Port guide: Hong Kong, China

Hong Kong has frantic energy, a spectacular setting and some of the world’s best shopping and dining. Plunge into the excitement of one of the world’s great cities.

Who goes there

Major cruise lines such as Holland America, MSC, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean and Viking have a growing presence in Asia, and some homeport ships in Hong Kong. Good air connections make this a convenient arrival and departure point for Asian cruises that usually head either towards Japan or South-East Asia.

Temple Street Night Market in Kowloon.

Sail on in

Don’t miss the arrival in this throbbing port city. You sail past surprisingly rural-looking islands into Victoria Harbour, which erupts in apartment blocks and skyscrapers and is backed by humped hills. It looks even more spectacular on the sail out, usually after dark, when neon lights glitter.

Berth rites

Small and mid-size ships dock at Ocean Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui in the middle of the harbour action; your cabin might even gaze across the water at Central. Bigger ships tie up at the less conveniently located Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, site of the former airport. Its rooftop park has brilliant harbour outlooks. Free port shuttles connect you to malls and MRT stations, while paid cruise shuttles might take you further.

Going ashore

Ride the rack railway up The Peak for its famous views, and don’t overlook the spectacular urban walk nearby, which takes you around Victoria Peak via Harlech and Lugard Roads. In Central, incense-smoky Man Mo Temple is Hong Kong’s oldest and most important temple. Across the harbour, the city is chronicled through movie screenings and recreations of a fishing junk, herbal medicine shop and old streets in Hong Kong Museum of History. West Kowloon, recently redeveloped into a cultural precinct, has several other museums linked by harbour promenades.

Don’t miss

Night view over Hong Kong from the Peak.

Travelling with children? All the favourites such as Snow White and Mickey Mouse are found at Hong Kong Disneyland, with fictional Chinese characters celebrated too. An alternative is Ocean Park, which features roller-coasters, dinosaur exhibits, playgrounds, children’s rides, and plenty of animals including two giant pandas.

Get active

Join local tai chi practitioners early in the morning in Victoria Park or Kowloon Park; the latter also has a large public pool. Lovely Hong Kong Park is an oasis among Central skyscrapers featuring orchid conservatories, carp-filled ponds and a walk-through aviary for those who want to escape Hong Kong’s concrete and cacophony. Kau Sai Chau is Hong Kong’s only public golf course. It has two 18-hole and one 9-hole course with panoramic ocean and island views, but is inconveniently located.

Retail therapy

Shopping is Hong Kong’s premier pastime and, just steps from one of its cruise terminals, Ocean Centre and Harbour City malls are crammed with fashion boutiques and specialty stores. Nearby, electronic bargains tempt on Nathan Road in Kowloon, a district also packed with street markets for cheap clothing, accessories or even goldfish and songbirds. Young and trendy Fa Yuen Street Market offers sportswear and hip fashions. For antique stores with superb collections of rosewood furniture and jade, head to Hollywood Road in Central. Causeway Bay is best for factory outlets and department stores.

Further afield

A host of excursion options allows repeat visitors a chance to do something different. Lantau Island is the location of Hong Kong Disneyland but also has remote beaches and forested hills where you’ll find the ornate Po Lin Monastery and its giant seated Buddha. Lamma Island has sleepy fishing villages, popular seafood restaurants and hiking trails. One of the most popular excursions, however, is to former Portuguese colony Macau across the bay, where colonial history meets modern Las Vegas-style themed casino-hotels.