Chinese New Year Solo Trip to Hong Kong
A solo wander around Hong Kong Island.
I set off on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year. I'd assumed hotels in Hong Kong during the Spring Festival would be outrageously expensive, like last year's Qingming trip, so the plan was to spend a night in Shenzhen first and cross the border the next morning. But a quick check on Agoda before departure revealed that Hong Kong hotels weren't much pricier than Shenzhen ones — so I scrapped the plan and headed straight across after landing.
The border crossing was smoother than expected. By the time I reached Hong Kong it was already evening. Dragging my suitcase through the bustling corridor of the checkpoint, I stepped out into a wave of Cantonese chatter and neon lights — familiar yet fresh. I found my hotel, dropped off the luggage, went downstairs to a nearby cha chaan teng for a bowl of cart noodles, and called it an early night. After all, there was a full day of walking ahead.
A Day of Endless Walking
I headed out early the next morning, starting with Tsim Sha Tsui. I found a roast meat shop recommended by locals and ordered a plate of roast goose rice. The skin was perfectly crispy, the meat tender, and paired with that sauce over rice — incredible. Wiped my mouth, thoroughly satisfied, and set off for the day.
From Tsim Sha Tsui I walked to the old Yau Ma Tei Police Station, only to discover you need a reservation to get inside. The price of not doing homework. Still, no real regrets — I snapped a few photos from outside and popped into the souvenir shop next door. The building itself has a wonderful vintage quality, red brick walls with white window frames. Just standing at the entrance and taking it in was worth the detour.
After that, I walked all the way to Victoria Harbour. It was nearly noon, so I found a waterfront bar and sat down. Ordered a big glass of sparkling water, took a seat outside, and just sat there in the sea breeze watching the Hong Kong Island skyline across the water. Sunlight scattered across the harbor in shimmering fragments. An old man was fishing nearby, tourists were snapping photos — everything moved at a lazy, unhurried pace. This is probably the most luxurious thing about travel: doing absolutely nothing, just sitting and spacing out.
After a brief rest, I set off toward Central. I queued up for the Star Ferry, and honestly, the experience was pretty underwhelming. Packed with people, the line was absurdly long, and by the time I boarded there were no good spots left. I kept thinking about the speedboat I'd taken last time — wind in my hair, racing across the water — way better. Next time I'll take the speedboat again.
Once in Central, the rest of the afternoon was pure walking mode. From Queen's Road Central all the way to Queen's Road East, threading through one bustling street after another, flanked by dense clusters of signage and old tong lau buildings. Glancing up occasionally, the sky was just a narrow sliver between the towers. I made a deliberate detour past the Bank of China Tower for a close-up look — I.M. Pei's design is still stunning today, those sharp geometric lines standing out boldly among all the boxy office blocks around it.
By nightfall, I took the Peak Tram up Victoria Peak. As the tram slowly climbed, the city lights outside the window flickered to life one by one. At the summit viewing platform, the entire Victoria Harbour panorama spread out below. A dense carpet of lights blanketed both Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, ships inching across the water leaving trails of light in their wake. Standing there in the mountain breeze, I realized solo travel has its own charm — you can look for as long as you want, with no one else's pace to accommodate.
Coming down from the viewing platform, I wasn't ready to stop, so I walked along the Peak trails for another lap. The paths up on the mountain were quiet, flanked by dense trees, with occasional glimpses of the city lights below through gaps in the foliage. By the end my legs felt like they'd been filled with lead. I opened Uber and called a taxi down the mountain.
Hong Kong taxi drivers are genuinely wild. The driver weaved his way down the winding mountain road, and at one point nearly rear-ended a motorcyclist before slamming the brakes. I lurched forward and my backpack went flying. The driver turned around and calmly asked, "You alright?" I told him I was wearing my seatbelt, so I was fine. He nodded and kept driving.
So here's a word of advice: in a Hong Kong taxi, always wear your seatbelt, even in the back seat. This isn't a suggestion — it's a survival tip.
Causeway Bay, Kennedy Town, and an Old Friend
Another new day. Headed straight to Causeway Bay — probably the best place in all of Hong Kong for shopping. I ducked in and out of malls and duty-free shops, picked up a few things. By the time I emerged, it was already noon.
The priority was finding lunch. During Spring Festival, half the restaurants were either closed or overflowing. After walking for about half an hour, passing countless restaurants with long queues, I finally found a noodle shop with an empty seat. A simple bowl of wonton noodles — the broth was beautifully savory — enough to recharge.
After lunch I took the MTR to Kennedy Town. Not many tourists come here, but I really like it. Walking slowly along the waterfront promenade, salty sea breeze on my face, green mountains and boats in the distance, joggers and dog-walkers nearby. So much more pleasant than the tourist-packed Tsim Sha Tsui. When I got tired, I found a supposedly famous café and sat down with a cappuccino. The foam was velvety smooth, and sitting by the window watching the sea, I nursed that single cup for a very long time.
When it was nearly time to meet my friend, I headed to North Point. Waiting for the Citybus on the roadside, I was a bit nervous about missing my stop. When the bus arrived I hurried on and grabbed a front-row seat on the upper deck. The Citybus wove through the busy streets, neon signs flying past the window, a couple of trams trundling alongside at their own leisurely pace, old Cantonese songs playing inside. Sitting in the front row of a double-decker bus, watching the city scroll past frame by frame — that feeling was incredible, better than any tourist attraction.
I arrived at North Point and waited for my friend to get off work. We went to a Singaporean restaurant and ordered Hainanese chicken rice and laksa — both tasted authentic. We ate and talked for nearly two hours. Afterward, we strolled along the Victoria Harbour waterfront. The harbor at night is a completely different world from daytime — lights reflected on the water's surface, a cool breeze blowing — and we walked much further than we'd planned, chatting all the while.
On the way back, we took the tram together. The tram rocked gently along the tracks, making its signature "ding-ding-ding-ding" sound, the streetscape scrolling past like a slow movie reel. My friend said this was her daily commute, nothing special to her. But to me, this moment was the warmest part of the entire trip — riding the oldest form of transport through a city far from home, having an easy, unhurried conversation with a friend I hadn't seen in ages.
Afterword
This Hong Kong trip had no detailed plans, no influencer hotspot checklist. It was basically: walk until you're hungry, eat; walk until you're tired, sit. The best thing about traveling solo is the freedom — space out when you want, power-walk when you want, no one else's mood to manage, no itinerary-induced anxiety.
Hong Kong has a very particular energy. Glamour and grit woven together — turn a corner and you might go from towering skyscrapers into an old residential neighborhood, laundry poles stretching across the street and hawkers calling out. It's not perfect. It's even a bit rough around the edges. But that roughness is what makes it feel real.
Next time, I want to check out the outlying islands. I've heard Lamma Island and Cheung Chau are both wonderful — when the weather warms up, maybe I'll come for a weekend and just drift around with nowhere to be.
Looking forward to next time.
