Hong Kong Travel Guide

Hong Kong is a special autonomous territory located on the eastern coast of China. Considered as a cosmopolitan city in Asia, its culture is a combination of Chinese tradition and Western influence. This city used to be colonized by the British and not until 1997 was it returned to the Chinese government. From a small farming and fishing village back in the 1800s, this city develops to be one of the busiest trading and financial centers of the world.

Best Time to Travel to Hong Kong

Located in a subtropical region, this city’s weather is mild and pleasant, which is suitable for you to visit every time a year. It is hot and humid in summers (June – August), yet cool and dry during winters (December – February). Spring (March – April) and pre-winter (October – the beginning of December) are the best times to visit Hong Kong. The city will be affected by typhoons from May to September, which is not suitable for a day trip to some islands. This city is the coldest in the winter when the temperature may drop to 10 degrees Celsius. Also, note that many shops remain closed during Chinese Lunar New Year.

Hong Kong Travel Tips

• Although the city now belongs to People’s Republic of China, the city has its own immigration controls. Nationals from 170 countries including the US, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and most of the countries in Europe are not required to have a visa to stay in Hong Kong for 90 days. UK nationals are entitled to a visa-free entry for 180 days. Check if your nationalities are eligible for a visa-free entry or not.
• If you want to visit mainland China from Hong Kong or vice versa, you must get a visa before arrival.
• Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) is mainly used for financial transactions in this city. You can find exchange counters in many banks around the city. If you want to withdraw money, HSBC, Hang Seng, and Standard Chartered’s ATMs are easy to find.
• Buy an Octopus Card at 7-Eleven stores and use it for MTR and Star Ferry. It will save a lot of money rather than travel by taxis.

What to See in Hong Kong

1. Victoria Peak

Victoria Peak is the highlight of this city. With the altitude of 552 meters, The Peak seems to never bore tourists with stunning view of metropolitan Hong Kong. Many coin-operated telescopes are placed for better observation. You will see different scenes in daytime and nighttime: busy Victoria Harbour by day and brilliantly lid Hong Kong at night. The easiest way to climb to The Peak is using the 120-year-old Peak Tram. With HKD $40, you can look over the whole island. The Peak Tram Historical Gallery is built to honor the tram’s contribution to this city’s history and heritage.

2. Victoria Harbour

Victoria Harbour is situated between Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula. It used to be the home to various fishing villages since the deep waters brought a lot of natural resources to the city. Nowadays, the Harbour is still considered as the heart of the city. Riding the Star Ferry across the harbour will be an unforgettable experience for your kids. The Avenue of Stars in this harbour is an interesting destination for Hong Kong’s movie fans. From the Avenue, you can watch the spectacular Symphony of Lights, a unique lighting show with splendid lighting effect which makes you feel like you are immersing into this city.

3. Lantau Island

Lantau Island is the largest island in Hong Kong. It is considered as a getaway from the bustling city besieged with recreational parks, nature reserve, and trekking sites. If you are into trekking, Ngong Ping Plateau with the Giant Buddha and Po Lin Monastery will not disappoint you with the magnificent view of the largest Buddhist center of this place. Also, there is a Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car if you want to get the bird-eye view of the mountainous area. Tai O Fishing Village and Hong Kong Disneyland Park are also worth visiting.

4. Hong Kong Disneyland Park

Let’s your children immerse in a fairytale world with the Disneyland Park. They will have a chance to meet their dream cartoon characters, participate in exciting games, watch interesting live performances and buy lovely souvenirs. Your kids will be delighted by giant parades, cute mascots, and amazing firework displays. Situated in Lantau Island, this park is suitable for an outdoor escape in this island with mountains, parks, and beaches.

5. Lan Kwai Fong

It is a famous Hong Kong nightlife spots with a lot of restaurants, bars, pubs, and nightclubs. Thanks to Hong Kong’s movie industry, this place is now very popular to international tourists. You can try Western cuisine together with Asian cuisine in this place. The street foods are cheap and delicious which attracts tourists and the locals. Many festivals and parties are held here, and you can see expatriates, tourists and local people gathering every night.

6. Ocean Park Hong Kong

Ocean Park is an animal theme park featuring marine species, rides, and shows. Ocean Park and Hong Kong Disneyland Park are the two biggest theme parks in this city. This park is divided into two main areas: The Summit and The Waterfront. Adventure Land in The Summit section is normally crowded as it has the thrilling roller coaster. Not only is this park created for entertainment, it also has educational departments and laboratories for research purposes.

