Hong Kong, a vibrant metropolis where East meets West, is the perfect blend of bustling city life, a diverse culinary scene, serene nature and rich cultural history. It is also, as it turns out, a great destination for a family holiday, with plenty to keep both adults and children entertained!
My daughter was 16 months at the time of our trip and we went in early April to avoid the extreme heat of the summer months. We also travelled with my husband's mother, 2 sisters, brother-in-law and 19-month-old niece. It was my daughter's first long-haul flight, and despite it being a rather stressful experience, we ended up having a great trip exploring what Hong Kong has to offer.
Here are some of my top tips for visiting Hong Kong with young children.
Explore the beaches
Sandy beaches and crystal clear water might not be the first thing that springs to mind when you think of Hong Kong, but it is an island after all and therefore has plenty of beaches to explore, many of which are only a 20 minute drive from the city centre! This is the perfect break after busying around in the city centre, and our daughter loved being able to run around freely and cool down in the water. We went to two beaches on the southeastern side of Hong Kong Island, Shek O Beach and Big Wave Bay Beach, both easily accessed either by taxi or public transport.
Shek O Beach is one of the city's most popular beaches, known for its golden sand and clear water, surrounded by lush green hills and dramatic rocky cliffs. It's the perfect break on a hot day for swimming, sunbathing or a beachside barbecue. The nearby Shek O village is a charming place with narrow streets and colourful houses, as well as local eateries and street food.
Big Wave Bay Beach is essentially the beach one bay up from Shek O. This little hidden gem is quieter and more secluded than other more popular beaches, and as the name suggests it also has excellent surfing conditions, especially in the autumn months.
Take a hike
Hong Kong is surrounded by mountains and there is an abundance of hiking trails to choose from if you’re feeling up for it – from beginner friendly hikes to more strenuous trails, there is something for everyone. As it was out first proper hike with our daughter, we decided to opt for a more beginner friendly hike and do the Dragon’s Back Trail. It owes its name to the undulating ridge-line, making it resemble the spine of a dragon. The 8.5 kilometre trail is moderately challenging with portions of both steep climbs and gentle descents.
This is definitely not pram friendly, so you will need to bring a sling or a baby back carrier.
I would recommend going early to avoid the hottest hours of the day - and make sure to bring a lot of water! The first part of the hike is the most strenuous with both steep climbs and descents and very little shade. This part of the hike is definitely the most picturesque, with panoramic views of Hong Kong Island and the South China Sea. The second part is a gentle descent mainly in the shade that leads all the way down to Big Wave Bay Beach where you can enjoy a well-deserved swim - the perfect way to end a hike!
Go for a day trip to Lamma Island
A 50-minute ferry trip takes you away from the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong's Central district, to the quaint and peaceful Lamma island. Known for its laid-back atmosphere, the island features scenic hiking trails, beautiful beaches and charming fishing villages. It's a popular escape into nature for tourists and locals alike.
Take the ferry to Sok Kwu Wan Pier and enjoy a lovely lunch at one of the many seafood restaurants by the water (there is also a playground on the pier, so the perfect play break for little ones before exploring the island!), then hike the family trail that traverses the island and finish in the small but vibrant village of Yung Shue Wan, which has a diverse community of artists and expats.
The family trail takes about an hour and is paved all the way, so it is technically pram friendly, however it is hilly with quite steep ascents and descents at times, so you might want to consider a baby carrier. You can stop at one the many beaches along the way for a break (I would recommend Hung Shing Yeh Wan Beach for convenience as it is right on the trail and has good amenities like showers, toilets and a couple of shops) before getting the ferry back to Hong Kong Island from Yung Shue Wan.
Enjoy a break in Victoria Park
There are many playgrounds scattered about the city, providing perfect pit stops for your child whilst exploring what the city has to offer. We stayed near Victoria Park, which is centrally located in Causeway Bay and one of Hong Kong's largest urban parks. The park has several playgrounds, each with different slides, swings and climbing frames, providing endless entertainment for kids of all ages. The park also has tennis courts, basketball courts, a swimming pool and jogging paths, making it a popular spot for locals at all hours of the day (we would sometimes come late at night when it was a bit cooler, and even then the park was busy with people playing sports, dog walkers and even kids playing at the playground!).
It is also a popular venue for events, such as the annual Mid-Autumn Festival lantern display and Lunar New Year Flower Market. During our stay there was a basketball tournament which was open to the public, so the park was full of food stalls and we watched a couple of games. By the end of our trip, we were basically locals here!
