There is an endless list of reasons to visit the wonderful city of Hong Kong, but did you know there are an amazing amount of quirky, cheap or free things to do in Hong Kong?
If you’re looking to experience the wonders of Hong Kong on a budget and you want find the best places to eat in Hong Kong on a budget as well as the best area to stay in Hong Kong, then read on!
First, let’s answer some questions you may have –
⭐ How much money do you need per day in Hong Kong?
If you eat at cheap, local places, three meals a day would cost around HK$150, transport would cost about HK$30-60 and accommodation could be upwards of HK$150, (if you want to stay in a decent hostel). Let’s say you could get by on HK$330 a day.
⭐ Are things in Hong Kong cheap?
They can be, if you look in the right places!
⭐ How expensive is Hong Kong for tourists?
Hong Kong may have a reputation for being expensive, but it’s also possible to travel in Hong Kong on a budget.
⭐ Is Hong Kong an expensive place to visit?
It can be, but there are a lot of free things to do in Hong Kong. You can find out what they are below :o)
⭐ How much does a meal cost in Hong Kong?
That really depends on the meal. A very local meal of soup noodles starts at around HK$40. Other local style meals range from about HK$50-60, including a drink and a soup. Cafe meals can range from HK$80 to HK$200. Steakhouse and restaurant meals are upwards of HK$200.
Alright.. onto the free stuff!
Free Things to do in Hong Kong – See the Iconic Skyline
Okay, so this one’s not exactly a secret, but did you know you can avoid the tourist trap that is the Peak Tram and the paid Peak Galleria viewing area but still get the view? For free!
Not only that, you can walk through nature in the process!
Sounds awesome, right?
Hike to a View Over the City – Hong Kong on a Budget
All you need to do is find the Hong Kong Trail Section 1, which can be easily accessed from other trails in the Western and Central district of Hong Kong Island.
In between the second and third trail markers is a lookout where you can get that postcard view without the crowds.
The trails up are paved and well lit, so you can go up there any time of the day or night.
Night time is best if you want to see a bunch of pretty lights and escape the day time sun.
Feeling Lazy? Take the Green Minibus number 1 (HK$10.90) or the New World First Bus double decker number 15 (HK$12.10) to The Peak and join the Hong Kong Trail there, for a short, flat walk.
Hong Kong City Skyline View – Free Level-Up
If you want to take the view up a level and see almost the whole city, from the Island to the New Territories, get yourself up to Lion Rock. It is as close to the geographical centre of Hong Kong as you can get.
The quickest way up is from the Tai Wai MTR station on the East Rail Line. That path will also take you past Amah Rock (望夫石), a local legend.
The main attraction, Lion Rock, not only gives you a panoramic view of all of Hong Kong, but it is also an icon for all Hong Kongers.
It embodies the strength and resilience of Hong Kongers, who are said to have the Lion Rock Spirit (獅子山精神).
Hong Kong on a Budget – Historic Trams
You’ve probably heard of the Peak Tram. In truth, it’s a funicular, not a tram.
It’s also a tourist trap and far from the best transport experience in Hong Kong. To be honest, we think you should avoid it!
Instead, for a cheaper thrill that lasts much longer and feels much more historical, get on a HK Tramways Ding Ding!
That’s what Hong Kong’s historical trams are called colloquially, probably due to the sounds they make.
The Best Way to Explore Hong Kong on a Budget
The earliest form of transport in Hong Kong was the double-decker trams that still run today.
In fact, Hong Kong uses double-decker trams exclusively and therefore has the biggest fleet of them in the world.
If you want to see Hong Kong island at a slower pace, Ding Dings are the way to go!
Ding Dings run on six routes from Kennedy Town in the west to Shau Kei Wan in the east and Happy Valley in the south, at four minute intervals.
The best part is that they only cost HK$3 a ride!
Free Things to do in Hong Kong on a Budget – Search for Statues
As a city, Hong Kong loves statues! From tiny and quirky statues near temples, tombs and memorials to huge gods and goddesses looking over entire districts.
You can certainly have a lot of fun searching for them all!
You could start with the world’s tallest outdoor bronze statue of Kwun Yam (觀音), Goddess of Mercy.
At 76m she towers over Tsz Shan Monastery (慈山寺) in Tai Po (GPS: 22.474203, 114.205577) and is twice the height of another famous statue in Hong Kong; the Tian Tin Buddha (天壇大佛) at Ngong Ping (GPS: 22.254106, 113.905144) on Lantau Island.
