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What to do in Hong Kong

There are so many things about our city we'd love to share with you! We've picked a few of our favourite spots and activities as well as some tips about getting around in Hong Kong.

Let's start with getting around

To get around Hong Kong, look out for the sign above for the MTR (metro). Most of the areas in HK will be accessible by MTR and it's easiest to live near one of the stations.

You can download the MTR map

here

You can either purchase tickets at the station each time, or the easiest thing to do is to get an Octopus card. You can use the Octopus card for pretty much everything – MTR, buses, mini buses, ferries, etc. You can even use it to pay at convenience stores and many restaurants too. You can recharge the Octopus card any time at convenience stores like 7-Elevens, Circle Ks, or stalls inside MTR stations. You can also add it to your Apple or Google wallet and add funds electronically.

Check out how to get an Octopus card

here

Here are some very comprehensive city guides:

HONG KONG D

A very informative and comprehensive guide created by a local HongKonger that details all attractions by areas and themes. We highly recommend checking this out.

TimeOut

TimeOut blog with guides to different areas, restaurant recs and many different lists.

Discover Hong Kong

Official travel guide created by the Hong Kong Tourism Board

FORK LORE

Instagram page on the best places to drink and dine.

Tim Hiking

For planning all hiking trips around HK (think AllTrails HK version)

f.o.v_

Instagram page curated with aesthetic coffee shops and cafes

Now in terms of our personal recommendations–

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Places to eat

HK comfort food

(Cha Chaan Tang, street stalls, low-key local spots) Some might be cash only

Kam Fung Restaurant

Cha Chaan Tang (HK style cafe) with classic HK breakfast sets such as ham macaroni, condensed milk toasts and milk tea. This place is famous for the bolo bun (pineapple bun) with a thick slice of butter.

Mak's Noodle

Hearty wonton noodle soup, nourishing for the soul.

Mui Kee Cookfood Stalls

Dai Pai Dong (大排檔) – local market-style food stalls with a large variety of no-frills local dishes, made for sharing.

Lee Keung Kee Egg Waffles

Egg waffles street stall in North Point, not too far from our Sunday banquet location.

Yee Shun Milk Company

HK style fast food, famous for their milk pudding dessert (雙皮奶). The service is not great though, heads up haha.

Kau Kee Food Cafe (Beef Brisket)

Famous for their beef brisket noodles – the broth is the essence.

Sheung Hei Clay Pot Rice

Traditional clay pot rice with different toppings like Chinese sausage and pork ribs. The best part is the crispy socarrat (layer of burnt rice at the bottom). This dish is particularly popular during winters.

Kai Kai Dessert

A huge variety of Cantonese style desserts. This place made it into the Micheline guide multiple years. Will recommend their black sesame tangyuan in ginger soup.

Sang Kee Congee Shop

Old-school congee shop tucked away in the corner of Sheung Wan. Famous for their slow-cooked pork bone broth and dace fish ball congee.

Sun Kwai Heung BBQ Food

Cantonese-style barbeque meats like char siu, roasted duck, crispy pork belly, soy sauce chicken etc. A must-try in Hong Kong.

More upscale Chinese food

(for sit down dinners but not like fine dining. Reservations recommended)

Lung King Heen

Traditional Chinese food in the Four Seasons Hotel. Nice harbour views.

Lei Garden

Restaurant chain with very decent dim sum and Cantonese dishes.

Kam Tung Kitchen

This place specialises in the cuisine of a nomadic people group (蜑家Tanka) who lived on the waters in the Canton province in the past - they are mostly urbanised now.

Moon Lok Chiu Chow

Authentic Chiu-Chow (a distinct sub-culture in the Canton province) cuisine. Lots of seafood and marinated meats.

FUN FACT:
This is the restaurant where Raymond asked for Julia's parents' blessings for her hand in marriage!

Mott 32

Elevated Chinese restaurant – won many awards it seems like.

Other cuisines around the world

(just a few of our favourite date spots)

Chew Chew

Japanese izakaya place with a unique twist. Nice ambience and great drinks as well. Would recommend their ox tongue.

