SD › Hong Kong Travel Guide
Updated: January 21, 2021
By Santorini Dave
See Also
The 84 best hotels, restaurants, shops, bars, clubs, cafes, tours, neighborhoods, and things to do in Hong Kong, China.
Hotels
1. Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong • Central • $$$$
Hong Kong’s classiest luxury hotel. Rooms to die for, full-service spa, and outdoor lap and infinity pools with dramatic harbor views. Connected to high-end ifc mall, just a short walk from the Star Ferry and Hong Kong Station, with train service to the airport. • (852) 3196 8333
2. Mandarin Oriental • Central • $$$$
Luxe Mandarin Oriental’s flagship property – and its first – opened in 1963. Updated rooms include those with harbor views, complete with binoculars. Famous for its clubby Captain’s Bar along with a wide range of dining and wining venues – and cake shop with fabulous chocolate creations. Smack-dab in the middle of Central. • (852) 2522 0111
3. Island Shangri-La • Central • $$$
A dazzling luxury hotel, chock full of Viennese chandeliers, artistic flower arrangements, and artwork, including the world’s largest silk landscape painting. Rooms face the harbor or The Peak. Spa, outdoor pool, and health club with free yoga classes. Connected to Pacific Place mall, next to Hong Kong Park. • (852) 2877 3838
4. The Upper House • Central • $$$
Hong Kong’s coolest business hotel. Check-in is paperless, completed on iPads in huge guest rooms overlooking the city or harbor. Free amenities include a “maxi-bar” stocked with drinks (including beer) and snacks, two house bikes for tooling around the city and weekend yoga lessons. Connected to Pacific Place mall, between Central and Wan Chai. • (852) 2918 1838
5. Lan Kwai Fong Hotel @ Kau U Fong • Sheung Wan • $$
Reasonably-priced yet chic, with a hip twist on traditional Chinese décor. Higher-priced rooms even have partial harbor views between buildings. A great location in SheungWan neighborhood, near the Graham Street produce market, Hollywood Road, and SoHo’s bars and ethnic restaurants. • (852) 3650 0000
6. Hotel Indigo • Wan Chai • $$
A hipster’s hotel in bustling Wan Chai, near nightlife, historic buildings, and markets. Colorfully decorated rooms and public spaces embrace the lively neighborhood in such details as murals of trams, plus a fitness center and a glass-bottom rooftop pool that juts out from the hotel, giving the illusion of swimming in space. • (852) 859-5095
7. Lanson Place Hotel • Causeway Bay • $$
A home-away-from-home with kitchenettes (complete with a welcome basket of goodies), free use of a smartphone with unlimited data and international calls, and a friendly staff. The best rooms face Victoria Park. • (852) 3477 6888
8. InterContinental Hong Kong • Tsim Sha Tsui • $$$$
(Closed for renovations. Slated to open in 2022 as The Regent.)
Located right on water’s edge, with great harbor views from its Lobby Lounge, award-winning restaurants, and 70% of its rooms. A state-of-the-art spa, free yoga, pilates, and tai classes, and an infinity pool so close to the harbor you feel like you could dive right in. • (852) 2721 12119. The Peninsula Hong Kong • Tsim Sha Tsui • $$$$
Hong Kong’s most historic hotel – built in 1928 – has a fleet of Rolls Royces out front and an ornate lobby that’s Hong Kong’s best for afternoon tea. Rooms, with and without harbor views, are classically modern and thoughtfully laid out. Gorgeous indoor pool with sun terrace, health club, and spa, as well as a full roster of activities, from private helicopter rides to children’s cooking classes. • (852) 2920 2888
10. The Luxe Manor • Tsim Sha Tsui • $$$
A boutique hotel with a quirky charm, from faux fireplaces to themed suites (like the Mirage with its playful surrealistic decor). Its over-the-top Dada Bar + Lounge, with live music most nights, plays homage to the Dadaism art movement. • (852) 3763 8778
11. The Mira Hong Kong • Tsim Sha Tsui • $$$
Ubercool urban oasis, with vibrant colors and an almost futuristic design. Spa, indoor pool, free pocket Wi-Fi devices for connection everywhere, and a great location on Nathan Road across from Kowloon Park. • (852) 2368 1111
