Sassy Mama’s Top 40 Free Things To Do in Hong Kong!

Oh Hong Kong, must you insist on being so expensive? After rent has drained our pockets we have to pay for a stocked fridge to feed a full house as well as mark-ups on our favourite imported treats. Then we’re expected to shell out a small fortune for any sort of childcare or entertainment and by this point our wallets are looking a little thin, save for receipts that we daren’t think about. Fortunately, the team here at Sassy Mama have put our heads together to come up with a list of the Top 40 Freebies in Hong Kong! Because aside from all the worrying about pennies, we know that the greatest thing in the world is time with your little ones, and that shouldn’t cost a thing.

1. Browse stall upon stall of clothes, watches, electronics, paintings, keychains, toys, jewelry and antiques at the Temple Street Night Market. You don’t have to buy a thing (we rarely do), but it’s plenty of fun to have a looksie! 
2. Escape the masses and head on up to Victoria Peak Garden. Hurry before everyone hears about it.
3. Visit the Governor’s Residence on Upper Albert Road – once an archeological site it’s now open to the public on certain days, or just have a quick tour around the impressive exterior!
4. Feel floral at The Flower Market in Mong Kok. Treat your little one to a potted plant, it’s a great project to keep up at home.
5. Flowers not your thing? Head on over to the Goldfish Market to spot some Nemos and Dories.
6. Roar around on Lamma Island. A temple, a market and a beach… Need we say more?
7. Picnic in Sun Yat Sen Park – bring along teddybears and pray for sunshine.
8. Laze away on chilled out Shek O’s beautiful beach then head to Ming’s Café for a laid back pit stop.
9. Bid farewell to the city and head to the oyster villages of Lau Fau Shan and Pak Ni – the little oyster market is great fun and if you can keep the kids engaged for long enough it’s well worth sticking around for the sunset!
10. If you’ve got teens interested in art then whet their appetite for the scene and go gallery hopping on Hollywood Road.
    
11. Rent-a-pooch at Hong Kong Dog Rescue. The team at HKDR are always looking for dogwalkers!
12. Potter about in Stanley: there’s a really sweet market and a great restaurant called Stan’s Café.
13. Kam Shan Country Park is for war history buffs and nature lovers. Bunkers and monkeys, what could be better. We’ve got to remind you though – DON’T FEED THE MONKEYS! You have been warned!
14. It’s a Hong Kong classic and we couldn’t leave off the Hong Kong Aviary. The exotic birds there never fail to delight and they offer free guided tours on Wednesday mornings.
15. Lace up your hiking shoes and head over to the Dragons Back for beautiful scenic views and a great workout!
    
16. It’s a bit of a trek but if you can make it up to Trio Beach it will be totally worth it.
17. Feeling the need for speed? Cycling along the promenade on Shing Mun River up towards Sha Tin should give you a good run up!
18. If you feel like a day trip to Lantau Island then don’t miss Pui O beach – it’s absolutely gorgeous and the crowds haven’t claimed it all yet.
19. Get grilling at Tai Mei Tuk in Tai Pai – it’s one of our favourite BBQ spots!
20. Round up the troops and go for a family stroll along Bowen Road. It’s great for dog breed spotting.
21. Make a note to catch The Hungry Ghost Festival next summer – sounds a bit scary but it’s actually huge amounts of colourful fun in local parks and playgrounds.
22. Tamar Park is up there on our park hot spot list! It’s the perfect place to let the kids charge about and exhaust themselves – bedtime will be a piece of cake.
    
23. Ride the tram system – ok so we know this isn’t free but it is very, very cheap and hugely entertaining for little people!
24. Dig a little deeper into Hong Kong’s rich heritage at Yuen Long’s Kat Hing Wai Walled Village in the New Territories. Apart from anything it’s very pretty and calm.
25. The Kowloon Walled City Park has to be our favourite park in Hong Kong. It’s also pretty rich in history if you can get the littlies sitting still long enough to listen…
26. Lose yourself in the gorgeous Nan Lian Gardens.
27. Cascade along with the Ng Tung Chai Waterfalls. If you’re feeling really ambitious you can send up an advance party to set up a treasure hunt along the route – it will make for truly special memories.
28. Whatever you do don’t miss the Dragon Boat Festival in June. It’s a treat for the eyes and the kids will be raving about it for weeks afterwards.
29. September means the return of the Mid-Autumn Festival. It’s a perfectly lantern-lit occasion for all the family to celebrate.
30. Get down to the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront and let the kids oogle over the Symphony of Lights (on every night at 8pm) while you watch their jaws drop. Magic every time.
    
31. Museum hop on Wednesdays – there are a total of seven Hong Kong Museums that offer free admission on Wednesdays, including the Science Museum which is one of our favourite ways to keep kids occupied.
32. Another Wednesday adventure, the Hong Kong Heritage Museum is FREE on Wednesdays and is an absolute haven of child-orientated activity centres such as the Hong Kong Toy Story Theatre and the Children’s Discovery Valley.
33. You can have a Mufasa/Simba Lion King moment with your offspring with fantastic panoramic views at the top of the Bank Of China Building.
34. Get down to Hebe Haven’s Lions Nature Education Centre in Sai Kung.
35. It’s a bit out of the way but if you happen to be on Lantau then check out the rickety old Lung Tsai Ng Garden. It’s a bit off the beaten track but it’s a breath of fresh air after doing Disneyland for the 3rd time in a year.
36. If you’re on Macau take the Guia Cable Car up to the Guia Fort for incredible views of the city that will please even the smallest adventurers of the clan. If you’re dead set on doing it for free you can always walk up!
    
37. Whilst you’re in Macau, check out the Sun Yat Sen Memorial house – it’s free and will keep everybody busy for half an hour or so.
38. The beaches of Repulse Bay definitely deserve a mention and it’s always fun to cross the Longevity Bridge to add three days to your life!
39. Feed the birds, tuppence the birds! Go and enjoy the quirky Yuen Po Street Bird Garden in the New Territories!
40. For a hike down colonial Hong Kong memory lane, gather the clan and meander down the 1km Ping Shan Heritage trail in Tsuen Wan and spot treasures such as the Hung Shing Temple on your way round.