I traveled through Hong Kong with a friend and had a 21-hour layover.

Below is an in-depth breakdown of the trip as well as some things I learned along the way.

Trip Details

Trip Dates: November 1-2, 2025

Main Places Visited:

• Hong Kong (duh)

Total Cost: $243

Cost Breakdown:

• One night at Four Points By Sheraton Hong Kong, Tung Chung: $102/person
• Roundtrip airport express to downtown: $25/person (purchased on Klook)
• Food: $47/person
• TramOramic Tour (Hong Kong Tram Tour): $17/person (purchased on Klook)
• Peak Tramway (ride back down only) + Sky Terrace: $20
• Luggage storage for seven hours at Hong Kong airport for my two pieces: $32

Itinerary

November 1

• Land in Hong Kong at 9:55 p.m.
  • We went through customs which was super fast.
• 11:15 p.m. hop on the 10-minute free shuttle to the Sheraton
  • It took us a minute to find the shuttles. We had to ask for directions from an airport info desk and then call the hotel for pick up.
• Midnight — lights out.

November 2

• Depart hotel for airport on hotel shuttle at 6:45 a.m.
  • We did it this way to maximize our time in Hong Kong. The express train shaved off 40-minutes of travel one way.
• 7:04 a.m. check bags at luggage storage at Hong Kong airport (terminal 1, arrivals hall, all the way at the end)
• 7:20 a.m. board the express train from airport (24 minutes)
  • Tip: Look to see if tickets are cheaper on Klook! Also, buying them online saves you from standing in line.
• 7:44 a.m. arrive at downtown Hong Kong.
• 8 a.m. Central Mid Level Escalators
  • About a 15-minute walk from the train station. You want to go up a level above the streets as that’s where the pedestrian walkways are.
  • Unfortunately, the escalators were going down so we took the stairs all the way up.
• We continued walking up to Victoria Peak, about a one-hour hike. It is a steep uphill. We got turned around once or twice as signage isn’t clear in every spot, but people could tell we were lost and helped.
  • Breakfast at Starbucks at the top — always fun to see what they serve in other countries.
  • Tip: Visit Sky Terrace 428! While it costs money vs. the free terrace across the way, it has great views. Plus, they had a Disney exhibit up on the Terrace while we were there, which I loved.
  • Tip: Ride the Peak Tramway back down. We hardly had to wait and when we arrived to the bottom, there were masses of people waiting to go up. Oh, and sit in the front on the way down! Those are the only seats facing forward.
• 10:30 a.m. Hong Kong Park and Zoological/Botanical Gardens
  • Tip: Go to both. They are free and offer gorgeous plant life, dozens of animal exhibits and the park has an aviary.
• 12 p.m. Drink and lunch at Dragon Fly
  • It’s a really neat looking bar. It’s confusing to get too with the walking directions as it’s off a small side street in a pedestrian area, but use your Google Maps and head in the direction of the dot. You’ll find your way!
• 1:45 p.m. ride the Ding Ding Tramoramic
  • This is a one-hour tour. You ride a 1920s Ding Ding through the streets of Hong Kong.
  • Book it? I have pros and cons. The cons are the audio skipped stories sometimes and we got stuck in traffic a lot. The pros are it’s super cheap and you see more of the city then you would have in the hour you have left. And you get a free Ding Ding pass that lasts for two days. I’m glad I did it, but I wouldn’t do it again.
• 3 p.m. Causeway (where tour ends) to Pottinger Street (about 25 minutes) on regular Ding Ding (which is free with the tour)
• 3:40 p.m. airport express to airport
  • Grabbing our luggage and getting through security maybe took 30 minutes.
• Depart Hong Kong at 6:20 p.m.