Hong Kong

We spent 4 days in Hong Kong, which gave us just enough time to visit the main sights. There is a lot to do, but given the restrictions on our budget (prices tend to be much higher compared to Mainland China!), we kept our visit short. Here are some of our highlights.

Mid-level Escalators

The longest outdoor escalator network in the world – we rode the entire line, and with some short breaks along the way, it took us more than 20 minutes to get to the top. It’s a great way to see the different neighbourhoods around the escalator route and watch the view of the city build up as you go higher and higher. Hop on at the starting point here: Google Maps. Take a break here to explore the cafés and artsy shops: Google Maps. The view is blocked by high-rise buildings at the top, but you can walk a couple of blocks in either direction and enjoy the panorama.

Hong Kong Island West

We stayed just a little to the west of Wan Chai, and it was very exciting for us to see the traditional, more Chinese-influenced side of the city. The streets are filled with the smell of spices, cured meat and pastries. We took long walks around the neighbourhood, which is a street photographer’s paradise! We had such a fun time taking snapshots of the traditional Chinese shops, and you will see so many people rollin’ with their carts in true Hong Kong style. It felt like there was something new and exciting to explore around every corner. Be sure to drop by the Man Mo Taoist temple too, if you are in the area!

My favourite find in the area was a little bakery that had the most delicious buns and cakes. The best treat from there was a soft bun filled with peanuts and sesame – I was immediately hooked. I can’t remember the name, unfortunately, but still think about it sometimes now, even 9 months later.

If you are in the western part of the island, you can also take the tram from Kennedy Town and ride it to the end station in the east. It’s a long journey, but you can enjoy the different districts and see the neon lights in the evening from the upper deck. There are many tourists on the tram, but it is still a normal commuting line for locals too!

Wan Chai & the Eastern District

You can travel along the island pretty well by tram. Once you reach Wan Chai and the middle part of the island, you can definitely feel the heavy Western influence. The architecture changes, residential buildings are gradually replaced by modern commercial and office buildings. Prices for food and accommodation are definitely higher here. The street level of the skyscrapers is home to many cute cafés and restaurants.

Symphony of Lights

There is a light show every day at 8 pm around Victoria Harbour. For us, this was a must-see. We enjoyed the orchestra of illuminated skyscrapers and music very much. For the best view, we took the Star Ferry from Hong Kong Island to Tsim Sha Tsui – this way we got to see the evening view from the ferry and got a taste of what was about to come. Make sure to secure a great spot on the Avenue of Stars!

Victoria Peak

Ride up with the Peak Tram (location) and enjoy the amazing view of the city from the hill, home to the rich and famous. An adult return ticket costs 116 HKD (€13 / $15) and can be purchased in advance on the official website here.

It was very crowded when we took the tram on a weekday, and we waited around 15 minutes until it was our turn in the queue. We would definitely recommend going on a weekday if possible, as weekends will likely be even more crowded. Make sure that you choose a day with good weather conditions. If you get there before sunset, you can see the skyscrapers both by day and by night. The view from the top is truly mesmerising, and it got even more magical when the sun started setting and the lights of the buildings started glittering in the distance. There is also an observation deck and a mall at the top of the hill with cafés, restaurants and shops from all around the world.

If you can’t get enough of the view, you might want to check out the Sky100 Observation Deck too! We didn’t go up there, but the view is supposed to be amazing.

Other areas to explore

Monster Building (Parker Estate): you might know this Instagram-famous housing complex from social media. The group of five connected buildings has become a popular photo spot and filming location over the last couple of years. They also serve as a fine example of how densely populated Hong Kong actually is – the entire complex houses around 10.000 people. On the ground floor, you will find old shops, but also fancy cafés have started popping up, catering solely to tourists and the social media crowd. The atmosphere of the courtyards is surely unique, yet sometimes a bit pressing. For us, it was a rather sad reminder of the circumstances under which many people have to live in the city and how social media (and poverty tourism) have transformed their living space into a rowdy backdrop for clickbait reels and overly edited photos. When we visited, people were queueing to take the same photo of themselves walking towards the camera, jumping in the air and the like.

