THE 10 BEST Cheap Things to Do in Hong Kong
Best Budget-Friendly Things to Do in Hong Kong
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Travellers' Choice Awards winners (including the "Best of the Best" title) are among the top 10% of listings on Tripadvisor, according to the reviews and opinions of travellers across the globe.
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346 results sorted by traveller favourites
- Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, number of page views, and user location.
Points of Interest & Landmarks • Architectural Buildings
Lantau Island
Points of Interest & Landmarks
Tsim Sha Tsui
Islands • Religious Sites
Lantau Island
Neighbourhoods
New Territories
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Hiking Trails
Hong Kong Island
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Architectural Buildings • Gardens
Kowloon
Neighbourhoods • Piers & Boardwalks
Tsim Sha Tsui
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Neighbourhoods
Wan Chai / Causeway Bay
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Points of Interest & Landmarks • Piers & Boardwalks
Tsim Sha Tsui
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Neighbourhoods • Points of Interest & Landmarks
New Territories
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Neighbourhoods
Wan Chai / Causeway Bay
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Showing results 1-30 of 346
What travellers are saying
- Hstevens282Leven, UK353 contributionsThis is a “must do” in the city. And you must do it in the funicular tram that runs up the hill at an angle of about 45 degrees it seemed to me. It’s a great ride and there is a large complex of shops, amusements, restaurants and cafes to try. On a clear day the views over Hong Kong are spectacular. Unfortunately when we visited the hill was shrouded in mist. Still we enjoyed our trip and I would recommend it but I would definitely recommend you go up when it’s a clear, sunny day.Written 2 March 2025This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Rowan HCairns, Australia1,797 contributionsLong considered a quintessential Hong Kong day trip, my wife and I recently joined the masses to visit Tian Tan Buddha.
Here are a few of my thoughts.
* Firstly in terms of getting here. It is located on Lantau island which is a fair distance from central Hong Kong. This is the island that contains the international airport as well as Disneyland. To get here you can take the yellow MTR line to Tung Chung. From here you have a few options. You can take the famous Ngong ping 360 cable car (Not recommended, has its own seperate tripadvisor listing), get a bus or take a taxi from Tung Chung to Ngong ping village. An alternative, and slightly adventurous option is to hike section 3 of the Lantau trail (Park Kung Au to Big Buddha) by getting a bus to Park Kung Au and then hiking along the well marked trail.
* The big Buddha and adjacent Po Lin monastery are located within a village called Ngong Ping. This village is essentially a commercial venture that appears to be set up to capture tourists - it has all the normal offerings of a tourist trap, including overpriced souvenirs and expensive poor quality restaurants.
* The big Buddha and the po Lin monastery are free to enter and this is a big plus.
* The big Buddha itself is an impressive structure, rising 23m off the ground. You can walk inside of it and see some exhibits which focus around its creation. The adjacent Po Lin Monastery has some interesting temples which are also well worth a visit.
* The Big Buddha itself however was only built in 1993 so doesn’t really have much history behind it. I kind of feel like it was custom built to serve as a tourist attraction. As such, to me, it lacked some degree of cultural significance and meaning.
* This whole area is a well visited tourist attraction and this really detracted from our experience. Overall I personally felt this was one of the lesser interesting tourist attractions within Hong Kong and I feel if you are pressed for time on your Hong Kong itinerary you could probably give this day trip a miss. It’s also problematic as it will take a whole day to visit here when you include travel times.Written 24 February 2025This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - DrBDManchester, UK32 contributionsWorth doing but a little scruffy. Complicated to get tickets and information to get on. In easy accessible site. Different pricing for upper and lower..not worth extraWritten 8 March 2025This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Peter HLondon, UK11 contributionsBeautiful Chinese Garden. A haven of beauty and tranquility in a busy part of the City. This is probably my favourite place in HK. A must do!Written 12 March 2025This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- hkiragaSolingen, Germany163 contributionsSeptember to October 2024 was another familly tour to hongkong -macau tour.
