Hong Kong Beyond the Skyline
Advice for anyone discovering the city for the first time.
I have been to Hong Kong many times, yet it took a question from one of my students to make me realise I had never written about it.
She is heading there for an internship and asked what I could tell her My first thought was, quite a lot. My second was, where do I start?
Hong Kong brings so many images to mind the skyline across Victoria Harbour, ferries weaving between boats, double-decker trams and streets where there always seems to be something happening.
But she will be arriving to work, with sightseeing fitted around her responsibilities. She does not speak the local language and will need time to find her feet.
So, this is my answer to her start small, choose the things that interest you and let some of your discoveries happen along the way. Hong Kong has plenty to offer without turning every day off into an endurance event.
Finding your feet without speaking Cantonese
The language difference can feel daunting before you arrive. Even buying lunch requires a little more thought when you cannot read the menu or explain what you want.
Fortunately, English has an established place in Hong Kong. Chinese and English are official languages, and many signs and menus are bilingual. Cantonese is the main spoken language, so you will still encounter situations where a translation app and some patient pointing come in handy. www.discoverhongkong.com
Save your accommodation and workplace addresses in English and Chinese, preferably as screenshots as well as map locations. Being able to show someone where you need to go removes a surprising amount of stress.
For my student, who comes from Vietnam and lives in Da Nang, getting around Hong Kong will be an experience in itself. In Da Nang, motor scooters dominate the streets, and there is no MTR or tram network, or regular commuter ferries to carry you across the city. Hong Kong’s trains, buses, trams and ferries will take a little getting used to.
An Octopus card makes paying fares easier across much of that network. My advice would be to start with the journey between her accommodation and workplace, then try other routes as her confidence grows. There is no need to understand the entire transport map on the first day.
For the first few days, concentrate on the basics your journey to work, somewhere to buy groceries and a couple of places where you can comfortably order a meal.
Victoria Harbour: where I would begin
For an early outing, I would suggest Victoria Harbour. The Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront gives you that famous view towards Hong Kong Island, with buildings crowded along the water and rising behind one another. It is somewhere to stroll, take photographs and pause long enough to appreciate where you are.
Then take the Star Ferry across to Central. These familiar green-and-white ferries are part of the city’s transport network, but for a visitor the crossing is an experience in itself. www.discoverhongkong.com
There is something about seeing a city from the water that helps it fall into place. The buildings become a little less overwhelming, and you get a sense of how the two sides relate to each other.
This would suit a shorter break, depending on where you are staying. A waterfront walk, a ferry crossing and something to eat can make a satisfying outing without requiring a complicated plan.
I would also try to see the harbour after dark at some point. The view has a different character once the buildings are lit, and it gives you a good reason to return.
The Peak: choose a day when you can see it
Victoria Peak is another famous sight I would put on the list. Looking over the city from above gives you an appreciation of its scale that you cannot quite get at street level.
The Peak Tram is a well-known way to travel up, with the steep journey forming part of the attraction. www.discoverhongkong.com My main advice is to watch the weather. If the hills are disappearing into cloud, save your visit for another day if you can. There is limited satisfaction in travelling up to admire a view that has temporarily vanished.
Allow time for the journey and possible queues, then enjoy being there. Find a viewpoint, take your photographs and have a look around. For someone working during the week, this is an outing I would keep for a free afternoon when there is no need to keep checking the time.
A tram ride with no grand ambition
Some of the best sightseeing happens while you are on your way somewhere. Hong Kong Island’s double-decker trams, known affectionately as ding dings, offer a chance to watch the streets from a different perspective. www.discoverhongkong.com
Pick a straightforward route, check where you intend to get off and settle in. From an upstairs seat, if you can get one, you can watch shops, crossings and everyday activity passing below. This is the sort of outing that appeals after a busy working day. You are exploring, but nobody expects you to achieve very much.
There is pleasure in seeing a place going about its ordinary business. People buy dinner, wait for transport and hurry home. Gradually, the city becomes more than a collection of attractions.
Disneyland: give yourself permission to enjoy it
Yes, I would include Hong Kong Disneyland among the possibilities. There is no age limit on enjoying a little escapism, and spending a day somewhere designed to make people smile sounds a reasonable reward after a demanding week.
The park includes attractions such as Mystic Manor and Frozen Ever After, with different experiences to suit different interests. www.hongkongdisneyland.com I would set aside a full day if Disney is something you particularly want to do. Once you include travelling, walking, meals and queues, the hours can disappear quickly.
