My travel tale

14 Hrs: My Unexpected Hong Kong Layover Adventure 🇭🇰✈️

In May, I travelled from India to San Francisco by Cathay Pacific. This time, I had an almost 14-hour layover in Hong Kong, and fortunately, it was entirely during the daytime.

I immediately thought, Why spend 14 hours sitting at the airport when I can use the time to explore Hong Kong? 😊

When passengers have a long layover, some countries allow them to leave the airport, complete the required formalities, explore the city and return in time for their connecting flight. Hong Kong has a similar facility for eligible transit passengers. A Pre-Arrival Registration (PAR) needs to be completed in advance, and there is no separate visa fee for this transit entry.

I also discovered that Trip.com and Hong Kong Airport authorities arrange free city tours for eligible layover passengers. However, these tours generally need to be booked well in advance.

Since I booked my ticket only in April, there were no seats available on the free tours for my dates. I contacted a travel agency I knew, but their quote was more than ₹50,000 for a day! 😄

Day trips in Hong Kong are naturally expensive, and travelling alone can make them even more costly.

So, after some research and watching a few videos, I decided to plan my own Hong Kong day trip.

Planning my Hong Kong adventure

Once my PAR application was approved, I started listing the places I wanted to visit.

My shortlist included:

* Big Buddha on Lantau Island
* Wong Tai Sin Temple
* Victoria Harbour
* Avenue of Stars

I later discovered that part of the Big Buddha complex was under renovation, so I decided to concentrate on the other places.

Since I would be travelling alone, safety was another concern. After researching, I felt comfortable exploring Hong Kong, especially because it is generally regarded as a safe destination. With limited time, I decided not to be too ambitious and simply see whatever I could comfortably cover. 😊🙏

The next question was transportation.

Private taxis were expensive, so I looked at public transport. The Airport Express seemed convenient, taking roughly half an hour to reach the city. Return tickets were around HK$110–125, approximately ₹1,200.

Another option was the Hop-On Hop-Off Bus, but depending on the route, it could cost around ₹6,000–₹9,000.

There were also public buses from the airport towards Wong Tai Sin Temple.

So I decided to make the final decision after landing.

One less thing to worry about—currency

I had US dollars with me, but Hong Kong uses Hong Kong dollars.

I found the Octopus app particularly convenient because money could be loaded using an international credit or debit card, and payments could be made through the phone.

So I didn’t carry even a single Hong Kong dollar from India.

My international credit card also worked without any problem.

Finally, I landed in Hong Kong!

My flight was scheduled to arrive at 11:00 AM, but luckily, we landed almost an hour early, at around 10:00 AM.

By 10:30, I was already exploring the airport.

Fortunately, I had only a laptop bag and a small handbag, so I didn’t have to worry about storing any luggage. 😊🙏✈️

I had my PAR approval form printed, signed and ready for immigration.

And then came the big surprise of my trip!

The unexpected free tour

On the way to immigration, I noticed a Trip.com help desk.

I stopped to enquire and discovered that they were conducting three free city tours every day for eligible layover passengers.

The tours started at approximately 9:00 AM, 12:00 noon and 6:00 PM, with different attractions covered in each tour. Each tour had limited seats—around 20 passengers.

The best part was that everything was organised. Passengers were taken from the airport by bus, accompanied by a guide and brought back to the airport after the tour.

Since I already knew that the seats filled quickly, I wasn’t expecting much. Still, I thought, There is a help desk right here. Let me ask! 😄

The staff member checked my boarding passes and asked whether I had completed my PAR registration.

I showed her my signed approval form, and she checked my passport and details.

Then she said:

“There is one seat available on the 6:00 PM tour. I can confirm that for you.”

I was happy, but my heart was set on the 12:00 noon tour.

So I asked, “Is there any possibility of joining the 12:00 tour?”

She said there were no confirmed seats, but she could put me on the waiting list. If some passengers didn’t turn up, those seats could be given to waiting-list passengers about 15 minutes before departure.

I immediately said, “Please put my name on the waiting list!”

She was very helpful and enrolled me for both options. She also explained how to reach Arrival Hall 3.

By then it was around 11:00 AM.

I went towards Hall 3 and decided to wait.

I thought, If I get the 12:00 tour, wonderful. Otherwise, I’ll explore Hong Kong by public transport and still have the 6:00 PM tour as a backup.