12. The Salisbury YMCA • Tsim Sha Tsui • $
Hong Kong’s best bang for your buck, located near the waterfront and Star Ferry. Pricier rooms have great harbor views. Indoor swimming pools (including a lap pool and children’s pool), a fitness center complete with climbing walls, inexpensive restaurants, and a playground also make it ideal for families. • (852) 2268 7000
13. Hotel ICON • Tsim Sha Tsui East • $$$
A stylish, eco-conscious hotel – from paperless check-in (with a vertical swirl of plants hanging above) to 100% electric shuttle buses providing free transportation to Tsim Sha Tsui subway station. Outdoor pool with harbor views, spa, gym, in-room smartphones offering free international calls, and complimentary minibars. The hotel doubles as a learning center for students studying tourism and management. • (852) 3400 1000
14. The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong • West Kowloon • $$$$
The world’s highest hotel (reception is on the 102nd floor), along with the world’s highest spa, pool, and bar, make this the best viewpoint in town. Rooms are luxurious, as is pretty much everything else about this stunning property. In West Kowloon, near Kowloon Station with train service to the airport. In the still-developing West Kowloon Cultural District. • (852) 2263 2263
15. W Hong Kong • West Kowloon • $$$
A cheeky “anti-hotel,” with whimsical names for its services and facilities. Room service is Whatever/Whenever; the lobby lounge is the Woobar (complete with DJ); WET is a stunning 76th-floor outdoor pool. Some rooms have harbor views. • (852) 3717 2222
Restaurants
16. The French Window • Central • $$$$
Creative interpretations of classic French and European cuisine, with fantastic harbor views. In a sleek and airy contemporary setting in ifc mall. • (852) 2393 3812
17. Duddell’s • Central • $$$
Classic Cantonese food in a crisply modern art-filled dining room, plus a more casual garden terrace. Come for dim sum, the weekend brunch with free-flowing champagne and cocktails, signature dishes like crispy salted chicken, or the chef’s tasting menu. • (852) 2525 9191
18. Mott 32 • Central • $$$
Primarily Cantonese, but with signature Beijing and spicy Szechuan dishes as well. Roasted Peking duck, suckling pig, barbequed pork, dim sum, and an intriguing selection of cocktails. Its bank basement location in Central’s financial district has an edgy New York industrial look married with Chinese elements – but it’s the food that takes center stage. • (852) 2885 8688
19. Isola Bar & Grill • Central • $$
Waterfront Italian restaurant with a large outdoor terrace overlooking the harbor; its spacious interior with floor-to-ceiling windows seems cheerful even on a dismal day. A bustling open kitchen turns out handmade pastas, stone-baked pizzas, and char-grilled or baked meats and seafood. • (852) 2383 8765
20. City Hall Maxim’s Palace • Central • $
Cantonese restaurant located in city hall and popular for official and family banquets, as well as for dim sum still offered from trolleys. No reservations are accepted in this huge dining hall with harbor views, but the line moves fast. • (852) 2521 1303
21. Lin Heung Tea House • Central • $
This is real deal dim sum, with wait staff pushing trolleys of through a packed 100-year-old restaurant. You’ll have to wait for a seat and pay with cash, but there aren’t many places still like this. • (852) 2544 4556
22. Happy Paradise • Central • $
Pink and blue lighting gives a jolt of vitality to this retro bar/eatery that serves up a limited menu of creative Chinese regional dishes and Chinese-influenced cocktails. Open only for dinner. In Central’s SoHo district. • (852) 2816 2118
23. 208 Duecento Otto • Sheung Wan • $$
Italian eatery on the west end of Hollywood Road near the antique stores. Serves signature Napoletana pizzas at the casual first-floor bar; more substantial meals in a fancier setting on the second. Especially popular for its weekend brunch buffet. • (852) 2549 0208
24. The Pawn • Wan Chai • $$
