Planning a trip should be fun and not stressful. You should be filled with anticipation of all the new things you’ll soon get to experience. Once you’ve decided where you’re going, it’s time to start ironing out the details. Where will you stay? How will you get around when you arrive? We’ve got you covered. Lucky for you, we’ve created this guide to help you with your planning along the way. Let’s visit: Hong Kong. 

Best Time to Visit 

You may be wondering: when is the best time to visit Hong Kong? While temperatures are relatively warm year round, it’s best to visit in November and December if you want to skip the humidity. Also note that typhoon season is from July to September. 

Once you arrive, you’ll have plenty of options for transportation so you won’t have to worry about how you’ll get around. Public transportation is largely relied on and you’ll see few private vehicles in Hong Kong. 

First Things First, Sleepytime 

One of the most important parts of a trip is having a safe and comfortable place to store your things, rest, and relax. Whether you just plan to sleep or if you plan to break up your day by coming back to your place to rest between outings, Hong Kong has everything from traditional to unique. Hong Kong is divided into three main sectors and where you stay will largely depend on what you like to do. 

Let’s start with Hong Kong Island. This is where most tourists end up spending most of their time. The Central District is one of the most popular and busy areas of Hong Kong Island. If you want to be close to the action, this is the place for you. 

Rising above the city lights of Hong Kong, The Upper House is 117 rooms of tranquility. This is the perfect place to stay if you’re looking for something that will be quiet and restful, but still in the middle of all of the action. The architecture of The Upper House exudes class and elegance. You’ll find a mix of modern Asian influences and expressive art throughout the building. 

There are several room types to choose from: studios, suites, and the penthouse. Each room features a spectacular view of the city. You’ll also find that each bathroom is fitted

with the signature limestone bathtub. Relax in luxury as you gaze out over a mountain or harbor view. You’ll have three places on site to choose from for food and/or drinks. You can, of course, also order room service. 

Wellness is also a big deal at The Upper House. You can take advantage of the 24-hour gym or schedule an in-room custom treatment such as a massage or aromatherapy session. Yoga and meditation classes are available regularly and are a great way to start out your day of exploring. 

Hotel Madera Hollywood is where you want to stay if you’re looking for a unique and artsy twist. Also located in SoHo’s Central district, you’ll travel back in time to the Golden Age of Hollywood. You’ll find the likes of Marilyn Monroe, Charlie Chaplin, and Audrey Hepburn waiting to greet you in the form of a mural when you arrive. The hotel features thirty-eight one-room suites, each decorated in the Hollywood Regency style. 

Plan your day while enjoying a cup of coffee in the Hollywood Lounge. The friendly staff is happy to give their input and suggestions for activities and places to explore. 

Kowloon is a peninsula just across Victoria Harbor from Hong Kong Island. There are a few different areas to stay in while in Kowloon. Tsim San Stui is considered one of the best destinations for first time visitors. This area is most famous for its Clocktower and Star Ferry Pier. The ferry will take you over to the Central district and back again if you wish. 

For an elegant, upscale hotel, try The Peninsula Hong Kong. This hotel boasts classy rooms that have been meticulously decorated down to the last detail. Each room features fine art hanging on the walls and pleasantly surprising small details from the leather finished wardrobes to the burl-wood cabinetry. 

You’ll sleep in style on high quality, comfortable bedding. Each room has vaulted ceilings which add to the luxurious and spacious feeling of the area. 

The Peninsula will satisfy all of your dining needs. There are eight (yes, eight!) dining areas to choose from. Each restaurant offers a different style of cuisine. Choose between Japanese, Swiss, French, Cantonese, Contemporary European, or Continental International. Not feeling like a fancy meal? You can also grab a casual bite at the on site bar. 

Take your stay to the next level by taking advantage of the Wellness options available. Burn some calories at the fitness center or go for a swim at the hotel’s swimming

pool. Situated on the 8th floor, the swimming pool offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the city through floor-to-ceiling windows. 

