Last year, our family spent a weekend in Hong Kong to celebrate my sister’s birthday. It was a good, solid three days of family adventure filled with lots of fun, loads of crazy, and all kinds of love ❤
Hello, Hong Kong ? / Aboard the Hong Kong Airport APM, or Automated People Mover
On our way to Tsim Sha Tsui / View from the Tsing Ma Bridge
From the airport, we took the A21 double decker bus going to Tsim Sha Tsui where our guest house was located
Hong Kong’s Tsing Ma Bridge
Aside from my sister and her boyfriend, it was all our first time in the city and I knew there were so much we could do and see. Unfortunately we were staying for only a short time — three days were definitely not enough to see everything Hong Kong has to offer, especially since we’re dedicating one whole day for Disneyland.
Quick family picture at the happiest place on earth!
Planning our itinerary was a bit of a task because we were a big group of 7 people, including my parents, and I didn’t want to wear them out. This is why I made sure things were flexible and we could just drop or switch around some of the activities I’ve planned, which was what actually happened (lol).
HONG KONG 3D 3N ITINERARY
Below is our supposed itinerary for the weekend in Hong Kong.
Day 1: Hong Kong Arrival, Tsim Sha Tsui, Mongkok, Causeway Bay, Victoria Peak, Madame Tussauds
Day 2: Disneyland, Temple Street Night Market
Day 3: Ngong Ping 360, Nathan Road, Avenue of Stars
Day 4: Manila Arrival
What actually happened:
Braised Beef Noodles, Pork Fried Rice, and Xiao Long Bao for brunch at Din Tai Fung
It’s always a good day when you’re with family ❤ / At Miramar Shopping Centre
Day 1: Because there were some delays and we were a bit tired from the travel, we decided to skip Mongkok and move it to Day 3 instead. We had an early lunch at Din Tai Fung in Miramar Shopping Centre and went ahead to the peak after checking in and getting our tickets at the Golden Crown Guest House. It turned out to be a wise decision because the lines at the peak apparently get super long and we had to wait in line for an hour or so.
QUICK TIP: If you’re staying at (or somewhere near) the Golden Crown Guest House in Nathan Road and are planning to visit some of Hong Kong’s famous attractions, we suggest you buy your tickets from them because they offer discounted prices. They sell tickets for the Peak Tram, Madame Tussauds, Disneyland, Ocean Park, Ngong Ping 360, Giant Buddha, and even some bus tours, all for less than the actual selling price. It’s worth checking out if you want to save a few bucks ? You can visit their site for more information on the attraction tickets and reservations here.
We went around mostly by train, and getting an Octopus card made our commute so much more efficient
The iconic Bank of China Tower in Central Hong Kong
Weirdos on the loose / On our way to the Lower Peak Tram Terminus. The story: we were all walking together and we were supposed to cross the street, but these guys got left behind at the pedestrian crossing because they were all too busy taking pictures of the buildings ?
The ridiculously long lines at the Peak Tram Terminus. This was just the line outside — inside was another story
I don’t know how we were able to get seats for all 7 of us, but we did. And boy were we glad, because the ride to the peak was so steep I can’t imagine how hard it must be for those standing in the tram
QUICK TIP: If you want to catch the sunset aboard the peak tram like we did, it’s best to allot an hour or so for waiting time at the lines; it doesn’t matter if you already have your ticket beforehand (although it is still a plus versus having to buy your ticket at the terminal itself), because the lines really do get super long during this time.
We chanced upon a free 3D art display when we got to the peak, and I don’t know who had more fun with it – us or our parents ?
At Madame Tussauds / We were trying to get selfies with the wax figures so it looks more realistic ??
Day 2: We spent the whole day at Disneyland and didn’t go home until after the fireworks show, but we still managed to visit Temple Street and grab some good old Hong Kong night market food.
Spot the hidden mickeys!
The happiest place on earth!
Walking along Hong Kong Disneyland’s Main Street
PARK TIP #1: On arrival, visitors will often head straight through Cinderella’s castle and into the Magic Kingdom. Instead, consider going deep into the park to Adventureland or Tomorrowland and then work your way back – you’ll skip the crowds and queues will be shorter.
PARK TIP #2: Go left! Most people head right at theme parks.
PARK TIP #3: Bring light snacks such as crackers and cookies and lots of bottled drinks, since most of the food sold at the park tend to be super pricey.
PARK TIP #4: Don’t miss the park shows, especially Festival of The Lion King!
I’ve included these park tips along with some helpful notes on the different park shows Disneyland generally offers, on our downloadable artinerary. Park show notes include the starting time, duration, and suggestions on where best to catch and see them ?
Our group was lucky enough to be chosen by Captain Phasma for a photo op. She was only choosing little children so we thought she might have mistaken my sister (in the middle) to be a grade schooler HAHAHA but she’s actually 26 years old and living in Dubai ???
My father the fanboy
Love how my parents never forget the child in them ❤
Day 3: Because Disneyland left us all pretty tired (we walked an average of 20,000 steps each!), we decided to forego the Ngong Ping trip and save it for another visit in the future. Instead, we spent the whole morning at Mongkok for some shopping spree and explored Causeway Bay in the afternoon. We also went to see the Avenue of Stars, which unfortunately was closed for renovation ? so we settled for the temporary displays at the underground walkway.
Exploring the streets of Mongkok
Yummy mini pancakes and crepes at Ladies’ Market
Mongkok street food that I did not try ?
Finding our way to Ladies Market
IMPORTANT NOTE: The stores and stalls in Mongkok (and Hong Kong in general) open late at mostly around 10 or 11 in the morning, unlike in the Philippines where standard store hours start at 8 or 9 am — best not to go early unless you want to see empty streets and closed store tents ? On the other hand, they also close up a lot later (some stores are open til midnight), so yay!
The famous Chungking Mansions along Nathan Road
Looking for souvenirs
The temporary Avenue of Stars display at the underground walkway
Day 4: Manila Arrival
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Specific directions to listed destinations, travel time & costs, plus additional maps, can be seen on our mobile-friendly Hong Kong artinerary. Download it HERE. (You have to be subscribed to this site to get access to our freebies. Click here if you haven’t.)
Make sure to save the pdf on your mobile phones. Enjoy!
This was one of the most jam-packed weekends I’ve had, with 3 days of lots and lots (and lots!) of walking, but also definitely — absolutely — one of the most fun, ever.
It may be unfortunate that we didn’t get to see some of the sights as planned, but we’ll definitely be going back for more! ❤