Check the official calendar and ticket requirements before booking, then choose a handful of priorities. Trying to squeeze every possible attraction into the day can turn fun into a scheduling exercise. And if Disney holds no appeal, leave it off your list. A famous attraction is still a choice.
Ocean Park: a different kind of day out
Ocean Park offers another option, combining animal exhibits, an aquarium and amusement attractions. Its cable car connects the Waterfront and Summit areas, making the journey between sections part of the visit. oceanpark.com.hk
Disneyland might appeal for its characters, stories and themed surroundings. Ocean Park may be more interesting if she prefers the aquarium, animal exhibits and coastal setting.
Either deserves some time. Before committing, look at the current attractions and operating arrangements, consider the admission cost and decide which feels worth a precious day off.
There is no prize for visiting both. You are allowed to come home with things still on your list.
Lantau Island and the Big Buddha
For a change of scenery, I would consider an outing to Ngong Ping on Lantau Island.
The Ngong Ping 360 cable car travels from Tung Chung towards Ngong Ping Village, passing over water and green hills. Nearby are the Big Buddha and Po Lin Monastery a different setting from the streets and skyscrapers people tend to picture first. www.discoverhongkong.com
One practical detail reaching the Big Buddha’s upper platform involves 268 steps. If that climb does not suit you, you can appreciate the statue from below. I would give this outing a generous part of the day, allowing for travel from your accommodation and time to look around. Check the weather and cable car arrangements before setting off.
It is a good reminder that Hong Kong has more variety than its skyline suggests. Sometimes a change of surroundings is exactly what you need after a week indoors.
Let your colleagues introduce you to lunch
Food is one of the easiest ways to begin exploring, although the first unfamiliar menu can make that claim feel questionable. Start somewhere approachable. Photographs, translated menus and recommendations can help while you build confidence.
For someone on an internship, colleagues are an obvious source of local knowledge. Where do you usually go for lunch? is a simple question that might lead to a favourite meal, an invitation or a useful introduction to the neighbourhood.
And some evenings, after concentrating all day, choosing something familiar will be enough. Dinner does not always need to broaden your horizons. Occasionally, it just needs to arrive.
Explore according to the day you have
With limited free time, I would keep a few ideas ready rather than build a rigid itinerary. A spare evening might suit dinner in a nearby neighbourhood or a waterfront walk. A free afternoon could be enough for a tram outing or the Peak, depending on your starting point and the queues. A full day gives you room for a theme park or a Lantau visit.
Choose one main thing, work out how to get there and leave some room around it.There will be days when you feel adventurous and days when you want to stay close to home. Both belong in the experience of living and working somewhere new.
It is also worth exploring the area around your accommodation properly. The small bakery, the busy café and the park you pass on the way to work may never appear on a sightseeing list, but they are the places that can make your stay feel personal.
The Hong Kong you bring home
When my student asked about Hong Kong, I immediately thought of places to send her. The harbour, the Peak, the parks and the views all deserved a mention. But an internship gives her something a short holiday often cannot time to become familiar with a small part of the city.
She will have the chance to return to places, recognise faces and discover what she likes without needing a recommendation for everything. One day, someone behind a counter might remember her order. She might help another newcomer find the right platform. A place that once felt confusing will have become part of her routine.
So yes, take the ferry. See the view. Spend a day with Mickey Mouse if that makes you happy. And when you come back, tell me what you found.
I have been to Hong Kong many times, Hong Kong may feel overwhelming when she first arrives. Coming from Da Nang, she will have unfamiliar transport to navigate, a new workplace to settle into and a language she does not speak.
But she will also have the satisfaction of discovering what she can do. The first journey to work on her own. The first meal ordered without help. The first afternoon she heads somewhere simply because she wants to see it.
That is what I hope she brings home alongside the photographs: confidence earned through doing things that once made her nervous. So take the ferry, admire the skyline and spend a day at Disneyland if you wish. Give yourself time to enjoy the place you have worked hard to reach.
And when you return to Da Nang, we can sit down together and talk about Hong Kong again. This time, I will be the one asking the questions.
Love MyLifestyle #Sheridan-Leigh
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About the Author:
Sheridan-Leigh is the passionate voice behind the MyLifestyle Blog, where life is celebrated with vibrant stories and insightful travel tips. With a deep love for slow travel, she believes in truly experiencing each destination, creating connections beyond the surface. Her blog is a blend of personal stories, expert advice, and a philosophy that life is for living to the fullest and is rich with opportunities for growth and adventure. Join Sheridan-Leigh as she shares her journey, inspiring others to embrace life, travel deeply, and live fully.
