19 Places to Visit in Hong Kong + Things To Do for First-Timers

Kica Sipert - A gawk-worthy modern skyline and exciting urban attractions are the top reasons that got me on a plane to Hong Kong on my first trip abroad.

This country is very compact and getting around is easy. You can enjoy a lot of sights even on a short trip if you plan your itinerary well.

To make your travel experience nice. The best places to visit depends on what types of attractions you like the most. Take your pick from shopping districts, theme parks, cultural experiences, museums, historical spots, urban views, dining, harbor cruises & more.

Inspire your trip in Hong Kong with this list of the best tourist spots & top things to do.

1. Victoria Peak

The breathtaking panoramic view from Victoria Peak is Hong Kong’s most popular attraction for a good reason. Enjoy the best views overlooking the city’s famous skyline and Victoria Harbor, complete with all of Hong Kong’s tallest and most famous skyscrapers. The scenic and thrilling The Peak Tram is a worthy attraction on its own. Here, you can also visit the famous Madame Tussauds Wax Museum and Trick Eye Museum.

Take a ride on MTR to Central. Take the J2 exit and follow along Garden Road to the Peak Tram lower terminus. Board the Peak Tram to get to the Peak Tower. You can get to Victoria Peak more cheaply by bus and go trekking with the Peak Circle Walk. There are some scenic viewing decks along the way. Bus ride on hilly steep roads has its own thrill. This is a good option if you want to take a different route back to Central. hong kong,

2. Disneyland Hong Kong



Traveling with kids or adults who want to feel like a kid again? Experience a magical thrill at hong kong Disneyland. It is the second Disney-themed amusement park in Asia after Tokyo Disneyland.

how to go,

Being connected to the MTR train system, it is very easy to reach here. Take the Orange MTR line to Sunny Bay and switch to the Disneyland Resort "Pink" MTR line.

The best time to visit is in the afternoon if you want to explore the park and watch the beautiful firework show at Sleeping Beauty Castle, which lights up the skies every night at 9 PM (weather permitting). Walk down Main Street at least 15 minutes early to get a good spot before the crowds join in.

3. Nong Ping


The Tian Tan Buddha, also known as the "Big Buddha", is literally the biggest attraction on this side of Lantau Island. This is the world's largest outdoor sitting Buddha made of bronze. Check out the Po Lin Monastery and the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery, which is famous for its hall, which houses about 13,000 small Buddha statues. The best way to get there is by ride on the spectacular Nong Ping 360 cable car, which offers panoramic views of Lantau Island, hong kong International Airport, South China Sea and surrounding areas.

how to go,

Take the MTR to Tung Chung Station. Walk to the lower terminus of the Nong Ping 360 Cable Car and take the cable car to Nong Ping Village.

4. Star Ferry and Victoria Harbor



Not only dirt cheap, but it also offers a nostalgic ferry crossing with amazing views of the wonderful skyline on both sides of Victoria Harbour. If you're looking for the right introduction to hong kongthis is the matter!

Entry Fee — The fare for a one-way ticket to the Central Star Ferry Pier is HKD2.50 per adult on weekdays and HKD3.40 per adult on weekends and public holidays.

how to go,

From Kowloon — Take MTR to Tsim Sha Tsui and proceed to exit L4. Walk on and follow signs to the Star Ferry Pier Terminal.

5. Symphony of Lights



a trip to hong kong Nothing is complete without a visit to the Sim Sha Tsui Waterfront to enjoy panoramic views of the impressive Central hong kong Skyline and Victoria Harbour. This is a must for photographers. Don't miss out on the Symphony of Lights, the world's largest permanent light and sound show by Guinness World Records. It lights up every night from 8am and covers more than 40 buildings on both sides of Victoria Harbour.

how to go,

Take the MTR to Sim Sha Tsui or Eastern Sim Sha Tsui station. Proceed to exit J and follow signs to Sim Sha Tsui Waterfront.

From there, it's an easy walk to many of the area's museums, including hong kong space museum, hong kong art museum, hong kong cultural centre, hong kong History Museum, hong kong Science Museum, hong kong Heritage Discovery Center, and the Health Education Exhibition and Resource Center. And, hong kongHistoric sites such as the former Kowloon-Canton Railway clock tower.

6. Sim Sha Tsui Promenade

15 Best Places to Visit in Malaysia

  Kica Sipert - Malaysia is the crown jewel located at the very end of Southeast Asia, jutting out along the Malaccan Strait to meet Indonesia and the islands of the Java Sea.

It is clearly a nation divided into two parts. On the Malaya built sites on the west side; The old bastion of British colonial power now buzzes with multicultural UNESCO cities in power Kuala Lumpur and Penang.

On the eastern side is the forested and mist-covered Borneo.

Here, orangutans swarm in pristine forests, ancient volcanic domes loom above, beaches are trampled by turtles instead of sunbathers, and rustic fishing towns spill out into the South China Sea.