Traditional and modern British cuisine in an historic 1888 building that once housed a Chinese pawnshop. The upstairs bar has a balcony overlooking the streetcars clanging past on Johnston Road. • (852) 2866 3444
25. Tsui Wah • Causeway Bay • $
Serving Hong Kong comfort food since 1967, now with branches throughout Hong Kong and beyond. Sizzing king prawns with fried noodles, jumbo hot dogs, Malaysian beef brisket curry with rice and chicken wings among the many choices on the eclectic menu. Most branches open to the wee hours, or, like this one on Cannon Street, open 24 hours. • (852) 2573 4338
26. Felix • Tsim Sha Tsui • $$$-$$$$
The Philippe Starck-designed Felix opened in 1994 but remains a Hong Kong restaurant trendsetter. Contemporary European cuisine, an avant-garde setting, stunning views, one of the world’s smallest discos, and slightly exhibitionist bathrooms. • (852) 2696 6778
27. Hutong • Tsim Sha Tsui • $$$
Taking its name from the ancient alley once common in Beijing’s courtyard neighborhoods, Hutong offers northern Chinese food with a twist. Signature dishes range from crispy deboned lamb ribs to soft-shelled crab with Szechuan red chili. Great views of Tsim Sha Tsui and the harbor. • (852) 3428 8342
28. Tosca • West Kowloon • $$$$
Innovative Italian cuisine on the 102nd floor of the world’s highest hotel, with a dramatic setting and out-of-this-world views of the harbor toward Hong Kong Island. • (852) 2263 2270
29. The Peak Lookout • The Peak • $$-$$$
Victoria Peak’s great views attract visitors from around the world, and this little gem’s international menu offers everything from Asian fare to tandoori to sandwiches and soup. Indoor seating in a rustic former tram station; outdoor terrace with views over the South China Sea. Live music nightly. • (852) 2849 1000
30. The Verandah • Repulse Bay • $$$-$$$$
The best place in town for a refined Sunday brunch, complete with a jazz band. Its colonial-era setting, with ceiling fans, starched tablecloths, and impeccable service, make it destination dining for fine Continental contemporary and classic cuisine. • (852) 2292 2822
Shopping
31. A-Man Hing Cheong Co. • Central
One of Hong Kong’s most respected tailors, established in 1898. Uses mostly British and Italian fabrics for its suits, tuxedos, and other men’s clothing. In the Mandarin Oriental’s shopping arcade. • (852) 2522 3336
32. Li Yuen Street East & West • Central
Two parallel, sloping pedestrian alleyways lined with stalls selling Chinese jackets, toys, baby clothes, watches, underclothing, and other goods to tourists and to locals on their way to work.
33. Lane Crawford • Central
An upscale local department store, founded in 1850. Its flagship store, located in classy ifc mall, offers one of the largest assortments of designer brands in Asia. • (852) 2118 3388
34. Hanart TZ Gallery • Central
A pioneer in Hong Kong’s burgeoning art gallery market. Experimental and contemporary art from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. One of several prominent galleries located in the Pedder Building. • (852) 2526 9019
35. Shanghai Tang • Central
The leader of the pack when it comes to chic Chinese clothing, accessories, and decorative household goods, whether it’s a fuchsia-colored traditional jacket, a dress that combines classic Chinese with contemporary styles, or a silk-embossed picture frame. Shanghai tailors on hand for custom-made clothing. There are branches, but its flagship location on Duddell Street is the largest. • (852) 2525 7333
36. PMQ • Sheung Wan
What once served as the Police Married Quarters is now one of Hong Kong’s hottest shopping destinations. A creative hub, with clothing and goods created by local designers; plus workshops, artist studios, pop-up stores, bookstores, exhibitions, cafes, and restaurants. • (852) 2870 2335
37. Cat Street • Sheung Wan
Sidewalk vendors selling snuff bottles, curios, reproductions, and kitsch, from Mao watches and Red Army memorabilia to teapots. Full-fledged reputable shops also sell authentic Qing and Ming dynasty antiques. Officially called Upper Lascar Row but known as Cat Street, near the western end of Hollywood Road with its many antique stores.