Temple Street: there is a night market here which is very popular among tourists. We were a bit underwhelmed, to be honest, and wouldn’t necessarily recommend going there if you are short on time. Luckily, we were rewarded with one of the nicest meals in a nearby Sichuan barbecue restaurant (see location below).

Dragon’s Back: If you like hiking, there are a couple of popular hiking trails in Hong Kong that offer stunning views. Dragon’s Back, recommended to us by a local friend, is a beginner-friendly hike with great views of the city and the ocean. We did not have enough time to complete the trail during our visit, unfortunately, but will definitely check it out next time.

Mong Kok: a busy shopping district with many hotels, restaurants, international brand stores and fancy boutiques. There are also multiple street markets in the area, like the Fa Yuen Street Market or the Ladies’ Market.

Sham Shui Po: take a stroll down memory lane in one of Hong Kong’s oldest districts. This area definitely has a more local vibe with fewer tourists, fewer hotels and less “fanciness” altogether.

Nan Lian Garden: the perfect place for a long walk on a sunny afternoon! It lies a bit further away from the main tourist attractions, so you can escape the crowds here in this tranquil oasis tucked in between skyscrapers. The garden features many walking paths, themed gardens, meticulously cut trees, several koi ponds and a café.

Shopping for electronics

I had to pay a long visit to a nearby Apple Store, as my laptop started to act up in India and ultimately refused to switch on altogether. To my surprise, I managed to fry the main board somehow while charging, and a repair would have cost more than a new laptop. After doing some research online, it turned out that electronics are quite cheap in Hong Kong – this is partially due to the lack of taxes on electronics, but also because high humidity tends to kill electronics quickly, so people often replace their devices with new ones. This fuels the second-hand market and keeps prices low.

I found a building complex on Reddit which was supposed to be home to many small repair shops and second-hand stores. I figured it must be a shopping mall of some sort.

Judging by the dimly lit corridors lined with abandoned shops, I wasn’t sure if I was gonna make it out alive or just get harvested for organs. Imagine a scrap metal shop from Star Wars where droids are being taken apart – that’s what it looked like on the inside. Nevertheless, I continued my quest for a new computer and found a beaten-up, yet fully functional MacBook. After some negotiation and promising fine Hong Kong dollar bills, I got a good price and happily left the curious little building. Would definitely go again.

Here is the location for the adventurous: Google Maps

Transportation

• Octopus card: the definitive way of payment in Hong Kong, even in shops that do not accept conventional debit or credit cards. As a visitor, you have to download the Octopus for Tourists app, which can be used to issue a digital card for your phone wallet. You can also top up your card with Visa or MasterCard in the app, and refund any remaining balance before leaving Hong Kong. The Octopus card can be used to ride the tram, metro and bus, as well as to pay in shops, restaurants, etc.
• Tram and bus: both are easy to use to get around the city. The double-decker trams also offer a great way to see the streets and neighbourhoods from the upper deck. Both modes of transport are very cheap, a single trip costs around 8 HKD (€0.88 / $1.01 at the time of writing). There are also multiple bus lines that take you from the airport to the city centre.
• Ferry: the Star Ferry connects Hong Kong Island with Kowloon and runs every 6-12 minutes. The view from this ferry is amazing, especially in the evening to see the lit-up skyline. There are two piers serviced on the southern island (the Central and the Wan Chai piers), we accidentally boarded the wrong ferry on our way back…
• Metro: clean and efficient, as you might expect, taking you to more remote destinations.
• Uber is also available, but we did not make any use of it, as prices are significantly higher than public transport.

Food & Restaurants

Both Google Maps and Apple Maps work perfectly well in Hong Kong, so finding dining options is way easier compared to Mainland China.

Typically, once you sit down in a restaurant, you will get your utensils – spoons, bowls in various sizes, plates, as well as a hot beverage, often tea. Now, we only figured out on our last day that you are supposed to use the hot tea/water to clean and sterilise your utensils. We were just drinking whatever beverage was in the pot and putting our teabags into the big bowl. 😀 We got a lot of strange stares from locals wherever we ate.

