Month: September 2026

Travelling to Hong Kong with an extended family? Planning a corporate event? Or are you a travel agency looking for a local partner to take care of your guests in Hong Kong?

At Hong Kong Greeters, we can arrange the whole day for you — from a private coach and English-speaking guide to restaurants, attraction tickets and a customised itinerary.

Whether you have 15 guests or 80, we can help you find the right transport and put together a tour that works for your group.

Private Coach Tours in Hong Kong

When you’re travelling with a larger group, having your own private coach makes exploring Hong Kong much easier.

Everyone stays together, there’s no waiting for taxis or splitting the group between different vehicles, and the coach is there when you’re ready to move on to the next stop.

Depending on your group size, we can arrange anything from a 28-seat minibus to a 45 or 60-seat tour coach. For larger groups, we can also arrange double-decker buses with around 90 seats, including open-top buses for something a little different.

Tell us your group size, itinerary and how much luggage you’re travelling with, and we’ll recommend the most suitable option.

Hong Kong Airport Transfers & Layover Tours

If you’re arriving at Hong Kong International Airport, your private coach can meet the group directly at the airport and take everyone to the hotel.

But if you arrive early and your hotel rooms aren’t ready yet, why not start exploring straight away?

We can arrange an airport pick-up followed by a private Hong Kong tour, with your luggage safely stored on the coach. At the end of the tour, we’ll drop everyone and their luggage at the hotel.

The same works in reverse if you have a late flight home. Check out of the hotel, load the luggage onto the coach and spend your final few hours exploring Hong Kong before heading directly to the airport.

It’s a particularly good option for groups because you don’t lose half a day just waiting around.

Cruise Terminal Pick-ups

Hong Kong has two main cruise terminals — Kai Tak Cruise Terminal 啟德郵輪碼頭 and Ocean Terminal 海運大廈 in Tsim Sha Tsui.

We can arrange for your tour coach and guide to meet your group at the cruise terminal and start your Hong Kong tour from there.

Depending on how much time you have in port, we can build an itinerary around Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, Lantau or a mixture of different areas, before returning you to the ship.

For guests finishing their cruise in Hong Kong, we can also combine the tour with a hotel or airport transfer.

Choosing the Right Tour Coach

Getting the right size coach makes a big difference to how comfortable the day is.

One thing worth knowing is that coach capacities in Hong Kong can be a little misleading. A bus may technically have 45 or 60 seats, but filling every single seat isn’t necessarily the most comfortable way to tour.

For overseas guests, we generally recommend allowing some extra space rather than filling a coach to its maximum capacity. As a rough guide, using around two-thirds to three-quarters of the available seats makes for a much more comfortable journey, particularly on a full-day tour.

Luggage is another consideration. If you’re travelling between the airport, cruise terminal and hotel, let us know how many suitcases you’ll have. We can arrange a coach with suitable luggage storage.

Minibus

A private minibus is a great choice for groups of around 8–20 people.

Instead of hiring several cars or SUVs, everyone can travel together with the guide. It also makes the tour easier to manage — when it’s time to leave, the whole group leaves together.

Private Tour Coach

For larger groups, a full-size Hong Kong tour coach is usually the most comfortable option.

We can arrange different coach sizes depending on the number of guests. Larger coaches also have luggage compartments underneath, making them ideal for airport transfers, cruise groups and multi-day tours where everyone is travelling with suitcases.

Open-Top Double-Decker Bus

Want to make the journey itself part of the experience?

A private open-top double-decker bus is a brilliant way for a group to see Hong Kong.

From the upper deck you get a completely different view of the city — driving between the skyscrapers, through the busy streets of Kowloon and along Victoria Harbour.

They’re particularly good for corporate groups, celebrations and larger family gatherings where you’re looking for something memorable rather than simply getting from A to B.

If you’re worried about the weather, we can also arrange a standard enclosed double-decker bus.

More Than Just Coach Hire

Of course, the coach is only one part of the day.

