How to spend a layover in Hong Kong?

Hong Kong is incredible, is what I heard from all my colleagues. Well, my first visit to Hong Kong (HK) wasn’t particularly one for the books, at least not in a positive way. Rain, zero visibility and a romantic night spent with the toilet due to food poisoning did not make me a big fan of this city. This unforgettable layover in Hong Kong took place in April, 2017. Luckily, I got a second chance in September 2018, so I obviously wanted to make the most of it and avoid another toilet date.

Due to the typhoon the flight was delayed and we arrived in the hotel in the afternoon, what a great start. Thank god this layover was longer than the average 25 hours, so there was still enough time to explore.

1. Victoria Peak

After a few hours of sleep we took the train to HK central, from where we took a taxi to the famous viewpoint at “Victoria Peak”. The weather was pleasant (not too humid) and skies were clear so the views of all the lighted skyscrapers in the dark were pretty stunning. We didn’t stay too long, but you can even go shopping and have a meal here, since it’s on the top of a mall on a mountain:).

Since we were a bit short on time after our nap and the train ride, the sun was already about to change shift with the moon, so we took the taxi instead of hiking or taking a cable car to the top. Next time, I definitely want to do a hike to enjoy the views during daylight!

2. Soho – Hong Kong

We continued to the bright shopping district called Soho with all the brands you can think of. This area has plenty of different restaurants and it’s close to the harbour so this is perfect to combine.

You can easily take a ferry to cross the river and watch the lightshow in the evening, which is what I did the first time I visited Hong Kong. These ferries go regularly, are very cheap and give you a nice view of both sides of the river. In this area you’ll also find the well known Mong Kok ladies market and Temple street night market, flower market and Yuen Po bird garden.

3. Choi Hung Esate

The following day I left the hotel early in the morning and headed to an urban area called “Choi Hung Estate”. A typical insta hotspot with colourful buildings and a basketball field on a parking garage. Full of couples and groups of friends with big bulky cameras and tripods trying to take the best shot for the gram. It’s quite entertaining to watch for a while, and I obviously couldn’t stay behind and snapped some shots as well.

4. Nan Lian Garden

From this area it’s only a short walk to Nan Lian garden and Chi Lin nunnery, lovely green places with little bridges, fountains and a shop with some handcrafts and art. I’m a really big fan of cities with peaceful parks and gardens to escape from the chaos for a bit. Especially, the fact that it was surrounded by tons of sky high apartment buildings somehow created a nice effect.

Unfortunately the weather gods weren’t with me again and it started to drizzle, so I took a metro to the Mong Kok market and walked through the colourful streets on my way to Mammy Pancake, an iconic sweet delicacy in Hong Kong. It’s kind of a waffle but with bubbles, which come with many different fillings, from sweet banana and chocolate chips to red beans, matcha or cheese. I only tried the chocolate chip one, but it was SO good, will definitely try a different one next time I visit HK. They’re pretty huge (and if I with my bottomless belly tell you this, you should listen), so make sure you’re hungry before you go or bring a buddy to share it with.

There are plenty of other things to do in Hong Kong, so hopefully I will get to visit it another time. In case you have more time than I had, make sure to check out the places below: