Hong Kong Side Trips: 4 Day Itinerary
Four days out of Hong Kong: Macau, Cheung Chau, Tai O’s stilt village on Lantau, then a full day at Disneyland. Sleep in Hong Kong every night. This builds on the 3 day plan by adding a theme-park day; the 5 day through 7 day versions keep extending the same spine.
Book these before you go:
- Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui or Central
- Macau day trip covering the old town
- Outlying islands tour
- Hong Kong Disneyland ticket , booked for a specific calendar date
| Day | Side trip | Travel time from HK | One-way cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Macau (old town) | ~45 min bus, ~60 min ferry | HK$65-70 bus, HK$190-240 ferry |
| 2 | Cheung Chau | ~35-55 min ferry | HK$16.70-47.60 |
| 3 | Tai O (Lantau) | ~75-90 min bus and MTR from Central | Bus fare only, no ticket |
| 4 | Hong Kong Disneyland | ~40-50 min MTR, transfer at Sunny Bay | Included in ticket price |
Day 1: Macau, the old town over the casinos
Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal in Sheung Wan, or the cheaper Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge bus . Bring a passport, Macau is a separate SAR. Spend the day around the Ruins of St Paul’s and Senado Square rather than on the Cotai casino floor. Confirm sailing times on Macau’s tourism site or with TurboJet directly before heading back.
Day 2: Cheung Chau, the cheap escape
Ferry from Central Pier 5, HK$16.70-47.60 depending on ferry type and day. Walk the Mini Great Wall trail, see Cheung Po Tsai Cave, then a harbourside seafood lunch.
Day 3: Tai O, Lantau’s stilt village
Bus from Tung Chung to the stilt-house village. Dolphin sightings on the boat tours are increasingly rare; treat one as a bonus, not the reason you came. Pair with the Big Buddha if you haven’t already covered it in Hong Kong’s own city itinerary ; general crossing info is on Discover Hong Kong .
Day 4: Hong Kong Disneyland
Disneyland Resort Line, transfer at Sunny Bay. A 1-day adult ticket is tiered HK$669-849 by calendar date, a 2-day ticket a flat HK$1,132. Book the specific date rather than showing up and hoping for the cheap tier, and check the official calendar first. It’s a smaller park than the US or Japan versions, plan a full day rather than a half day.
Four days covers the two free-and-cheap islands, one heritage side trip, and one paid attraction, a reasonable split for a first-timer. The full day trips guide explains why Disneyland made the cut over Ocean Park at this length; the 5 day plan adds Ocean Park back in.