Man Mo Temple
Sheung Wan · 45 min
The 1847 temple to the gods of literature and war, under hanging coils of incense. Open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and free; from Sheung Wan MTR exit A2 it is ten minutes uphill.
Hong Kong · Hong Kong · 3 days
3 days in Hong Kong
Three days split by water: Central and Sheung Wan on foot with the Peak at dusk, Kowloon from the Star Ferry to the night market, then Lantau by cable car for the Buddha and the stilt houses of Tai O. One Octopus card pays for the MTR, ferries and trams.
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Checked October 10, 2026. That’s the day we last confirmed the hours, prices and closed days.
- 3 days
- 21 stops
- 7 with a ticket
- from HK$500 a day
When to go
October to December is the window: dry, 72 to 79°F (22 to 26°C), humidity down near 70 percent and the harbor clear. January and February are cool and gray. March to May is damp with fog on the Peak. June to September is hot, over 80 percent humidity, and typhoon season, which peaks from July to September.
Where to base yourself
Sheung Wan or Central for day one on foot and the ferries at your door; Tsim Sha Tsui for the harbor view, the Kowloon day and the Airport Express at Kowloon station; Wan Chai or Causeway Bay for mid-price hotels one MTR stop from everything.
Getting around
Buy an Octopus card at the airport, or tap a Visa, Mastercard or UnionPay card at the MTR gates marked with the contactless symbol; the fare is the same as the adult Octopus fare. The MTR for distance, the Star Ferry between the sides, the island tram for the view, and walking for anything in Central. Taxis take cash and often Octopus, and are cheap for three or four people.
Day 1
Central and Sheung Wan on foot, then the Peak at dusk
- FromYour hotel in Sheung Wan and Tai Ping Shan
- 1
- 8 min · walk
- 2
Tai Kwun
Central · 75 min
The old Central Police Station and Victoria Prison, restored and free: the parade ground, the cell blocks, the courtroom. The JC Contemporary gallery opens at 11 a.m. and is closed Mondays.
- 5 min · walk
- 3
Central to Mid-Levels Escalator
SoHo · 45 min
The 800 meter outdoor escalator runs downhill 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. for commuters and uphill from 10 a.m. to midnight, so ride it up through SoHo now. Get off at Elgin or Staunton Street and walk back down.
- 3 min · walk
- 4
Yat Lok, Stanley Street
Central · 60 min
Roast goose since 1957: a quarter goose on lai fun noodles in clear broth with a drizzle of goose fat. Open 10 to 8:30 p.m. daily, cash only, shared tables.
- 6 min · walk
- 5
PMQ
Sheung Wan · 75 min
The former police married quarters on Aberdeen Street, now two blocks of design studios and small shops around a courtyard. The studios open at noon and close at 7 p.m., which is why it sits after lunch.
- 16 min · walk
- 6
Peak Tram and Victoria Peak
The Peak · 150 min
Walk through Hong Kong Park to the Garden Road terminus and book a timed slot online about an hour before sunset. Skip the Sky Terrace for the free Lugard Road loop, 45 minutes and flat, and stay until the towers light up.
HK$88 return, HK$108 at weekends
- 23 min · walk
- 7
Chachawan
Sheung Wan · 90 min
Isaan Thai on Hollywood Road: grilled pork collar, green papaya salad, sticky rice, cold beer. Open 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. daily, with no service charge; bookings and walk-ins both taken.
Day 2
Kowloon: the ferry, M+, dim sum and the night market
- FromYour hotel in Sheung Wan and Tai Ping Shan
- 1
Star Ferry to Tsim Sha Tsui
Victoria Harbour · 30 min
From Central Pier 7, upper deck, a seat at the back for the island skyline falling away behind you. Ten minutes on the water for HK$5 on weekdays and HK$6.50 at weekends; tap Octopus at the turnstile.
