24 Best Sights in Hong Kong, China

Located in the West Kowloon Cultural District, M+ is Hong Kong's first global art museum. With 17,000 square meters of exhibition space across 33 galleries, three cinema houses, a roof garden, and other state-of-the-art facilities, M+ has undoubtedly been the most highly anticipated art addition of this decade. There are four permanent collections, as well as an ongoing roster of special exhibits spanning Chinese, Asian, and international art across different media and genres. There are multiple onsite dining options, including Mosu Hong Kong, a sophisticated Korean restaurant. The M+ Shop is an excellent place to pick up an artsy souvenir.

You have to look down to appreciate the city's walk of fame. Countless local film stars have pawed the wet concrete—you may not recognize many names unless you're a fan of Hong Kong films, but the homage shows how big the local film industry is.  Visit the avenue at 8 pm for the Symphony of Lights, a quirky show in which more than 40 skyscrapers light up on cue as a commentator introduces them in time to a musical accompaniment.

This spacious promenade overlooks Victoria Harbour and offers a dazzling view of Hong Kong Island's skyline. The promenade is grass-lined—a rare sight in the city—and has ample space for walking, jogging, biking, and picnicking. Though it's a lot quieter than the Avenue of Stars and the TST East Promenade, it does get crowded on the weekends.

One of the prettiest parks in the city proper is a sloping arrangement of rock gardens, water features, and leafy pathways. It's common to stumble on locals practicing tai chi or reading in a secluded spot. This welcome respite from the surrounding skyscrapers occupies the site of a former garrison called the Victoria Barracks, and some buildings from 1842 and 1910 are still standing.

The park is home to the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware. With its simple white facade, wooden monsoon shutters, and colonnaded verandas, the house is the earliest surviving example of colonial Greek revival architecture in Hong Kong. Built in 1846 as the office and residence of the Commander of the British forces, it now serves as a museum dedicated to the art of tea, exhibiting hundreds of delicate tea sets from the Tang (618–907) through the Qing (1644–1911) dynasties. Look out for the understated beauty of Yixing teapots, crafted from unadorned brownish-purple zisha clay, where perfection lies in their flawless form and the subtle, tactile texture of the clay. You will also be able to find the Edward Youde Aviary, containing hundreds of tropical birds. A raised boardwalk gets you close to the ornithological action.

The Peak Tram has its lower terminus just beyond the park's northwest exit.

Built on 170 hilly acres overlooking the sea just east of Aberdeen, this theme park, water park, zoo, and aquarium complex has something for all ages. Older thrill-seekers can take on the gravity-defying Hair Raiser coaster, while younger kids are catered for with slower rides and a huge adventure playground. Pandas are the highlight of the zoo area, and the Grand Aquarium is home to over 5,000 marine animals.  Be aware that the Ocean Theatre has performing dolphins and seals. Water World (open seasonally; check website for exact dates) comes with slides and an all-weather indoor wave pool, and requires a separate ticket. Ocean Park has its own dedicated MTR stop, taking around 10 minutes to reach from Admiralty station.

Three kilometers (2 miles) of golden sand make Cheung Sha Beach one of Hong Kong's longest stretches of sand. It gets breezy at this spot 8 km (5 miles) southwest of Mui Wo, so it's popular with windsurfers. From April through October, there are also lifeguards around, so you can swim with a bit more peace of mind. Upper Cheung Sha Beach is equipped for barbecues, and there is also a refreshment stand. Witnessing a sunset here is a swell end to a sun-drenched day.

Parallel to Tung Choi Street Ladies' Market, this street is sneaker central, lined with shoe shops selling some brands you know and lots more you don't. If you're not sporty, the stretch between Mongkok Road and Nullah Road offers cheap versions of the latest clothing fashion trends.

Goldfish are thought to bring good luck in Hong Kong (though aquariums have to be properly positioned for maximum benefit), and this small collection of sellers is a favorite local source. Shop fronts are decorated with bags of glistening, pop-eyed creatures, waiting for someone to take them home. Some of the fish for sale inside are serious rarities and fetch unbelievable prices. There are other types of animals as well.

