Explore Beijing / Side-Tripping to Hong Kong and Macau from Beijing: Where to Stay
Side-Tripping to Hong Kong and Macau from Beijing: Where to Stay
Planning to add Hong Kong or Macau to your Beijing trip? Here's what first-time Western visitors should know about visas, where to base yourself, and how hotel norms differ from the mainland.
5 min read · KOULING's Beijing Travel Guide
Many visitors to Beijing tack on a few days in Hong Kong or Macau — both are special administrative regions with their own immigration rules, currencies, and hotel culture. Flights from Beijing take roughly 3.5 hours to Hong Kong (around 2,500 km / 1,550 miles), and the high-speed rail from Beijing West to Hong Kong West Kowloon runs about 9 hours if you prefer trains [verify before travel]. Before you book anything, understand that entering Hong Kong or Macau from mainland China is a border crossing: you'll clear immigration twice, and what's true about visas in Beijing may not apply there.
Visa Rules You Must Understand First
Most Western nationalities receive visa-free entry to Hong Kong for 90 days and to Macau for 30–180 days depending on passport [verify before travel]. The critical nuance: if you hold a mainland China visa or permit and leave to Hong Kong or Macau, you have exited mainland China, and re-entering uses up another mainland entry — so make sure your China visa is valid for multiple entries before planning a side trip [verify before travel]. Always check your nationality's specific terms on official government sites before booking hotels.
Check your China visa entries — A single-entry China visa will not let you return from Hong Kong or Macau. Confirm you have a double or multiple-entry visa [verify before travel].
Hong Kong visa-free stays — US, UK, and most EU passports: typically 90 days visa-free [verify before travel].
Macau visa-free stays — Typically 30 days for US/UK/EU passports, sometimes extendable [verify before travel].
Where to Stay in Hong Kong
Hong Kong is compact, but hotel rooms are famously small and expensive. Expect roughly HKD 700–1,500 (about USD 90–190) per night for a mid-range double room, with luxury hotels far above that [verify before travel]. Rooms of 15–20 square meters (160–215 sq ft) are normal at the mid range — don't be alarmed by the photos. Book early for October (Golden Week) and major trade fairs, when prices spike.
Tsim Sha Tsui (Kowloon) — Harbor views, Museum Row, and easy MTR access. Best all-around base for first-timers.
Central / Sheung Wan (Hong Kong Island) — Business core near the Peak Tram and mid-levels escalator; pricier and more corporate.
Mong Kok — Budget-friendly, lively street markets, very dense. Noisier and less polished.
Where to Stay in Macau
Macau splits into two moods: the glitzy casino resorts of Cotai and the older, quieter peninsula around Senado Square and the Ruins of St. Paul's. Resort rooms can be surprisingly affordable midweek (from around MOP 600 / USD 75) but can double on weekends [verify before travel]. If casinos aren't your thing, staying on the peninsula puts you within walking distance of the UNESCO-listed historic center.
Cotai Strip — Mega-resorts like those in the Venetian/City of Dreams cluster — pools, shows, and restaurants under one roof.
Macau Peninsula — Older hotels near Senado Square and St. Paul's Ruins; better for sightseeing and local food.
Taipa Village — Charming Portuguese-Chinese streets and smaller guesthouses, minutes from Cotai.
Hong Kong West Kowloon Station
If you take the high-speed rail from Beijing, you'll arrive here — conveniently in the heart of Kowloon, a short walk or MTR ride from Tsim Sha Tsui hotels. Immigration is co-located at the station, so you clear both mainland exit and Hong Kong entry in one building.
Metro
MTR West Kowloon Station (Tuen Ma Line and airport express connections nearby) [verify before travel]
Opening hours
Roughly 06:00–24:00, aligned with train schedules [verify before travel]
Tickets
Beijing–Hong Kong high-speed rail second class roughly CNY 1,000+ (about USD 140) one way [verify before travel]
How long
About 9 hours from Beijing West [verify before travel]
The Peninsula Hotel Area, Tsim Sha Tsui
Even if you don't stay at the storied Peninsula, the waterfront around it is a great hotel base: harbor views of the skyline, the Star Ferry pier, and the Avenue of Stars within a few minutes' walk. Mid-range options along Nathan Road put you on top of the MTR.
Metro
MTR Tsim Sha Tsui / East Tsim Sha Tsui stations [verify before travel]
Opening hours
Waterfront promenade open 24 hours
Tickets
Star Ferry across the harbor roughly HKD 4–6.5 (about USD 0.50–0.85) [verify before travel]
How long
Half a day to explore the district
Senado Square, Macau
The heart of old Macau — wave-patterned Portuguese pavement, colonial pastel facades, and a short walk to the Ruins of St. Paul's. Peninsula hotels and guesthouses here are the best pick if you want to explore on foot and skip the casino resorts.
Metro
No metro; reachable by bus or taxi, or the Macau Light Rapid Transit to Barra then bus [verify before travel]
Opening hours
Public square, open 24 hours; shops roughly 10:00–19:00
Tickets
Free to visit
How long
1–2 hours including nearby St. Paul's Ruins
Related Beijing guides
If you found this useful, these cover the next question most visitors ask:
Manage your money expectations — Hong Kong uses HKD, Macau uses MOP, and mainland China uses CNY — three currencies in one trip. Cards are widely accepted in both SARs, unlike the mainland where mobile wallets dominate [verify before travel].
Watch room sizes — Always check square meters in listings; 15 sq m (160 sq ft) is standard at the mid range in Hong Kong.
Book around events — October Golden Week, Chinese New Year, and big trade fairs can triple prices — reserve two to three months ahead [verify before travel].
Internet differs from the mainland — Google, WhatsApp, and Instagram work normally in Hong Kong and Macau — a nice break if you've been using a VPN in Beijing.
Keep hotel cards handy — Have your hotel's name and address in Chinese characters saved on your phone for taxi drivers.