38. Chinese Arts & Crafts • Wan Chai
Hong Kong’s best for high-quality Chinese silk jackets, porcelain, jade jewelry, embroidered tablecloths, and other Chinese products. • (852) 2827 6667
39. Goods of Desire • Causeway Bay
Unique and edgy Hong Kong goods and souvenirs. Coffee mugs, placemats, pillows, T-shirts and more, many emblazoned with local photos or Hong Kong-themed graphic designs such as cute panda faces or calligraphy. Branches in PMQ, Stanley, and even the airport, but the Causeway Bay location is the largest. • (852) 2890 5555
40. Joyce Warehouse • Ap Lei Chau
Founded in the 1970s to bring European fashions to Hong Kong, Joyce remains a frontrunner for international designerwear, from Alexander McQueen to Alexander Wang. Bargain hunters in the know, however, head to this – Joyce’s discount store –for last-season’s clothing and accessories. Near Aberdeen on the south side of Hong Kong Island, among Horizon Plaza’s 28 floors of antiques, home accessories, and discount clothing stores. • (852) 2814 8313
41. city’super • Tsim Sha Tsui
Hong Kong’s best and most diverse food emporium. Filled with every foodstuff you can imagine; Chinese teas and herbs, Japanese products, English biscuits, and much more. Branches include those at Central’s ifc mall and Times Square in Causeway Bay, but the one in megamall Harbour City is the largest. • (852) 2375 8222
42. Yue Hwa Chinese Products • Yau Ma Tei
Medicinal herbs, Chinese teas, packaged food, jade jewelry, clothing, arts and crafts, furniture, housewares and a wild assortment of other goods. Caters mostly to the local and mainland Chinese market. • (852) 3511 2222
43. Temple Street Night Market • Yau Ma Tei
Hong Kong’s most famous night market. Catering now mostly to tourists, street vendors hawk an overwhelming amount of Chinese souvenirs, electronic gadgets, sunglasses, watches, jewelry, clothing, and more. There are also open-air food stalls and restaurants, and, near Tin Hau Temple, fortunetellers (some of whom speak English) and street-side Chinese opera performers.
44. Jade Market • Yau Ma Tei
Jade, thought to protect its wearer and promote longevity, is the only thing sold in this tent-like market. Bangles, pendants, earrings, amulets, figurines and more, available in a variety of shades and quality. Find shops selling higher-priced jade on nearby Jade Street.
45. Stanley Market • Stanley
Located in the small town of Stanley on Hong Kong Island’s southern coast, this small but lively permanent market consists of stalls and shops selling mostly clothing and Chinese souvenirs. A good place, too, for a meal on Stanley’s pretty waterfront.
Bars & Clubs
46. Captain’s Bar • Central
This clubby watering hole is so much an institution, it was left intact when the Mandarin Oriental underwent a complete overhaul some years back. Expertly made martinis, pints of beer served in silver tankards, and live jazz most nights from 9pm. • (852) 2825 4006
47. Sevva • Central
A wrap-around rooftop terrace offering fantastic panoramic views of Central, the harbor, and nightly Symphony of Lights show, plus an indoor lounge graced with a vertical garden and a restaurant serving creative international dishes. A favorite after-work spot for young professionals. • (852) 2537 1388
48. Insomnia • Central
In-house rotating bands, happy hour until 9pm every day, and long hours make this one of Lan Kwai Fong’s most popular venues. • (852) 2525 0957
49. Dragon-i • Central
One of Hong Kong’s hottest, longest-running dance clubs, with top DJs spinning hip hop, nostalgia, and everything in between. So trendy, you won’t make it past the front door on weekends unless you’re dressed the part. • (852) 3110 1222
50. The Globe • Central
A sports gastropub with a great selection of draft and bottled beers, better than decent food, sporting events on TV, and a Sunday roast. • (852) 2543 1941
51. Staunton’s Wine Bar + Café • Central
One of SoHo’s first bars to open up beside the Central–Mid-Levels Escalator and still one of the best places for people-watching from its open-fronted bar. Burgers, wraps, pizzas, pastas, tapas, and breakfast served all day. • (852) 2973 6611
52. Carnegie’s • Wan Chai
