Hong Kong is much more than just a major shopping destination and a place where you can see Disney characters.
You will be pleasantly surprised by the variety of activities available in this international financial hub, particularly in the evening.
Brace yourself for some of the most exciting experiences of your life, as we explore the best things to do in Hong Kong at night.
1/ Big Bus Night Tour of Kowloon
This 1-hour tour aboard an open-top, double-decker bus will let you see the best of Kowloon’s sights at night.
As the sun sets, you will experience the city’s dynamic energy.
Nathan Road transforms into a display of bright neon lights all around.
Another stunning light show that is more dramatic is the Symphony of Lights from Kowloon.
You can also disembark and explore the night markets for some serious bargain shopping, or sample some of the mouthwatering local street food to ease your nighttime hunger pangs.
2/ TramOramic Sightseeing
For 1 hour, marvel at the sights and sounds of Hong Kong aboard a charming tramcar from the 1920s.
The upper deck has an open top while the lower one has a vintage cabin.
It features a photo gallery comparing life in Hong Kong in the past with the present.
Also, listen to stories of local life on the free head sets provided.
While you’re learning about Hong Kong’s history, you’ll travel through the busy night streets with towering skyscrapers as a backdrop.
3/ Eat Kowloon Street Food
Sampling Kowloon’s street food is an experience you shouldn’t miss.
As you walk among the numerous street food stalls, check out the tasty treats.
This includes roasted meats, noodles, dim sum, seafood, different delicacies on a stick, and sweets.
Try out exotic street fare such as fried pig intestines or grilled squid tentacles.
Test your willpower as you try to finish a crispy block of stinky tofu.
Satisfy your sweet tooth with creamy egg tarts, or a sugary pineapple bun.
The best thing is, you don’t have to spend a lot to sample the best street food in Kowloon!
4/ Aqua Luna Evening Cruise at Victoria Harbour
Aqua Luna is a Chinese junk built using traditional shipbuilding techniques.
It is used for leisurely cruises that let you experience the sights of Victoria Harbour from the water.
View the majestic skyline as it lights up Hong Kong at night.
You’ll never forget this experience of sailing in a traditional vessel while being surrounded by ultra-modern architecture.
Make the most of the cruise by staying at the top deck where you can relax on plush sofas as you gaze at the awe-inspiring scenery.
5/ Mongkok City at Night
Mongkok is one of the most popular, and arguably the busiest, shopping areas in Hong Kong.
Multi-story buildings typically have restaurants and shops on the street level, while residential or commercial units are located on higher floors.
This is a haven for those who love to shop, and haggling is highly encouraged!
Browse through clothing, kitschy souvenirs & trinkets, handicrafts, and gadgets.
There are also plenty of other items at the stalls lining the Ladies Market, Temple Street Night Market, Sai Yeung Choi Street, and the Goldfish Market.
After all the walking, satisfy your hungry tummy by trying out the delectable street food in and around Mongkok.
6/ Happy Valley Racecourse
Feel the adrenaline rush of a horse racing event at the Happy Valley Racecourse, one of Hong Kong’s most popular tourist spots.
Built in 1845, the state-of-the-art racecourse is open mainly for night races.
They usually take place on Wednesdays.
However, the Happy Valley Racecourse is not just for horseracing enthusiasts.
Enjoy the weekly themes incorporated into the decorations, interactive games, live bands, and the menu available trackside.
There are several food & beverage options on site, so you can choose to have a relaxed dining experience or a more thrilling time in one of the bars.
There’s even an option for an outdoor BBQ while you watch the races!
A visit to the Happy Valley Racecourse truly puts a unique flavor to the horseracing experience and is one of the best things to do in Hong Kong at night.
7/ Pub Crawl
Experience Hong Kong’s bustling nightlife by enjoying a drink at one of the pubs and bars that dot the cityscape.
Feel the never-ending high energy that surrounds the pubs and bars in Lan Kwai Fong, one of the most popular nightlife destinations in Central Hong Kong.
This area also hosts some of the biggest celebrations and street parties during special occasions.
More upscale options can be found in the SoHo area, while Wan Chai has more down to earth pubs if you don’t like the huge crowds at LKF.
On the Kowloon side, the Tsim Sha Tsui night scene thrives with places where you can chill and have a drink or two, ranging from posh hotel bars to more relaxed hole-in-the-wall pubs.
8/ Temple Street Night Markets
Exploring the Temple Street Night Market is a must if you want to get the full Hong Kong experience.
It is the liveliest and largest of the night markets, with the street’s vibrant energy coming to life once the sun sets – and the wide variety of wares are laid out for everyone to see.
