At a Glance
Compared to this destination's peak season Heaviest in the first week, when China’s National Day holiday brings mainland visitors; the second half is busy with leisure travellers and trade fairs.
Hong Kong in October — Travel Guide
By Harry Nara · Last updated
Hong Kong in October offers some of the best conditions of the year, ideal for hikers, food lovers & photographers. Expect temperatures of 24–28°C, around 8 days of rain, and high crowds across the city. Daily budgets typically land around HK$850–1,400 for mid-range travellers. Book accommodation two to three months ahead — the most popular rooms sell out fast during peak visiting windows.
Contents17 sections
#At a Glance
Somewhere in the first half of October the air changes. The monsoon swings round to the north-east, humidity falls from the high 70s to 73%, and a city that spent five months indoors moves out onto its ridges and rooftops. Highs are still 28°C, warm enough to swim, but rain drops to about eight days and 120mm, a third of September's. Two things keep it from perfection: a late typhoon remains possible, and the first week brings China's National Day holiday. Both public holidays in 2027 fall on Fridays, 1 and 8 October, so two long weekends sit back to back. Come from about the 10th if you can.
#Weather in Hong Kong in October
Hong Kong in October averages 24–28°C (75–82°F) with around 8 days of rain, and crowds are high.
| October | |
|---|---|
| Daytime high | About 28°C / 82°F |
| Overnight low | About 24°C / 75°F |
| Wet days | About 8 |
| Rainfall | 120mm |
| Humidity | 73% |
| Typhoon signal in force | About 1.7 days |
Figures are the Hong Kong Observatory's 1991–2020 normals. A wet day is one with 0.1mm or more, so a passing shower counts.
What that actually means for your trip:
- The month gets better as it goes. Early October can still feel like summer, while the last week is close to November.
- Thunderstorms all but stop, from about five days in September to fewer than one.
- The sea is still warm. October is the last comfortable swimming month of the year for most people.
- Clear days are not guaranteed. The northerly air can bring haze from the Pearl River Delta, so distant views vary.
#The Signals, in Brief
October's storms are rarer than August's, but they do arrive. Over 1991–2020 a No. 8 averaged about one October day in eight years, so it is a small risk with a big effect.
- Typhoon No. 3 means strong wind. Daily life continues, but postpone boats and long hikes.
- Typhoon No. 8 means gales. Schools and most offices shut, ferries stop, buses thin out and halt, and the MTR keeps running.
- Amber, red and black grade heavy rain. Under black, more than 70mm an hour, stay indoors or take shelter.
The Observatory's MyObservatory app shows all of them as they change.
#Choosing a Walk
October is when the trails come back, and it helps to match the walk to the day you have.
The easy choice is the Dragon’s Back, a ridge above Shek O that takes about half a day including the trip out. It is short, well marked and busy at weekends, and it ends close to the beach at Big Wave Bay.
The serious choice is the MacLehose Trail in Sai Kung. Stage 2, from Long Ke to Pak Tam Au, is 13.5km and takes about five and a quarter hours, and the government’s hiking site rates it very difficult. In exchange you get some of the best beaches in the territory, with a village lunch on the way. Going out to the start needs a taxi from Sai Kung town or a minibus, so plan the transport as carefully as the walk.
In between are the shorter climbs near the city. Lion Rock looks straight down on Kowloon and rewards an early start, and the stepped path up Lantau Peak, one of the highest in the territory, is a hard morning with a very good view if the air is clear.
Whichever you pick, three rules hold in October. Start by 8am, as the ridges have almost no shade and it can still reach 28°C. Carry at least two litres of water, because few trails have shops. And check the Observatory before you leave, since a late storm is still possible and thunderstorms, though rare by now, can arrive quickly.
Holiday weekends are the busiest, particularly Chung Yeung, when walking up a hill is the tradition.
#What to Do in Hong Kong in October
This is the first month of walking weather. Start early, because it can still reach 28°C on an exposed ridge with little shade.
Solo Travellers
Walk the Dragon's Back on a weekday morning, then drop down to Big Wave Bay for a swim. It is the one month when a hike and a swim fit comfortably into the same half day.
Couples
Take a late-afternoon Star Ferry and stay out for the evening: October is the first month in which a harbour-front dinner outdoors is a pleasure.
On a clear day, Lugard Road at the Peak gives the classic skyline on a flat, shaded path.
Families
Ocean Park and Hong Kong Disneyland both stage Halloween seasons, and the crowds are lighter on weekdays once the mainland holiday ends.
Children do well in this weather at Ngong Ping; check the cable car's maintenance days first.
Groups
Hire a junk from Sai Kung for the last warm swims of the year, or take on a stage of the MacLehose Trail together.
Halloween in Lan Kwai Fong is the city's biggest street party; it falls on a Sunday in 2027, so expect the biggest night on Saturday 30 October.
#Getting Around
An Octopus card covers trains, buses, trams, ferries and most minibuses.
- Airport Express: HK$120 to Hong Kong Station and HK$105 to Kowloon on Octopus.
- MTR: Central to Tsim Sha Tsui is HK$10.60.
- To the hills: Bus 9 from Shau Kei Wan for the Dragon's Back, or a minibus from Choi Hung to Sai Kung.
- Star Ferry: HK$5 upstairs on weekdays and HK$6.50 at weekends and on public holidays.
The two October holidays bring out the hikers, so buses to trailheads run with queues on those mornings.