Drawing in a younger crowd with live music, including jam nights and open jazz sessions, and weekly Ladies Night with free sparkling wine for women. But it’s best known for customers dancing on the bar’s countertop. • (852) 2866 6289
53. The Wanch • Wan Chai
Since 1987, Hong Kong’s best for free nightly live music. Rock, jazz, blues, folk, and more, in a comfortable, welcoming place where even solo female travelers feel at home. • (852) 2861 1621
54. OZONE • West Kowloon
The world’s highest bar, with jaw-dropping views, a sophisticated décor, signature cocktails, a satisfying tapas and snack menu, and a sumptuous Sunday brunch. • (852) 2263 2270
55. TAP: The Ale Project • Mong Kok
Local and imported beer on tap, along with sandwiches and other light fare. Near Ladies Market. • (852) 2468 2010
Tours
56. Hong Kong Free Tours
These unconventional tours led by locals delve deeper into politics, income disparity, and other aspects never covered in more mainstream tours. Everything from Hong Kong’s history as a colony and its return to China to living conditions in poor neighborhoods. Most tours are free, though tipping is encouraged. • (852) 9444 8472
57. TramOramic Tour • Sheung Wan to Causeway Bay
One-hour tours though the busiest neighborhoods of Hong Kong Island aboard a retro a 1920s-style tram with an open top deck. Ticket includes two days of unlimited tram rides. • (852) 2548 7102
58. Star Ferry Harbour Tours • Victoria Harbour
The Star Ferry, carrying passengers between Central and Kowloon since 1898, is Hong Kong’s number-one attraction. Because the ride takes only 5 minutes, you might want to hop aboard a 1920s double-decker replica for a one-hour tour of Victoria Harbour. An evening cruise also takes in the nightly Symphony of Lights. • (852) 2118 0032
59. Walk Hong Kong
Guided walking tours that take in Kowloon markets, Central’s historic buildings, temples, or World War II battlefields, as well as half- and full-day hiking trips to deserted beaches, Hong Kong Geopark, and famous trails like the Dragon’s Back. • (852) 9187 8641
60. Hong Kong Pub Crawl • Central, Causeway Bay, Wan Chai
Every Thursday, the pub crawl in Lan Kwai Fong nightlife district takes in four bars and a club, with a free welcome shot in each bar. On Wednesdays when there’s horse racing, a pub crawl includes entry into the Happy Valley race course and ends up at bars in Wan Chai.
Things to Do
61. Tai Kwun Centre for Heritage and Arts • Central
Once serving as the Central Police Station, this colonial-era walled compound now houses a nonprofit contemporary art gallery, restaurants, shops, performance art venues, and public spaces. On Monday and Wednesday at 12:45pm, it stages a free Lunchtime Series featuring live music, street performances, or other entertainment. • (852) 3559 2600
62. Hong Kong Maritime Museum • Central
Early Chinese maritime endeavors, sea pirates, Hong Kong’s development into a major international port, and maritime communication and navigation. Simulators get kids’ attention by letting them blast a cannon at a pirate’s ship or steer a high-speed boat. A convenient location right next to the Star Ferry pier and with great views of the harbor. • (852) 3713 2500
63. Hong Kong Park • Central
A large playground, aviary of 600 exotic birds, one of Southeast Asia’s largest greenhouses, viewing platform and, in Hong Kong’s oldest colonial building, the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware. All free. • (852) 2521 5041
64. Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens • Central
A free combination botanic garden and zoo established in 1864. Popular with families and elders practicing tai chi. Flora includes bamboo, camphor trees, orchids, and bauhinia (Hong Kong’s emblem slower), while fauna concentrates mostly on birds but also has turtles, orangutans, lemurs, and more. • (852) 2530 0154
65. Man Mo Temple • Sheung Wan
Hong Kong’s oldest Taoist temple, built in 1847 and considered a fine example of Chinese vernacular architecture. On Hollywood Road, beside steep Ladder Street. • (852) 2803 2916
66. The Peak • Victoria Peak
Hong Kong’s tallest hill is a star attraction, from the Peak Tram to get there to the Sky Terrace observation deck atop Peak Tower. Views are among the best city panoramas in the world both day and night, but not worth the trip on foggy or smoggy days. • (852) 2849 0668