At the help desk, they told me to wait until 11:45 for confirmation.

Since I assumed my chances were slim, I went to the shower room, freshened up and changed my clothes.

When I returned, they were giving tags and stickers to the passengers joining the tour. I stood in the same line.

Everyone had received their tags, but two passengers had still not arrived.

Then our guide, Jimmy, arrived.

A little later, he called me, handed me the tags and stickers and said:

“You can join the tour too.”

I couldn’t believe it!

At the very last minute, I had got a seat on the tour I wanted. I was thrilled. 😊

Jimmy introduced everyone and showed us a placard with his phone number, asking us to take a photograph of it in case anyone got separated from the group or needed assistance.

Soon, we were taken to the airport basement where our bus was waiting.

And just like that…

My Hong Kong adventure began! 🚌✈️🇭🇰

Wong Tai Sin Temple

One reason I was especially happy about getting onto this tour was that Wong Tai Sin Temple was already on my list!

On the way, Jimmy explained the temple’s history, traditions, local beliefs and customs. He also shared interesting information about Hong Kong’s cost of living, transportation and lifestyle.

It felt less like a simple sightseeing tour and more like an introduction to Hong Kong’s culture and everyday life.

After nearly an hour, we reached Wong Tai Sin Temple.

The temple is one of Hong Kong’s best-known religious sites and is associated with the belief that wishes can be fulfilled. It reflects elements of Taoist, Buddhist and Confucian traditions.

Its colourful Chinese architecture, red pillars, yellow roofs, carved decorations and peaceful gardens were beautiful.

The temple is also famous for Kau Cim, a traditional fortune-telling practice involving numbered bamboo sticks.

I was particularly fascinated by the architecture and atmosphere. Even with so many visitors around, there was a sense of peace and spirituality that I really enjoyed. 🙏🏮✨

We were given about an hour to explore. We walked around, took photographs and returned to the bus on time.

The local market—and my decision to stay on the bus! 😄

From the temple, we were taken to a local market.

But when I saw the crowd and the hustle and bustle, I simply didn’t feel like getting down.

Everyone else went to explore.

I put on my AirPods, listened to music and stayed comfortably inside the bus. 🎧🚌

The driver noticed me and called Jimmy because he couldn’t communicate with me in English.

Jimmy came and asked why I wasn’t joining the others.

I told him, “I don’t feel like walking around the market. I’ll stay here until everyone comes back.”

He tried to convince me for a while, but eventually respected my decision. The driver went for lunch, and Jimmy took the rest of the group around the market.

About 45 minutes later, everyone returned.

Some had bought snacks and others had picked up small electronic items.

Several of them looked at me and laughed.

“You actually did the right thing by staying on the bus. Honestly, there wasn’t anything particularly interesting in that market!”

I smiled to myself.

Sometimes, listening to your own instinct really is the best decision. 😊

Back to the airport—and another tour!

We returned to the airport by around 4:00 PM.

Almost everyone travelling onward to San Francisco had also enrolled for the next tour. Jimmy told us to report to the Trip.com help desk by 5:30 PM for the 6:00 PM departure.

My friends and I had some light snacks. Vegetarian choices were limited, so I settled for a packet of chips and a coffee.

The bill?

HK$75—around ₹950! 😲

That made me realise another important thing: avoid exchanging currency at the airport unless absolutely necessary.

The exchange rate at the airport was much poorer than the normal rate. So if you are planning a similar trip, it is better to arrange your currency or use an international card/app whenever possible.

Victoria Harbour and Avenue of Stars

At 5:30 PM, Jimmy returned and explained that this tour would show us a completely different side of Hong Kong.

The first tour had taken us through local areas and markets.

This time, we were going to see the glamorous downtown side of the city.

Two places on my original list were included:

Victoria Harbour and Avenue of Stars.

After nearly an hour, we reached Victoria Harbour.

The weather, which had been warm and humid earlier, had suddenly become pleasant. Clouds gathered overhead and a light drizzle began.

Tall skyscrapers surrounded the harbour.

The cool breeze touched our faces.

The vast water stretched between the buildings.

It was absolutely beautiful.

For me, it felt as though the entire beauty of Hong Kong had come together in one place. 😊

Victoria Harbour is the famous natural harbour between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. It is an important part of Hong Kong’s history and one of its most popular tourist attractions.