Though Hong Kong's home to Mickey Mouse is lower-key compared with other Magic Kingdoms, there are still plenty of diversions to occupy one's time. Younger kids will find plenty of amusement at Sleeping Beauty Castle and Toy Story Land, while older siblings and parents will probably gravitate to the more-thrilling Space Mountain. Inside the dedicated Marvel area, daredevils will also enjoy the multisensory, immersive Iron Man Experience and the Ant-Man theme attraction. Plus, The World of Frozen, based on the animated musical, opened in late 2023 to much acclaim. It's highly recommended to purchase tickets online, as there's usually a crush of humanity by the main gate.

Keen to stay overnight? There are three thematic on-site hotels, including the travel-theme Disney Explorers Lodge.

Housed in Central Ferry Pier No. 8, this family-friendly museum explores over 2,000 years of Hong Kong's maritime history. There are interactive exhibits and historic artefacts aplenty, including hoards of precious Chinese porcelain salvaged from Ming dynasty wrecks in the harbor. In the basement, an exhibition on the opium trade takes an uncompromising look at Britain's colonial takeover of Hong Kong. Don't miss the chance to have a drink and snack on the terrace of Cafe 8 above the museum. The views are world class, and your money supports a local charity that finds vocational opportunities for adults with learning difficulties.

For a comprehensive hit of history, this museum's popular Hong Kong Story should do the trick. The exhibit starts 400 million years ago in the Devonian period and makes its way all the way through to the 1997 Handover, with spectacular life-size dioramas that include village houses and a colonial-era shopping street. The ground-floor Folk Culture section offers an introduction to the history and customs of Hong Kong's main ethnic groups. Upstairs, gracious stone-walled galleries whirl you through the Opium Wars and the beginnings of colonial Hong Kong. Don't miss the chilling account of conditions during the Japanese occupation or the colorful look at Hong Kong life in the '60s.

Allow at least two hours to stroll through—more if you linger in every gallery and make use of the interactive elements. Pick your way through the gift shop's clutter to find local designer Alan Chan's T-shirts, shot glasses, and notebooks. His retro-kitsch aesthetic is based on 1940s cigarette-girl images. To get here from the Tsim Sha Tsui MTR walk along Cameron Road, then left for a block along Chatham Road South. A signposted overpass takes you to the museum.

The Lei Yue Mun Fort makes for an appropriate home for this museum that focuses on Hong Kong's military history and coastal defense. It's in the redoubt, a high area of land overlooking the narrowest point of the harbor; you take an elevator and cross an aerial walkway to reach it. As well as the fascinating displays indoors, there's a historical trail complete with tunnels, cannons, and observation posts. Free guided tours are available on Wednesday, weekends, and public holidays.

This museum showcases over 900 artifacts from the National Palace Museum at Beijing's Forbidden City. In addition to its regular showings, the museum regularly hosts special exhibitions across six floors. There is also a number of on-site eateries, including a dim sum restaurant and a pleasant teahouse.

The hands-on exhibits are kid-friendly and include an energy machine and a miniature submarine, as well as cognitive and memory tests.

A structure behind the art museum that looks like an oversize golf ball sliced in half houses a planetarium, a solar telescope, and an Omnimax theater. It's all fairly unremarkable, though, and children under three aren't allowed to view the Omnimax shows.

This vast wetland reserve is home to numerous species of native wildlife, including Hong Kong's own star crocodile, Pui Pui. The reserve has several walks, many suitable for families with children, including a boardwalk through a mangrove habitat and a butterfly garden. The park has a visitor center, which includes an auditorium and several indoor galleries, as well as a café, play area, and souvenir shop.