After the long flight.we landed at honkong international airport and headed to the Best Western plus hotel..
The second day we crossed to Macau.was very nice at the venetian hotel.there was much more this time..londoner qnd other very latest buildings.we had fun.
The second day we went back to hongkong by fast ferry just like as we went.Back in hongkong we tried the cable car! Very enjoyable!
At Victoria peak was fun.good view of hongkong and kawloon.
We wish to visit again to hongkong..Written 19 November 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Derek20130924Sydney, Australia133 contributionsA must to see A SYMPHONY OF LIGHTS show at 8pm.
The beautiful skyline and lights of the buildings at the Victoria Harbour are spectacular.
A unique view not found in elsewhere.Written 9 March 2025This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Abovetheclouds2,526 contributionsI come to Hong Kong many times and each time, I always try and go to Lantau Island. A tranquil escape from Hong Kong. This is a good option if you are in transit and have some time to kill, as it is close to the airport. The cable car is the best way to reach Lantau Island. Easily accessible from Tung Chung MTR. Lantau Island has a lot to offer from beaches to hiking trails, nature and more. There is also the historic Tai O fishing village which is like stepping back in time. You can get around the island by bus. If you are short on time, then I would suggest doing the highlights which is the Tian Tan Buddha statue and Po Lin Monastery. Always go early if you can, as it is quieter in the morning and you can do more.Written 23 December 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Abovetheclouds2,526 contributionsI really enjoyed the energy early on a Sunday evening. Bustling, noisy, neon lights, shopping, food and more. This is Hong Kong. A little rough around the edges but safe. I was a solo female traveller. Like stepping into the old and new. The area seemed to smell like pee everywhere! Not sure why, but worth a trip.Written 3 November 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- DrBDManchester, UK32 contributionsDefinitely worth trip. Good value . We should have booked ahead as queue at place but queue went quick. Queue bit disorganised and usual Hong Kong ‘push-and-shove’ mentality to cope with.The ride is quite short with limited views. Worth paying for sky view extra. Lots of shops and cafes at top with a square to walk around just outside. Views are spectacular and give even more sense of awe of Hong Kong estate. Worth the tripWritten 8 March 2025This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Rowan HCairns, Australia1,797 contributionsMy wife and I recently completed the Dragons back hike in January 2025.
GETTING HERE
- Take the MTR to Shau Kei Wan station and get out at Exit A3
- Once you get out of Exit A3 you should see a bus station in front of you.
- Look for ‘K’ stop, which is actually located at the back of the bus station (you will note that K appears to be skipped in the station letters but thats because it is located parallel to all the others)
- Take bus 9 and get out at Tei Wan stop (May need to monitor this on your phone)
- It is likely there will be others on the bus doing the same thing as you if you dont have a phone.
THE HIKE
- The hike was free of charge
- The hike was not physically challenging
- There are two options - you can go 4.7km (170m elevation gain) and stop at Sho K (get the bus at this point) or you can continue onto Big wave bay (7.2km, 221m elevation gain).
- We did the hike to big wave bay and this took us around 2.5 hours.
- The hiking trail was very well marked out and maintained
- There are public toilets at the start and end of the trail.
- If you continue onto big wave bay there is infrastructure there like cafes, convenient stores and change rooms if you want to go for a swim. Be aware that buses don’t always stop at big wave bay and you may want to consider walking 2.2km up the road to Shek O Beach to get bus 9 back to the MTR station.
- Having done it in winter I actually did find it a bit cold along the ridge line so would suggest bringing a second layer of clothes.
- We had phone reception the entire way.