The harbour is famous for its spectacular skyline, the Symphony of Lights, and the historic Star Ferry.

Because of our limited time, we couldn’t take the ferry, but we enjoyed watching the ferries arrive and depart.

The lights reflecting on the water, the skyscrapers in the background, the cool breeze and the occasional ferry horn created a wonderful atmosphere.

Avenue of Stars ✨

We then walked along the Avenue of Stars, Hong Kong’s waterfront tribute to its film industry.

The boardwalk was lively, with beautiful waterfront views and glowing city lights. It reminded me of other boardwalks I had experienced near Boston and in Atlantic City, but Hong Kong felt particularly energetic.

The Avenue of Stars features the names, handprints and statues of more than 100 personalities associated with Hong Kong and Chinese cinema.

I must admit, though, that I knew only two names well:

Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan! 😄

So naturally, we took photographs near the Bruce Lee statue.

Unfortunately, because of the surrounding lighting and laser effects, my photograph didn’t turn out as well as I had hoped.

We also saw Jackie Chan’s handprints and signature.

Seeing the names of people I had watched in movies since childhood brought back many memories. It was a lovely moment. 🙏

Finding food for a vegetarian!

There were plenty of restaurants along the waterfront, but vegetarian options were not easy to find.

So once again, I turned to my reliable friend:

French fries! 😂

This time I ordered potato wedges and asked for some extra spice and chilli powder.

They gave me some.

I generously sprinkled it over the wedges and enjoyed them with sparkling water—which, in our language, is simply soda! 🥤😄

Back to the airport

We returned to the airport at around 9:00 PM.

Our flight to San Francisco was at 1:30 AM, so I still had about four and a half hours.

One of my friends had booked an airport room and invited us to join her, while another wanted to explore the airport.

I was already tired, so I decided to go to the airport lounge, freshen up and relax.

Luckily, I have free access to airport lounges. 😊

I had some snacks and coffee and relaxed for a while.

Then I suddenly remembered an urgent office task.

So, naturally, I logged into my office system from the lounge itself and finished that work too! 😄

Later, I met my friends near the terminal. We exchanged phone numbers, chatted for a while and finally boarded our flight to San Francisco.

And just like that, my Hong Kong layover adventure came to an end. 😍✈️

The cost of my Hong Kong adventure?

Now comes the funniest part.

The entire sightseeing trip cost me only HK$75! 😆

That was simply what I spent on my chips, coffee and potato wedges.

The actual tours, transportation and guide?

Completely FREE! 😂

This trip reminded me once again that the best part of travelling isn’t always about how much money we spend.

Sometimes, the most memorable experiences come from unexpected opportunities, new friendships and beautiful moments that we never planned for.

Why am I sharing this in such detail?

There are two reasons.

First, I enjoyed this experience so much that I wanted to share the excitement with all of you. 😊

Second, many people may not know about these long-layover opportunities.

With a little advance research and proper planning, those otherwise boring hours between two flights can become a wonderful little city adventure.

There is also a practical lesson here.

On my Hyderabad-to-San Francisco flight, two newly married Telugu couples were also travelling with me. They assumed they could leave the airport during their long Hong Kong layover.

Unfortunately, they didn’t know that the PAR registration needed to be completed in advance.

Because they hadn’t completed it, immigration did not allow them to enter Hong Kong.

As a result, they had to spend nearly 15 hours inside the airport.

Even though they had lounge-access cards, many lounges allow only limited-duration stays, and in some cases each traveller needs an eligible card of their own. Naturally, they were very disappointed.

That is why I wanted to share my experience in detail.

So, if you ever have a long layover in Hong Kong or another city that allows eligible transit passengers to enter temporarily, do a little research before your journey.

Check the entry requirements, arrange your transportation and currency options, and see whether any free or organised layover tours are available.

A little planning can turn a long airport wait into a memorable mini-vacation.

For me, what started as a 14-hour layover became a wonderful Hong Kong adventure—with temples, skyscrapers, harbour views, new friends, free guided tours, airport lounge coffee…

…and, of course, HK$75 worth of food! 😄😂

Some journeys are carefully planned.

Some happen completely by chance.

And sometimes, the journeys we never planned become the stories we remember the longest. ❤️🙏✈️🇭🇰

From The Nybr’s October 2026 edition, Hyderabad.