Hong Kong Greeters can arrange your complete group itinerary, including:

• Private coach or charter coach
• English-speaking Hong Kong tour guide
• Airport, hotel and cruise terminal transfers
• Restaurant reservations and group meals
• Attraction and sightseeing tickets
• Customised Hong Kong itineraries
• Corporate and incentive groups
• Multi-generational family groups
• Support for overseas travel agencies and tour operators

Rather than booking a coach from one company, a guide from another and then trying to organise restaurants and tickets yourself, we can put everything together for you.

Planning a Group Tour in Hong Kong?

Every group is different. Contact us here

Tell us how many people are travelling, your dates, where you’re staying and what you’d like to see, and we’ll recommend a suitable coach and put together an itinerary around your group.

Whether you’re arranging a family holiday, corporate visit, cruise excursion or bringing a tour group to Hong Kong, we’d be happy to help you plan it.

Start with Dim Sum 點心

No visit to Hong Kong would be complete without dim sum (點心).

Traditionally enjoyed with Chinese tea, dim sum is made up of small dishes designed for sharing. That’s part of what makes it such a good introduction to Cantonese food — you don’t have to choose just one thing.

Some of the classics I’d recommend are:

• Har Gow 蝦餃 – delicate shrimp dumplings wrapped in translucent skins.
• Siu Mai 燒賣 – open-topped dumplings usually filled with pork and shrimp.
• Ham Sui Gok 鹹水角 – crispy fried dumplings with a slightly sweet and chewy glutinous rice flour shell, traditionally filled with minced pork, mushrooms and preserved radish.

Dim sum is one of my favourite meals because everyone shares what’s on the table. Order a few different dishes and you can try lots of flavours in one sitting.

Experience a Hong Kong Cha Chaan Teng 茶餐廳

Next, visit one of Hong Kong’s most distinctive institutions: the cha chaan teng 茶餐廳.

The easiest way to describe one is probably as Hong Kong’s answer to an American diner. They’re casual, affordable neighbourhood cafés serving the sort of food Hongkongers actually eat in everyday life.

Menus can be enormous. You’ll find everything from noodles and fried rice to sandwiches, macaroni soup and scrambled eggs.

But even if you’re not hungry, stop for a drink.

The classic is Hong Kong-style milk tea 港式奶茶. Strong black tea is repeatedly strained through a long cloth filter — often nicknamed a “silk stocking” — before being mixed with evaporated milk.

The result is strong, creamy and smooth.

Can’t decide between coffee and tea? Order a Yuen Yeung 鴛鴦, which combines coffee and milk tea.

And on a hot Hong Kong afternoon, it’s hard to go wrong with an iced lemon tea 凍檸茶.

Don’t Skip the Hong Kong Pastries

While you’re at the cha chaan teng, leave room for something sweet.

The Hong Kong egg tart 蛋撻 is probably the most famous. At first glance, it might remind you of a Portuguese pastel de nata, but the Hong Kong version is quite different. The custard is smoother and lighter, without the caramelised top of a Portuguese tart.

Another local favourite is the pineapple bun 菠蘿包. Despite the name, there’s usually no pineapple in it.

The name comes from the bun’s sweet, crispy golden topping, which cracks as it bakes and looks a little like the skin of a pineapple.

Fresh from the oven, it’s a simple but very Hong Kong snack to have alongside a milk tea.

Try Fresh Wonton Noodles 雲吞麵

Next, head to one of Hong Kong’s small neighbourhood noodle restaurants for a bowl of wonton noodles 雲吞麵.

These little noodle shops are a very different experience from a cha chaan teng. Some specialise in just a handful of dishes and have been making them the same way for generations.

A traditional bowl of wonton noodles is beautifully simple: thin, springy egg noodles, shrimp wontons and a clear, flavourful broth.

Many shops still wrap their wontons fresh by hand, sometimes right in front of you.

It’s a simple dish, but when the noodles have the right bite, the wontons are freshly made and the broth is good, you don’t need much else.

Hong Kong’s Famous Roast Meats 燒味

Walk around almost any local neighbourhood and sooner or later you’ll pass a siu mei 燒味 shop.

They’re easy to spot. Look through the window and you’ll often see long strips of Char Siu 叉燒 alongside slabs of Siu Yuk 燒肉, with their golden, crispy skin.

Char Siu is Cantonese barbecued pork, usually made from cuts with enough fat to keep the meat tender, then roasted with a sweet and savoury glaze.

