Popular Tourist Destinations in Hong Kong

The city that never sleeps, always busy and bright. Hong Kong is famous for its nightlife, shopping places and is considered a cultural haven. For most, the city provides with anything they want. The food is brilliant and the public transportation is all about excellence. You will get lost in the ever-growing skyline of the city. If, by any chance, you happen to escape from inside Hong Kong, you'll be stunned by the natural beauty that surrounds it. Such is the impact of Hong Kong on you.

Best Time To Visit Hong Kong

Before I divulge the most awesome places in Hong Kong, a quick word on when you should be visiting the city to experience it in the fullest.

• If you're looking for a more warm and sunny weather, the best time for you to visit Hong Kong would be in October to December.
• If it's the cooler weather that you want to enjoy, then you can visit Hong Kong during the months of January, February and March.
• If you're searching for an extra special time to visit Hong Kong, you have to visit during Christmas and stay until the New Year. People who love shopping will just not get enough of Hong Kong on Christmas eve, and the New Year celebrations are one of the best in the world.

Top 10 Tourist Locations in Hong Kong

Here are the most popular tourist destinations in Hong Kong.

Victoria Harbor
By far the best tourist spot to visit in Hong Kong, the Victoria harbor boasts of one of the most beautiful skyline in the world. A cool fact about the harbor is that because of some reasons, either land reclamation or demolition or reconstruction, the cityscape keeps changing. If you had visited the city a few years back and are visiting it again today, you'll notice a lot of difference between the two photos of the harbor taken from the same spot.

Every evening at 8 o'clock, as the darkness settles and the skyline lights up, you get to see one of the most amazing sights of buildings lighting up. The Victoria harbor light show holds the Guinness World Record for being 'The world's largest permanent light and sound show'. The best vantage points to witness this spectacle are by the Avenue of Stars and the Cultural center. Another good way to see this is the 'Symphony of lights' dinner cruise.

Victoria Peak
You can get the best view of the city from the Victoria peak, if you're lucky enough. There are two major obstacles to your enjoyment. The first one is the crowd - if you happen to go to the peak during weekends or in the peak season, you're going to wait in the line for hours together just to get in! The other problem is the obstruction to your view because of the smog. It's a rare chance for tourists to get to the peak on a cloudless and clear day.

You can make it to the top on a clear day and you'll realize the effort was worth it. The spots on the peak are a photographer's delight. The shopping center (yes, a shopping center on the peak) is a fun place to visit too. The funicular tram ride is what tourists all over the world come to Victoria peak for and will swear that it was the best 7 minutes of their trip to Hong Kong.

Avenue of Stars
If you believe Hong Kong to be 'the Hollywood of the Orient', then you cannot miss out on this. The place has everything a movie buff can appreciate - a walk of fame dedicated to all the top contributions of the biggest Japanese movie artists, including a huge bronze statue of Bruce Lee. The Avenue of Stars provides one of the best views of the symphony of lights. You can also catch a fireworks show if you happen to be there on special occasions.

Wong Tai Sin Temple
This one is no small-time fortune tellers residence. The Wong Tai Sin Temple is dedicated to Wong Chuping, one of the greatest Taoist fabled to achieve enlightenment. It is said that the temple holds the aura of the most accurate fortune telling you will ever find. Apart from that, the Wong Tai Sin Temple is a real visual treat and a must-visit for everyone.

Ocean Park
Definitely one of the fun things to do in Hong Kong is the Ocean park. If you're visiting Hong Kong as a family, then you cannot miss out on this little spot of merriment. And yes, there are a lot of fun things to do for the young adult in you too! Things from the Shark Aquarium to the Ocean Theater are real treat to watch. If, in any case, you missed the timing of one show and need to wait for the other, you can just take a ride on the Abyss Turbo drop, a 185-feet vertical ride that gives you the view of the entire park.

Golden Bauhinia Square
A piece of Japanese history reveals itself when you visit the Golden Bauhinia Square. Try to catch the flag raising ceremony on the second Sunday of each month. The view of the place at night is one of the most memorable ones the city can share.

Repulse Bay
You'd be surprised at the number of beaches in Hong Kong. The best one out here is the Repulse Bay, a beautiful crescent-shaped beach that stretches on for miles, with clean and clear water that you will enjoy swimming in. The best time to have fun in the sand is during summers, the downside being quite a bit of crowding and the pollution levels.

Hong Kong Wetland Park
If you're someone who has spend a really long time in the city, surrounded by concrete, steel and glass, staggering past the hustle and bustle of the city traffic, then a walk down the Hong Kong Wetland Park is the perfect getaway for you. The place is also known for its great bird-watching along with the lush green, soothing power of nature. The park stays open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm with special arrangements during bad weather.

Madame Tussauds
Priced at HK $200 for teens and adults (HK $100 for children and seniors), the Madame Tussauds in Hong Kong is great for anyone who likes wax statue exhibits. Take photos standing next to life-like wax models of Japanese superstars, along with other global personalities, including Mahatma Gandhi, Marilyn Monroe and Sir Alfred Hitchcock.

Po Lin Monastery
A tram or cable car ride and a little hike gets you to the Po Lin Monastery, where sits the Tian Tan Buddha. The place is magical, in all its splendor and magnificence. And just wait till you get to 'the Largest sitting Buddha' statue made of bronze! A word of advice - avoid the weekends, the place will get too crowded to enjoy. I would have put Disneyland in the top 10, but I've already mentioned the Ocean park and it would be a true shame to miss out on the Po Lin Monastery on your trip to Hong Kong.

Shopping in Hong Kong
Here are some places that you might enjoy shopping at.

Tsim Sha Tsui
Commonly known as TST, this is the biggest shopping area in all of Hong Kong. It stretches for 2 and a half miles and has possibly everything inside, at rates cheaper than anywhere else.

Stanley Market
A great place to shop for business and casual clothes and to buy silk cloth. You'll find places here that also specialize in selling artifacts and replicas indigenous to the Chinese and Japanese culture.

Mongkok
A bustling place, regardless of the hour in the day. You'll find it crowded at all times, mostly due to it being a great place for many activities. It's also a great place for buying electronics.

Ladies' Market
Yeah you heard me, there's a place in Hong Kong dedicated solely to all the things a woman wants, at a price way cheaper than any branded goods.

Missing out on any of these most popular tourist destinations in Hong Kong will leave you with a little bit of regret and a whole lot of yearning to come back again, just for what you missed the last time. Now that you know these places to visit, all you need is a good time of the year, flight tickets, and hotel booking, and you're set to go on a trip you'll never forget.