Take the funicular up to Victoria Peak
Victoria Peak, or simply "The Peak" is Hong Kong's most iconic vantage point with panoramic views of the city's skyline, Victoria Harbour and outlying islands. If you're feeling brave, you can hike up to the top, or you can catch the Peak Tram and enjoy stellar views all the way up the top. The Peak Tram costs HK$108 return/adult and HK$54 return/child (under 3's go free). At the top, there is a platform where you can take in the scenic views, there are also several restaurants and shops as well as a couple of hiking trails if you want to explore further.
Our daughter enjoyed running around the upstairs platform (there are lifts all the way up, however they were a little bit difficult to find as you had to cross the shopping centre to get to the top) and there was also a small arcade in the shopping centre where she loved playing.
Explore the Police Married Quarters
The former Police Married Quarters (PMQ) is a creative hub in Central, showcasing some of Hong Kong's best crafts and design. Originally built as the residential quarters for married police officers, the buildings have since been reformed and today it is a thriving space featuring boutiques, studios, galleries and eateries celebrating local craftsmanship and innovation.
Admittedly, I did this one on my own whilst my husband took our daughter to see family, but this could be a good nap-time activity if your child still naps – the buildings have lifts going up to every floor so it would definitely be doable with a pram! The area is also very trendy, full of quirky expat shops, artisan coffee places and a variety of restaurants. If you're a fan of the cult classic Chungking Express, this is where the second part of the film was largely shot!
Go to one of the night markets
Although the markets in Hong Kong are not as abundant as they used to be due to new restrictions requiring a licence for street food vendors, there are still a couple of night markets on so I would recommend visiting at least one of them. We visited the Temple Street Night Market (Jordan station) and the Ladies' Market (Mongkok), both on mainland Hong Kong. You can buy everything from food, snacks and desserts to bags, clothes and souvenirs, and it's a fun and bustling environment to soak up some of the local culture.
We decided to go early on our trip to make use of the jet lag - this might be a little controversial as most of the advice I read prior to going was to try and adjust your child to the local time zone as quickly as possible, but we found that this worked for us and it meant we could have a few evenings eating out and exploring (we even took her to the playground a couple of evenings), before our daughter naturally went back to her normal routine.
Disneyland on Lantau Island
If you are travelling with older kids, this one should definitely be on your list! Situated on Lantau Island just a short ferry ride from central Hong Kong, the theme park offers a blend of classic Disney magic mixed with local cultural elements. There are seven themed lands, including Adventureland, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland, each filled with attractions, live entertainment, and beloved Disney characters.
Lantau Island is the largest island in Hong Kong and has a lot to offer so you might even want to stay here a night or two. There are numerous sights around the island - check out the iconic landmark Tian Tan Buddha, visit one of the beaches, or take a ride on the Ngong Ping 360 cable car.
As our daughter was only 16 months when we were in Hong Kong, we decided to skip it this time as we didn't feel like she would be able to fully enjoy it yet, but I'm sure we will come here next time we are visiting!
Top things I noted visiting Hong Kong with a toddler
No kids car seats - car seats for children aren't really a thing in Hong Kong, so for taxi journeys our daughter ended up sitting on our laps. We ended up taking taxis to a lot of places as it was cheap and a quick way to get around (especially since we were a larger group), however if you are not comfortable having your child in your lap, most places are easily accessed by public transport.
Public transport - You can get almost anywhere by public transport, however it's not always the easiest with a pram. For the underground, some of the bigger stations had lifts going all the way down, and the ones that hadn't, tended to have escalators all the way up/down. For buses, there are 2 types in Hong Kong - normal buses and small buses that are more like mini buses, so for the latter you would need a foldable pram if you wanted to bring it onboard. Same goes for the tram as it tended to get very busy and was quite tight with steps to get on and off.
Kids food and snacks - In general I found supermarkets to be very well stocked in terms of kids food, snacks and nappies. Our daughter is a big fan of Asian food (half-Asian as she is!) so she was living her best life, but for more picky eaters, eating out in some places could potentially be an issue.
Very hot weather - Hong Kong is humid and can get very hot, so I would plan accordingly. The summer months are the hottest months, but even when we went in April temperatures were north of 30°C everyday.
Safe city - Hong Kong felt like a very safe city, even at nighttime. As mentioned, we even went to the park a few evenings and it was just as busy as in the daytime!
All in all I would say Hong Kong was a great destination for a kids holiday - it was easy to get around, people were extremely friendly and helpful and there was plenty to do for children and adults alike!
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