Hong Kong is a busy place, but how much can you fit into one day? With tons to do and not much time, we wanted to see as much as we could from sunrise to sunset. We had an amazing day, so join us as we explore everything we can in this unique city in just one day.
Choi Hung Estates Basketball Courts
The Choi Hung Estates Basketball Courts are a brightly colored recreation area located in the middle of an apartment block. Choi Hung means rainbow in Cantonese, so it’s easy to see how it earned its name. The buildings surrounding the courts are over 60 years old, and due to Hong Kong’s constant rain, the colors are a bit more faded than you see in pictures. These basketball courts are located in Ngau Chi Wan and is very accessible by subway. It became a very popular photo spot because of Instagram.
Remember, there are residents living here so be respectful, quiet, and quick if visiting. When we visited there wasn’t anyone there because it was pouring rain. We didn’t get the bright beautiful pictures you normally see, but the rain made it extra moody so it was worth it.
Coffee and Laundry
Coffee and Laundry is exactly what it sounds like. This is a 24-hour self-operated laundry mat. There is also a coffee shop inside which is open 8am to 5pm on weekdays and on weekends from 9am to 6pm. Don’t be fooled by its small size, the coffee that they serve is certainly specialty. Michael got a pour over and I got an iced chai latte, and we were SO SATISIFIED with our drinks.
For my non-coffee drinkers, there are many options like honey lemonade, chocolate sea salt, and more, it was hard for me to make a decision. There is not much seating except at the window sill and some standing tables outside, as guests aren’t intended to linger for long. It’s a great place to double-task by getting your laundry done and having a great cup of coffee while enjoying the immaculate vibe.
Also, the artwork on the cups was the most adorable thing ever. The entire shop was super cute, and the owner was so kind to us as well. Even though it’s slightly out of the way from the rest of the itinerary, if you have the time or are in the area this is one of our favorite shops in Asia.
Kwan Yu Roasted Meat
We found this Cantonese Restaurant through Mark Wein’s YouTube channel. His videos are great sources for finding great local restaurants. We ordered the same menu as him because it looked so delicious and I’d never had those foods before. Also, their menu is in Chinese so I couldn’t read it. There weren’t many English speakers there, but luckily the cashier could speak English and she helped us order an appropriate amount of meat. We have never eaten at a meat shop so we didn’t know how to order, and we would have ordered way too much.
We got char siu, soy sauce pigeon, and roast pork. The char siu was personally our favorite as it has a great balance of sweet and savory pork. Also, we never had eaten pigeon so we thought this would be a good place to try it. I really enjoyed the taste but I found it a bit challenging because it’s hard to get the meat off the bone. This was definitely one of our favorite restaurants and we still talk about it months later.
NOC Coffee Co
NOC Coffee Co is a true specialty coffee shop and eatery. They offer brunch, toasts, and specials. Their menu changes seasonally because they use fresh ingredients. This is a great eatery for people with dietary restrictions. The interior is just as calm as it is beautiful and simplistic.
Additionally, there are several locations around Hong Kong so if you have time check one out. We just ate breakfast so we decided to split a meal. Michael ordered a flat white and I ordered a passion fruit tea and got the avocado toast with sliced avo, basil, and paprika on sourdough. To say that we liked it is an understatement. Hong Kong is amazing, both Chinese and Western alike.
Ngong Ping Village
This quaint little village is located on Lantau Island near the airport. It is filled with restaurants, entertainment, and shopping. This is a very popular tourist area, if you just want a leisurely stroll to see the sights, two hours is enough time. You could easily spend a half day or more here if you’re really chilling out. However, we just wanted to see the iconic Big Buddha, so we only scheduled an hour.
We arrived at the village via cable car. This is a very iconic 25-minute cable car ride through the mountains. They have several “premium” options like crystal and crystal plus which have clear bottoms and sides respectively, But standard provided us with just what we needed: transportation! The village is quite challenging to get to, and buses take much longer. The cable car station is a short walk from the subway, so it’s the most convenient option for sure, and even the standard cable car has incredible views.
The Big Buddha
Once we arrived we headed straight to see the Big Buddha. To get up there you have to take a set of 270 stairs. It isn’t too difficult and takes about 10 minutes. We saw people of various ages go up these stairs, and there is an accessible road up the back so have no worries. When you reach the top there is a small museum underneath the Buddha, but you are not allowed to take pictures. There is a great view of the monastery and mountains on one side, and the ocean on the back side.
We spent about 30 minutes walking around and exploring the top. We really enjoyed the simplistic beauty that it had to offer. According to their tourism site, The “imparting fearlessness” mudra of the right hand indicates compassion to save all sentient beings from their sufferings; the “fulfilling wishes” mudra of the left hand resting on the lap, implies the vow to grant blessing and happiness to all.
