I only had 48 hours in Hong Kong before crossing the border into Shenzhen so had to make the most of it, and I did!
When searching for flights to Mainland China, I stumbled on a great multicity deal to fly into Hong Kong (thanks Skyscanner).
60,000+ steps and many egg waffles later, here’s how I spent 48 hours in Hong Kong.
Day 1:
Landed in HKG at 10am.
I caught the metro from the airport to my hotel (near Nathan Road), checked in and headed straight back out again for the day. Taking a nap or sitting down would’ve been the worst move for battling jet lag- plus I wanted to make the most of my time.
Hiked the Peak.
This was the majority of my day & so worth it.
I started by taking the Mid-level escalators (the longest in the world!) and then walking up Old Peak Road.
If you are able to walk instead of taking the tram I highly recommend it. The views are spectacular.
I hiked down the other side towards the reservoir and then caught a public bus back to Central.
Nathan Road & Kowloon
After a quick stroll through the Pier area I took the metro from Central a few stops beyond my hotel to Kowloon station and walked down Nathan Road.
This is an interesting area to venture out into day or night. Its super hectic and the best spot for shopping for anything from food to gadgets to clothing.
Gay Scene
Despite being awake for 36 hours and ready to collapse from the hike, I met up with a friend I hadn’t seen in years. She took me to one of Hong Kong’s many LGBT bars where we watched Ru Paul’s drag race & caught up over a beer.
Note: if you’re not staying on the island, be sure to catch the last metro back across the water, Im told taxis get pricey to cross the bridge.
Day 2:
Choi Hung Estate
Yes, I did it for the gram. I have no regrets.
Taking the metro to Choi Hung Estate is super easy and once you exit that station, just follow the many other people heading the same direction with selfie sticks!
The best spot for pictures is the basketball on the roof of the parking lot.
If taking pictures is your thing it’s worth going, but unless you get up super early or its raining, don’t expect it to be quiet!
Botanic Gardens
For the rest of Day 2 I had no concrete plans or goals, just to explore and see what I found.
A short walk from Choi Hung brought me to the botanic gardens, a perfect rest stop for weary legs and a tranquil gem in a chaotic city.
I sat for a while in the bonsai garden and enjoyed a coffee.
Ladies Market
Catching the metro back to Kowloon I took more time to explore the streets off from the main Nathan Road.
The Ladies Market is a very busy area with everything from clothing to food stalls and stores. Even if you’re not looking to buy, it’s worth walking through and soaking up the atmosphere.
I finished up my time in Hong Kong with an Egg Waffle. These are a must-have in HK and I think I’d return to the city for that alone.
Overall Hong Kong in 48 hours is quite challenging but enough time to hit the highlights. There are sill parts of the city (and the beach) that I didn’t get to and I hope to be back one day to see even more.