When ordering, I normally recommend asking for half lean, half fat 半肥瘦. The fattier pieces are much juicier and have plenty of flavour.

My personal favourite, though, is Siu Yuk 燒肉 — crispy roasted pork belly.

When it’s done well, the skin should be light and crispy, while the pork underneath stays tender and juicy.

Dessert!

Hong Kong also has a great dessert café culture.

Instead of concentrating mainly on cakes and ice cream, traditional Hong Kong dessert shops — tong sui shops 糖水舖 — serve everything from tofu pudding and sesame soup to mango desserts and sweet soups. Some are served hot and others cold.

My favourite, and my mum’s as well, is Mango Sago 芒果西米露.

It’s usually made with fresh mango, small chewy sago pearls and coconut milk or evaporated milk, often with pieces of fresh mango on top. Some versions also include pomelo.

It’s especially good after you’ve spent a few hours walking around Hong Kong in the summer.

The Best Way to Eat in Hong Kong? Don’t Have One Big Meal

If you only have a few hours in Hong Kong, my biggest piece of advice is simple: don’t fill yourself up at the first restaurant.

Hong Kong is a great city for trying a little bit of everything.

Have a few pieces of dim sum. Share a bowl of wonton noodles. Try a small plate of roast pork. Stop for milk tea. Pick up an egg waffle along the way.

Because everything is so close together, you can try several completely different types of Hong Kong food without spending half the day travelling between restaurants.

You’ll also see much more of the city this way. You might walk through a local market, squeeze into a tiny noodle shop, watch char siu being chopped behind the counter and sit alongside locals having their afternoon milk tea.

It’s a much better introduction to everyday Hong Kong than simply sitting down for one big meal.

Visiting Hong Kong on a Cruise?

If you’re visiting Hong Kong on a cruise layover, a food tour is an easy way to experience several sides of the city without needing a full day.

At Hong Kong Greeters, our Hong Kong Food Tour introduces visitors to local dishes as well as the neighbourhoods and stories behind them. and there’s a Vegetarian version of the tour too

We fit in many of the foods I’ve mentioned above — plus a few extras — and take you to the sort of local places that can be difficult to find when you’re visiting Hong Kong for the first time.

If your ship is only in Hong Kong for the day, we can also help you make the most of the rest of your time in the city.

This article is part of our series on making the most of a Hong Kong cruise layover.

Whether you want to see Hong Kong’s classic sights, explore local neighbourhoods, head out to Lantau Island, go hiking, shop, or simply eat your way around the city, we’ll be sharing more of our local recommendations.

If you’re visiting Hong Kong on a cruise layover, chances are you only have a limited amount of time. In my previous guide, I covered the city’s classic sights. But if you’ve already been to Hong Kong before, have more than one day, or simply prefer a slower-paced experience, I’d highly recommend exploring Lantau Island. It’s the perfect place to step away from the crowds, reconnect with nature and enjoy a more relaxed side of Hong Kong.

Hello, I’m Stephen. I’m half Chinese, half English, and I’ve been guiding visitors around Hong Kong for over 10 years. Here are my personal recommendations for seeing a different side of my hometown.

Most people picture Hong Kong as nothing but towering skyscrapers and dense city streets. While that’s certainly part of its charm, over half of Hong Kong’s land is actually protected country park and green space. Lantau Island, Hong Kong’s largest island—even bigger than Hong Kong Island itself—is the perfect place to experience that side of the city.

Ride the Ngong Ping Cable Car

Your journey begins with one of Hong Kong’s most spectacular experiences: the Ngong Ping 360 cable car.

The ride takes around 25 minutes, floating high above mountains, forests and reservoirs before arriving at Ngong Ping. It’s a wonderfully relaxing way to start the day, giving you time to slow down, take in the scenery and see Hong Kong from a completely different perspective.

Explore Ngong Ping Village

When you arrive, you’ll first walk through Ngong Ping Village. Rather than just being a shopping area, it’s a great place to browse for unique Hong Kong gifts. You’ll find beautifully made fans, quality chopsticks, locally produced cookies that make excellent gifts for friends and colleagues back home, as well as plenty of other interesting souvenirs. It’s a fun place to wander before continuing to the monastery and the Big Buddha.

