Earlier this month, we went on a family trip to Hong Kong. For my husband, it was a homecoming of sorts — his mum was born there, and the last time he visited, he was only nine years old. Needless to say, the city has transformed dramatically since then. Luckily, we had his mum and my sisters as our guides, sharing local tips like getting an Octopus card for transport and always keeping some cash handy.
This was my children’s and my first visit to Hong Kong. Instead of theme parks (which my kids aren’t too keen on), we focused on cultural landmarks and food adventures. These days, it’s also much easier to plan — you can simply ask ChatGPT for an itinerary and it’ll map out your trip for you!
Hong Kong sits just south of Shenzhen, making it incredibly convenient if you want to take a quick train ride into mainland China. The region itself is made up of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and the New Territories.
We stayed at the Crowne Plaza in Causeway Bay on Hong Kong Island. The location was perfect — just an 8-minute walk to Times Square and the Causeway Bay MTR station. Getting to the airport, Lantau Island, Disneyland, or Kowloon was straightforward too. One thing I really appreciated: the area was relatively flat, making it easy for elderly or less mobile travellers to get around. (In contrast, places like Sheung Wan and Central can feel like a workout with all the steep streets!)
That said, August isn’t the best month to visit. The heat and humidity were almost unbearable, and it also marks the start of typhoon season. This year, the first typhoon actually hit in late July, grounding many flights. We arrived just after, in sweltering heat — but our luck ran out quickly. For most of our stay, we had heavy rain, thunderstorms, and even a black rainstorm warning. Cable cars, schools, and some places were shut down.
Still, we made the most of it. Here’s a glimpse of our itinerary:
Day 1 – Discover the Vibrant Life of Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
- Star Ferry to Tsim Sha Tsui
- Ocean Terminal Deck
- Beijing 2008 Olympic Monument
- Hong Kong Film Awards Statue
- Avenue of Stars
- Bruce Lee Statue
- Goldfish Market
- Ladies’ Market
- Hong Kong Observation Wheel
- Ngong Ping Cable Car (weather permitting)
- Tian Tan Buddha
- Po Lin Monastery
- Ngong Ping Village
- Mid-Levels Escalator and Walkway System
- The Peak Tram (weather permitting) and Peak Tower
- Man Mo Temple
- Yick Fat Building (Monster Building)
If the weather had been kinder, we would have squeezed in even more — like the Symphony of Lights show, the ICC light display, and Victoria Peak. But that just gives us another reason to return! We were fortunate that the Peak Tower was hosting the Hong Kong: Through the Looking Glass Miniature Exhibition 2025 (which ended on 23rd August 2025). You can read more about this exhibition here.
Stay tuned — I’ll be sharing more detailed posts about each stop soon.