From Kowloon to Hong Kong Island or Lantau, a holiday in Hong Kong offers great family attractions around the city, harbour, beaches and hills.
Hong Kong is an exciting, scenic, exotic holiday destination with a surprising range of child-friendly attractions catering to different budgets and tastes. Anyone on a break or stopover to Australia or elsewhere will find much to do, so it’s wise to be selective and plan ahead if time is short.
Hong Kong can be visited year-round. The weather and scenery are usually at their best between November and early March.
Hong Kong Disneyland on Lantau Island
Built on reclaimed land, just over five years old, Hong Kong Disneyland can easily be visited in a day. It can be a bonus for any family on a short visit to Hong Kong. With a Chinese touch, mostly apparent in its auspicious signs and Feng Shui design, the park offers attractions for all ages, from fairy tales to thrilling rides.
Hong Kong Disneyland has four themes, fantasy, adventure, tomorrow and main street USA. Fantasyland features a Sleeping Beauty castle, Winnie the Pooh adventures, Cinderella carousel, Adventureland Tarzan’s tree house island, jungle cruise and Lion King festival. Visitors can enjoy the Animation Academy and gingerbread village in main street USA, Buzz Lightyear astro blasters, Stitch, UFO zone and space mountain in tomorrow land.
There are parades and fireworks in true Disney fashion and special events year-round.
Harbour Tours, Ocean Park and Other Attractions on Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island has its own family attractions, some free, on land and water.
Take the kids to Ocean Park to ride on the mine train rollercoaster. Follow the emerald trail, and see the bird and dolphin shows, the large aviary and four level aquarium.
Sail across Hong Kong harbour to Kowloon. You could book a boat trip to some outlying islands, such as Cheung Chau, where one can still glimpse old China.
Relax on the beach in Stanley, either St Stephen or Main Beach. Both have lovely sand and nets for safe swimming. The Main Beach is popular for windsurfing and other water sports.
Let the children ride on one of the old-fashioned double-decker trams. Rattle through the crowded streets of Hong Island for a touch of nostalgia and eye-level views of Chinese street signs.
Most kids love records. Take them on the world’s longest escalator. It runs through a series of steep lanes, down in the morning and up after lunch, to suit commuters.
On a clear day, go straight up to the Peak. Experience the funicular ride to the top, so steep buildings appear to lean over, and enjoy the unrivalled panorama over Hong Kong from the Peak Tower Sky Terrace, 428 metres above the harbour.
Dragons, Lions and Top Things to Do with Kids
Equally thrilling is the cable car to Po Lin monastery on Lantau Island. Scenic but eerily silent, the ride lasts 25 minutes and ends in Ngong Ping cultural with its restaurants and other attractions. Just a short walk away, the 34 metre-high Buddha, where you can walk right inside.
Spend some time in Kowloon Park and look out for the kiddies’ playgrounds, the garden maze and the bird lake. Join the Chinese practising taichi or cool down in the indoor pool.
Chase lions and dragons throughout Hong Kong. From fearsome statues guarding temples and important buildings to colourful dancers pouncing or snaking through the streets. Older children could tackle the spectacular 6 km walk along the Dragon’s Back. For those who visit in early June, there’s an exciting Dragon Boat festival.