Visit the Big Buddha

The highlight of Ngong Ping is undoubtedly the Tian Tan Buddha, the world’s largest outdoor seated bronze Buddha.

It takes around 268 steps to reach the top, but the climb is well worth it. Along the way you’ll enjoy stunning views across Lantau Country Park, Lantau Peak—the second-highest mountain in Hong Kong—and out towards the South China Sea.

Many visitors don’t realise you can actually enter the Buddha. Inside you’ll find a small exhibition, an ancestral hall, and, perhaps most importantly on a hot day, air conditioning while you take a well-earned break after the climb.

The highlight of Ngong Ping is undoubtedly the Tian Tan Buddha, the world’s largest outdoor seated bronze Buddha.

Many visitors don’t realise you can actually enter the Buddha. Inside you’ll find a small exhibition, an ancestral hall, and, perhaps most importantly on a hot day, air conditioning while you take a well-earned break after the climb.

Po Lin Monastery

At the foot of the Buddha sits Po Lin Monastery, one of Hong Kong’s most important Buddhist temples, founded in 1906.

Here you can learn more about Buddhism, light incense to pray for good fortune, and admire the peaceful temple grounds.

One of the most fascinating parts of the monastery is the Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas. Despite its name, there aren’t literally ten thousand Buddhas inside. The name symbolises the Buddhist belief that anyone can achieve enlightenment, making it a powerful reminder that Buddhahood is something everyone can aspire to.

Before leaving, I always recommend stopping by the monastery’s vegetarian snack shop. My favourites are the spring rolls, the pan-fried red bean cakes, and the vegetarian ham sui gok—a delicious fried glutinous rice dumpling that’s perfect as a quick snack before continuing your journey.

Step Back in Time in Tai O Fishing Village

After Ngong Ping, it’s a short drive to my favourite place on Lantau—Tai O.

This village is especially meaningful to me because my dad’s family grew up here. Visiting Tai O feels like stepping back 50 or 60 years into Hong Kong’s past, before it became the global city it is today.

Long ago, much of Hong Kong’s coastline was lined with simple wooden houses. Most have disappeared as the city developed, but because Tai O sits in one of Hong Kong’s most remote corners, it has managed to preserve its unique stilt houses built above the water.

People often describe Tai O as the “Venice of Hong Kong.” While there are similarities, I think it’s better described as a humble, authentic fishing village where local life still revolves around the waterways.

A small boat ride through the stilt houses is one of the highlights of the trip.

Spot the Pink Dolphins

If you’re lucky, you might even spot Hong Kong’s famous Chinese white dolphins—often called pink dolphins.

If seeing them is high on your wish list, your best chance is arriving in Tai O before 10 a.m. The earlier you go, the better your odds.

Even if the dolphins don’t appear, the boat ride itself is still well worth doing.

Eat Like a Local

Tai O is also famous for its local snacks. My personal favourite is the Tai O doughnut—a freshly fried, fluffy doughnut without the hole that’s best eaten warm.

You’ll also find traditional herbal teas made from locally grown herbs. Many locals drink them to help cool the body or settle the stomach after travelling. If you’re a seafood lover, Tai O is hard to beat. You can choose live seafood straight from the tanks and have it cooked fresh just minutes later. It doesn’t get much fresher than that.

Experience a Slower Side of Hong Kong. After spending time in Central and the busy shopping districts, Tai O offers a completely different atmosphere. Life moves at a slower pace, making it the perfect place to relax, unwind and experience a side of Hong Kong that many visitors never see. Also, Lantau is right next to the airport, so great for a layout where we pick you up from the airport or drop you off there afterwards. I have done many tours picking guests up from the cruise terminal, touring lantau and ending at the airport.

Discover Lantau with Us

If this sounds like your kind of Hong Kong, we’d love to show you around.

Because Lantau is spread across the island, we run this tour with a private vehicle, allowing you to relax, enjoy the scenery and spend more time experiencing each destination rather than worrying about transport connections. It makes the day much more comfortable, especially if you’re visiting on a cruise with limited time.

You can find more information about our Lantau Island Tour here.