Pici

Low-key spot for handmade pastas and Italian cuisine.

Cha Cha Wan

Vibrant, intimate Thai restaurant in Sheung Wan with delicious cocktails.

Casa Lisboa

Hidden upstairs Portuguese restaurant in Central. Homey but deliciously authentic.

TokyoLima

Japanese-Peruvian fusion spot in Central, featuring sushi, seafood and grilled meats.

Coffee shops, bakeries, cafes

(Julia loves dragging Raymond around to cute vibey coffee shops)

project c

Raymond found this place one time because Julia was feeling grumpy. To our surprise the coffee was really good and we kept coming back (though it's a standing bar). It's in the fringe of Causeway Bay, another must-visit area.

Kubrick

We love this place as the cafe is inside a cool bookstore with a lot of unique publications and art books. This is also right next to a cinema centre.

Halfway Coffee

Small coffee shop neighboured by all the antique shops in Sheung Wan, Halfway Coffee was one of the OG coffee shops that started the cafe hopping trend in HK. They're known for serving coffee in traditional Chinese porcelain cups.

FINEPRINT

There are a few of them across HK, but the one we like to go to is in Central in mid-levels. You can get there by taking the escalators all the way up which winds through very characteristic and historical streets in the Central / SoHo area, an area definitely worth exploring.

Bakehouse

Lovely pastries and breads. great vibes and cute branding too. Get the sourdough egg tarts!

Bars

(bars we like or would want to visit one day)

The Holywell's

Thanks to Julia's cousin this became Julia's new favorite place. It's a hole-in-the-wall speakeasy hidden behind a yellow door, which is a coffee stand during the day. Their London inspired cocktails are so delicious and creative, and their menu is filled with whimsical hand-drawn illustrations.

COA

This place was once at the top of the list for Asia's 50 best bars, but even if not they are thought of as one of the best bars in HK. They do thoughtful, unique Mexican-inspired cocktails featuring agave tequila. It's always popping, so it's really hard to get a seat, but definitely worth going.

Bar Leone

This place now tops the list for Asia's 50 best bars, beating the longstanding champion COA. It's a new cocktail bar with very aesthetic and italian interiors. We have yet to try this place!

Gishiki Lounge

A Japanese cocktail bar hidden in the basement of Tai Kwun – a revitalized police compound in Central, now a hub for arts and culture. Ingredients are seasonal, and cocktails are true to Japanese flavours and concepts.

Kinsman

Cantonese cocktail bar with a nostalgic setting and Hong Kong flavours featuring ingredients like sago, black glutinous rice wine and Chinese baijiu.

You can't really eat all day, can you?

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Activities to do

and many sights to see

Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade

As you walk along the Avenue of the Stars, you can get the best views of the Victoria harbour. You can also take the iconic Star Ferry here to go across to Central in 10 mins (our harbour is tiny). The iconic space museum with the giant dome, museum of art, renowned historical hotel The Peninsula, are all in the area. Ngl, you'll be weaving through tourists here, but it's a pretty classic spot to check out.

Tai Kwun

As mentioned earlier, this is a revitalized police compound in Central, now used as an exhibition with bars and restaurants. The beautiful brown stone building and the seasonal art exhibitions make Tai Kwun a really fun place to visit while learning a bit more about HK's colonial history.

West Kowloon Art Park

An open space that offers a rare bit of greenery and fresh air for the bustling city. Locals love to come here with their pets, to gather for picnics and watch the sunset. The Palace Museum (with historical Chinese artefacts) and M+ (contemporary Asian art museum) are both located within the park. Usually during Decembers there will be a big beautiful Christmas tree display here.

Cheung Chau

Cheung Chau is one of the outlying islands around HK waters, and it's a quaint little fishing village. You can bike around the island, visit the cave that was said to be where pirates once hid their plunder, or visit the many coffee shops and support local artists and designers. Remember to get the island's renowned giant fishballs and giant mango mochi.