This is an experience vastly different from shopping in a mall or outlet store.
You can expect to be part of a huge crowd as you browse through items such as menswear, trinkets, souvenirs, and footwear.
These are displayed side by side with antiques, jade, and second-hand items.
As with other night flea markets, you are expected (and encouraged) to haggle for the prices of the items you want to buy.
Check out the food stalls around the night market for sumptuous seafood, claypot rice, dim sum, and other delicacies to satisfy your palate.
9/ Peak Tram, Sky Terrace & Madame Tussauds
Discover the wonders of the Hong Kong nightlife with this 3-hour tour, which starts with a 45-minute cruise on the Aqua Luna – a red Chinese junk hand built by hand following traditional shipbuilding techniques.
Go on an unforgettable tram ride – you will pass by buildings that seem to be at a 45-degree angle, aboard the Peak Tram which has been in operation for 125 years.
Once you reach the Sky Terrace in Victoria Peak, bask in magnificent views of Kowloon, Victoria Harbour, and the Hong Kong City skyline at night.
Visit Madam Tussaud’s on Victoria Peak and pose with the lifelike wax replicas of almost 100 international and local Hong Kong celebrities, along with other famous historical figures.
10/ Jumbo Floating Restaurant
Located in Aberdeen Harbor, the Jumbo Floating Restaurant is a renowned Hong Kong landmark that has attracted numerous international celebrities and royalty.
As you step into one of the largest floating restaurants in the world, you will be surrounded by the splendor of an imperial Chinese palace with the opulent décor and furnishings.
The exterior is just as awe-inspiring.
Take your pick from more than 100 seafood dishes savored in a fine-dining setting or go to the top deck for a more relaxed atmosphere.
The Jumbo is connected by a walkway to another floating restaurant, the Tai Pak
The two restaurants are managed by the same company and make up the Jumbo Kingdom complex.
11/ Symphony of Lights
Since 2004, the Symphony of Lights multimedia show has been lighting up Victoria Harbour every night.
The sensational light show has been a symbol of the vibrant multicultural landscape of Hong Kong.
Gaze in awe as more than 40 buildings (from both sides of the harbour) participate and work in complete unison to produce a seamless spectacle, with the lights beating in perfect timing to the music.
The incredible audio-visual show, according to the Guinness World Records, is the largest permanent light & sound show, featuring LED screens, searchlights, lasers and other lighting implements.
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Victoria Harbour Dinner Cruise and Light Show
Get to see the spectacular Symphony of Lights, named by Guinness World Records as the largest permanent light show in the world. See the stunning Hong Kong skyline at night as you enjoy a delightful buffet dinner on the Harbour Cruise Bauhinia. |
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Symphony of Lights Yacht Night Cruise
Witness the Symphony of Lights and the beauty of Victoria Harbour at night on a luxury yacht. Drinks and snacks are prepared by an experienced staff, who will also act as tour guides that provide information about various Hong Kong attractions. |
12/ Lantau Island at Sunset
Lantau Island is Hong Kong’s largest island and was once the site of fishing villages.
It can be accessed by a thrilling ride on the Ngong Ping Cable Car, which offers magnificent views during a short 25-minute ride.
The Ngong Ping Village showcases a reproduction of traditional Chinese architecture
You can check out the shops and tea houses for some light refreshments.
Get up close and personal with the largest seated outdoor bronze Buddha in the world.
It is a 24-meter high Tian Tian Buddha and can be reached by climbing 250 steps.
The climb is worth the effort though, as you will be greeted by stunning views of the island and beyond from the Buddha’s platform.
Across the Buddha is the Po Lin Monastery.
This started out as a small temple in the 1960s but eventually included bigger structures to form a Buddhist temple complex.
Take a glimpse at how life was during pre-colonial Hong Kong at the Tai O Fishing Village.
You’ll see incredible houses still on wooden stilts.
13/ Sky 100 Hong Kong Observation Deck
Sky100 is the highest indoor observation deck in Hong Kong.
It is situated on the 100th floor of the International Commerce Center in West Kowloon.
A ride to the observation deck only takes 1 minute via a heart-pumping high-speed ride on double-decker elevators.
Enjoy unparalleled panoramic views of Hong Kong Island.
You’ll be able to see Victoria Harbour, Kowloon, and the New Territories.
The view transforms into something even more mesmerising during nighttime!
There are also exhibits and interactive tours that provide a fascinating look into local Hong Kong culture & history.
14/ Shopping in Hong Kong at night
Shopping in Hong Kong doesn’t stop just because the sun has set.
A visit to the night markets in Kowloon will be a unique experience for everyone.
You can get huge bargains and a wide variety of merchandise.
