Hong Kong is a great city with lots of sights, sounds, smells, people and places. It is picturesque at night, during the day, from way up high and down to street level, in the business areas and in the streets where people live. We had a blast visiting as much as we could; here are links to the posts so far, with this one closing out our trip to Hong Kong in 2026:
Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery and Nan Jian Garden
Planes, Trains, Boats, Subways, Trams, and Trolleys
Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival
The Best view of the city is at Braemar Hill Peak (skip the peak tram if you have to choose). There is a Green Bus (from near Victoria Park & the Hong Kong Libary) to take to Upper Braemar Hill and a 30-minute hike from there (if it rains, you may get muddy):
Harbor views from boats and land:
Hong Kong truly lights up at night, from both sides of the Han River:
Here are some pictures around the neighborhoods, for those wanting to see some everyday life:
We took a walk through Victoria Park amongst huge Banyan Trees, they are all over, and this one was particularly impressive.
Near our hotel was a Sikh Temple, the Khalsa Diwan Gurudwara Sahib, and we were welcomed inside to pray, which we did, and they gave me a head covering and helped put it on, and we had to remove our shoes and socks. It was very peaceful and a first time in a Sikh temple for me, and the people we met inside were friendly and kind.
We visited an old tea shop, and the proprietor gave us all the tea we could drink!
St. John’s Cathedral, near the Peak Tram entrance, is nice to stop in and appreciate the stained glass.
On our last full day we took the boat across the river and then a bus to the Hong Kong Palace Museum, which is worth a visit to see some cool historical artifacts and get out of the heat.
There are many items from Chinese history including a lot from or relating to the Forbidden Palace; wall art, beautiful calligraphy, different period clothing, earthenware, and many other objects. Also, a lot of clocks from the 1800s with British influences:
These two elephants gifted in the late 1700s, which are quite impressive.
Our final meal in Hong Kong (Jessica goes into detail) was actually Greek, and it was quite an experience that we won’t soon forget (here is us with Panthos the owner and Alfonso the general manager, from Galicia, Spain):
Honestly, I was a bit overwhelmed at first with Hong Kong, coming from Seoul, which is a much different city. After our first day, I even wanted to leave earlier than we had planned, but after getting over the initial feelings of discomfort, I came to have such a good time; it was truly an unforgettable trip to Hong Kong, and I’m glad I was able to interact with so many friendly people and see so many cool places around the city.
Next stop on this journey is a train into Guangzhou, China, get ready!
Phil's WayPastCool 