Hong Kong - How long to spend there with a family?

[yo yo ma]

I am looking at making my first trip to HKG in September - any ideas of things to do and how long to spend there with my wife and three kids (aged 11, 8, 5) would be appreciated.

 

[11sjw]

HKGs national sport is shopping. It opens late and closes late so be ready for an altered schedule.

Re children: Ocean Park is fun as is Disneyland.

Our last two trips have been 1 week in Kowloon and 3 nights at the Disneyland Hotel.

In general search the threads here but go to Tim Ho Wan for some real cheap Michelin Star dining. In Mong Kok it opens at 10am but get there at 9 and queue.

 

[djfuzz]

HKGs national sport is shopping. It opens late and closes late so be ready for an altered schedule.

Re children: Ocean Park is fun as is Disneyland.

Our last two trips have been 1 week in Kowloon and 3 nights at the Disneyland Hotel.

In general search the threads here but go to Tim Ho Wan for some real cheap Michelin Star dining. In Mong Kok it opens at 10am but get there at 9 and queue.

There are now branches of Tim Ho Wan at HK Station (under IFC Mall, and just under the in-town check-in) and Sham Shui Po. The latter is apparently open earlier / later and less crazy, though a bit of a walk from the nearest MTR. The former was pretty busy when we visited (though not as much as the Mong Kok location), so YMMV.

I guess it comes down to what your kids are interested in. I've just had a go at the family trip to HK and am keen to try it again, but I agree about the Ocean Park recc, though I'd probably hope to make it to Disney next time too. Found the Nan Lian garden and Chi Lin nunnery to be quite relaxing and fun for kids, and then some other otherwise boring touristy stuff like the Star Ferry, Aqualuna, 1881 building, HK Park, Historical and Science Museums, No 6 bus to Stanley, Peak - and lots of shopping. We missed out on the Big Buddha and cable car due to the closure for mechanical inspections, but that would have been high on the list, as would Sai Kung if we had time to make it out there.

I agree that a week is probably the starting point to be able to do a few of these things, give or take a bit of time for the kids to adjust.

 

[awilcockson]

My wife and I spent 5 days in HK a year ago and didn't come close to doing everything. We plan on taking our 6 and 7 year old at Christmas, and plans on at least 5 days, preferably a bit longer.

Make sure you do ocean park and Disneyland, they are both great.

 

[craven morehead]

Sitting in HK Lounge now with missus and 5 kids in tow. I think a week is long enough with kids. All suggestions previously are excellent. It is amazing how simple things like the Star Ferry are real fun for the kids. Ocean Park is fantastic, Sampan ride from Aberdeen to somewhere like Repulse Bay is good followed by lunch at Stanley. Ngong Ping is good when cable car is working. The Peak on Saturday just gone had zero visibility but the kids really enjoyed the tram ride followed by a walk around up top and then lunch. Also went to Macau for the day and it was well worth it. The Macau tower was great and there were lunatics bungy jumping from the top floor !!!! Lamma Island good for a day trip. Didn't do Disneyland so cannot comment. We stayed in Tsim Tsa Tsui so we could walk around heaps. Enjoy your trip..

 

[jukebox333]

Just be aware that HK Disneyland is a little bit Disneyland-Lite. The overall impression we had when we went last year was that it was geared towards a more juvinille audience (I had 11,9 and 4 year olds in tow - all loved it, but the older two were more impressed with Tokyo Disneyland, which does fully replicate Anahiem (it's actually bigger than the CA one), whereas HK is missing quite a few of the thrill rides, as it is in a very small area).

Also, be aware it seems to close rather early for a city whose normal working hours are 10am to 11pm or later - on the day of our visit, the last rides were at 7pm, and stopped once the fireworks display started - and eveyone was ushered out of the park by 8.30pm.

Having said that, it is a lot of fun, reasonable value, and if your kids have not been to any other Disneyland, they wont know the difference, and will love it to bits!

 

[Simo]

I have done HK Disneyland and yes it is a lite version a day was good but would have liked a half day extra to do a few more things there, I was there on a Saturday so we had to line up everywhere, PITA, weekdays are a lot better.

We did line up for app 2 hours to see Mickey Mouse(high light of day for Miss 3)

Miss 3 also wanted to have photo's with some of the toy story characters as well.(that burned a lot of day)

But the above photo's made her day very much

When we go back we will go for 6 days and that will be heaps,

We always like to have a day or 2 to do nothing at all.

 

[amaroo]

We have taken the kids to HK a few times and they LOVE it....