67. Ocean Park • Aberdeen
Hands down, Hong Kong’s best theme park for kids of all ages. A combination amusement park/aquarium/zoo, with sharks, pandas, gators, the weirdest goldfish you’ll ever see, plus roller coasters, kiddie rides, and everything in between, all in a beautiful coastal setting. • (852) 3923 2323
68. Avenue of Stars • Tsim Sha Tsui
The Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront is the city’s best spot for close-up harbor views and Hong Kong Island’s skyscrapers across the water. This part of the pedestrian promenade pays tribute to more than 100 cinematic celebrities, from actors Bruce Lee, Jet Li, Jackie Chan, and Gong Li to director Wong Kar Wai; with handprints, statues and film memorabilia. • (852) 3598 4608
69. Kowloon Park • Tsim Sha Tsui
Hong Kong’s best park for families. Public indoor and outdoor swimming pools, two playgrounds, a hedge maze, open-air sculpture garden, bird sanctuary with flamingos and other waterfowl, Chinese garden, and, on Sundays, free kung fu demonstrations and a small art fair. • (852) 2724 3344
70. Yuen Po Street Bird Garden • Mong Kok
Songbirds, cages, mealworms, and tiny porcelain food bowls for sale at this small market, along with locals who bring their caged birds for an outing. Don’t miss the next-door flower market. • (852) 2302 1762
71. Nan Lian Garden • Diamond Hill
New in 2006, Nan Lian but has quickly became Hong Kong’s most beautiful Chinese garden. Laid out in the classical style of the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), with ponds, artificial hills, ornamental rocks and waterfalls. There’s a vegetarian restaurant, and, across the street, the Chi Lin Nunnery. • (852) 3658 9366
72. Wong Tai Sin Temple • Wong Tai Sin
An extremely popular fortune-telling temple, making it at times very crowded with worshippers; some fortunetellers speak English. Temple grounds include the Good Wish Garden. • (852) 2327 8141
73. Horse Racing • Happy Valley and Shatin
Betting on the horse races has been popular since Hong Kong’s first racetrack opened in 1846. Tracks are in Happy Valley and Shatin; Wednesday evening races in Happy Valley are the best, when the inexpensive public Beer Garden beside the tracks becomes a party scene with stalls selling beer and food. • (852) 2895 1523 for Happy Valley/(852) 2966 8111 for Shatin
74. Lo So Shing Beach • Sok Kwu Wan, Lamma Island
One of the more secluded of 40-some public beaches in Hong Kong. You have to take a ferry and then walk about 20 minutes to get there, but this low-key beach pays off with clean water, shower and restroom facilities, a refreshment stand, and lifeguard on duty. • (852) 2982 8252
75. Dragon’s Back Trail • Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong’s most famous urban hiking trail. Three miles and about 4 hours along a ridge, with great views (be sure to bring plenty of water).
76. Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark • Northeast New Territories
19 square miles of mostly virginal coastline and islands. Highlights include the High Island Geo-trail, rock formations like the hexagonal volcanic rock columns, and Sharp Island. • (852) 2394 1538
77. Symphony of Lights • Tsim Sha Tsui, Central and Wan Chai waterfronts
One of the world’s largest permanent light and sound shows. Synchronized colored lights and laser beams are projected from more than 40 buildings on both sides of the harbor, with recorded music performed by the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra broadcast at viewing areas on the Tsim Sha Tsui and Wan Chai waterfronts. Nightly at 8pm. • (852) 2508 1234
Neighborhoods
78. Central
Hong Kong’s oldest district and its business and financial hub. Here you’ll find the city’s poshest hotels, fantastic restaurants and shops, and the iconic trams chugging their way past soaring skyscrapers. Great nightlife too, from the bars and nightclubs in Lan Kwai Fong to the trendy wine bars of SoHo. Tourist attractions here include the Hong Kong Zoo and Botanic Park, the Hong Kong Observation Wheel with its Victoria Harbour views, and the Hong Kong Maritime Museum. Linked to the Mid-Levels’ upscale residences via the Central–Mid-Levels Escalator (the world’s longest), and to Tsim Sha Tsui via MTR subway and Star Ferry.