This is just one guide in our series covering the best things to do during a Hong Kong cruise layover. Whether you’re interested in classic sightseeing, hidden neighbourhoods, heritage, hiking, family activities or incredible local food, we’ll be covering them all.

Hello, I’m Stephen. Half English, half Chinese, and this is my personal guide to my hometown of Hong Kong. If you’re short on time, say a cruise stop or a long layover, you can still get a brilliant snapshot of the city. Hong Kong is incredibly compact, which means in just one day, you can see and taste quite a lot. 

Victoria Peak

First up, the skyline. Fun fact: by the technical definition, buildings over150 meters, Hong Kong has more skyscrapers than anywhere else in the world, even New York. The most classic place to take it all in is from the top of the Victoria Peak. And the best way up, in my opinion, is by the Peak Tram. This little funicular has been climbing that hill for over 140 years, at a jaw-dropping 30-degree angle. It feels a bit like a roller coaster, weaving between high-rises and greenery before opening out to spectacular views. At the Peak, the view is obviously the main event. But there’s more to it than that. You can snack your way around some fantastic local treats: sourdough egg tarts from Bakehouse, Xiao Long Bao, wonton shrimp noodles. 

In recent years, the Peak has also become a great shopping spot, with two main malls catering mostly to tourists: Peak Galleria and Peak Tower. You’ll find some unique souvenirs there, like socks patterned with the Hong Kong skyline—which make fun gifts for grandchildren when you’re not sure what they like. And of course, there are classic key rings and fridge magnets too.

Man Mo temple

Easy spot to spend a couple of hours. For something more cultural, step into one of Hong Kong’s traditional temples. They’re serene pockets in the middle of the city, full of incense smoke, textured wood, and stone that’s seen centuries of city life. Locals come to pray for guidance, to ask for good fortune, and sometimes to consult fortune-tellers. There’s a really grounding atmosphere there, hard to manufacture, but very real. 

My three personal favourite temples to visit are Man Mo, Temple in Sheung Wan, Wong Tai Sin Temple, and Pak Tai Temple in Wan Chai. Man Mo Temple is one of Hong Kong’s oldest, dedicated to the God of Literature and the God of War, known for its giant hanging incense coils and traditional architecture. Wong Tai Sin is probably the busiest and most lively. It’s a large complex where people come to pray for good fortune, make wishes, and have their fortunes told. Pak Tai Temple in Wan Chai, meanwhile, is tucked away on a quiet side street. It’s much calmer. Textured with history and atmosphere, a great spot if you want a more peaceful temple experience.

Dim Sum

And of course, food. If you only have time for one meal, make it dim sum. Small steamed dishes made for sharing. Classics like har gow, those translucent shrimp dumplings, and siu mai , pork and shrimp dumplings, are musts. If you’re feeling adventurous, try ham sui gok, crisp, chewy, glutinous rice dumplings filled with savory minced pork, mushrooms, and preserved turnip. It’s all about sharing and tasting together. 

When it comes to dim sum, most guides will send you to the oldest spots. Honestly? A lot of them feel cramped, and the service can be brusque. Instead, I recommend some of the reinvented spots, easier to navigate, consistently better food, and way more comfortable. Lin Heung Lau’s Tsim Sha Tsui branch keeps the tradition but with a cleaner vibe, and you can even watch the chefs hand-make the dim sum. Old Fung Tea House in Mong Kok is a local favorite, almost no tourists, and the food is excellent. And if you want guaranteed comfort and solid service, Maxim’s Palace is my safe bet, reliable, polished, and found all over town.

Ding Ding Tram

Getting around, while the Star Ferry is iconic, if you’re on a cruise, you probably don’t need it. You’re already moored right in Victoria Harbour. Instead, hop on the double-decker Ding Ding tram that rattles through Hong Kong Island. Cheap, cheerful, and brilliant for people-watching as the city drifts past your window. 

Want to see the most on your short Hong Kong cruise stop? Hire a local guide. In just seven hours, you can cover five or six unique sites without the stress. For the classics, our Peak to Pier tour covers most of what I’ve mentioned here, plus a few more surprises.

That pretty much sums up a one day classic Hong Kong layover. In future posts, I’ll dive deeper into themes like shopping, hiking, food trails, and family-friendly activities. So, stay tuned.