The Peninsula Spa offers lavish steam rooms, saunas, and aromatherapy experiences. Please note that the spa is temporarily closed due to COVID-19 restrictions. Be sure to check the current status at the time of booking your trip. 

If you’d like a hotel that still offers noteworthy views for a reasonable price, The Hotel Panorama is a solid option. Each room is simply decorated in a sleek, modern design. Each room has all the comforts of home including a flat screen television and dressing gowns. 

The New Territories is basically the rest of Hong Kong, including all the outlying islands. Sha Tin is considered one of the best places to stay in Hong Kong for families. This area is great for cyclists and is near mountains that offer great opportunities for hiking. 

The Regal Riverside Hotel is perfect for families and/or large groups traveling together. This oasis offers double, triple, and even quadruple rooms that are guaranteed to keep your group close together. 

This hotel is a food lover’s wonderland. Offering ten amazing dining options, you’ll have lots of choices including gourmet sushi, Cantonese cuisine, and romantic dining. There are also two casual bars on site for those wanting to enjoy a simple drink with a friend. 

Delicious Dining 

When you’re on vacation, it’s a safe bet that you’ll want to try some of the foods you can’t get at home. There’s a wide variety that will give you the opportunity to tickle your tastebuds. Here are some of the favorites. 

Woodlands - Located in Kowloon, Woodlands is Hong Kong’s first vegetarian Indian restaurant. The menu includes options inspired by every region of India. Each dish is prepared to order and is carefully crafted by the experienced chefs. Expect to experience a world of flavors; Indian food is rich in flavor and fragrant spices. 

Yan Toh Heen - This highly revered restaurant is located on the lower level of the Regent Hotel. Specializing in Cantonese cuisine, Yan Toh Heen has been recognized with two Michelin stars and is one of the finest Chinese restaurants in Hong Kong. The dining room is open for both lunch and dinner and serves up everything from chicken to seafood.

Sushi Saito - Boasting three Michelin stars, this is arguably the best sushi in town. Seafood is delivered fresh daily—the only way to get it any fresher is to catch it yourself and eat it immediately. Every morning, the chef goes to the market and hand picks the selections for the day. Take note: you’ll want to book a reservation well in advance as this is a highly sought after restaurant. 

Embrace Adventure 

Vacations should be full of sight-seeing and once-in-a-lifetime experiences. That’s the whole purpose of going on a trip, right? Well, there is no shortage of things to do and see while you’re in Hong Kong. Here are some of our top suggestions. 

If you’re visiting the city of Sha Tin, one of the most popular activities to experience is horse racing. Sha Tin Racecourse is home of the world’s longest Diamond Vision television screen. You can catch races here from September to July of the following year. 

The Star Ferry - Hop aboard and enjoy a scenic view of Hong Kong while floating down Victoria Harbor. The ferry travels between Kowloon and Hong Kong Island several times a day. If you’d like a truly memorable experience, locals recommend taking the ferry after 8pm. This is when you’ll have the best seat in the house to see what’s said to be the world’s largest permanent light and sound show: A Symphony of Lights. The show is put on every night and is definitely a can’t-miss. 

Hong Kong Museum of History - One of the best ways to truly enjoy a trip to a new country is to fully immerse yourself into the history of the area. You’ll get that opportunity at the Hong Kong Museum of History. Over 400 million years of history are packed into over 75,000 square feet. The museum is in the Tsim Sha Tsui neighborhood on the Kowloon Peninsula. 

Hong Kong is also home to its own version of the “happiest place on Earth”- Hong Kong Disneyland. While this park is much smaller than its United States counterpart, it’s still a great place to visit for families. Meet all your favorite characters and indulge in some of the great food that can only be found in Disney parks. The park is open for your enjoyment from 10:30am to 8:15pm daily. 

Monasteries - Hong Kong is home to several monasteries ranging in size from small and intimate to massive. The most famous of all the monasteries in Hong Kong is the Ten Thousand Buddhas monastery. The main walk up to the monastery is lined on each side with 10,000 golden Buddha statues (hence the name) in varying positions. Despite its designation as a monastery, it is actually not operational at this time and no monks are currently residing there. Located in Sha Tin, the monastery is open to the public from 10:30am to 4pm daily. Entry is free and this is a great place to relax and embrace some calm during your trip. 