The first trip was the longest - 7 nights. At that time our kids were aged 6 & 4.
Some of the things we enjoyed - in no particular order:-

Star Ferry
The Peak
Stanley
Toys R Us
Hong Kong Science Museum
Aqualuna.....highly recommended for the light show
Shopping
Big Buddha - great cable car ride with a good view of the airport amongst other things
Ocean Park - spectacular cable car ride
Many great restaurants
Four Seasons Hotel Pool - wherever you stay ensure you select a hotel with a good pool & outdoor scene
Walking through this great city

Have a great trip.

 

[Eugah]

My wife & I & 2 kids 15 & 11 spent two weeks there & still didn't see everything, Disneyland was good for the 11yo but the 15yo went back to the motel in Kowloon half way through the day. Everything that has been listed above & we also enjoyed a day trip to Macau on the hysrofoils.

Adrian

 

[yo yo ma]

Thanks for all the replies & PMs - I have had a really busy week and haven't had a chance to get back to the thread. I have booked the flights to HKG for late Sept but haven't booked the return yet. We will go to Shenzhen for a day trip and are considering a few nights in China. I will come back to this thread when planning the itinerary. Cheers all.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Thanks for all the replies & PMs - I have had a really busy week and haven't had a chance to get back to the thread. I have booked the flights to HKG for late Sept but haven't booked the return yet. We will go to Shenzhen for a day trip and are considering a few nights in China. I will come back to this thread when planning the itinerary. Cheers all.

Try to get up to Shanghai.......its a happening thing.

 

[Simo]

Thanks for all the replies & PMs - I have had a really busy week and haven't had a chance to get back to the thread. I have booked the flights to HKG for late Sept but haven't booked the return yet. We will go to Shenzhen for a day trip and are considering a few nights in China. I will come back to this thread when planning the itinerary. Cheers all.

I took my 3 year old daughter to Shenzhen and didn't enjoy that day at all, we actually left earlier than planned.

My daughter is a blondie and they would not leave her alone, she was crying with all the attention she was getting and one person even tried to pull her out of my arms to have a cuddle.

IMHO would not go with children to Shenzhen

 

[k3nnis]

Hi All,

Just wondering is it a bad idea to bring my 2 year old daughter with myself and wife to HKG? Probably spend 7 days there. Flights will be on VS UC SYD-HKG-SYD.

Has anyone travelled with a 2 year old before

Thanks,
K.

 

[amaroo]

Hi All,

Just wondering is it a bad idea to bring my 2 year old daughter with myself and wife to HKG? Probably spend 7 days there. Flights will be on VS UC SYD-HKG-SYD.

Has anyone travelled with a 2 year old before

Thanks,
K.

Go for it. We've done LH with two small kids & had no problems.

 

[k3nnis]

Thanks. Worried about the 9 hour flight Need to load up with the toys and gadgets and food! Hopefully an iPAD will do the trick! How about a small stoller to bring along? Is it too difficult for HK? I have a feeling she won't want to walk too much.... Looking to stay at the Conrad HK, never stayed on the island side before .... Only stayed at TST previously without children!

Go for it. We've done LH with two small kids & had no problems.

 

[Greggsy]

We went with our kids (5 & 8 at the time) in 2009... they loved it. Amaroo already listed off the places we went, but I would recommend staying at the better of the two Disneyland hotels and upgrade to the executive floor - well worth it... kids will love the character breakfast as well.

Greg

 

[yo yo ma]

Try to get up to Shanghai.......its a happening thing.

Have tried all routings but it costs too much to get up there. I have now changed the itinerary:
BNE-SYD-HKG-SIN-DPS-SIN-MEL-BNE (17 nights)
We will definitely get to Shanghai next time.

 

[amaroo]

Thanks. Worried about the 9 hour flight Need to load up with the toys and gadgets and food! Hopefully an iPAD will do the trick! How about a small stoller to bring along? Is it too difficult for HK? I have a feeling she won't want to walk too much.... Looking to stay at the Conrad HK, never stayed on the island side before .... Only stayed at TST previously without children!

I'd take the stroller for a few reasons:-

If you go shopping the centres are HUGE.....therefore, you can spend quite a bit of time there....including eating at the many great restaurants that inhabit shopping malls
Many places are linked with overhead bridges....easy to walk between places.
Easy spot for the little one to catch a nap and for you to easily carry on doing other things

Depending on the time of the year you intend going, definitely stay somewhere with a good pool.

 

[Homer]

I think your 11 and 8 year olds might be a little bored with Hong Kong Disneyland so I wouldn't book two whole days there. I think one day is plenty. We took Lisa when she was three and she fell asleep so we left mid-afternoon. As others have said, compared with Anaheim it's Disneyland-lite. On the plus side I find it funny watching the local adults queueing up to ride on Dumbo...

 

[yo yo ma]

With our 3 kids, we will need to get a 2 bedroom apartment. Any thoughts / suggestions appreciated on this too.