HK$5
- 18 min · walk
- 2
Tsim Sha Tsui promenade
Tsim Sha Tsui · 45 min
The Clock Tower, the Cultural Centre and the Avenue of Stars with the island skyline across the water. Walk west along the waterfront to the Art Park, about 25 minutes.
- 2.0 km · transit or taxi
- 3
M+
West Kowloon · 120 min
A museum of visual culture with the Sigg collection of Chinese art, Archigram's drawings and a sushi bar rebuilt whole. Closed Mondays, open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (10 p.m. on Fridays), with the roof garden and lower levels free without a ticket.
HK$190
- 2.9 km · transit or taxi
- 4
One Dim Sum, Prince Edward
Prince Edward · 75 min
A former Michelin star at HK$30 a basket: har gow, siu mai, rice rolls with char siu, pan-fried turnip cake. Take a taxi or the MTR to Prince Edward exit E, and expect a short line.
about HK$100
- 14 min · walk
- 5
Mong Kok markets
Mong Kok · 90 min
Walk south from Prince Edward: the Flower Market, the Bird Garden on Yuen Po Street, the Goldfish Market on Tung Choi Street, then the Ladies' Market. These are some of the most crowded streets in the city, so keep your bag in front.
- 15 min · walk
- 6
Shanghai Street and the Yau Ma Tei Tin Hau Temple
Yau Ma Tei · 60 min
Kitchenware shops that sell the woks and bamboo steamers the city cooks with, then the banyan square in front of the sea goddess's temple where old men play chess.
- 6 min · walk
- 7
Temple Street Night Market
Yau Ma Tei · 90 min
The stalls come alive from about 4 p.m. and run to 11 p.m.: curry fish balls, siu mai, clay-pot rice at the sit-down places and spicy crab. Fortune tellers and Cantonese opera at the temple end.
- 25 min · walk
- 8
A Symphony of Lights
Tsim Sha Tsui · 45 min
One MTR stop from Jordan to Tsim Sha Tsui, then back to the promenade for the 8 p.m. show, ten minutes of lasers and lights on both shores, every night and free. Stand east of the Clock Tower, or ride the Star Ferry back during it.
Day 3
Lantau: the cable car, the Buddha and Tai O
- FromYour hotel in Sheung Wan and Tai Ping Shan
- 1
Ngong Ping 360
Tung Chung · 60 min
Take the Tung Chung line from Hong Kong station to the end, about half an hour, then exit B to the cable car, which opens at 10 a.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. at weekends. Buy online and be there at opening; the car closes for maintenance for a few weeks most years.
HK$270 return
- 5.0 km · transit or taxi
- 2
Tian Tan Buddha and Po Lin Monastery
Ngong Ping · 90 min
The 34 meter bronze Buddha sits at the top of 268 steps, open 10 to 5:30 p.m. and free apart from the halls under the statue. The monastery below is open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; skip the village shops.
- Next door
- 3
Po Lin vegetarian kitchen
Ngong Ping · 60 min
The monastery's own set meal, 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., around HK$100 a head: braised mushrooms, tofu, spring rolls, soup. Buy the ticket at the counter by the hall.
about HK$100
- 4.3 km · transit or taxi
- 4
Tai O
Tai O · 180 min
Take bus 21 from the Ngong Ping terminus, about 15 minutes and roughly hourly, to the fishing village on stilts. A HK$50 boat ride goes through the houses and out to look for pink dolphins; bus 11 back to Tung Chung MTR takes about an hour.
- 30 km · transit or taxi
- 5
Sing Kee dai pai dong, Stanley Street
Central · 90 min
One of the last licensed street kitchens in Central: salt and pepper squid, sweet and sour pork, clams in black bean sauce and a bottle of Blue Girl. Open 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., cash, no bookings.
- 13 min · walk
- 6
A last Star Ferry crossing
Victoria Harbour · 45 min
Ten minutes across the harbor and ten back, both skylines lit, for the price of a coin. Lan Kwai Fong is a five-minute walk from the pier if you want a drink after.
