Join our traveller Sandhya Sriram hand-in-hand with this 4 day Hong Kong itinerary as she discovers spectacular Hong Kong with her son!
I have been to Hong Kong a couple of times, but this was my first trip with my 4-year old son – we thoroughly enjoyed it, except for the heat and humidity (as we went during peak summer – not a good idea!)
Some tips before you head to Hong Kong:
#1 Best time to go: October – early December
#2 If it is summer, remember to drink lots of water and be hydrated.
#3 Hong Kong has excellent public transportation, but you have to walk a lot – between train stations, bus stops, from the hotel to the train station etc. Trust me, walk a lot means a LOT!!! Be prepared for it and make sure your kids can do it too
#4 If you are vegetarian, it is generally not a problem in Hong Kong – you can find plenty of Indian food in Kowloon as well.
#5 The Airport Express train is the best mode of transport to and from the airport to your hotel or its vicinity. It is affordable (slightly expensive than normal train services, but worth it and the fastest mode of transport).
#6 Hong Kong has 3 main land masses – Lantau Island (Disneyland, Airport, Ngong Ping Cable Car and Buddha), Kowloon (attached to Mainland China) and Hong Kong Island (the main city). All land masses are connected by trains and/or ferry. Although taxis are a tad expensive.
#7 We understand how difficult it is to travel with kids. Here‘s a little wisdom from us on that!
Day 1: Disneyland
Since the first day is when your kid(s) will be fresh and energetic, it is the best day to visit Disneyland. You can make the most of it. Disneyland is truly wonderland where adults will become kids as well.
It has many zones including Sci-Fi, Jungle theme, Disney wonderland, Toy story and a lot of interesting and awesome live shows.
At one of the food courts there is Indian food available too (vegetarian food is available as well). But remember as all touristic attractions are a tad expensive, be prepared to shell out money. Disneyland is a full day affair and by the time you get back to your hotel, you’ll be totally exhausted.
Day 2: Victoria Peak and Shopping
You want to definitely take it easy on day 2 and taking the peak tram up the Victoria Peak is the ideal way to do it. The tram goes almost at 60-degree angle on the peak to reach the observation deck. The tram ride is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The view from the top of the skyline and entire Hong Kong Island is breathtaking!
Once on top it tends to get very crowded so, be prepared. Other than the observation deck, there are restaurants, shops, Trick Eye Museum and Madame Tussauds Museum to explore. You can stay there for as long as you want – the last tram leaves the peak at midnight everyday.
In the evening, you can go over to the markets/shopping streets in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Mong Kok, Central and Sheung Wan. There is a toy market street as well – but don’t expect too much.
Day 3: Ngong Ping cable car, Buddha
A must do in Hong Kong, at Lantau Island, is the Ngong Ping cable car – make sure to take the glass-bottomed cable car. Also buy tickets online, in advance, as the lines tend to be longer at the spot. The glass-bottomed cable car enables you to see clearly below your feet. The ocean, the mountains – the sight is awesome yet, slightly scary.
The cable car goes up to a mountain where there is the huge Tian tan Buddha which can be accessed via stairs (quite a lot of stairs, actually). There are cultural shows, a Chinese temple interesting shops and food stalls up there. You can spend almost an entire day here!
Day 4: Ferry ride and Hong Kong skyline
I always like to the take it easy on the last day of my vacation, hence we chilled around in the hotel until checkout and then headed onto the ferry station on Hong Kong Island. We boarded the ferry to just go across to Kowloon. Once in Kowloon, you can see the entire Hong Kong skyline – even though I live in Singapore, which has one of the most beautiful skylines – I am in awe of Hong Kong’s skyline.
In Kowloon and Central, there are many shops, sights and colorful walls – just taking a walk around is a good form of exercise as the roads go up and down in Hong Kong. There are many malls around Hong Kong, where the kids can play and spend their energy as well.
There is a light show called Symphony of lights every night – but it is a waste of time, please do not wait for it. However, the skyline at night is a view not to be missed.
Other things to do with kids, which we did not do, are visit the theme park Ocean Park, visit Lamma island, Zoological and Botanic garden, Space museum, etc.
By the end of the trip, we were totally exhausted from all the walking and the heat. Overall, Hong Kong is a nice place to visit – crowded than most cities – but enjoyable. It has seasons, hence choose the best season to visit. Have a good trip!
Read more: Other works of Sandhya Sriram!
About the author:
Dr Sandhya Sriram is a crazy entrepreneurial scientist and science journalist who has recently ventured into travel and fashion blogging. Find her travel and fashion snaps at @scisandhya #TravelnBetterBlog
