Hong Kong is an exciting holiday destination, scenic, exotic, 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 if time is short, it’s wise to be selective and plan ahead.
Hong Kong can be visited year round but weather and scenery are usually at their best between November and early March.
Hong Kong Disneyland on Lantau Island
Built on reclaimed land in Lantau, just over five years old, HK Disneyland can easily be visited in a day, 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 is divided into four themes, fantasy, adventure, tomorrow and main street USA. Fantasyland features a Sleeping Beauty castle, Winnie the Pooh adventures, Cinderella carousel and more, 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, and 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.
Hong Kong Harbour Tours, Ocean Park and Other Attractions on Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island has its own family attractions, some of them free, on land and water.
- Take the kids to Ocean Park to ride on the mine train rollercoaster, follow the emerald trail, see the bird and dolphin shows, the large aviary and four level aquarium.
- Sail across Hong Kong harbour to Kowloon or book a boat trip to some of the outlying islands, such as Cheung Chau where one can still catch a glimpse of old China.
- Relax on the beach in Stanley, either St Stephen or Main Beach, both with 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 rattling 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, running 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.
Holiday in Hong Kong, 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, ends in Ngong Ping cultural with its restaurants and other attractions and 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 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 and for those who visit in early June, there’s an exciting Dragon Boat festival.
Solange Hando - I am a travel writer, editor and photographer, contributing to a range of publications in the UK and worldwide.
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