Free Things to Do in Hong Kong – Gods and Goddesses
As the 2 main deities worshipped in the area, Kwun Yam and Buddha feature prominently in monasteries.
The 10,000 Buddhas Monastery (萬佛寺) in Pau Tai Village, Sha Tin (GPS: 22.3875, 114.184722) has areas dedicated to both.
You can sometimes find shrines to Kwun Yam and Buddha near villages, or even up in the hills on hiking trails.
Often locals make their own sculptures and place them in the forest for your viewing pleasure. Several of them can be found on the Wilson Trail Section 3 (衛奕信徑第3段) – Lei Yue Mun to Tseng Lan Shue, between trail markers W019 and W031.
You could spend several days seeking out these statues and sculptures!
Hong Kong on a Budget – Wet Markets
If you want to see Hong Kong at its craziest, then any of the city’s various markets won’t disappoint.
We’re not talking about the street markets, we’re talking about what the locals call ‘Wet Markets’.
Generally, these are the go-to places for cheap, fresh food. Like sometimes still breathing kind of fresh.
You’ll see fish swimming around in tanks, right next to their friends that weren’t so lucky.
You’ll see various cuts of meat hanging from rails in front of a butcher’s stall, or sometimes even the occasional live chicken.
Don’t worry, Hong Kong has strict health regulations that are applied to wet markets and they are thoroughly cleaned by workers after business every day.
Wet Markets – The Best Place to Shop When Eating in Hong Kong on a Budget
If you’re staying at a hostel with a kitchen area, then the best way of eating in Hong Kong on a budget is buying food from wet markets to cook for yourself.
If you can’t cook for yourself, they may also be one of the cheapest places to pick up some pre-cooked local foods.
Aside from your everyday fresh foods, some wet markets include local sweet shops and bakeries, where you’ll find the cheapest and tastiest traditional treats.
The bigger wet markets will also have hardware and clothing stores along with key makers, tailors and traditional goods store. You’re almost guaranteed to find anything you need at these markets.
Eating in Hong Kong on a Budget – Cha Chaan Tengs (茶餐廳)
Cha Chaan Teng roughly translates to ‘Tea Restaurant’. People go to these places to Yum Cha (飲茶), which literally means drink tea, but colloquially means to eat food and drink tea.
Cha Chaan Tengs offer set meals of local style food paired with local drinks like lemon tea (檸茶), Milk Tea (奶茶) and Yuen Yueng (鴛鴦).
Cha Chaan Tengs are super common in Hong Kong, but most only have menus in Chinese. If you’re feeling adventurous, give it a go. Sometimes they have pictures. If you want to get the Cha Chaan Teng feel but prefer menus you can read, then Tai Hing and Tsui Wah are probably the best options for you.
A lunch or afternoon tea set meal with a drink, soup and main course normally costs somewhere between HK$40-60.
Best Places to Eat in Hong Kong on a Budget – Dai Pai Dongs (大牌檔)
Dai Pai Dong translates to ‘Big Licence Stall’ a reference to the special large licencing plates the businesses were once required to show. They are open air eateries with foldable chairs and tables for diners.
Dai Pai Dongs offer more of a ‘pick and choose’ kind of local menu, generally cooked in the ‘wok hei’ style, where drinks are extra.
Dai Pai Dongs are unfortunately a dying trade. There are only just over 20 officially registered in Hong Kong now, but Dai Pai Dong has become a blanket term for all outdoor eateries.
Sham Shui Po in Kowloon is the best area to find registered Dai Pai Dongs.
Hong Kong on a Budget – Cycling Around Town
Need a way to burn off all the calories you gained at the Cha Chaan Teng or Dai Pai Dong?
The New Territories of Hong Kong are a biking paradise!
There are hundreds of kilometres of dedicated bike trails that are signposted extremely well, so there’s no need to tussle with cars for road space or worry about getting lost.
That means it’s a safe activity for the whole family.
Scenes of Hong Kong on a Budget
Some of the trails follow rivers or meander along harbour promenades. You can follow trails to popular barbeque spots and beaches.
You will almost certainly see some locals fishing along the way.
There are bike hire places along the way that will let you hire a bike for around HK$90/day and even let you return the bike to another store along the trail.
There are even pedicab style cycles if you have someone in your group who is too young, too old or doesn’t feel like pedalling.
Free Things to do in Hong Kong – WiFi Everywhere!
Hong Kong is a super-connected city. WiFi is available almost everywhere and it’s generally free.
