From hiking to exploring arts and inspired cuisine, enrich your Hong Kong "bizcation" itinerary with these daytime activities between meetings

12.06.2024 - 12:01 / insider.com / Victoria Harbour

Hong Kong is one of Asia's leading financial capitals, but there's much more to this city than boardrooms. Perfect for exploring before, during, or after a business trip, its unique fusion of cultures, lush hiking trails, shopping centers, historic temples, and world-class food scene gives corporate travelers the perfect blend of work and play. 

Here are some must-do daytime experiences to check out between meetings and conferences, transforming your time in Hong Kong from "work trip" to an enriching "bizcation."

There are dozens of museums sprinkled around Hong Kong, but M+ is arguably its most impressive. Located in the West Kowloon Cultural District, this ​​65,000 square-meter charcoal-colored monolithic building is an art form itself. Inside, museum buffs can get lost in its various exhibition spaces, art galleries, and cinemas. Be sure to check out the can't-miss rooftop garden with stunning views of Victoria Harbour.

Nearby, the new Hong Kong Palace Museum boasts more than 900 artifacts from Beijing's Palace Museum, including exclusive pieces and rotating exhibitions featuring some of the world's most acclaimed artworks. Keep an eye out for the ornate dragon robe and shoes once worn by a Qing dynasty emperor; it's a must-see.

It's not just its museums that offer an artistic experience — Hong Kong itself is full of color. Wander through the neighborhoods of Jordan and Yau Ma Tei in Kowloon, and you'll find a vibrant collection of street murals that make for perfect photo ops. 

Across the harbor, the ARTLANE project in Sai Ying Pun transforms old buildings into stunning works of art, creating an open-air gallery along Ki Ling Lane, Shek Chan Lane, and Chung Ching Street. And thanks to the HKWALLS Street Art Festival, more striking paintings are added to the area's walls every year. Don't forget to grab a cold brew at local-favorite Rootdown to rejuvenate your taste buds when you've finished exploring. 

Be sure to pay a visit to Hollywood Road — voted one of the coolest streets in the world by Time Out — which offers no end of shopping opportunities, from antique stores (we recommend Oi Ling Antiques & Art) to trendy art galleries. It's an ideal spot if you're looking to take a piece of Hong Kong home with you.  

Hidden between its skyscrapers, there are hundreds of temples and shrines around Hong Kong. At Wong Tai Sin Temple on the Kowloon side, worshippers and travelers marvel at the god of healing. Burn incense offerings or take in the rainbow of bright colors that decorate one of the peninsula's most beautiful Taoist temples.

On Hong Kong Island, the Man Mo Temple in Sheung Wan is one of the oldest and most popular. Built in the mid-1800s to honor the gods of literature and war, the beauty of