C H I N A
H O N G K O N G
O V E R V I E W
One of the most marvelously atmospheric cities there is, Hong Kong stands at the crossroads of worlds.
British colonial legacy and English culture meet Chinese tradition in a marvelous mix. Glass skyscrapers rise beside incense-filled temples and small alleyways with centuries-old artisanal traditions. For the Westerner approaching the Far East, Hong Kong is in a few important ways the gateway to the Orient. And we use this word 'Orient' in the simple and beautiful understanding of its original Latin meaning of 'east' or 'rising' referring to the sun, in opposition to 'Occident' which from its Latin means 'setting'.
There is a sort of William Gibsonesque cyber-punk tonality to the night markets in the midst of this city, which — with a total of 558 — claims the most skyscrapers in the world. At every altitude, you’ll find Michelin-starred restaurants sharing space with wild street food stalls and halls, and of course the hum of the financial trade in the background of it all.
In truth, it’s also quite possibly the best-smelling city in the world, where you are never far from the scent of hot sesame oil, baked goods, and roast duck.
For all its density and energy, Hong Kong is a city with surprising pockets of calm — ferry rides across Victoria Harbour, shaded hillside monasteries, and green islands a stone’s throw from Central’s towers.
It is an odd and always precarious balance that one finds here, echoes of the past and the Hong Kongese relationship to it, meeting tension from an overbearing Chinese future. We highly recommend watching director Wong Kar-Wai's stunningly intimate portrayal of 1960s Hong Kong, In the Mood For Love, a sort of love letter to the Hong Kong that was.
Whether you’re tracing its imperial history, diving into its Cantonese culinary scene, or wandering neon-lit alleyways in search of something unexpected, Hong Kong is an experience all to its own.
The author personally remembers the thousands of fabric merchants on the mainland side, and discovering tiny shops where artisanal buffalo horn buttons for suit jackets can still be found, little flashes of Chinese craftsmanship with English tailoring sensibility.
Of all the places on this entire website, this might be my favourite.
Here's what we think should form the core of your experience:
Harbour, Hillsides, Horse Racing, & Hong Kong’s Cultural Experiences
Hong Kong’s skyline is one of the most recognizable in the world, framed by the calm waters of Victoria Harbour and the steep rise of green hills behind it.
The Star Ferry, which crosses between Kowloon and Hong Kong Island, is a tradition unchanged for over a century. From the deck, the city unfolds in layers: colonial-era buildings, mirrored towers, and hillside tenements all jostling for space.
The Peak Tram is a chance to ride a famous funicular railroad up to Victoria Peak for panoramic views stretching out to the South China Sea, best visited at dusk to catch the end of daylight as the city’s lights come alive.
Happy Valley Horse Racetrack is one of these places that a person likely wanders into by accident, unsure of the how and why, and certainly just for the pure enjoyment of it. Suddenly you find yourself, beer in hand, soaking up the thundering hooves and cheering for horses you've never heard of. It's GREAT. Bet on a horse. Lose a little money. Don't lose a lot of money.
And don’t overlook the quieter corners — Hong Kong Park, with its lily ponds and aviary, offers a moment of serenity right in the city centre.
Temples, Markets & Old Hong Kong
Step into another side of Hong Kong’s story in the maze-like streets of Sheung Wan and Kowloon’s Mong Kok district. Here, Taoist and Buddhist temples are tucked between herbal medicine shops and open-air markets.
Man Mo Temple, one of the city’s oldest, fills with coils of incense burning beneath its red-and-gold interior.
Wander the narrow lanes of Graham Street Market or the stalls of Temple Street Night Market, alive with fortune tellers, neon signs, and Cantonese opera singers.
The author once had his grandmother’s fountain pen repaired here by a man in a shop which specialised in this sort of thing no larger than twice a broom closet. Many such secrets are still here to be found.
Hong Kong’s colonial past lingers in the grand architecture of Central, yet it’s in the vibrant street-level life that you feel the pulse of the old city.
Cantonese Cuisine & Hong Kong’s Culinary Identity
At the heart of Hong Kong’s culture is its food — a blend of Cantonese tradition, global influences, and boundless enthusiasm. Dim sum, naturally, is the cornerstone: steaming baskets of har gow, siu mai, and delicate rice rolls served in noisy, clattering teahouses.
But this is also a city where culinary boundaries are constantly pushed. Dai pai dong open-air stalls dish up clay pot rice and wok-fried noodles, while tucked-away bakeries offer pineapple buns and egg tarts. Contemporary chefs reimagine Cantonese classics with French technique or Japanese precision, and the city boasts more Michelin stars than almost anywhere else in the world.
And then there is the madness of the Cooked Food Halls. A outdoor moving stairs will carry you up the side of a massive tower building, where you pass through several industrial doors before emerging into fluorescent lit halls of complete chaos, vendors and stalls and huge round tables full of groups of people with large glasses of beer after work.
Whether you’re perched at a seafood shack on Lamma Island or seated in one of Central’s glittering dining rooms, Hong Kong’s cuisine is fast, vibrant, and intensely a reflection of its inward-looking self-awareness, and outward-looking worldliness.