All shopping centres have anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 hours free access. MTR stations have 5 free 15 minute sessions per day. Airport buses and some city buses have it.
Libraries and government buildings have unlimited WiFi, although it’s somewhat slower than in other places.
If you venture to Hong Kong in the summer, you might be more than happy to hang out in the air conditioning with WiFi for a few hours.
It beats melting in the unbearable humidity!
Some public parks, such as Sha Tin Park and Hong Kong Park even have WiFi. So when it’s a bit cooler, you can enjoy nature and WiFi at the same time!
Free WiFi and Nature
You can even access free WiFi on the go from CSL, one of the local phone companies in Hong Kong.
All you need to do is send the code *165# using an overseas mobile number roaming on the CSL network. CSL will then send you a code that’s valid for a week on all their public networks.
If you stay in Hong Kong longer than a week, you can just get another code sent.
Free Things to do in Hong Kong – Walk Around in Nature
No one would blame you for thinking that there isn’t much nature in the world’s most densely populated city. Luckily, that is just not the case.
The centrally located Hong Kong Park covers a huge area and even contains an aviary with many exotic birds.
The Hong Kong Wetland Park showcases a unique ecosystem within Hong Kong’s New Territories and the UNESCO Hong Kong Geopark in the east gives you a glimpse into the region’s geological history.
Aside from that, there are many different natural wonders within the Country Parks in Hong Kong.
You may be surprised at just how varied nature can be in the area.
You’ll see things like waterfalls, bamboo forests and grasslands, reservoirs and streams, just to mention a few.
Free Things to do in Hong Kong – Hillside Cemeteries and Tombs
As you would be aware, space is a commodity in Hong Kong, so when it comes to burying the dearly departed, people head to the hills.
Designated cemeteries, like the Hong Kong Buddhist Cemetery (香港佛教墳場) on Hong Kong Island (GPS: 22.256839, 114.233327), can often be seen on the sides of very steep hills.
It’s also quite common to find tombs in the middle of forests.
If you happen to pass one at the right time of the month, you may even see some of the more traditional folk leaving food and incense near the tombs to stop any ghosts from haunting the living.
Hong Kong on a Budget – Islands and Camping
Did you know that Hong Kong is made up of over 200 islands? Some of these islands are uninhabited, untouched paradises.
While not all of them are accessible, there are quite a few that are.
Some, like Po Toi Island (蒲台島) and Tung Lung Chau (東龍洲), only have limited ferry services, mainly on the weekends, due to the small populations residing there.
Others, like Lamma Island (南丫島) and Cheung Chau (長洲) have hourly services.
The government allows camping on some of these islands, as long as you register with them and stay within the designated areas.
Not only that, but there are many camping sites within the government maintained Country Parks.
Free Things to do in Hong Kong – Secluded Beaches
You didn’t know Hong Kong had beaches? Well, it does and some of them are pretty damn good! Of course, there are ones that are quite popular and easily accessible, but they can get a little too crowded.
If you’re looking for something a little bit more secluded, there are some beaches in Sai Kung (西貢) in the east that are only accessible by hiking Section 2 of the MacLehose Trail (麥理浩徑第2段).
Sai Wan (西灣), Ham Tin (鹹田), Tai Wan (大灣) and Tung Wan (東灣) are 4 such beaches in Big Wave Bay (大浪灣).
What’s even more charming about the first two of these beaches is the small locally run stores nearby!
These are some of the best places to eat in Hong Kong on a budget while relaxing with nature all around you.
They always have a fresh supply of cool drinks, including beer, and Dou fu fa (豆腐花), a popular sugary bean curd dessert.
Free Things to do in Hong Kong – Hills For the Hiking!
This is, in our opinion, the most enticing reason to visit the city; it has the most amazing hiking in the world!
That’s not an exaggeration.
Over 40% of the land in Hong Kong is hills and forests.
The government has wisely instituted a nature reserve system of Country Parks to keep these areas free from development.
There are 24 Country Parks across the territory, with hundreds of hiking trails.
Trails For Everyone – Hong Kong on a Budget
Trails range from super-easy walks that are kid and dog friendly, to technical rock climbing and everything in between.
The 4 major trails, the MacLehose (麥理浩徑), Wilson (衛奕信徑), Lantau (鳳凰徑) and Hong Kong (港島徑) Trails cover over 300km of ground between them.
They stretch from Hong Kong Island in the south, to the remote New Territories in the north, Sai Kung in the east and Tuen Mun/Lantau in the west.
