Hong Kong is one of the must-see cities in Asia and 3 days in Hong Kong is a good enough time to see the best the city has to offer.
I have visited a number of times over the years and these are my favourite things to do in Hong Kong (and Macau) that I recommend for you.
How To Spend 3 Days in Hong Kong (and Macau)
Food in Hong Kong
Eating in Hong Kong and Macau is like an explosion for the taste buds. So many different choices and all full of flavours. A dim sum breakfast session is in my mind the most fun breakfast in the world.
Eating dim sum is like a ritual. You don’t just show up, have a quick bite, and then leave. You can spend hours here slowly sampling all the different buns, and so on to try.
A popular dim sum breakfast place is a thing to behold. The locals will read the paper, while sipping tea, and then scrambling for the latest, freshest, dim sum as they roll out of the kitchen.
It is like a scrum getting to the trolley for the new dim sum, and it gets grabbed up fast. If you miss it you must sit back down and wait for the next.
You have to be fast and aggressive to eat there! It’s also a lottery as to what you will eat, as newcomers will generally have no idea what filling to expect inside the dim sum.
An adventurous food experience.
Hong Kong and Macau are a great place to try all types of seafood. Fresh fish await consumption everywhere, and the wet markets full of colour and activity are great to explore and get a taste of local life.
One of the best places to roam around is the neighbourhood of Mong Kok, on the mainland.
Many markets can be found around there, and street snacks like egg tartlets are everywhere. Delicious!
Walk The Streets and Visit Temples
Hong Kong island itself is fun to walk, or ride the old tram system, from one end to the other. The chaos of modern business permeates all around.
People rushing about, between huge skyscrapers and apartment blocks pushing to the sky.
To get away from all the activity on the busy streets, you can head to some of the peaceful temples.
The temples can be situated between all the modern structures, but feel a world apart.
Macau also has some peaceful areas to get away from the streets. The fort above the city is the perfect place to catch the sunset, looking out to the modern casinos and the old rooftops.
The streets in Macau have a slower feel to hong Kong, but the side market streets still are a cramped mess, full of people jostling there way through.
Macau is the mecca of modern gambling. Taking more money in gambling than Las Vegas now, the newly wealthy Chinese and foreigners flock here to try there luck.
The huge casinos light up the night sky, and are fun to walk around to feel the energy inside.
However as someone who doesn’t gamble I would also recommend not to have a go, just enjoy the atmosphere.
Macau can be reached easily by ferry from Hong Kong taking about a 1 hour journey. Hong Kong and Macau are essentially a combined experience.
Hong Kong and Macau at Night
The cities at night are beautiful, with the famous Hong Kong skyline all lit up, being an iconic view.
Of course riding the old star ferry from Hong Kong island, to the mainland area of Kowloon is a must do. Kowloon is where you can see Hong Kong islands skyscrapers shining at night.
Another great place to see the view of Hong Kong is on top of Victoria Peak. There you can see across the top of all of the skyscrapers.
You could pay a visit to the infamous Chungking Mansions. This place is well known for its past as being a rather seedy place of drug trafficking and other such illegal activities.
These days Chungking Mansions is more cleaned up, although a certain seedy element still exists. The best reason to go there is to try some Indian food, with a big Indian expat community in the building.
Nightlife for drinking and partying can be found in many areas, from the more local Chinese drinking joints, to the plush district of Soho, where many expats go for drinks after finishing work in the business district around Central.
One of the better nighttime places to explore is on the mainland side of Hong Kong, with many food places to discover, and night markets to get lost in.
With many cheap budget airlines flying into Hong Kong and Macau from all over Asia, it is easy to get there. Although not the cheapest of destinations to visit with a little care you can get by without spending to much.
With so many places to see in Hong Kong and things to do it’s really a must visit city in Asia.
Try couchsurfing to save money on accommodation, and eat in the local street markets for cheap.
Visit Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of my favourite cities in the world.
The energy there is fantastic, you would never get bored. If you don’t like big cities Hong Kong will not be for you and you should try the more mellow Macau instead, as long as you stay away from the casinos of course!
But you would be missing out on one of the greatest cities in the world.
Hong Kong is a place you must visit once in your life.
Find places to stay in Hong Kong here.
Here’s some more great Hong Kong pictures to inspire you.
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Really enjoyed your article! Sounds like a very interesting place to visit.
Thanks JP. It is a great place to visit.