In addition to the Ten Thousand Buddhas monastery, you also have several hundred others to choose from. In fact, Hong Kong houses around 600 Buddhist and Taoist temples. That’s impressive considering that Hong Kong is not what most would consider a huge area. 

Shopping 

No trip is complete without doing a little shopping. Hong Kong is considered one of the best places in the world to shop. Some of the most popular items to purchase while visiting are clothing, cosmetics, and electronics. You’ll have many shopping venues to choose from. Hong Kong is home to a host of shopping malls, markets, and department stores. 

Most of the best Hong Kong shopping is located in either Kowloon or on Hong Kong Island. In the Central neighborhood, you’ll find both boutique stores and shopping malls. If you’re into luxury brands, LANDMARK is a shopping complex that is home to world-famous luxury stores. Choose from Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Chanel, and many more. 

Hong Kong’s largest shopping mall is Harbour City. Featuring more than 400 stores and fifty restaurants, you could easily spend an entire day here and still not run out of stores to see. 

If you’d rather try your luck at one of the many street markets, Stanley Market on Hong Kong Island is a great place to go shopping for souvenirs. Look through a wide selection of Chinese art work, silk collectibles, and a variety of other trinkets to commemorate your time in Hong Kong. Choose a gift for a friend or family member back home or simply choose something to display in your own home as a reminder of your trip. 

Hong Kong is also home to many specialty markets. There are street markets for flowers, birds, toys, electronics, and there’s even a market dedicated to goldfish! 

Just a reminder that you’ll need to convert your American currency to Hong Kong dollars (HKD). You’ll be able to find several currency exchanges when you land at Hong Kong International Airport—there are nine. It’s best to go ahead and take care of that as

soon as you arrive. It’s not a big deal if you forget; you can also exchange currency at any of the local banks. Exchanging currency is not a must; Visa, American Express, and Diners Club are also widely accepted as forms of payment. It’s best to check which forms of payment are accepted in the area you plan to shop in. 

Tours 

If you prefer to have a more organized trip and schedule a tour for some of the interesting sights, you can do that as well. Hong Kong offers several types of tours to visitors, ranging from family-friendly to romantic. We get it, there’s so much to see, it’s difficult to plan everything on your own. The good news is you can tell the travel guides what your interests are and they will create a custom tour schedule for you, taking all the guesswork out of planning what to see and do. 

There are tours available for just about anything. From train tours to biking tours, a Kungfu experience to an ocean park tour, there’s truly something for everyone. Plan your tour for a day or arrange to have it go over several days to make sure you don’t miss anything. The possibilities are endless. 

The Facts 

Hong Kong is a wonderful place to visit whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure. It’s a great place for a trip with family and friends, but you can also have a good time if you choose to travel solo. There are plenty of amazing restaurants serving up delicious and authentic cuisine that will take your tastebuds on a satisfying culinary ride. There’s plenty of opportunities for shopping and there are some great sights to see. One thing is for sure: a trip to Hong Kong will certainly not leave you disappointed. 

COVID-19 Restrictions 

At the time of publishing, you’ll no longer need to quarantine in a designated hotel on arrival in Hong Kong, but you'll be subject to three days of medical surveillance. Following the medical surveillance period, you’ll need to self-monitor yourself for four days. While you’re under medical surveillance, you’ll be barred from entering certain premises, including restaurants and bars. 

Non-residents twelve years of age or older must be fully vaccinated or have proof of medical exemption in order to enter Hong Kong. You will also need to complete the online health assessment prior to your arrival. Proof of a negative COVID-19 test needs to be issued within 24 hours of boarding your flight. Once you arrive, you’ll need to take

another COVID-19 test. Please note that you’ll also be required to take multiple COVID-19 tests during your medical surveillance and self-monitoring period. 

These regulations are subject to change at any time. We encourage you to research the current requirements in the days leading up to your trip so that you may make the necessary adjustments and/or arrangements.