Websites For Hiking Information
The Agricultural, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has compiled a one-stop site with all the information you need about Hong Kong’s trails here.
If you want to find people to hike with, the Hong Kong Hiking Meetup runs several hikes for all fitness and experience levels, every day of the year.
Best Area to Stay in Hong Kong For Convenience and Budget
Obviously, one of the best places to stay in Hong Kong on a Budget would be with locals but given the cost and size of housing in Hong Kong, locals don’t always have enough room for guests.
The next best option is hostels. You can find the one you want at Hostelworld.
At around HK$150-200/night, they are more expensive than hostels in other places, but they are clean and generally a great place for meeting other travellers.
Most hostels in Hong Kong can be found in the Tsim Sha Tsui (尖沙咀) and Yau Ma Tei (油麻地) areas of Kowloon. These areas are within walking distance of each other, but Tsim Sha Tsui is normally cheaper for accommodation.
Hostels located in Chungking Mansions can be as cheap as HK$110 a night, but it’s really NOT an ideal place to stay. Avoid it if you can or be prepared to be disappointed
Tsim Sha Tsui is on the Kowloon side of the harbour, just a short 9 minute ferry ride from Central and Wanchai and a 15 minute train ride to Tai Wai (大圍) in the New Territories.
That makes it a really convenient place for lodging if you plan to visit all three regions of Hong Kong and don’t want to spend a fortune on transport.
It is definitely the best area to stay in Hong Kong on a budget.
You might also be interested in our Myths About Hong Kong article
Would you like to know more about travelling in Hong Kong?
Do you need information about free cultural walking tours and hikes?
Feel free to drop us a line at letsgo@k-in-motion.com :o)
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55 Replies to “Hong Kong on a Budget”
Whoa! This is an awesome list..we are planning a trip to Hong Kong soon and this would be so helpful!
This list barely scratches the surface of things to do in HK! It’s an amazing city.
The weather is pretty horrid over summer, so if you can, wait until November or December when the temperatures are much more bearable!
This was it, i was searching for. Thanks a lot for taking time to publish it on your post.
Really Appreciated.
I’m glad I could help :o)
There’s always so much to do in HK, although I’ve never been to one of its cemeteries!!
Yeah, it’s almost impossible to get bored here!
Hong Kong has been on my bucket list for a while and these budget-friendly tips will be great for when I finally get there!
You should come on over! Unless you really don’t like heat and humidity, then you should head over between November and February. :o)
There are many free things to do so you can keep your budget down, the problem for us was accommodation and food! Still, we loved this city :)
We have the most expensive real estate in the world. Luckily everything else is relatively cheap, including food, if you know where to look.
I know so little about Hong Kong because I always assume it is so metro and expensive so I love this post because you showcase tons of cheap and even better FREE things to do.
I particularly love all the nature activities from the beaches to the hikes but I particularly love that you featured the cemeteries because we love learning a lot about history and culture and cemeteries can offer a lot of insights.
That’s exactly why I wrote the article! There’s so much more to this city than people think. But I’ve barely scratched the surface in this post.
We have some pretty amazing and diverse nature and it’s all readily accessible.
There’s so much more I could’ve said about cemeteries and tombs. There is actually a holiday each year in HK just for keeping tombs in order!
Our hiking trails also contain a lot of colonial war artifacts, like marker stones, tunnels and abandoned forts.
These are great tips! The flights kill us. So it is good to know there are plenty of budget-friendly things to do!
Flight prices can be pretty horrendous if you’re coming from the east coast of North America. You could try flying into a cheaper Asian destination then fly to HK from there. Flights within Asia are generally quite cheap.
It’s actually quite cheap for us to fly almost anywhere from HK, but it seems that’s not the case for people flying in :o(
I would so love a ride in the Peak Tram! I’d love to visit Hong Kong. My husband traveled there last year and the photos he clicked were superb. Loved your post! There’s something for just about everyone in Hong Kong!
Yes. It is a wonderous city in many ways!
The Peak Tram is the biggest tourist trap in HK! I think the island trams are a much nicer experience for much less money. Also, the regularly scheduled bus service to the peak is a third of the price and has a much nicer view on the way up! :o)
Wow, Kez. Always so full of the best information. I pictured Hong Kong as a huge city, not all of the nature that you list here. Seems like the perfect combination of metropolis, culture and nature. True that getting there and lodging are costly, but so many things to do and not spend much more.
