It may surprise you that the city with the most skyscrapers in the world is one of the most family friendly, with a huge range of exciting things to do for kids; but Hong Kong defintely is!
Between an exciting food to try, a long coastline with spectacular beaches, and perfect sub tropical weather, Hong Kong is a great way to introduce kids to other cultures, with a great blend of Western and Chinese traditions.
And let’s not forget Disney!
While summer is best avoided because of the heat, and it’s not exactly stroller friendly if your kids aren’t walking (the city is very hilly and step heavy), Hong Kong is very family friendly, and should be more than a stopover on your itinerary.
Take a Walking Tour of the City
The first thing you’ll want to do is explore Hong Kong’s vibrant city centre. There are many walking tours that you can try all over the city, and some may even take you through Hong Kong’s best street food hotspots.
Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated places on Earth, so this is definitely worth preparing yourself for when you’re navigating the city streets with kids.
Make sure they know to stay close together, hold hands when walking through really packed places, and pack things like hand sanitiser, water bottles and other essentials for getting through the day.
Walking through Hong Kong your kids will be exposed to a huge range of cultures, and there’ll be plenty of learning opportunities, with ancient buildings from Imperial China right through to the British Empire.
And you’ll find some of the best food in all of Asia. Feast on dim sum and dumplings, but remember to try the local joints as well as the fine dining establishments as well.
If you’re doing a self guided walking tour, it’s worth mapping out your route in advance, and if you plan to rely on WiFi during your walk (ie with a hotspot), remember that Hong Kong is part of China, so to access most Western websites you’ll need a VPN.
Getting a VPN is easy, ie nordvpn.com/download/, and they work on all devices, including your phone as you’re navigating the city in real time. It’s also a good way to protect your data.
Ride the Peak Tram
The Peak Tram is the best way to get to The Peak, which offers the best views over Hong Kong; but the tram ride is a fun family experience in itself.
The tram takes you to the top of the island’s largest mountain, where you’ll get unbelievable views of the cityscape and the harbour, giving you a real sense of just how busy Hong Kong’s bustling streets really are.
There’s a viewing deck at the top, and you can either head into the paid Sky Terrace in The Peak Tower, or use the free lookout called Lion’s Peak Pavilion.
If your family is adventurous and you’re wanting to burn off some of your kids energy, there’s a walk at the top called Peak Circle Walk which takes about 40 minutes and has a playground halfway. You can also take the tram up, but walk back down.
Riding Ngong Ping 360
Hong Kong’s famous Ngong Ping 360 cable car is another fun way to get to one of the city’s most famous sights; spanning just shy of 6km, the cable car offers panoramic views of the city and mountains, and ends at the Big Buddha.
The entire ride takes around 25 mins and offers views you just can’t experience anywhere else in Hong Kong. Be sure to bring your camera along to make the absolute most of this jaw-dropping experience.
There are different experiences here though, and you can buy tickets for the regular cable cars, or a glass bottom cable car; kids tend to love the glass bottom cable car, though just be cautious of this if they’re scared of heights.
Take Them Temple Hopping
Hong Kong is full of Temples, and this is a fantastic way to immerse your children in culture, living history, and get the educational benefits of a museum without them feeling like they’re in one (if you are looking for museums though, the Hong Kong Science Museum is a great one).
Some of the best and most beautiful temples in Hong Kong include Chi Lin Nunnery, Miu Fat Buddhist Monastery, Tsing Shan Monastery, and the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery, which has around around 12,800 Buddha statues (see how many your kids can count before they get bored!)
There’s also Po Lin Monastery, Wong Tai Sin Temple, and Yuk Hui Temple, with an iron sword, a golden crown made of 20 ounces of gold and a Pak Tai statue, which kids should find very cool.
Take some pen and paper with you and have a drawing competition to see who can write the temples names in Chinese; for instance, Po Lin Monastery 宝莲禅寺.
Hong Kong Zoo & Botanical Gardens
Hong Kong park is a great little nature excusrion with kids, but to see some of the world’s most colourful birds, cheeky monkeys, and stoic reptiles, you’ll want to Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens.
This is a great attraction for all ages, allowing everyone to explore the gardens’ oldest trees, seasonal flowering plants, and all the curious creepers that call the HKZBG’s greenhouse home.
For fans of history, the gardens are also home to some must-see heritage statues, sculptures, a big and beautiful water fountain, and the Chinese War Memorial, originally erected in 1928.
Hong Kong Disney
You can’t have a list of things to do in Hong Kong for kids without including Disney!
Of all the Disneyland parks around the world, Disneyland in Hong Kong is actually the smallest. But don’t let this park’s smaller size fool you.
Disneyland Hong Kong is home to some of the most imaginative themed rides, including the show-stopping Mystic Manor and the 3D-motion Iron Man Experience simulator. And most experiences and narration are in English.
Hong Kong is an incredible destination for families, from the food to the culture, to the people that make up this vibrant urban destination.
There are plenty more things to do, including the Art of Chocolate Museum, riding a Hong Kong junk, and spending time at the beaches. Use this guide to get you started with planning your itinerary, and add more based on your family’s particular interests.
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