• Traditional dim sum, a big part of local life, is beloved all around the world and was also our favourite food in Hong Kong.
• Lin Heung Lau: traditional push-cart style dim sum restaurant – and what an experience! 😀 When we entered the restaurant, we were guided to our table. Once we sat down next to a random couple, we really didn’t know what to do. No waiters whatsoever, just grannies walking around the tables with little push carts, screaming the name of the food they offered in Chinese. There were some paper sheets lying on the table with words written in Chinese, but no one around to collect them. Luckily, the very friendly couple sitting next to us noticed our confusion and explained how the system works. You grab one of the order sheets, go up to the grannies and choose the dish you want from their cart. They take a note on your sheet, give you a bamboo steamer with your dim sum, and then you go back to your seat to eat. Repeat as many times as you want. Finally, you pay at the counter by the door when you leave, just make sure not to lose your order sheet. An absolute recommendation, here is the location: Google Maps
• Ho Choi Seafood Restaurant: superb Cantonese seafood in an authentic environment with zero tourists! The entrance is a bit tricky to find, as it is located on the first floor of an office building. We had to return once more to try the delicious dim sum, which is only offered here until around midday. Location: Google Maps
• The Chinese Library: we didn’t visit the restaurant, nevertheless we wanted to mention it as it was recommended to us by a local. They are a bit pricier, but well known for their dim sum brunch. Location: Google Maps
• Hong Kong-style chain restaurants: in Hong Kong, being much more expensive than Mainland China or the surrounding countries, you might have trouble finding affordable restaurants. There are a couple of chains, however, which offer cheap menus and fast-food-style local dishes. The quality is much lower than proper restaurants, but it’s definitely alright for a quick bite once in a while. Some options are Café de Coral, Maxim’s MX and Fairwood.
• Tim Ho Wan: dim sum chain restaurant. They have multiple locations serving fresh dim sum. The quality is not as good as other dim sum places, prices are affordable though, worth a visit once or twice!
• 蜀一燒川式燒烤店 Sichuan BBQ Restaurant: a random find turned out to be one of our best meals in Hong Kong! Not too far from the Temple St. Market, this little restaurant serves Sichuan-style barbecue (which we didn’t even know existed) – grilled sausages, meat, fish, octopus, veggies and desserts accompanied by cold beer. Location: Google Maps
• Central Market: lively shopping complex with a food court featuring many cafés and dessert shops. We got some bubble tea here, but really liked the atmosphere! Location: Google Maps
• St. Lolan Bakery: just one example of the many Western-style bakeries offering various pastries, bread and cakes. Quite affordable too! Location: Google Maps
• Indigo Coffee: lovely little café we stumbled upon while riding the mid-level escalators. Located on High St.: Google Maps
• Cha Chaan Teng (茶餐厅): this is not a specific restaurant, but cha chaan teng refers to a Hong Kong-style diner serving a wide variety of food influenced by a mix of Chinese and Western cuisines. There are many establishments around the city, ideal spots for a Western-style breakfast with eggs & buns or a quick lunch/dinner.
• While we didn’t get to try them, egg waffles are also a popular street food that you will find in many small shops.
• If you like rooftop bars, we definitely recommend checking out the OZONE at Ritz-Carlton. It is one of the world’s highest rooftop bars and the view from there is simply amazing!

Where to stay

We stayed near Wan Chai, which allowed for good public transport connections to all the major spots we wanted to visit. Hotel prices tend to be on the higher end in Hong Kong, but we managed to find a nice affordable hotel, called Eco Tree Sheung Wang. They also have a similarly-priced branch near Victoria Park, the Eco Tree Causeway Bay.

In general, we recommend staying on Hong Kong Island somewhere along the Island Metro Line, or in Tsim Shau Tsui in Kowloon. This way, you will have easy subway and ferry access and won’t have to spend the whole day commuting.