Magical Hong Kong: Things To Do On a 4-Day Family Adventure

The family have spent a well-deserved long weekend holiday in Hong Kong a few weeks ago and so I thought I could share the itinerary here in case you are planning your vacation in the country. It was a supposed itinerary because we got so excited we squeezed in the best attractions in 4 days, however, traveling with kids posed a few challenges and the weather didn’t actually cooperated with us during the trip. I’ll recount all of those here together with the resources: a 4-day itinerary, where to buy tickets to Disneyland and other attractions, and where to book your accommodation. I hope you find it helpful in planning for your next trip.

When to visit Hong Kong

Getting around Hong Kong is easier when you visit in late November towards Christmas and until February. I personally prefer to visit the country this season since November is when the transition starts from Fall to Winter and there is lesser chance of rain. The air is chilly during December to February it makes for the best season to travel, at least for me. I advise you to go there prepared for the cold air and to always check the weather forecast before you leave for the day.

Getting around Hong Kong

The train system in this country is crazy efficient. You literally don’t need any other mode of transportation because their trains can take you anywhere. Their stations and trains are clean, well-ventilated and spacious. If you’ve lived in a city called Metro Manila, I’m sure you would understand.

You just have to buy your Octopus card when you arrive in the city and you are ready to go anywhere you please. You can use the Octopus card to pay for train rides, bus rides, convenience stores and a lot more. The minimum amount you load when you buy for the first time is HKD150. The HKD50 serve as a deposit and can be refunded later when you leave Hong Kong. Children and people over 65 get a discount. Simply inform the attendant at the counter if you are buying for a companion that is eligible for the discount.

We had our tickets booked 6 months earlier and was scheduled to fly out in mid-November. Weeks before the flight, the weather forecast said it was going to be dry and cold but when we checked again a few days before the trip, the forecast showed rain clouds and cold air.

We arrived in gloomy Hong Kong on a Saturday afternoon. We had a few hours of strolling in the city before it started to rain.

We were a big group of 12 adults with 3 toddlers and an infant, and it rained non-stop the entire trip. A huge chunk of time was spent in waiting and attending to the needs of the children. I am also not going to detail the expenses here however, I will be sharing our planned itinerary for 4 days and the alternative activities/attractions we went to when the weather decided not to cooperate. 

Sample 4-day itinerary

Day 1

07:00 – ETD to HK
11:00 – Airport pick-up by private bus
12:00 – Check-in at private apartment 
13:00 – Kowloon Park, Harbour City
19:00 – Temple Market

We made sure to book the early flight so the kids can enjoy the view of the clouds outside. It was their first time to ride a plane. If your seats are not yet reserved, I suggest you go to the airport really early so you can be seated next to each other on the plane.

Since we only have the afternoon to explore the city, we opted to do a DIY walking tour of Kowloon Park and Harbour bay. These were very near our accommodation in Austin Road, a few minutes walk from Jordan station. We have also anticipated that the second day at Disneyland will be a full day activity and will be too tiring for the kids we needed to keep them well rested. They were in bed early right when we got home after the city tour.

Whereas for the adults, we maximized the time by going night shopping at Temple market in Temple street. This is also just a few corners away from Austin Road.

Going to the apartment from Hong Kong airport was convenient because we hired a private bus via our landlord. The fare was Php 1400 per person for a round trip package. More details about the accommodation below.

Day 2

09:00 – Disneyland!

Yes, the happiest place on earth deserves a whole day (two or three actually if you want to explore every site). We got the ride all you can tickets for a discounted price of Php 3400 per adult from the regular price Php 3800. We bought our discounted Disneyland tickets via Klook.

Tip: In case it rains, you can buy raincoats at Disneyland shops and counters.

Alternatives: Other attractions/places you can explore for a whole day:

• Ocean Park – this deserves a whole day too
• Macau day tour (ruins, Senado Square, Macau tower, etc.)
• Find more attractions, activities and tours here

Day 3

09:00 – Ngong Ping Cable car to Lantau Island, Big Buddha

It was raining when we reached Tung Chung station (cable car stop to Lantau Island) we decided to scrap the cable car and all other activities planned at the Island. 😔 

Alternative activity: shop at Citygate and Mong Kok. 