Best Stuff: Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong • Mandarin Oriental • Island Shangri-La • The Upper House Hotel • Tai Kwun Centre for Heritage and Arts (historic complex with gallery, shops, restaurants, performance art) • Hong Kong Maritime Museum • Hong Kong Park • Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware (all about Chinese tea and tea ware) • Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens • Li Yuen Street East & West (traditional street market) • ifc mall (Hong Kong’s classiest mall) • Lane Crawford (upscale local department store) • Shanghai Tang (chic Chinese clothing and accessories) • A-Man Hing Cheong Co. (tailor) • Hanart TZ Gallery (contemporary Chinese art) • The French Window (creative French and European cuisine) • Duddell’s (Cantonese food) • Mott 32 (Cantonese, Beijing and Szechuan food) • Isola Bar & Grill (Italian) • City Hall Maxim’s Palace (dim sum) • Lin Heung Tea House (dim sum) • Happy Paradise (hip Cantonese) • Captain’s Bar (a Hong Kong institution) • Sevva (cocktail lounge with outdoor terrace) • Insomnia (live music in Lan Kwai Fong) • Dragon-i (dance club) • The Globe (gastropub) • Staunton’s Wine Bar + Café79. Sheung Wan
One of the first spots in Hong Kong to be settled by British Forces, Sheung Wan lies just west of Central and is currently home to a large expat population. Dotted with traditional Chinese herb shops, antique stores, and home to Hong Kong’s oldest temple, Sheung wan has a laid-back vibe during the day, but is lively at night with lots of bars and dining options (many al fresco). It’s an easy walk from here to the Central District bars and clubs in SoHo and Lan Kwai Fong. The Macau ferry operates from the Sheung Wan waterfront, and the Hong Kong MTR station to access Disneyland is a 10-minute walk away – so it’s well situated for day trips. The neighborgood is connected to the Mid-Levels via steep Ladder Street.
Best Stuff: Lan Kwai Fong Hotel @ Kau U Fong • Man Mo Temple • Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences (straight up Ladder Street, in the Mid-Levels) • Wing On (local department store) • PMQ (local designers, artist studios, shops) • Cat Street (antiques and curios) • Western Market (former market now housing souvenir and gift shops) • 208 Duecento Otto (Italian) • Dim Sum Square (inexpensive dim sum) • RONIN (Japanese pub)80. Wan Chai
A fast-changing, business-centric neighborhood with office towers, shopping, hotels, and the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Despite its corporate nature, dim sum joints and tea shops evoke old Hong Kong, and a burgeoning nightlife scene (running the gamut from sleazy to cool) thrives along western Lockhart Road. Tourist attractions here include the daily flag-raising ceremony in Golden Bauhinia Square and historical conservation sites like the Old Wan Chai Post Office, Hung Shing Temple, and Pak Tai Temple. Convenient location between Central and Causeway Bay, with ferry service across Victoria Harbour from Wan Chai Pier to Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon.
Best Stuff: Hotel Indigo • Hong Kong Arts Centre (non-profit with theaters, cinema, galleries, workshops, restaurants) • Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (a full roster of events and exhibitions) • Golden Bauhinia Square (1997 Handover gift from China, with Reunification Monument, daily flag-raising ceremony, views of Victoria Harbour and nightly Symphony of Lights) • Pak Tai Temple (1863 temple, devoted to deity thought to prevent disaster) • Blue House (restored 1920s tenement with occasional guided tours and exhibits) • Chinese Arts & Crafts (well-crafted Chinese souvenirs) • Tai Yuen Street Market (toy market) • The Pawn (British food in historic building) • Grissini (upscale Italian with harbor views) • Fook Lam Moon (famous Cantonese restaurant) • Wooloomooloo (rooftop venue serving Australian steaks) • Chili Club (long-standing inexpensive Thai restaurant) • The Wanch (free live music nightly) • Carnegie’s (bar famous for bar-top dancing) • Old China Hand (long-time Wan Chai bar) • The Hop House (open-air bar and restaurant) • Coyote Bar & Grill (margaritas and Mexican food) • Dusk til Dawn (live music and dancing)81. Causeway Bay
A crowded and highly built-up area that’s a popular shopping destination for locals, with many department stores, luxury malls, clothing boutiques, and restaurants. Tourist attractions here include peaceful Victoria Park and the Noonday Gun, a former military cannon on the Causeway Bay Waterfront that’s fired been every day at noon since the 1860s. Located east of Wan Chai, connected to Central via subway and tram.