A verdant holdover from colonial times, Hong Kong's Botanical Gardens opened back in 1864, and remain a delightful showcase of subtropical Asian flora, with bamboo groves, towering banyans, and groves of colorful rhododendrons. The fauna arrived much later and is a garden highlight: Lemurs, sloths, meerkats, and all manner of acrobatic monkeys swing about in well-tended enclosures. A menagerie of colorful birdlife includes flamingos housed in an aviary. The walk from the Central MTR stop is long and uphill, so consider taking a bus or taxi. Buses 1A, 3, and 22 go there from Central Ferry Pier.

These 33 acres, crisscrossed by paths and meticulously landscaped, are a refreshing retreat after a bout of shopping. There are children's playgrounds, a fitness trail, a soccer field, an aviary, a Chinese garden, and a sculpture garden featuring 19 works by local artists. On Sunday and public holidays, there are stalls with arts and crafts, as well as a kung fu corner.

A lovely Craftsman-style historic complex that originally housed the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club back when the area was close to the shoreline is now home to Oi!, a relaxed, government-run community art space. It showcases fun, accessible art from internationally recognized and upcoming artists, like twirling trees on giant turntables. The indoor-outdoor layout and large lawn—where kids can run about—make this a popular spot for families.

The beach in this upscale neighborhood is large and wide, and can get very crowded on summer weekends. Two huge statues, of the goddesses Tin Hau and Kwun Yam, stand at the east end of the beach, part of a kitsch collection of shrines and statues built in the 1970s. Look for a famous apartment building with a hole through it—following the principles of feng shui, the opening allows the dragon that lives in the mountains behind to readily drink from the bay. To get here, take Bus 6, 6A, or 260 from Exchange Square Bus Terminus in Central. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.

This easygoing peninsula town lies south of Deep Water and Repulse bays. You'll find a row of waterfront pubs and restaurants, and great shopping in Stanley Market, full of casual clothes, cheap souvenirs, and cheerful bric-a-brac. Stanley's beach is the site of the Dragon Boat Races every June. For war buffs, Stanley Military Cemetery has graves of British and other Commonwealth soldiers who died during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong in World War II. To get here from Exchange Square Bus Terminus in Central, take Bus 6, 6A, 66, or 260.

Fishing villages and a nearly 400-year-old temple highlight Tap Mun Island, also known as Grass Island, where strong waves periodically beat the shores. Many visitors opt to have a seafood lunch at the New Hon Kee Seafood Restaurant. Thereafter, enjoy an "is this still Hong Kong?" moment while watching cattle graze at the hilltop pavilion. A kaito (local ferry) from Wong Shek pier in Sai Kung Country Park will speed you to the island; however, public transit access to Wong Shek pier is limited to weekends and holidays.

This incense-filled site is dedicated to Taoist sea goddess Tin Hau, queen of heaven and protector of seafarers. The crowds here testify to her being one of Hong Kong's favorite deities—indeed, this is one of over 100 temples dedicated to her. Like all Tin Hau temples, this one once stood on the shore. Kowloon reclamation started in the late 19th century, and now the site is more than 3 km (2 miles) from the harbor. The main altar is hung with gold-embroidered cloth and usually piled high with offerings. There are also two smaller shrines inside the temple honoring earth god Tou Tei and city god Shing Wong. Surrounding Temple Street night market is a fortune-telling hot spot: you may well be encouraged to have a try with the chim. Each stick is numbered, and you shake them in a cardboard tube until one falls out. A fortune-teller asks you your date of birth and makes predictions from the stick based on numerology. Alternatively, you could have a mystically minded bird pick out some fortune cards for you.

Agree on a price before your fortune, as bargaining with fortune-tellers is common.

Though mostly built as a neighborhood park in which bird-owning residents can meet and "walk" their caged pets, the Urban Renewal Authority also included some 70 stalls to be used by those who lost trade when the famous Hong Lok Street songbird stalls were demolished in a revitalization project in the late 1990s. Though it sells various kinds of feathered creatures, you can also pick up the picturesque, empty carved cages and put them to better (empty) use in your home decor. Access the main entrance from Boundary Street, a short walk from the Prince Edward MTR station.