If you’ve been following along on our girls’ trip, my friend, Kelly, my cousin, Melanie, and I, spent three days in Hong Kong in the spring. Our trip started with:
- Hong Kong Day 1: Nan Lian Garden, Chi Lin Nunnery, hiking Lion Rock, visiting a cat cafe, riding the Star Ferry, watching the Symphony of Lights
- Hong Kong Day 2: Lantau Island (Big Buddha & Po Lin Monastery), exploring, eating, & drinking in Central
But the third and final day of our girls’ weekend in Hong Kong was probably my favorite! Victoria Peak, Dragon’s Back, and Shek-O Beach: three amazing Hong Kong sites. The first is a super common tourist destination, and the latter two require a bit of a jaunt outside the main city. Here’s a look at how we fit all of this into one day:
3 Days in Hong Kong – Our Day 3 Itinerary:
Hiking Dragon’s Back:
We started the day around 8:00 am catching a taxi for the approximately 20 minute ride from Wan Chai to the start of the Dragon’s Back hike at To Tei Wan bus stop. While we opted for a taxi, you can also get here via public transport. Hop on the MTR to Shau Kei Wan MTR Station, exit A3. Then take the number 9 minibus for about half an hour and get off at To Tei Wan bus stop. It was worth it for us to pay for a taxi given our limited time in Hong Kong, but do whatever works for your budget!
You’ll know you’re at the start of the hike if you see this sign pointing the way:
The beginning of the climb takes you up a path surrounded by bushes and shrubs. Once you start to get high enough, be sure to turn around and admire the view looking back over Tai Tam Bay.
You’ll continue up the mountain over (mostly) easy terrain with some steps and rocky ground to navigate. Once you near the top of the ridge, the views make it all worth it. Even on the fairly hazy day of our hike, we were greeted with a gorgeous payoff for the workout!
We did the trail as an out and back turing around once we reached Shek O Peak. You could, however, continue on the trail all the way to Shek-O Beach. It really depends on the time you have to dedicate to the hike!
Shek-O Beach
After we got back to where we began the Dragon’s Back hike, our next stop was Shek-O Beach. To get there, we waited for the bus #9 and rode it about 10 minutes. The cost is less than HK$10 and you can pay with your Octopus card. Shek-O Beach is the last stop on the bus route.
The Shek-O Beach backdrop is stunning with lush green mountains overlooking Island Bay. If you’re planning to stay awhile, you can rent an umbrella and chair. We just walked along the beach and put our feet in the water for a bit since we didn’t bring bathing suits on the hike.
Cococabana restaurant on the beach opens at 11:00 am (on weekdays) and we were the first to grab a table. We ordered a pitcher of piña coladas (yes, a pitcher!) to cool down after the hike and beach time. Interestingly for a Hong Kong beach restaurant named Cococabana which gives Brazilian vibes, this restaurant serves mostly Mediterranean-inspired dishes. Nonetheless it didn’t disappoint. We shared the Meze platter with a selection of Turkish tapas (hummus, baba ganoush, stuffed grape leaves, feta, grilled bread). It was YUM!
Victoria Peak
After our morning hike and beach time, we took a taxi back to Wan Chai to change clothes and relax for a short bit. About an hour later we were back at it, with one remaining major site to see before we wrapped up our time in Hong Kong: Victoria Peak!
Cable Car & Peak Tower
The most exciting (and popular) way to get to Victoria Peak is taking the cable car. We recommend booking in advance to ensure you have a ticket. The Peak Tram ride lasts about 10 minutes and ascends just under 400 meters. It operates from 7:30 am to 11:00 pm. Tickets start at HK$108 for adults. I recommend splurging for the “ruby special” ticket with priority lane access so you can avoid the long line, especially if you’re going at peak hours (pun intended).
When you exit the tram at the top, you’ll be inside Peak Tower and I have to say this was my least favorite part of the experience. Peak Tower is a multi-story building with restaurants (chains like Bubba Gump Shrimp and Burger King, and a few other local concepts) and shopping (candy shop, toys, that type of thing). There’s also a Madame Tussauds and some other activities like a selfie studio. You can also pay extra to view the city from Sky Terrace 428, deemed the highest viewing platform in Hong Kong. Overall, my thoughts on Peak Tower: giant tourist trap.
But after riding several escalators and maneuvering around dozens (maybe hundreds?) of tourists, we finally reached the outside viewing platform (the one that comes with regular tickets, not the Sky Terrace). The spectacular view of Hong Kong minimized some of the stress getting through Peak Tower!
We asked numerous people to take our photo expecting to have the gorgeous view in the background… and every single person took our photo just like the below. We had to just laugh about it!
Outside Peak Tower
When we couldn’t take the crowds any longer, we began the search to find the exit. I don’t know if it was actually difficult or we just somehow missed the signs, but we wandered inside Peak Tower for probably 10-15 minutes trying to figure out how to escape.
Outside the Tower, there are several other attractions for visitors including a large mall (Peak Galleria). Also, in the square between Peak Tower and Galleria, there is a display with one of the historic cable cars.
Peak Lookout restaurant is conveniently located a little back from all the hubbub with a large banyan tree providing some shade on the patio. We stopped in for a break and a quick bite before hiking the Peak trail.
Walking the Victoria Peak Trail
My favorite part of the Peak experience was walking the Victoria Peak Trail. The full loop is only about two miles and is an easy walk. It takes about 45 minutes to an hour depending on how often you stop for photos. We went clockwise starting from Harlech Road. This well shaded and fairly quiet trail takes you past some picnic areas, as well as a small waterfall.
Keep an eye out for wild boar. Seeing them was probably the most exciting part of the walk for me! They shouldn’t bother you and just go about their business as long as you keep your distance and admire them from afar.
Once you get around the loop to the Lugard Road side of the trail, the city will start coming into view. Personally, I think these views were even more spectacular than from the viewing platform at Peak Tower!
One Last Hong Kong Sleep!
And that wraps up our three days in Hong Kong. It sure was a whirlwind but worth every second we spent sightseeing. The following morning we woke up early for our flight to Taiwan and the next leg of our trip. I’ll share more about that adventure soon!
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