I know many people don’t think of coming to HK for nature, but it makes up about 40% of our land! All of our 18 districts either have hills, or are surrounded by them. I’ve climbed the top 125 hills here, but that’s not even half of what we’ve got!
Flights can be expensive when coming from outside of HK, but it’s pretty cheap for us to fly just about anywhere in the world, except maybe South America. I’ve never spent more than about US$500 for a return flight to Europe, North America, Australia and Africa. I am pretty boss at finding cheap flights though ;o)
If you do ever manage to find some cheap flights over, I can probably help you organise some cheaper accommodation and cheap cultural tours.
Very nice guide. I didn’t know about a lot of these items. I especially like your recommendation for good view points. Something a photography enthusiast like me appreciates.
So much world to see, so little time and money. I always look for free or inexpensive yet fun activities.
You will love Lion Rock! I have scaled it hundreds of times and always bump into photographers up there! It’s absolutely beautiful at night too, but I don’t have a camera that can do it justice.
If you ever make it over, I can suggest a whole pile of other areas with awesome views :o)
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I’m usually really not much for cities, but the HK skyline is really pretty! The Cha Chaan Tengs + street food/wet markets are my favorite! :] I really want to go back to hike do some more hiking there!
Believe it or not, I’m not a huge fan of cities either. It’s a fact that perplexes most people when they find out I live in HK! But I live closer to the hills than I do to the city centre. There are plenty of hills waiting for your return! ;o)
Loved the images and the fact that you put a free section in there! So important! Thanks for sharing!
Jessie
Is always important to know about awesome free things to do in a place!
I would love to visit Hong Kong someday and it’s very reassuring that I can do so many free things!!! And free wifi is always a plus!
Now is actually a great time to head over!
Some tourists have been staying away so flights are cheap and hotels are offering amazingly cheap package deals.
I’ve never been to Hong Kong but I plan to go soon . It’s nice to know there are cheap and free things to do there to really make the most out of my vacation .
Great post and ideas !
This post has barely scratched the surface of things to do in Hong Kong.
Now is a great time to come over because fights are cheap. :o)
So beautiful! Especially the beaches! Would love to go there!
The beaches here are surprisingly beautiful and secluded!
A lot of naturalistic adventures. Sounds amazing ! I love the beaches
Yeah, there are actually a lot of beaches in HK! The ones I’ve mentioned are fairly nice and quiet.
I love the idea of this. There are so many great free options to check out when we’re travelling to a new destination, but we often don’t know where to look! I would love to see more of these as you continue your travels!
Thanks for the suggestion. It’s actually a great idea, as I guess I’m not the only one who travels on a tight budget!
I just wanna tell that this is very helpful, Thanks for taking your time to write this.
thanks for taking the time to read it :o)
Awesome :)
You got some great shots of the skyline at night and during the day.
I have hundreds of skyline shots from the hills, from the land and from the water. The one’s from the hills are always my favourite!
Great tips to explore Hong Kong on a budget. Would love to visit!
It’s a great place to explore.
I wish I’d known these when I visited Hong Kong! Cause honestly I blew through SO much money there :p
That’s easy to do if you don’t know where all the cheap stuff is and can’t read Chinese. I always hear people saying Hong Kong is one of the most expensive places they visited, but it doesn’t have to be!
I’ve visited Hong Kong four times, and I’ve never ridden on a Ding Ding. HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE? I miss having Yum Cha, and eating noodles with spam and egg… oh, and I definitely miss having Stinky Tofu in Mongkok. Oh, I’ll need to go back!
I think a lot of people overlook the Ding Dings because they are a bit of a slower way of getting around, but there are less than 10 cities in the world where you can ride a double decker tram!
Hong Kong is on my longterm bucket list and this post has me inspired to bump it up for a sooner visit… I esp. like the recommendations about markets..thanks for the inspiration
The good thing about the wet markets is that they are everywhere. Each area has at least one. In the area I used to live in, there were three within a five minute walk of my village!
So much world to see, so little time and money. I always look for free or inexpensive yet fun activities. thanks for sharing this amazing article.
Yes! The free and cheap things can often be the most rewarding too! Especially things like hiking in Hong Kong.
Do you have any updates since you first posted this? I am planning a trip there in Sept 2023 and would love to hear of any updates. Do you ever talk about the airlines? I have been trying to contact EVA Air and they never answer their phone!☹️
All the information in this post is still current.
If i ever have to contact airlines, I normally do it by email or social media. They tend to be responsive in those places.
This is good
Thank you Alvis.