Just one glance at this magical country is enough to see why so many choose to travel here, whether they come for the tea-scented Cameroon Highlands, the pearly waters of Sipadan, the capital's raucous bazaars, historical relics Huh. Malacca - the list goes on...

Best Place to Travel to Malaysia

1. Kuala Lumpur

Kuala LumpurKuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur comes centered by the two great spiers of the Petronas Towers, filled with bazaars and major hawker markets down Petaling Street, throbbing with the energy of Bukit Bintang – the entertainment city – and the aroma of everything from fried sugar Sparkling Chow Mein To Sizzling Portuguese Fish Barbecue.

It is one of the world's great multicultural metropolises, with lantern-lit Chinatowns, to Nepalese curry houses and Indian thali kitchen districts.

In addition to breathtaking city views from the countless sky bars, you can visit the mysterious Batu Caves and some acclaimed Islamic art institutions.

2. Malacca

MalaccaMalacca

The scarlet churches and colonial frontiers that fringe the tight-knit alleys of enchanting Malacca are unquestionably one of Malaysia's great draws.

Built under decades of colonial rule by the Portuguese, the Dutch, and then the British, the city as seen today was once a powerful trading powerhouse on the edge of the Malay Peninsula.

With control of the Straits of Malacca, it saw everything from silk transport to spice convoys to military troops pass through its ports.

Today, there are immersive maritime museums to help unravel this past, as well as a Pandamonius Night Market down Jonker Walk – one of the best in the country!

3. Penang

George TownGeorge Town

Penang is often thought of as the smaller of Southeast Asia.

It's easy to see why.

In downtown Georgetown, clicking rickshaws weave smoky Cantonese kitchens, 19th-century blue-hued mansions, and vintage remnants of a quaint British past – it's no wonder the entire place is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Comes under World Heritage.

You can also try an awesome mix of food including Indian curry and Chinese pancakes.

And then there are the beaches, which glow in deep blue and golden yellow at Batu Feringahi, and lined with coconut-hued palms on the shores of the island of Jerejak.

4. Gunung Mulu National Park

Mount Mulu National ParkMount Mulu National Park

The seasoned hoodoos and ancient ridges of Gunung Mulu National Park rarely fail to capture the imagination.

The park itself (another UNESCO site) represents one of those last enclaves of uncharted land, and one of the most difficult reserves to visit in all of Borneo – you'll need a heart-wrenching plane to the asphalt of tiny Mulu. You will have to take a ride to the airport, or a 12-hour riverboat amidst the snake-infested forests.

Prize? Mossy rainforest where helmeted hornbills release their cries; Deep and moist cave system surrounded by rare bats; Trekking on swinging canopy bridges; Mighty Gricks and Caves of Mt Ap - the list goes on.

5. Langkawi

langkawilangkawi

On the border with Thailand, where the Andaman Sea becomes the Malaccan Strait in the country's extreme north, Langkawi is a quiet, lazy place that offers a real dose of the tropics.

Filled with iconic beaches, like the waterfall haven of Pantai Cenang, or the secluded, boulder-dotted sands of Pantai Kok, it establishes itself as a place to come for sun, sea, sand, scuba, and some pampering.

For last, you can head to the 5-star all-inclusive resorts that are hidden in the coconut groves of Datai Bay.

For more adventure, you can pull on the boots and trek up to the grueling Seven Wells, or hit the panoramic skybridge over the forests.

6. National Park National Park

National ParkNational Park

Taman Negara is a huge green jewel located in the center of the Malay Peninsula.

Spanning 4,300 square kilometres, it is spread across ancient rainforests (some say, some of the oldest established woodlands in the world) and winding rivers where elephants can be seen roaming the muddy banks.

Today, Taman Negara is being raised in Malaysia's ecotourism mecca, and travelers come from far and wide to walk on swinging rope bridges, traverse tree-covered trails and see the elusive Malayan tiger, the cheeky wild macaque, Indians look for the likes of elephants. Galmphing Guars - the list goes on!

7. Cameron Highlands

Cameron HighlandsCameron Highlands

At an altitude of more than 1,000 meters above the lower reaches of the Malay Peninsula, the hill station known as Cameron Highlands rarely fails to breathe.

It spreads across the plateaus of the mighty Main Range between Penang and Kel, rolling into lush pockets of rainforest and emerald-green tea fields.

The unique microclimate and cool temperatures that dominate the highlands make the region the perfect incubator for interesting plant and animal life, while cobbled hiking routes lead to terrifying vistas of Batu Brinchang and ramshackle tea villages, and even That promises cultural encounters with the local orang. Real tribals.

8. Perhentian Islands

turtle Beachturtle Beach

The Perhentian Islands have all the good looking and sun-kissed beauties you would expect of an archipelago at the entrance to the Thai Gulf.

Surrounded by gleaming dashes of coral reef, they are usually accessible by boat from Kuala Besut.