HK$5
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Pins are approximate. Tap one for the stop; the directions links open Google Maps.
The practical bits
From the airport
The Airport Express reaches Kowloon station in about 22 minutes and Hong Kong station in 24, every 10 minutes or so, for HK$105 and HK$120 with Octopus or a contactless card; a free MTR transfer follows within the hour. The A-route airport buses are much cheaper and take about an hour, and are the better choice if one stops near your hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui or Causeway Bay.
What a day costs
About HK$500 to HK$800 a day per person for meals, the MTR and one paid sight. Dim sum is around HK$100 a head, a roast goose lunch about the same, a dai pai dong dinner with beer HK$150 to HK$200. M+ is HK$190, the Peak Tram HK$88 to HK$108 and the cable car HK$270, so the Lantau day costs the most.
Where to stay
Got a day to spare?
Worth knowing
- An Octopus card costs HK$150 at the airport, HK$100 of it stored value and HK$50 a refundable deposit, and works on the MTR, ferries, buses, trams and in 7-Elevens. A contactless Visa, Mastercard or UnionPay does the MTR too, at the gates with the card reader, at the same adult fare.
- Restaurants add a 10 percent service charge and it goes to the house, not the waiter. Nobody tips on top; leave the coins at a dai pai dong if you like and round up a taxi.
- The Mid-Levels escalator runs downhill until 10 a.m. and uphill after, so plan SoHo for after ten.
- The humidity is the thing nobody warns you about: from May to September shirts are wet by ten and every mall is 68°F (20°C). Carry a thin layer for the air-conditioning and a small umbrella, which doubles for the sun.
- Typhoon signals go 1, 3, 8, 9, 10. At signal 8 ferries, the cable car, outdoor markets, shops and offices shut and flights stop; the underground MTR keeps running. Check the Observatory app each morning from June to October and keep a museum day in reserve.
- Peak Tram fares changed in January 2026: the tram alone is HK$88 return on weekdays and HK$108 at weekends and holidays, and the Sky Pass with the Sky Terrace starts at HK$149 online. Sunset is near 6 p.m. from October to February and nearer 7 p.m. in summer.
Things you can ask once it’s in the app
Plans change. Ask Chat and it proposes a reshuffled day you can apply, or just answers the question.
The cable car is closed for maintenance on our Lantau day, what do we do instead?Where can someone who doesn't eat meat get dim sum near Prince Edward?How do we get from the Peak back down to Sheung Wan for dinner?Signal 8 is forecast for Tuesday, what can we do indoors on day 2?Can we fit Macau in as a fourth day and still make a 9 p.m. flight?
Questions
Is three days enough for Hong Kong?
Enough for both sides of the harbor and one island at a real pace. A fourth day buys Macau or Lamma; a fifth, Sai Kung's beaches or Shenzhen.
Octopus card or bank card?
Both work on the MTR at the same fare. Octopus also pays for ferries, buses, trams, the cable car and convenience stores, and buses give no change, so most visitors want one. Tap the same card in and out.
Which day works in the rain?
Day 2 adapts best: M+ is indoors, One Dim Sum is indoors, and the MTR links the rest. On the island, Tai Kwun is covered, and the Peak is pointless in cloud, so check the webcam before you book the slot; ask Waystop's Chat for a rain plan to get a second version of the day.
What if the cable car is shut?
Reach the Buddha by bus 23 from Tung Chung, which runs whatever the cable car is doing. Or swap Lantau for Sai Kung: minibus 1A from Choi Hung MTR to Sai Kung town, then a taxi to Sai Wan Pavilion and the walk down to Sai Wan beach.
Before you go
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Your version
Now make it fit your trip.
Add your dates, your hotel and who’s coming, then ask Chat to change anything: it proposes the edit and you tap Apply. Want a long lunch instead of a museum? Just ask. Every place is checked against Google Maps before it lands on your day, and Chat can tell you when to leave for the next stop. Going on to another city? Build a multi-city trip.