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Hong Kong had been on our bucket list for years, mostly because of Disneyland. It was our first trip of 2026, eight days covering Macau and Hong Kong. Here's everything: flights, PAR, immigration, transport, SIM, money and the day-by-day plan.
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Flights
There are flights to Hong Kong from Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad on Air India, IndiGo and Cathay Pacific. Most leave late at night (after 10 pm) and land around 6 am, after about 4.5 hours.
We fly from Pune, and the cheapest option was Air India Pune → Delhi → Hong Kong for about ₹25,000 per person, return, connections included. Our Delhi departure was at 10:40 pm and right on time. Direct Cathay Pacific flights from Mumbai or Delhi were around ₹40,000–45,000.
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Open Trip.com →No visa, but do the PAR
Indians don't need a visa, but you must complete the Pre-Arrival Registration (PAR) online. You fill in your details, where you're staying, how long, and your port of arrival. Flight tickets and hotel bookings aren't required to apply.
- Apply about a month before, then book flights and hotels.
- Print it. We were asked for the printout at Delhi airport and again in Hong Kong. Don't rely on a phone copy.
The smart move: start with Macau
We'd read that people doing Macau as a day trip from Hong Kong often had trouble coming back. So we landed in Hong Kong and went straight to Macau without entering Hong Kong at all. Officially, we hadn't even entered Hong Kong yet.
Look for the E2 transfer desk with signs for Mainland / Macau and don't go towards immigration. Book the free bus there (the ferry from the airport costs extra). Show your boarding pass and baggage tag, and your checked bag is transferred to the bus for you. Full step-by-step guide: Macau from Hong Kong airport without a visa.
The bus crosses the 55 km Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau sea bridge with an undersea tunnel, an experience in itself.
Money
- Carry Hong Kong dollars in cash. Octopus top-ups and many local restaurants are cash only, and some places charge extra for cards or refuse them outright.
- HKD works in Macau too, so you only need one currency. You'll get change in Macanese patacas, which don't work in Hong Kong, so spend them before you leave.
SIM
Buy an eSIM before you leave India. We got ours through Agoda for about ₹30 a day (600 MB a day), a bit more for 1 GB. Connect to the airport Wi-Fi and scan the QR code. Your phone must support eSIM.
Getting around
- Macau: public buses cost a flat 6 patacas in cash. Skip the transport card (it has a service fee) and get coins at any shop.
- Hong Kong: MTR, buses and trams (trams only on Hong Kong Island, flat fare), all on the Octopus card.
- Apps: Google Maps plus Citymapper, which locals use. It shows the route, fare and time.
Where to stay
We split Hong Kong between Hong Kong Island (3 nights) and Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon (4 nights) to see both sides. Hong Kong rooms are tiny, so book for location. In Macau we stayed at Sofitel in Old Macau, using hotel points.
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Open Agoda →Day-by-day plan
Day 1: Macau, Old Town + Cotai
Most hotels only check in at 2–3 pm, so use the morning for Senado Square, the Ruins of St Paul's, Monte Fort and St Dominic's Church, with egg tarts at Koi Kei. After a nap, take the bus to Cotai around 5:30 pm for the Londoner, the Parisian's Eiffel Tower and the Venetian (try Lord Stow's egg tart). Try the casino too.
Day 2: Macau, then ferry to Hong Kong
Fisherman's Wharf, then the Grand Lisboa casinos, then a ferry to Hong Kong Island from the Outer Harbour terminal. No need to pre-book, and take a seasickness tablet if you get motion sick. We wish we'd had two full days in Macau. Guide: Macau in 2 days.
Day 3: Central, the Peak & Causeway Bay
Central, Hollywood Road, the Mid-Levels escalator, Tai Kwun (the old Victoria Prison) and Man Mo Temple. Then the Peak Tram and Causeway Bay in the evening. Guides: Central walking tour · Peak Tram & Causeway Bay.
Day 4: Disneyland
We arrived late (11–11:30 am) on a weekday and still queued over an hour just to enter. Buy Premier Access a day ahead, because it was sold out on the day. Guide: Hong Kong Disneyland review.
Day 5: Easy day by Victoria Harbour
After Disneyland, rest. Walk the harbour, take the Star Ferry and see the Avenue of Stars. With kids, swap in Ocean Park. Guide: Victoria Harbour.
Day 6: Lantau Island
Ngong Ping 360 (book on Klook) and the Big Buddha, then Citygate Outlets at Tung Chung. Guides: Lantau day trip · Citygate Outlets.
Day 7: Mong Kok
Temple Street night market, the Ladies' Market and Sneaker Street. Have breakfast at Australia Dairy Company (milk tea, toast, and very creamy scrambled eggs if you eat eggs). Guides: Ladies' Market · Sneaker Street & Lung Fung.
Day 8: Wong Tai Sin & the Airport Express
A peaceful temple morning, then the Airport Express from Central. Guide: Wong Tai Sin & Airport Express.
Our tips
- Never put Lantau the day after Disneyland. Both involve a lot of walking, so keep a rest day in between. Same after Macau.
- Keep two easy days for local food, shopping and wandering. Five busy days is plenty for Hong Kong.
- Food: local food took us a while to get used to. Korean restaurants and local soups and fish became our favourites. There's plenty of Indian food in Tsim Sha Tsui.
FAQs
Do Indians need a visa for Hong Kong?
No visa, but you must complete the free online Pre-Arrival Registration (PAR) before you travel, and carry a printout. We were asked for the printed copy at Delhi airport and in Hong Kong.
Should I visit Macau first or last?
First. You can go to Macau straight from Hong Kong airport without crossing Hong Kong immigration, on a free bus. Then end your trip in Hong Kong.
How much are flights from India to Hong Kong?
We paid about ₹25,000 per person return on Air India via Delhi (from Pune). Direct Cathay Pacific flights from Mumbai or Delhi were around ₹40,000–45,000.
TAGS: HONG KONG · MACAU · ITINERARY · BUDGET · DISNEYLAND · LANTAU · PRE-ARRIVAL REGISTRATION
💬 Questions & answers
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Prashant & Sunaina
A travel couple from Pune with Kashmiri Pandit × Maharashtrian roots, 8+ countries and counting. Every rupee shared.
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