The location on Malaya's east coast keeps them void of the same fast-moving crowds that descend on Penang, which is great if you're kicking-back after long and lazy days between Turtle Beach and Coral Bay.

There is a scuba diving here, with famous sites like Pinnacle and Sugar Wreck providing great visibility.

There are hiking trails in the forest, where you will keep company of sizable lizards and snakes.

And there are some great fish fries in the evening to boot!

9. Semengoh Nature Reserve

Semengoh Nature ReserveSemengoh Nature Reserve

Semengoh continues to reign as one of Borneo's renowned natural gems.

Situated on the edge of the city of Kuching, it sprawls across virgin rainforests that rise along the great inland peaks of Sarawak.

Between its borders are towering teak trees and dangling forest vines, all strewn with papaya and banana trees in bloom.

They are chewed by the resident pack of 25 orangutans, which is the main reason thousands of people flock like this each year! (The grounds of Semengoh have a well-known reserve that allows for some of the most up-close and personal encounters with these fascinating simians.)

10. Bako National Park

Bako National ParkBako National Park

Winding your way from Semengoh to the pearly waters of the South China Sea on the other side of Kuching, Bako National Park is also worth a visit – especially if you've come to Malaysia for the wild jungles and beautiful backcountry.

The landscape here can change dramatically from coast to inland, with chiseled rock piles and sheer-cut cliffs bordering the sea, and dense forests with thickets that dominate the backcountry.

This makes for a terrifying array of creatures, including the formidable monitor lizard and the elusive proboscis monkey.

Walking trails cover the entire park, weaving forest, mangroves and coastal creeks alike.

11. Kuching

Kuching

Kuching

For many travelers, Kuching will be the first taste of East Malaysia and Borneo.

And where is the best place to start? The 200-year-old city is the capital of the state of Sarawak, and comes with a backdrop of British colonialism and sultanate rule.

You can see that in white-painted buildings like Astana, and in the bustling worship halls of the Jamek Mosque.

Kuching is also known for its diversity – Chinese markets throb with five spices here; Paneer fry and bhaji are made there in Indian kitchen.

Oh, and that's not even to mention the city's enticing proximity to wonders like Bako National Park and Semengoh Orangutan Reserve!

12. Sipadan

sipadansipadan

You'll have to venture far to the east to discover the legendary tropical treasure of Sipadan: Malaysia's only oceanic island, and a veritably picture-perfect diving destination waiting for travel brochure photographers to pass by.

Cotton-white sand greets some sailors who sail from the Borneo mainland, while craggy hills of forest-dressed cliff top the island.

However, the real behavior here is underwater.

There, along with oxygen tanks, you can find hammerhead sharks and endangered hawksbill turtles, shimmering coral gardens and kaleidoscope parrots!

13.Lombir Hills National Park

Lumbir Hills National Park

Lumbir Hills National Park

Just a stone's throw from the border with Brunei, Lambir Hills National Park is the smallest in Malaysia.

However, size doesn't matter here, as visitors still come to see the old-growth rainforest packed into the nooks and crevices of the waterfalls and valleys.

Wooden bridges, winding stairs cut into the rock, and maintained boardwalks, all make it a great place to pull on running shoes.

Deep inside the reserve are families of rare primates and the paradisiacal cataracts of the Lambir Hills Waterfall – just wait until that one reveals itself!

14. Johor Bahru

Johor Bahru
Johor Bahru

Johor Bahru sits on the very edge of Singapore, right at the tip of the Malay Peninsula.

Over the decades, it’s garnered a rep as just an administrative visa town, which is far too simple a moniker for a city that’s riddled with cultural attractions and great shopping.

Check out the Old Chinese Temple that stands, Zen-like, in the midst of the downtown, and don’t miss the elegant colonial-style towers of the Sultan Abu Bakar State Mosque.

For shoppers, there are huge malls and marketplaces to get through, like Tebrau City and KSL. However, it’s the rides and arcades of Legoland Malaysia that draw the biggest crowds of locals – not to mention oodles from across the border in Singapore too.

15. Taiping

Taiping
Taiping

Super-wet Taiping sits in the rain shadow of the Perak hills, not far from the sunny beaches and multicultural streets of George Town and Penang.

Like Penang, this city has been influenced greatly by settlers from China over the centuries, and the spot was once the focus of a mass exodus of Cantonese and San folk, who came in the tin rush to mine the nearby ridges.

Today, it’s got some pretty urban gardens and parklands to explore – don’t miss relaxing Maxwell Hill, the mirror-like waters of Taiping Lake Gardens, or the sobering Taiping War Cemetery.

Meanwhile, the town center displays a medley of colonial-era facades and timber Asian builds, all of which hide local cookhouses and emporiums.

Travel in Malaysia.

19 Places to Visit in Hong Kong + Things To Do for First-Timers

Kica Sipert  -  A gawk-worthy modern skyline and exciting urban attractions are the top reasons that got me on a plane to  Hong Kong  on my ...