Temple Street Night Market features over 100 stalls packed into 5 blocks.
This is where you can also find a mix of men’s clothes, herbal medicines, and gadgets.
There are even fortune tellers in the mix.
Additionally, the Ladies Night Market is where you will find various clothes, souvenirs, and various counterfeit products (also found in Temple Street).
If you get hungry, don’t worry.
There are plenty of street food stalls lining the streets as well.
After this, head on to the Goldfish Market for different fish species, fish water tanks, aquatic plants and accessories.
On top of the markets experiences, there are dozens of shopping centres in all regions of Hong Kong opened til late hours for everyone’s shopping addiction.
15/ Photography Night Tour
Go on a different kind of night tour.
This time with a professional photographer who will guide you as you enhance your creativity and photography skills.
Explore the popular landmarks of Hong Kong from Kowloon to Victoria Peak, including the less-explored side streets where you will be encouraged to take photos at the very heart of this global financial hub.
This 3-hour tour is customized to the participants’ skill level and requirements
It starts with introductions over coffee.
This will enable the photographer to assess the participants’ technical skills, which will help in creating the ideal tour.
16/ Hong Kong’s Dialogue in the Dark
Dialogue in the Dark offers a one-of-a-kind opportunity to experience daily life through a different perspective.
You will go through the exhibition in absolute darkness, with just a white cane and guide to assist you.
Without the sense of sight, you will be encouraged to use your senses of sound, smell, touch, and taste even more to get through daily routines and other normal activities.
Lasting for up to 1.5 hours, the tour include coffee & appetizers in a coffee shop, a boat ride, and tour of a park – all in complete darkness.
Dialogue in the Dark has a goal of increasing awareness for inclusion & diversity for those who are disabled, by developing interest and empathy for those who most need them.
17/ The House of Dancing Water
Witness the largest water extravaganza in the world – the House of Dancing Water, which is showcased by the City of Dreams, Macau.
The state-of-the-art facilities include a stage pool which can hold the equivalent of 5 Olympic-sized swimming pools’ worth of water.
The multimedia water show features an epic story that includes a magical kingdom, an evil queen, and a love story that persevered against all odds.
This is a jaw-dropping spectacle filled with amazing acrobatics, dazzling lighting and music, and brilliant theater performances.
For more attractions in Macau, read this guide:
18/ Celebrate New Years Eve
New Year’s Eve festivities are centered in Victoria Harbour.
An hour before midnight, a small fireworks celebration called “Wish Upon a Star” will illuminate the night sky.
At the stroke of midnight, Victoria Harbour fireworks will blow up in a display of colors lasting for approximately 10 minutes.
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center will be equipped with a gigantic LED billboard which will have New Year greetings in several languages surrounded by fireworks displays.
To get the most spectacular views of the fireworks, go as early as possible to these locations to secure a spot:
- Harbour City Carpark
- Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Center
- West Kowloon, China Ferry Terminal
- the lobby lounge of the InterContinental Hotel
- Kowloon Peak
- Hung Hom
- IFC Mall
- the waterfront beside the Hong Kong Observation Wheel
- Tamar Park
- the Waterfront Promenade.
19/ Celebrate National Holidays
Most of the national holidays observed in Hong Kong are based on the lunar calendar.
This means the dates will vary on a yearly basis.
If a national holiday falls on a Sunday, it will be moved to the following Monday so it can be celebrated.
During the 17 public holidays, festivities are observed mostly in traditional Chinese ways.
Chinese New Year is celebrated either in late January or early February every year.
It starts the New Year according to the lunar calendar.
This is a time of magnificent celebrations around the country, with spectacular fireworks and an International Chinese New Year Parade on the second day.
Other traditional Chinese holidays include Ching Ming Festival in April for paying respect and worshipping ancestors, with a similar one (Chung Yeung Festival) observed in autumn.
The Dragon Boat Festival in early summer is celebrated with a dragon boat race.
Meanwhile, the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival is am important date.
It is celebrated on the 11th day of the 8th lunar month.
Mooncakes will then take center stage along with lantern lighting.
The Chinese Winter Solstice Festival on December 22 is considered the year’s turning point, with the date having the longest nighttime and the shortest daytime.
Locals celebrate by getting together with family, wearing brand-new clothing, and late-night celebrations.
A trip to Hong Kong is a true feast for the senses.
While the sights, sounds, and tastes you encounter may be slightly overwhelming at first, you will discover that Hong Kong is as mesmerizing as the light displays that brighten up the city’s skyline at night.
The experience of exploring Hong Kong & its culture at night, is just as spectacular.
If you have other night activities in mind, please let us know in the comments below.
