Hong Kong, one of the world’s most densely populated cities with its approximately 7.2 million inhabitants, is quite busy and hectic, nevertheless one of the most baby friendly cities in Asia. Spread on many islands, Hong Kong is full of people, spaces are tight, and the locals are always in rush to get from one place to another. Leave the big...
Hong Kong, one of the world’s most densely populated cities with its approximately 7.2 million inhabitants, is quite busy and hectic, nevertheless one of the most baby friendly cities in Asia. Spread on many islands, Hong Kong is full of people, spaces are tight, and the locals are always in rush to get from one place to another. Leave the big and heavy prams at home. Instead bring a baby carrier or a small, light stroller. If you really want to explore the beauty of Hong Kong’s landscape, you will have to climb a lot of stairs. Buying or renting a cheap buggy in one of the big shopping malls is another option. Hong Kong shopping malls are a bit different from those in Europe. They usually have no facilities whatsoever and if so, you will have to wait in quite a long queue. On the other hand, most malls have an amusement area for children where you pay to play games on machines in order to win tickets to redeem items you afterwards purchase.
There are multiple ways to explore Hong Kong and you should book at least few days to enjoy the experience completely. Start at the Victoria Harbour situated between the Hong Kong island and the Kowloon quarter. To get the best view of the city landscape, take a ride on one of the ferry boats operated by Star Ferry, The Hong Kong and Yaumati Ferry or First Ferry company. In the evening, enjoy the harbour light show. The Victoria Peak mountain, with its 552 m above sea level, is the best way to observe Hong Kong from the top and is thus one of the major attractions in the city. Catch the tram outside St John’s cathedral and do that very early in the morning, otherwise you'll wait a very long queue.
Lantau island, the biggest Hong Kong island although the least populated one, is another full day trip. Go there by the Ngong Ping cable cart and visit the bronze statue of Tian Tan Buddha (Giant Buddha) appearing once crossing over the hill. Again, for the hike, it is necessary to bring a baby carrier and leave the stroller at your hotel. During hot sunny days don’t forget to bring a cap or an umbrella because there is almost no shade on the way to the top. With older children you may want to stop at the Hong Kong Disneyland on the northeast part of the island. Central Hong Kong offers some relaxation areas too. Visit the Hong Kong park – the children’s playground lies between the Eward Youde Aviary and the Squash Centre, with public restrooms directed in between. Just across the street, behind the St. Joseph’s church are the Zoological and Botanical Gardens.
During rainy weather visit one of the many temples; the Wong Tai Sin temple, the Tin Hau temples or the Ching Chung Koon Temple with a quiet park and a few ponds. the Ten Thousand Buddhas monastery is another place to visit and once getting tired of strolling around, you can visit the Play House at the Kowloon Bay shopping mall. As mentioned before, you will do a lot of walking in Hong Kong. Using public transport (MRT – Mass Transit Railway) is the fastest and most efficient way to move around although it might be a bit tricky mainly during the rush hours. You would expect all stations to be barrier free, however this is not the case, so be prepared to carry your stroller around a lot. Babies under the age of 3 are free of charge, children aged 3-11 will need a Child Octopus card. English signs are everywhere, but it’s hard to get seats. Locals will even sit in Priority Seats for the elderly, disabled & pregnant, looking at their phones and pretending that you are invisible.
At the Hong Kong international airport, the only baby change facility is a changing table at the ladies’ toilet next to the hand dryer, though there is a play area within the security zone. We also recommend to buy the Hong Kong pass, where you'll have ncluded the airport train, Ocean Park, Harbour cruise, Hop on-off bus, fast track to Victoria Peak tram (highly recommended with small kids) and the Ngong Ping cable car (and few other). It will save you quite a lot of time when exploring this amazing city.
