticket is HK$130 to Hong Kong Station in Central and HK$115 to Kowloon Station, or HK$120 and HK$105 with an Octopus card (MTR).
Should I get an Octopus card?
The Hong Kong Tourism Board calls it an essential purchase. Visitors can carry it on an iPhone or Apple Watch (HK$50 refundable deposit) or buy a Tourist Octopus for HK$39 with no deposit (Octopus Cards Limited).
How much is the Star Ferry?
HK$5 upper deck and HK$4 lower deck on weekdays between Central and Tsim Sha Tsui, and HK$6.50 and HK$5.60 at weekends and on public holidays. Wan Chai to Tsim Sha Tsui is HK$5 and HK$6.50 (Star Ferry).
When is the best time to visit Hong Kong?
October to December is the usual answer: in the Hong Kong Observatory's 1991 to 2020 averages November has a mean daily maximum of 24.5 degrees Celsius and 39.3 mm of rain, against 385.8 mm in July.