The three days
- Day 1 — Central + Peak: Star Ferry across the harbour, Mid-Levels escalators up through SoHo, Peak Tram at dusk for the skyline shot. Dinner in Sheung Wan.
- Day 2 — Kowloon: Dim sum at Tim Ho Wan, Temple Street Night Market, then the 8pm Symphony of Lights from Tsim Sha Tsui promenade.
- Day 3 — Outlying or hike: Ferry to Lamma for seafood, or hike the Dragon's Back (90 min, easy, ocean views). Big Buddha on Lantau if you have a fourth day.
Visa and money
- Visa-free: 90 days for US/UK/EU/AU/CA passports. No K-ETA-style pre-registration needed.
- Currency: HKD, pegged loosely to USD. Visa/Mastercard everywhere — no Alipay setup needed in HK. Octopus card (transit card) is still useful.
- Internet: Fully open. No firewall, no VPN required.
Onward to the mainland
From West Kowloon, HSR direct to Guangzhou (50 min, $30), Shenzhen (15 min), Shanghai (8 hrs, $145), or Beijing (9 hrs, $170). Immigration is at West Kowloon — you clear both HK exit and Chinese entry in the same terminal.
Crossing into the mainland triggers either your visa-free entry or the 240-hour transit (with an onward ticket to a third country). HK to Shenzhen and back doesn't burn your transit clock as long as you exit through a different country eventually.
Where to stay
- Central / Sheung Wan — bars, restaurants, nightlife. Most central.
- Tsim Sha Tsui — harbour-front, cheaper, easier shopping.
- Causeway Bay — shopping mall density. Skip unless that's your thing.
Next steps
Add HK as days 1–3 of a bigger trip — onward to Guilin (3 hrs HSR), Shanghai (8 hrs), or fly to Chengdu. The 14-day classic loop works in reverse from HK.