What to do during an 8 hour layover in Hong Kong?

Hi, I have an 8 hour layover in HK next month (CX Syd to HK arriving around 4pm then AY to Helsinki departing at Midnight) in Business class and wondered if anyone had suggestions for a quick side trip out of the airport ? I will have access to either the CX or QF lounge however 8 hours seems a bit too long in a lounge.

Easy one - Airport Express train into the City. If you get your skates on you can get up to The Peak, see the sunset over Hong Kong, head back down to Central, catch the Star Ferry across the Harbour, grab something to eat, then head back to the Airport.

I just had 8 hours from an early morning arrival, and the CX lounges aren’t shabby by any means.

You can also get the ferry to Langtou for some very nice seafood.

Great suggestions, many thanks

Very short taxi ride to glass bottom gondala upto Big Buddha and return would fill 2-3 hours. Enjoy the various lounges in HKG for the remainder. Could even get a room at the airport hotel for some Zzzz if you needed. From memory they charge by the hour for this purpose.

Some great suggestions here, and good that you included the arrival and departure times because that informs the 'what to do' responses. Hong Kong is great of an evening, and March is a nice time of year. A few general considerations: remember that you have eight hours between flights, so allowing for time to get through immigration and then allowing plenty of time to be back at the airport ahead of your midnight Finnair flight (so you can relax, have a shower etc) you will have more like six hours to be out and about. That becomes five hours when you allow for the train to the city and back.

I usually check into the Regal airport hotel, have a nap and/or swim, use the gym and have a massage. Room service or pretty good restaurants there. I've been to HKG a hundred times though, so by all means disregard what I say and get the train to the city.

On an 8 hour layover a few years ago, arriving at 07:30am - caught the Airport Express train to Kowloon; coffee in the Peninsula Hotel; Star Ferry across to Hong Kong Island; dodged a 20 minute rainstorm; caught a bus up to The Peak (you get a view right around both sides of the island on the way up); lunch at The Peak; cable car it down; time around Central Station shops; then Airport Express back out to the airport.

What a great stopover - agree with David you should plan to be in City for about 5 hours max on a 8 hour layover. My itinerary would be something like this:

All good suggestions but bear in mind that in the evenings the queue to get down the Peak on the Peak Tram is horrendous. Plan to go by bus (because even taxis can be in short supply) and plan your timing accordingly, and then if the queue is short you can take the Tram as a bonus, without worrying about missing your connection

As other have said HKG is an amazing city! The peak is definitely a must the big buddha is also very good though you might need more time (and light) for that. Though a great thing to do is just walk around on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon

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If it is not too late I found Symphony of Lights around Hong Kong harbour to be enjoyable. The Show is every night at 8:00 p.m. The best viewing places are Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront outside the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, the promenade at Golden Bauhinia Square in Wanchai, or the ferries in the Harbour. Best part is it is free