We enjoyed being able to see another Buddha statue in a different country. It has been really interesting to us to see all the different messages that they symbolize.
Kwan Kee Bamboo Noodle
This Michelin bib gourmand restaurant was another find by Mark Weins. Kwan Kee Bamboo Noodle is famous for their noodles hand-kneaded by bamboo poles. This is one of the few restaurants that still practice the art of bamboo kneading. We ordered two plates of noodles as we were very hungry. The difference between ours is that Michael had abalone in his. The owner also explained how to add the sauce. Sometimes it feels embarrassing not knowing how to eat certain foods but it’s okay. Thankfully, the owner was really nice and super helpful.
Best of all there is a special employee translated from Cantonese his name is “Number One”. He is just a good boy and loves helping the owner. The noodles tasted good but I have never had dry noodles like that before so it took me a while to eat. We were also entertained by Number One as he went around to see if everything was okay. The craft of bamboo-kneaded noodles is apparently dying, so we recommend you support these businesses if you can.
Montane Mansion
Montane Mansion, also known as the “Monster Building” from Transformers: Age of Extinction. This is a very popular spot for tourists for Instagram and photography. This is a residential area as well so be quiet and respectful, there have been complaints of tourists being noisy and disrespectful. On the bottom floor, there are hair shops, (%) Arabica Coffee, and several other restaurants and stores. If you are going to visit I strongly advise going to one of the shops to support the local area, and not just using the residential area as a tourist spot.
Hong Kong Observation Wheel
Hong Kong Observation Wheel is a great place to see the beautiful views of the city day or night. We decided to visit at night because we love city lights. The observation wheel is located in Central, the business district of Hong Kong. The wheel has many gondolas with glass bottom floors. It’s pretty cheap to ride and you get to go around 3 times which is about 15 minutes.
While we were walking towards the wheel we heard loud music and fans cheering. As we walked up closer we saw light sticks and we knew there was a concert. We had no idea who it was but we liked the sound, and people were lining up at the observation wheel to see the concert. After some squinting trying to read people’s merchandise I read it was MayDay.
One Google search later I learned they are a Taiwanese rock band of 17 years. We just happened to be at the right place at the right time to hear their music. Even though we didn’t understand the lyrics, we really enjoyed the sound. As we got in our gondola, we were able to see the stage and the massive crowd. It was definitely one of the coolest views of a concert I have seen. Yes, the view of the city was stunning as well, but when else would you randomly see MayDay perform?!
OZONE Rooftop Bar
Ozone is the highest rooftop bar in the world located on the 118th floor on the Ritz-Carlton. I recommend dressing smart casual because there is a code such as no flip flops, sleeveless shirts, etc. We made a reservation in advance but because of our tight schedule most of the city lights were off by the time we arrived.
We couldn’t get outdoor seating until we arrived, and be aware if you sit outside you have to spend a minimum of $500 HK per guest. This was a splurge for us but we weren’t sure if we’d ever get to visit again. The outside deck is fine, but we’ve been to many rooftop bars and I would rate this as the least impressive. The interior lounge is quite nice, but the outdoor section hardly feels like a rooftop or balcony. You can’t see the edge at all, we enjoyed the ones in Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, and Shanghai much more. I wouldn’t recommend sitting outside because of the high price and less than stellar atmosphere, but otherwise, it’s a very nice bar.
Transportation
Before we end, let’s talk about how we got around. Public transit in East Asia is usually awesome, but Hong Kong takes it to the next level. With its small size and huge population, moving people around quickly is super important. Thanks to the great transit, we never saw traffic jams, so we were never late.
Hong Kong transit is just ICONIC. The red cabs are everywhere and you can even book them on UBER. They’re usually really nice, and we had only great experiences. The red cabs definitely add to the city’s vibe. Plus, there are double-decker tram cars running the length of Hong Kong Island. We didn’t use them much since there’s also a subway line, but they’re still super cool.
Of course, there’s a big subway network with lots of useful connections. We mostly took the subway, and it was super easy and fast. You can get an Octopus card at the info desk or a convenience store, and it comes with some pre-loaded fare. We never had to refill ours, but if you need to, you can do it at convenience stores or machines near the gate.
Final Thoughts
Hong Kong is an incredible city, but we knew that already. What’s most impressive is just how much you can do in a day. Thanks to the small footprint and tons of stuff to do, we had an amazing day all around the city. I feel like we were able to get a good feel for what Hong Kong is like, and we would go back happily. I hope this helps you plan out your Hong Kong adventure!