Hailed as ‘Asia’s World City’, Hong Kong, boasts of a sophisticated airport that offers hundreds of connections to all corners of the globe. Without delving into the meaning of “World City”, I have always found it comforting to refer Hong Kong as ‘Asia’s World Connection’.
During my travels to Australia from India, I had quite a few layovers and stopovers in Hong Kong. From my experience, I can safely conclude that a transit in Hong Kong is one of the best passages to or from Asia. Reasons? Read on.

2 Reasons why Hong Kong is the best layover/stopover to or from Asia

1.  It’s Beautiful

Hong Kong can easily compete in the beauty pageant for Asia’s cities. Forested mountains, pristine beaches and towering skyscrapers with the occasional transit-clouds will make you fall in love with this attractive city.

2.  Visa free entry

Hong Kong offers visa free entry to nationals from close to 126 countries. Majority of the nationals visiting Hong Kong in transit can head to immigration, get their entry permit stamped and head out. It is one of the few nations offering visa free entry to nationals from India and Bhutan

What to see/do/explore in Hong Kong on a stopover/layover?

Hong Kong is easy to go around on a multitude of taxis, double-decker public buses and MTR trains. Your options will depend on the time-difference between your arrival at the HKIA and your connecting flight.

3 to 5 hours layover in Hong Kong

The Hong Kong International Airport is a spanking example of cutting-edge architectural finesse with almost 25 “best airport in the world” awards in its kitty.
Shop till you drop in the duty-free shops, connect with your friends using the free wi-fi or indulge your taste buds in lip-smacking Cantonese delicacies, it’s a good idea to spend your time in the airport if you have a layover of 3-5 hours.

5 to 10 hours layover in Hong Kong

The Hong Kong International Airport is situated on the Lantau Island. It’s a great idea to explore attractions on the island during your decent 5 to 9 hours layover.

 –> The Big Buddha, Po Lin Monastery and Ngong Ping Village

The 34 m long Tian Tan Buddha statue faces towards Mainland China and is Hong Kong’s most popular religious destination drawing pilgrims from all over Asia.
The majestic bronze statue sits on top of a hill that promises panoramic views of the sweeping mountains and surrounding seas.

The Po Lin Monastery is home to many a devout monk. The lavish Buddhist décor and beautiful statues all around the monastery will definitely make your layover in Hong Kong special.

The best way to reach the “Big Buddha” is to get on to the Ngong Ping cable car from Tung Chung – the new town of Lantau with a bus terminus. The cable-car ride covers a distance of almost 6 km, offering spectacular views of the mountains. It takes about 25 minutes from the lowest point near Tung Chung to the top point near the statue.

Tung Chung can be reached in ten minutes from the Airport in a blue Lantau taxi or a red urban-taxi. It costs about HK$ 40. You can also take a bus from the airport to the Tung Chung Bus terminus. The bus routes are S1, S52P and S64. Another option is the MTR train on the Tung Chung Line.

Ngong Ping Village is a “culturally themed village” with souvenir shops, restaurants and religious attractions related to the life and philosophy of Buddha. It spans from the Ngong Ping cableway’s top point to the Po Lin monastery and Buddha’s base.

 –> Tai O

Tai O is a picturesque fishing village built on stilts above the water. If experiencing the rural Chinese life sounds interesting to you then head to this sleepy village, popularly nicknamed as “The Venice of Hong Kong”. A stroll in the little rustic market with seaside offerings and checking out a handful of good seafood restaurants makes the Tai O experience. You can easily spend an hour here.

Bus no 21 will take you to Tai O from Ngong Ping through Hong Kong’s most scenic roads.

 –> Mui Wo and Silver Mine Bay Beach

The sleepy seaside town of Mui Wo has a nice collection of sea-gazing eat outs specializing in seafood and duck. A fifteen-minute walk from the bus terminus or ferry pier will take you to Silver Mine Bay beach, named after the silver mines that operated in the region a few decades ago.
Take Bus no 1 from Tai O to reach Mui Wo and take A35 to return directly to the Hong Kong International Airport

10 to 18 hours layover in Hong Kong

You can easily check out most of the popular attractions in the city if you have a relaxed layover of 10 to 18 hours. I won’t be listing each of those separately as you can find them in the tourism website.
The best possible Hong Kong itinerary on a long layover or stopover starts from taking the Airport Express to Central (where most tourist attractions, hotels, and places of interest are located); it’s takes about 24 minutes via the Airport and costs HK$100 for one-way, HK$180 for a round trip. You will need to alight at Hong Kong Station and take the passageway through to Central.

Alternatively, you can take the bus S1 from the airport, alight at the bus stop near Tung Chung Station, then take the MTR train on the Tung Chung Line to Hong Kong Station (this only costs HK$21 one-way, much cheaper).

When you are in Central, head to the Victoria Peak offering astounding views of the Victoria Harbour. Take the Peak Tram or bus #15.
Next, board the 10-minute ferry to Tsim Sha Tsui. You can visit the Avenue of Stars and watch the Symphony of Lights show (if you don’t need to go back to the airport before 8pm).

Mong Kok and Temple Street Night Market (in Jordan) is also accessible by a short MTR ride from Tsim Sha Tsui, where you can get your bargain shopping experience.

Check out Hong Kong Tourism Board’s website for more options to explore around the Victoria Harbour, pivoting the Central station.

Connections

Hong Kong International Airport is extremely well connected to any corner of the globe. Being the primary hub for the Cathay Pacific Airlines, DragonAir and Hong Kong Airlines and the focus city for Air China and China Airlines it connects to anywhere in Asia easily. Its also connected to every corner of eastern Europe through airlines like Aeroflot that allows connections via Moscow. You can easily fly from Sofia to Moscow on the Bulgaria Air and then head to Asia via Hong Kong from Moscow.

When you book your air tickets to Asia next time, check out for Hong Kong as a transit destination. I am sure you will have the best layover possible.