Visiting the incredible city of Hong Kong can be an expensive experience however it does not have to be. There are so many free things to do in Hong Kong as well as so many cheap things to do in Hong Kong so you’ll be able to see most of the city without having to spend a lot of money.

Everything on this list is easily accessible on your own by public transport. To help keep travelling expenses down in Hong Kong, one of the best investments you can buy is a Octopus Card – it can be used on the MTR, buses, ferries, minibuses as well as paying for goods in shops and at some food eateries. An Octopus card will cost HK$150 (HK$100 credit and HK$50 deposit) and can be bought at the Customer Service Centres in all MTR stations as well as at all Airport Express Customer Service Centres. MTR fares are also slightly cheaper if you use an Octopus Card instead of paying cash. You can return the Octopus Card at the end of your stay and get your HK$50 deposit and any remaining credit back or keep the card for your next visit.

The Star Ferry

The Star Ferry is iconic to Hong Kong and carries passengers across Victoria Harbour between Tsim Sha Tsui, Central and Wan Chai. The views of the Hong Kong skyline are like nothing else both during the day and at night and even after nearly twenty years of visiting, I will still ride on the ferry at least once on every visit. The Star Ferry has two decks (Upper and Lower) meaning you can travel even cheaper but this is one of those occasions when you should definitely spend the extra HK$0.50 (5p/7c) and travel on the Upper Deck!

Closest MTR Station – Central (Exit A), Wan Chai (Exit A1) and Tsim Sha Tsui (Exit L6)
Cost – Upper Deck: HK$2.7 (Monday-Friday) / HK$3.7 (Weekends and Public Holidays)

Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery

The majority of visitors to Hong Kong will visit the incredibly busy and over-commercialised Tian Tan Big Buddha on Lantau Island which despite being free of charge to visit comes with a very expensive cable car ride to get there and back if you do not want a long bus journey. However I have always recommended the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery located in Sha Tin in the New Territories to anyone visiting Hong Kong as I think it is a much nicer experience and it is definitely less crowded and much more peaceful.

You will need to climb 431 steps to reach the Monastery and the path uphill is lined with over five hundred unique Buddhas. Once at the top, there is pagoda, statues, monkeys as well as the Ten Thousand Buddha Hall containing nearly 13,000 golden Buddha statues.

Closest MTR Station – Sha Tin (Exit B)
Cost – Free
Opening Hours – Daily 9:00am-5:00pm

The Peak

Victoria Peak is where you go to get “that view” of Hong Kong. However the Peak Tram as well as entrance to the Sky Terrace on top of the Peak Tower is not cheap and the queues to go up can be long at busy times. However you can get Bus 15 from Central Pier 5 or even walk up there which I have done too. Once at the Peak, walk to the Lugard Road lookout (which takes about fifteen minutes) – it’s free, it’s quiet and the view is simply the best in Hong Kong.

Closest MTR Station – Central
Cost – Free (Walk) / HK$10.3 (Bus)

Nan Lian Garden and Chi Lin Nunnery

Nan Lian Garden is a beautiful Tang Dynasty-style Chinese garden maintained by the Chi Lin Nunnery with hills, water features, trees, rocks and wooden structures. It is a complete oasis of calm and tranquility in the middle of Kowloon and if you are also planning to visit Wong Tai Sin temple (also free), this is only one stop away on the MTR making it very easy to visit both in a short space of time.

Closest MTR Station – Diamond Hill (Exit C2)
Cost – Free
Opening Hours – Daily 7:00am-9:00pm

Ride the Ding Ding

One of the best ways to see the different neighbourhoods on Hong Kong Island is to ride the tram which is known to everyone in Hong Kong as the Ding Ding. The line runs from Kennedy Town to Shau Kei Wan through Sheung Wan, Central, Admiralty, Wan Chai, Causeway Bay and Quarry Bay. It’s not the quickest way to see Hong Kong (it is slow) but it is definitely one of the most enjoyable. Board the tram at either end of the line to make sure you get the front seat on the top deck for the best views during the journey.

Cost – HK$2.6 (Pay when exiting the Tram)

Hong Kong Park

This park located between Central and Admiralty is a small oasis of green surrounded by the skyscrapers of modern Hong Kong. It’s a great escape from the hustle and bustle of the busy streets and you will find waterfalls, fountains, turtles as well as the Edward Youde Aviary which is also free of charge to visit.

Closest MTR Station – Admiralty (Exit C1)
Cost – Free
Opening Hours – Daily 6:00am-11:00pm

Man Mo Temple

Man Mo Temple can be found on Hollywood Road in Sheung Wan nestled amongst the high rise buildings. It is one of the oldest temples in Hong Kong and from outside looks quite unassuming however inside is filled with burning incense coils hanging from the ceiling and is absolutely beautiful. To get to Hollywood Road from Central, you can also travel on the Mid-Levels Escalator – the world’s longest covered escalator system and an attraction in itself.

Closest MTR Station – Central (Exit D1/D2 for Mid-Levels Escalator) or Sheung Wan (Exit A2)
Cost – Free
Opening Hours – Daily 8:00am-6:00pm

The Avenue of Stars and A Symphony of Lights

The other famous view of Hong Kong is from the Avenue of Stars along the waterfront in Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon where you look across Victoria Harbour to the skyline on Hong Kong Island. Here is where you will also find Hong Kong’s version of the Hollywood Walk of Fame with handprints of Hong Kong film stars and even a statue of Bruce Lee.

Every night at 8:00pm, a light and sound show called A Symphony of Lights using the skyscrapers on both sides of the harbour takes place. The show lasts for ten minutes and can also be viewed from Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai on Hong Kong Island though the best view is from the Kowloon side of the harbour.

Closest MTR Station – Tsim Sha Tsui (Exit E), Tsim Sha Tsui East (Exit J)
Cost – Free

Go Hiking

Hong Kong is home to some amazing hiking trails (Dragon’s Back, Lion Rock and Jardine’s Lookout to name a few) and is a popular pastime amongst the locals especially at weekends. You can get some incredible views of the city from these trails and best of all, they are completely free to do – all you need is a pair of comfortable shoes and a bottle of water and some extra stamina if you want to hike one of the more challenging trails.

Cost – Free

Visit One of the Outlying Islands

The easiest Outlying Islands to reach from Hong Kong are Lamma Island, Cheung Chau and Peng Chau – all of which are a short ferry journey from the Central Piers. Depsite being so close to busy and crowded Hong Kong, they feel completely different and the atmosphere is very relaxed. Once on the islands there are beaches, easy family hikes as well as incredible seafood. If you want to visit the islands, do so on a weekday when not only are they quieter, but the ferry tickets are nearly half the weekend price.

Closest MTR Station – Central (Exit A for Central Piers)
Cost – Lamma Island HK$17.80, Cheung Chau HK$13.60, Peng Chau HK$15.90 (Fares are one-way)

These are only some of the things that you can do in Hong Kong without spending a lot of money but there are so many more. However one of my favourite things will always be to just walk around with my camera in hand to see what I find – that truly is one of the best ways to see any city.

Have fun and enjoy Hong Kong.

Since this blog post was written back in 2019, some of the information may no longer be accurate or up to date. Be sure to do your own research and check official websites for the latest details before making any of your own travel plans.

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