After dark: best things to do in Hong Kong at night

Hong Kong’s neon lights and streets bustle with life well after sundown. Though simply wandering the city late at night is atmospheric enough to keep you captivated for hours, here’s some inspiration for a nighttime itinerary. 

What to do

Night tours 

Stroll through the city’s different neighbourhoods or explore wildlife after dusk to discover the incredible sights, culture and biodiversity that are best experienced at night.

Love under cover 

Wander the city while learning about its queer community on a 2.5-hour LGBT+ in the City tour, narrated using anecdotes and historical factoids.  

Midnight snacks 

The After Dark Food Crawl lets you sample a variety of delicious bites, such as Taiwanese savoury pancakes, Hainanese chicken rice, egg waffles, snake soup and Japanese shaved ice. 

Spooky legends 

Traverse the district’s narrow alleys and back streets, embarking on a nocturnal exploration of paranormal hotspots while trying local snacks in this Wan Chai Ghost and Food Tour. 

Night (wild)life 

Just above the streets of Sai Ying Pun lies a habitat for porcupines, snakes, boars and frogs. On a guided Night Wildlife Tour with Walk Hong Kong , you’ll observe these animals in the twilight hours. You can also join Sai Kung Scuba for a nighttime dive exploring underwater reefs teeming with wildlife. Look out for octopuses, eels, rays and many species of fish.  

Go for a run

Hear the fun-loving, boombox-propelled crowd of night runners before you see them. Midnight Runners ’ bootcamp and party runs are open to all. Alternatively, you can join in Hong Kong’s running community at the Hong Kong Valley Racecourse ’s 1.4km ambulance road, while everyone from rugby to frisbee players piles onto the infield pitches until the lights go off at 11pm.

What to see

A breezy ride across the harbour 

The iconic Star Ferry , which runs its final lap across Hong Kong’s harbour at 11.30pm, yields some of the best skyline scenes.

View from the top 

Lugard and Harlech Roads ring around the top of Victoria Peak. Ascend to take in the billion-dollar view from The Peak . 

A joy ride on rails 

Hop on a humble ding ding, operated by Hong Kong Tramways , as it plies its route across Hong Kong Island until midnight on Saturdays. 

Retail therapy

Temple Street Night Market  is a lively thoroughfare at night; known for its enthusiastic shopkeepers, Chinese opera singers and fortune tellers. 

Late-night eats 

Got the munchies? Sate your hunger at some of the city’s best late-night eateries.

End your night with a hot bowl of ramen at Ichiran, open until 5am. If you’re looking for delicious lamb or halloumi kebabs after a night of fun, head to Beyrouth Bistro .

For a perfect post-drinking remedy, enjoy a bowl of Cantonese chicken leg soup at 新天地美食 (TST) or satisfy your midnight cravings by sampling a variety of late-night snacks, including fried noodles, fishballs and siu mai at Tai On Building

Alternatively, you can experience a mouth-watering early-morning dim sum experience at Sun Hing Restaurant, Possibly the only dim sum restaurant in Hong Kong open from 3am. 

Late-night drinks

Feel the pulse of the city at these fabulous bars, clubs and cocktail lounges.

Dance until the small hours at The Aubrey After Dark , a series celebrating Hong Kong’s nightlife heritage and featuring legendary DJs spinning disco and house from 10pm every Friday. Discover a hub of creative expression and electronic music concealed within a nondescript office building at Mihn .

If you’re looking for a unique atmosphere, visit The Iron Fairies for its jaw-dropping interior and stay for the butterfly garden-inspired cocktails, magnetic house band and thumping disco. 

A night out in the city isn’t complete without a shake of the tail-feathers on Cassio ’s ‘60s-inspired dancefloor while OMA , an underground techno club with a world-class sound system, loft ambience and some of the world’s biggest names on its decks, will leave you with a night to remember.

Dance the night away

From rock to jazz, sample the best of Hong Kong’s underground and indie music scene at these live music venues. 

For live rock music 

West Kowloon Cultural District’s Lau Bak Livehouse is a bar, restaurant and performance space that stages everything from string quartets to hard rock acts every Friday and Saturday. If you’re looking for a smaller underground venue, The Aftermath stages everything from punk shows to comedy and poetry evenings. Alternatively, The Wanch , a historic 40-year-old temple of live music, offers reliable entertainment – just walk in and see who’s playing.  

For jazz music 

A barbershop by day and jazz club after hours, you’ll never forget a night at Visage One – nor at Kind of Brew, a small café in Sai Ying Pun that pays tribute to Miles Davis with unbuttoned jazz gigs. For glamour, head to Ella, a New Orleans-style speakeasy.

Bar hopping

Your guide to a night out through the city’s best cocktail bars.

6pm

Begin your evening at Argo at the  Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, renowned for  its collection of unique spirits. Arrive early to  enjoy the sunset.

7.30pm

Head to Hollywood Road to discover Penicillin , the city’s first eco-conscious bar with  a lab dedicated to recycling cocktail ingredients.

9pm

Visit Quinary , a pioneer of molecular mixology, to try its famous Earl Grey Martini. On nearby Staunton Street, check out The Savory Project ,  the latest venture from the Coa team, offering cocktails with mind-blowing flavours.

10.30pm

Speaking of Coa , no bar crawl is complete without a stop at Asia’s best bar for three years running. Specialising in agave spirits, Coa boasts an impressive selection of mezcal and tequila. Don’t forget to make your way to nearby Bar Leone , crowned the best bar in Asia last month, for their exceptional negronis. 

Take a hike

Take in great views of Hong Kong’s cityscape by hiking to the top of some of the city’s most scenic trails.

Morning Trail

Hatton Road, or Lung Fu Shan Morning Trail , is a several-kilometre-long, moderately steep climb. It flattens off with a play area at the top, where you can take a left for a 3km walk around Victoria Peak , or head farther up to High West for an unbeatable sunset view.

Duration: 2.5 hours
How to get there: take the MTR to Sai Ying Pun station, exit C

Devil’s Peak

With a huge cemetery and the ruins of a wartime fortification, this hike to Devil’s Peak is packed with intrigue, affording equally swoon-worthy views of both Kowloon and Hong Kong Island.

Duration: 1.5 hours
How to get there: take the MTR to Yau Tong station, exit A

Quarry Bay to Stanley

Whether you find that Insta-famous lookout or not, this traverse from the city to the beach rewards a long ascent up Mount Parker Road with views of eastern and southern Hong Kong.

Duration: 3.5 hours
How to get there: take the MTR to Quarry Bay station, exit A

Artistic displays to enjoy in the evenings

Catch these spectacular events and shows after sunset:

M+ 

The M+ at Night series gives access to the art museum after hours one Friday each month. Kick off your weekend with live music and dance performances as well as interactive workshops and tours. 

Victoria Harbour 

The world’s largest permanent light and sound show, A Symphony of Lights  highlights our city’s breathtaking nightscape. Every evening at 8pm, buildings along Victoria Harbour project colourful lasers, lights and LED displays.

Ocean Park 

After a day of thrills at Ocean Park , be transported back to the streets of old Hong Kong with retro neon lighting. At 7.30pm, visit Aqua City to witness lights, lasers and projections.

Hong Kong Disneyland

Don’t leave Hong Kong Disneyland before catching the nightly fireworks, music and projection mapping spectacular. It takes place at 8.30pm on weekdays and 9pm on weekends and public holidays.