#Budget & Costs
| Travel style | Per day | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | HK$850–1,400 | A hostel or guesthouse, dai pai dong meals, the MTR |
| Mid-range | HK$2,200–3,500 | A central hotel, restaurants, a junk share or a museum |
| Luxury | HK$6,000+ | Harbour-view rooms, hairy crab menus |
What things cost:
| What | Price |
|---|---|
| Airport Express to Hong Kong Station, Octopus | HK$120 |
| MTR, Central to Tsim Sha Tsui | HK$10.60 |
| Tram, any distance | HK$3.30 |
| Happy Valley public enclosure | About HK$10 |
| Country park trails | Free |
Where the money actually goes:
- The first week, with the mainland holiday, and the big trade fairs push rooms up.
- The second half is high season, but comfortable enough to justify it.
- Hotels add a 3% tax and usually a 10% service charge, so check a rate includes both.
#Food & Dining
Hairy crab arrives this month, usually from about the middle of it: small freshwater crabs from the Shanghai region, steamed and eaten with ginger vinegar, and a good deal of work for not much meat. It is worth one meal. Autumn is also when soups with snow fungus and pear turn up, and the Cantonese talk about guarding against "dry air".
The outdoor tables at Sai Kung and Lau Fau Shan make better sense now that dinner no longer means sweating.
#Nightlife
Rooftops finally earn their keep: Central's hotel bars and the terraces of Tsim Sha Tsui are comfortable from now until the spring.
Wednesday racing at Happy Valley is back, in the public enclosure at about HK$10, and the crowd there is more mixed and more cheerful than any bar.
#Shopping
Avoid the big Tsim Sha Tsui and Causeway Bay malls in the first week, when the National Day crowds are heaviest.
Sham Shui Po and the small galleries of Tai Ping Shan are easier any time. There is no sales tax.
#Culture & Etiquette
Chung Yeung, on Friday 8 October 2027, is a day for visiting family graves and walking up to high ground. Cemeteries and hill roads fill up, and the pavements near them carry offerings; walk around them. On trails, greet other walkers and take your rubbish down with you.
#Essential Local Phrases
| Cantonese | Meaning | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| 重陽節 (chung yeung jit) | Chung Yeung Festival | On 8 October |
| 大閘蟹 (daai jaap haai) | Hairy crab | On the menu from mid-month |
| 行山 (haang saan) | Hiking | Any weekend |
| 郊野公園 (gaau ye gung yun) | Country park | On trail signs |
| 唔該 (m goi) | Please, or thanks for a service | All day |
| 多謝 (do je) | Thank you for a gift | When someone gives you something |
#Packing List
- Light clothes, with one thin layer for the evenings
- Swimwear; the sea is still warm
- Walking shoes with real grip
- A hat and sun cream, because ridges have no shade
- A folding umbrella
- A refillable bottle
- Mosquito repellent for the trails
#Backup Plans
- A late typhoon: keep one free day, and buy food before a No. 8 goes up.
- Holiday crowds: leave Central and Tsim Sha Tsui for the islands, or the other way round, whichever the crowd is not doing.
- A wet day: M+ at HK$190, the Hong Kong Palace Museum from HK$70, and the free courtyards of Tai Kwun.
#Safety & Health
Dial 999 in an emergency. Heat and dehydration are still the main risks on hikes: carry at least two litres each, start early, and tell someone your route. Carrying a vape in a public place is also an offence, with a HK$3,000 fixed penalty. National security laws here are strict and cover visitors too: see First Time in Hong Kong.
#What's New for October 2027
- National Day: Friday 1 October 2027
- Chung Yeung: Friday 8 October 2027
- Halloween: falls on a Sunday in 2027
- The harbour light show: A Symphony of Lights is being replaced, so check what is running
#About This Guide
By Harry Nara (founder of WhenToWander), written in November 2026 for October 2027. Climate figures are Hong Kong Observatory 1991–2020 normals; fares are from the MTR's published data, read in November 2026; daily budgets are our estimates.
- Hong Kong Observatory for the normals and signal frequencies
- GovHK for the 2027 public holidays
For the month before, see Hong Kong in September, and for the month after, Hong Kong in November. For the whole season, see Hong Kong in Autumn.
You might also like
Destinations picked for travellers with similar taste or climate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is October a good time to visit Hong Kong?
Yes, especially from about the 10th. Humidity falls to 73%, rain drops to about eight days, and highs of 28°C still allow a swim. The first week is the weakest part, with China’s National Day crowds, and a late typhoon remains possible.
Are there typhoons in Hong Kong in October?
Sometimes. Over 1991–2020 a warning signal of some kind was up on about 1.7 October days, and a No. 8, which shuts most of the city, averaged about one October day in eight years. Keep a day free, and read the Observatory’s forecast before boats or long hikes.
What are the public holidays in Hong Kong in October 2027?
National Day on Friday 1 October and Chung Yeung on Friday 8 October, so both make long weekends. Hills and cemetery roads fill on Chung Yeung, and the first week of the month is the busiest for mainland visitors.
How much does an October trip to Hong Kong cost?
Allow about HK$850–1,400 a day on a budget and HK$2,200–3,500 mid-range. Rooms rise in the first week and around the trade fairs. Trails and country parks are free, and hotels add a 3% tax and usually a 10% service charge.
What’s the weather like in Hong Kong in October?
Hong Kong in October typically sees temperatures of 24–28°C with around 8 days of rain across the period. Pack lightweight layers that suit both cooler mornings and warmer afternoons.