Best Stuff: Lanson Place Hotel • Victoria Park (Hong Kong Island’s largest park) • Noonday Gun (firing of a naval gun daily at noon) • Hysan Place (mall with international brand clothing) • Times Square (16 floors of shopping and dining) • SOGO (Japanese-style department store) • Goods of Desire (Hong Kong-themed souvenirs and gifts) • Jardine’s Bazaar (local street market with mostly women’s clothing and accessories) • Red Pepper (Szechuan food) • Tsui Wah (comfort food, Hong Kong style) • The Coffee Academics (coffee shop for aficionados) • Inn Side Out (sports bar) • Breeze (pool and billiard hall/sports bar)82. Tsim Sha Tsui
This area on the Kowloon Peninsula has Hong Kong’s greatest concentration of hotels, restaurants, and shops that cater mostly to international visitors. Popular tourist attractions here include Kowloon Park, the Avenue of Stars (Hong Kong’s Hollywood Walk of Fame), many museums, and the incredible view from the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront of Central Hong Kong’s skyscrapers across Victoria Harbour. Although some of Hong Kong’s most expensive luxury hotels can be found here, Tsim Sha Tsui is also home to the island’s cheapest accommodations – the scramble of backpacker hotels and guesthouses known as the Chungking Mansions, and popularized in the 1994 film Chungking Express. Located at the tip of Kowloon Peninsula, with great views from the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade and Star Ferry service to Central and Wan Chai.
Best Stuff: InterContinental Hotel Hong Kong • The Peninsula Hotel Hong Kong • The Luxe Manor Hotel • The Mira Hotel Hong Kong • The Salisbury YMCA • Hotel ICON • Avenue of Stars (Hong Kong’s tribute to local cinematic celebrities, on the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront) • Kowloon Park (Hong Kong’s best for families) • Hong Kong Museum of Art (Hong Kong’s best for Chinese art, closed until 2019 for renovation) • Hong Kong Museum of History • Hong Kong Science Museum (science and technology, with plenty of hands-on for children) • Hong Kong Space Museum (space science, astronomy, space exploration, a space theater, and OMNIMAX) • Hong Kong Cultural Centre (Chinese opera, the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, musicals, and more, plus free music and events) • Harbour City (one of Asia’s largest malls) • Sam’s Tailor • city’super (food emporium) • Sandbox VR (virtual reality escape rooms) • Gaddi’s (very upscale French restaurant) • Felix (contemporary European cuisine) • Hutong (hip Cantonese) • Symphony by Jade (Cantonese and dim sum, in the Hong Kong Cultural Centre and with harbor views) • Spring Deer (famous for honey-glazed Peking duck) • eyebar (bar with al-fresco seating and great views) • Delaney’s (Irish pub)83. Yau Ma Tei/Jordan
A dense and urban residential/retail neighborhood in Southern Kowloon, north of the more touristy Tsim Sha Tsui. Filled with a variety of interesting markets and small ma-and-pa shops that give it a traditional Chinese atmosphere. A great place to get a feel for authentic, day-to-day working-class life in Hong Kong.
Best Stuff: Tin Hau Temple (dedicated to the goddess of the sea) • Temple Street Night Market (Hong Kong’s most famous night market) • Jade Market • Yue Hwa Chinese Products (Chinese department store) • Tai Ping Koon Restaurant (Chinese version of Western food) • Curry Leaf (Indian) • Sino Vegetarian (inexpensive vegetarian on Nathan Road) • Mak’s Noodles (wonton and noodles) • Mido Café (retro 1950s diner, often used as a local set for movies) • Horizonte Lounge (rooftop bar)84. Mong Kok
A crowded beehive of activity, once infamous for having the world’s highest population density; today famous for markets, shopping streets that specialize in items that run the gamut from sneakers to tile to aquarium fish, small restaurants and food booths, and countless stores catering to low-budget local shoppers and bargain-hunters. Located slightly north of the harbour on the Kowloon Peninsula.
Best Stuff: Tung Wah Museum (history of Tung Wah hospitals, the first to provide free service to Chinese; closed for renovation until 2019) • Ladies Market (clothing and souvenirs) • Yuen Po Street Bird Garden (market selling pet birds) • Flower Market Road (cut flowers, potted plants, next to Bird Garden) • Goldfish Market • Langham Place (mall) • Lei Garden (Cantonese) • Tim Ho Wan (famous dim sum) • Mui Kee Congee (rice porridge) • Full Cup Café • TAP–The Ale Project (craft beers)
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