Ocean Park

A place of collective nostalgia, Ocean Park was where almost every 90s kid in Hong Kong grew up going to. Other than exhilarating theme park rides and game stalls, you can also find beautiful aquariums (the jellyfish one is amazing), giant pandas, penguins and other unique animals here.

Sai Kung

If you're looking to get out of the city to escape the busyness, Sai Kung is often referred to as the back garden of Hong Kong. It's renowned for its stunning natural beauty, hiking trails, beautiful beaches and islands. Locals come here to kayak and do a myriad of water sports.

Stanley

A laidback neighbourhood in the southern coast of HK Island. With its alfresco restaurants, handicrafts markets and colourful waterfront, it's a relaxing getaway to spend an afternoon.

The Peak

Another touristy spot that's worth checking out, the Peak is where you can see a panoramic view of the city, which is especially incredible at night. Take the Peak tram from Central up to the Peak Tower Sky Terrace.

Mong Kok

Old Hong Kong movies would often feature neon signs stacking on top of one another in streets packed with people and businesses. That's Mong Kok, a bustling cultural hub where the trendiest youth gathers and shops for all sorts of niches abound.

Central Market

The Central Market used to be where flocks of pigeons gathered. Fear not, it is now revitalized and is now a charming market selling local goods and handcrafts from local designers. The market is inside a grade III historic building, and it is one of the few remaining Bauhaus-style buildings in Hong Kong.

And remember to save some money for the shopping

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Places to shop

(if you love cute things, stickers and toys, or maybe some sports equipment, you'll enjoy these places)
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best areas for shopping: Causeway Bay, Tsim Sha Tsui, Mong Kok

Hysan Place + eslite

One of our favourite malls to shop at, Hysan Place has many different shops - for fashion and accessories, cosmetics, toys - any finds you can think of. The best part is that from the 8th to 10th floor there's a big Taiwanese bookstore eslite. It's a lovely calming space to browse around the books and stationery.

Causeway Place

Julia used to always come here after school with her friends. It's a mini low-key shopping centre filled with small trendy boutiques and specialty brands. There are many claw machines in this building. You can indulge in your gambling tendencies to see if you can bring home some cute toys.

Langham Place

At the heart of Mong Kok, Langham Place is where a lot of young people come in to escape the heat in the middle of summer. There are many local and international fashion brands, trendy boutiques and even a Lego shop. There is no shortage of cute knick knacks in this mall.

K11 Art Mall

Created with a concept to combine retail and art exhibitions in a contemporary space in Tsim Sha Tsui, K11 Art Mall houses more niche fashion and household design brands. You may discover some unexpected treasures here.

K11 Musea

Often confused with K11 Art Mall, K11 Musea is a newer, bigger, more luxurious sister with a similar concept. You can find most luxury designer brands here, along with holiday markets and more frequent exhibitions. Since it's connected to the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade, people love to cut through the mall and take a walk along the waters.

Log-on

There are many Log-ons around the city, one of the bigger ones is in Causeway Bay. Log-on is a lifestyle chain with curated selections of stationery, gadgets, toys, household goods, fashion and travel accessories. You can always find something useful or cute here. Most people buy their last minute White Elephant or birthday gifts here lol

DON DON DONKI

A cosmetic store and pharmacy hailing from Japan, you can really spend ages in this store. You can find most make up, skincare, health products and snacks that you find in Japanese pharmacies. If you don't have time to stop by Japan this trip, you can basically get everything you need here.

Uppacase

Julia loves this Japanese tempura shrimp character from the Sumikko Gurashi series (about all the little characters in the corner that tend to be forgotten) Guess where she gets all her toys? This tiny store. This is a treasure trove of a store. Stickers, plushies, socks...anything cute you can think of.

Decathlon

Now this is Raymond's favourite. This is a sporting goods and equipment chain from France. You can find all sorts of gears, for any kinds of sports you can think of. Their products are more affordable than the big brands but of very good quality.

HKCamera

If you like cameras or need to get some film for your trip!

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We're obviously very enthusiastic about sharing our home with you all. If you want more personalised or specific recommendations, please don't hesitate to reach out to us.

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