- I enjoyed the views over Hong Kong island and down over Shek O Country Park
Overall a worth wild half day trip if you’re in Hong Kong.Written 23 February 2025This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - BoysieWNew York City, NY623 contributionsWhat a great outing while in Hong Kong- away from the dense crowds along the river. Easy taxi ride or we took subway and walked which is also very easy and fun to see all the locals. A large complex with much to do- very vital and active with locals meeting in parts of the various temples and buildings. Lovely chanting recorded and played. Adjacent large gardens full of picnicking families. A very well edited small gift shop with great things I saw no where else. It’s also fun to have a bite at the small cafe. Great toasted cheese sandwiches and tea!!
This nunnery visit was a highlight.Written 4 March 2025This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Dan LBunbury, Australia9,018 contributionsOur accommodation in Chatham Road was the ideal base to re-explore the area. So vibrant with great shopping venues, hotels, restaurants, landmarks and the myriad of small shops that are so seductive for visitors like us. Its even better at night with the colourful neon signage but the streets are more crowded, it seemed to us that most of Hong Kone dines in the many dining establishments. Wonderful interesting area, one of many in Hong Kong.Written 14 December 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- DinFranceStroud, UK561 contributionsWe went early-ish one morning and the queue was already huge.
But - bonus time - there is a separate line for those with an Octopus card which was empty i.e. the local public transport card that we picked up at the MTR station.
It was was worth it just for avoiding the queue.
Ride up interesting. You become slightly disorientated about the angle i.e. look out the window at a building or phone box and they look like they are seriously leaning over.
Up the top is fine. A bit touristy (obvious I suppose). Seem to do as much as they can to get you to pay to go to the viewing deck. (But you can get as good a view from just walking along the path a bit).
We walked back down. Very pleasant.Written 10 March 2025This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Philip RBrisbane, Australia7 contributionsI've been to the Ladies Market previously (before handover to China) and was pleased to see it hasn't changed. It was fun to "negotiate" prices with the stall holders. Although the items for sale (handbags, runners, jewellery, t-shirts, etc) are the same across many stores the pricing varies and that's were the "negotiations" come in. It's a big market so allow at least 2 hours to cover. Although it starts at 4pm I'd wait until around 7pm to go as it really hits its straps then.Written 28 February 2025This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Rowan HCairns, Australia1,797 contributionsMy wife and I were lucky enough to attend a wednesday race meet at the Happy valley racecourse on a recent visit to Hong Kong. Personally looking back on our week in this city, I would rate this experience as one of my favourites.
Here are a few tips I would have for others considering a visit here.
* You cannot get here on the MTR. The MTR will take you as close as ‘Admiralty station’ stop, at which point you will need to get on a ding ding (Tram) to take you the rest of the way. These are clearly marked with ‘happy valley racecourse’. Buses also travel to the racecourse and we noted that they were waiting at the exit towards the end of the race night to take people back to the MTR stations which was convenient.
* There are two horse tracks in Hong Kong - Happy Valley and Sha Tin. Happy Valley tends to host the wednesday night meetings while Sha Tin tends to hold Sunday racing.
* Entrance is free for tourists to the general admissions area. You are expected to show ID though such as a passport (we simply showed a photocopy of our passport). Otherwise I think it’s 10HK dollars entry which isnt much anyway.
* There are other packages available on the website for the more exclusive areas of the racecourse and for members entrance. This is not what we did so I cannot comment on these.
* Unlike in Australia, people DO NOT dress up for the races here. Of the approximate 1000 guests I saw in the general admissions area I would estimate maybe 1-2 were in suits. Most people are just very casually dressed in jeans and T shirts. Women also were not in what would be deemed to be ‘race wear’ so don’t worry about bringing a special outfit for this place.
* In addition to the horse racing, there is a live band playing between races for the entertainment of the audience.
* There are numerous bookies around to take bets, and they will happily show you how to place bets down.
* There are numerous food stalls and drinks stations located trackside, including a resident McDonalds. Beers were around 55HK dollars for around 500mls. There was a limited spirits and wine selection.
* Its on every wednesday night during race season which traditionally runs from September to June
Overall I really enjoyed my time here. It’s such a unique experience and not something I have seen elsewhere in the world.Written 23 February 2025This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
