Hong Kong on the Cheap

In an international city like Hong Kong, there are countless ways to spend your days as a tourist. Here are a few noteworthy and cheap activities to add to your itinerary.

1. Peak Tram Ride. Victoria Peak is one of Hong Kong’s most famous tourist attractions, and it is accessible by bus and taxi, as well as private car. However, the most fun and historic way to visit the peak is via the shiny red tram cars. Unlike trams on the roads below, these trams chug up a steep hill, and at times the angle feels just like the ascent of a roller coaster before a downward spiral. A one-way ticket up to the peak will cost you $28 HK, and after seeing the sights, you can walk down through the Midlevels to Central.

2. The Races. Horse racing dates back to the early British colonial days in Hong Kong, and it is still very popular today. Most every Wednesday night, there are a series of races in the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Happy Valley Racecourse. Admission is only $10 HK, and inside you can buy fairly reasonably priced drinks and concessions, as well as food from McDonald’s. The minimum bet is just $10, too, but how much you spend or lose is up to you.

3. Museums. Hong Kong has a great number of museums, and most of them are incredibly affordable. In Tsim Sha Tsui, several museums are clustered near the harbor and the Hong Kong Cultural Center. Here, you will find the Hong Kong Science Museum, Space Museum, Museum of Art and Museum of History. Admission is $10 HK every day except Wednesdays, which are free of charge.

4. Street food. Many Asian locales are known for their street food, and Hong Kong is no exception. Mong Kok in Kowloon is one of the best places to sample the cheap eats, which include curried fish balls, fried squid, sausages and much more. My favorite is a hot, toasty waffle spread with sweetened condensed milk and peanut butter, which typically costs around $10.

5. Hong Kong Wetland Park. Located in the outer New Territories, the Wetland Park is a world away from Hong Kong’s bustling city center. It is an attempt to preserve some of Hong Kong’s natural beauty and maintain ecosystems that existed before recent land development. There is a visitors center with interactive exhibits and galleries, as well as many trails through the outdoor areas where you can see native wildlife. Adult admission is $30 HK.

Author Sydney Stonner is addicted to traveling. After studying journalism and music at the University of Missouri (where she studied abroad twice), she worked for a time as a newspaper reporter. Now, she is living in Hong Kong teaching English to primary school students. So far, she has visited 15 countries and hopes to visit many, many more.