Apparently, Hong Kong is a shopping heaven for branded items – from shoes, clothes, bags and everything else in between. Citygate mall houses the big brands’ factory outlets for shoes, watches and clothes but if you are looking for real bargains whether it’s branded or not, then Mong Kok market is for you. 

Other things you can add to your itinerary

• Go to Madam Tussaud’s
• Go for a walking tour at Harbour Bay, Victoria Peak
• Find more attractions, activities and tours here

Day 4

09:00 – free time 
11:00 – check-out
14:00 – Private bus pick-up to airport
19:00 – ETD to Manila

Takeaways

It was the first time for the whole family to travel outside the country and it proved quite difficult with the kids and the rainy weather. If you are traveling as a big group and with kids, these few takeaways from our trip may help you:

1) If traveling with kids, pack everything you need in one carry all bag. Include all important documents here and their photocopies.

2) Bring a stroller. Kids get tired easily and it’s equally tiring for you if you carry them. Strollers have to be checked-in though.

3) Prepare way ahead. Up their supplement intake weeks or days before the trip. A different country climate can affect their immune system. 

4) Plan their meal times. Hungry babies get tired and cranky easily. Feed them as often as you can.

5) Pack disposable/plastic raincoats and carry those with you. Umbrellas are not allowed in planes but you can have those as check-in baggage.

Of course, there are other causes of delays, so do not cramp your itinerary with different activities in every few hours or so. Traveling with no pressure is more enjoyable sometimes especially when you are with family.

Booking a room for a big group

Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated cities in the world. Living spaces in this country has become so precious, a few square feet can already cost an ordinary working citizen a huge percent of his salary.

Finding a room for a group of 12 has proved to be a challenge in its own. You can either book separate hotel rooms, get a family suite, or rent a whole apartment. 

For this trip, we figured that renting a privately-owned apartment is cheaper than renting 4 hotel rooms for 4 days. 

There are advantages too against booking with a hotel:

• Most privately-owned accommodations can allow you to cook or at least use the microwave and kitchen utensils for free.
• You can bring in food with no corkage fees.
• Amenities in private apartments are most of the time complete, it’s as if you are living in your own home.
• Privacy and comfortability.
• Requests to the landlord can be made ahead and sometimes provided for free.
• Private apartments are way cheaper than booking a hotel suite.

We found an apartment that has 4 rooms, 3 bathrooms and was big enough for the group. We weren’t allowed to cook, but there was a microwave oven, a water dispenser (water gallons were provided) and a fridge that were all free to use. All showers have hot and cold water too. These amenities were all we needed to be comfortable so we decided to book it. The location was also very convenient at Austin Road, near Jordan station. Book them here.

Receive a Php600 discount on your first booking when you sign-up with Airbnb. If you are already registered, you can book the apartment here.

Other private apartments that you can book via Airbnb:

Pinned in the map below is the location of the apartment and where Jordan station is. You can click on the arrow to get directions from different points.

Related: Backpacking Indochina: A Guide for Filipinos – Crossing Borders, Tips and Itinerary

More Tips

1) Bring USD instead of Peso to exchange when you arrive in Hong Kong. Some exchange shops do not accept Philippine Peso, while some do, the buy/sell rate is lower than what you’d get if you exchange your dollars in the same amount.

2) You can also withdraw there but better check your local bank’s overseas withdrawal fees. You also have to inform your local bank of your intent to use your ATM card/s abroad so they can activate and allow you to do so. While the EMV ready ATM cards can already allow you to do this, some bank still require that you inform them before your intended travel date.

3) Book your accommodation and activities ahead of your travel dates to save time and money. We used Klook to buy our Disneyland tickets because theirs were far cheaper. And we used Airbnb for the accommodation.

4) Useful apps: Klook, Airbnb, Agoda, Cebu Pacific, MAPS.ME, XE Currency

I hope you found a thing or two helpful in this post. If you have tips or updates to any information published here, please comment it down below. 

Have an awesome time in Hong Kong!