7. Hong Kong Heritage Museum

This museum is impressive with unique architecture: it is divided into 12 separate exhibition galleries, and all are painted red and yellow. Hong Kong Heritage Museum displays thousands of antiques, paintings and articles which offer you an insight into colorful history and culture of Hong Kong. Bruce Lee Exhibition is perhaps the most attractive part of this place. Considered as the legendary actor of Hong Kong movie industry, Bruce Lee is a cultural phenomenon who spread Chinese culture to the world. Through pictures and videos displayed in the museum, you will be amazed at his talents and achievements as a martial artist and a dedicated actor.

8. Wong Tai Sin Temple

Located in the north of Kowloon, Wong Tai Sin Temple is a large Taoist complex with many solemn shrines, temples and beautiful gardens. This complex was built using feng shui rules and you can see all 5 geomantic elements here: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. People come to this temple every year to pray for fortune and happiness. There are a lot of fortune tellers gathering here, you can try to get some predictions for your future.

What to Do in Hong Kong

Not only is Hong Kong famous for being the shopping paradise in Asia, but this dynamic city will also delight you with colonial aspects and a fusion of various cultures.

Pay a visit to some islands

With the total area of more than 2500 kilometer square, Hong Kong’s area consists of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon Peninsula, the New Territories, and a group of more than 200 offshore islands. Some highlights you can visit are:

• Lantau Island: Lantau Island is the largest island in Hong Kong. It is considered as a getaway from bustling Hong Kong with recreational parks, nature reserves, and trekking sites. Ngong Ping Plateau, Tai O Fishing Village, and Hong Kong Disneyland Park are also worth visiting.
• Macau Island: An hour from Hong Kong, Macau is the most well-known center of high-end resorts and casinos in Asia.

Sightseeing to some magnificent man-made architecture and discover Hong Kong history

From majestic skyscrapers and shopping malls to colonial architecture, there are many attractions in this city for you to discover.

• Victoria Peak: With the altitude of 552 meters, The Peak seems to never bore tourists with a stunning view of metropolitan Hong Kong.
• Convention and Exhibition Centre: The most modern exhibition facility in Asia which attracts hundreds of business People every year.
• Wong Tai Sin Temple: Located in the north of Kowloon, Wong Tai Sin Temple is a large Taoist complex with many solemn shrines, temples and beautiful gardens.
• Hong Kong Heritage Museum: Hong Kong Heritage Museum displays thousands of antiques, paintings, and articles which offer you an insight into colorful history and culture of Hong Kong. Bruce Lee Exhibition is perhaps the most attractive part of this place.
• Hong Kong’s International Commerce Center Tower (ICC Tower): It is the tallest building in Hong Kong where you can have a perfect view of this city’s light displays.

Enjoy a dim sum dinner and immerse in dynamic Hong Kong’s nightlife

Located in Cantonese region, one of the eight most famous culinary regions in China, Hong Kong is the heaven for various dining options. Dim sum, which means ‘touch the heart’ in English, is a must-try cuisine in this city. The local dim sum is elegantly and exquisitely prepared with several bite-sized dishes in small steamer baskets. A traditional dim sum meal usually contains dumplings, rolls, buns and egg tart for dessert.

Don’t miss pubs, bars, and nightclubs in Hong Kong at night. Lan Kwai Fong, Wan Chai, and Tsim Tsa Tsui are places where you can find exciting nightlife. You will discover the vibrant Hong Kong which has been portrayed in movies and dramas. If you want to enjoy the whole view of this city, spend your time at a rooftop bar.

Take your children to some kid-friendly places

It is no doubt that Hong Kong is the destination for family vacations with many recreational parks, exciting museums and nature reserves.

• Hong Kong Disneyland: Let’s your children immerse in a fairytale world with Hong Kong Disneyland Park.
• Ocean Park: Ocean Park is an animal theme park featuring marine species, rides, and shows. Not only is this park created for entertainment, it also has educational departments and laboratories for research purposes.
• Zoological and Botanical Garden: It contains a collection of birds, mammals, reptiles, and plants.
• Hong Kong Maritime Museum: You can understand the history of maritime, ship technology and trade in Hong Kong here.

What to Eat in Hong Kong

If you are a food lover, Hong Kong will be your heaven of gastronomy. Located in the Eastern part of China and influenced by British colony, Hong Kong cuisines are lighter in flavor than Beijing and Chengdu’s. Hong Kong chefs do not use many seasonings, chili, garlic and sauce in the ingredients, so it is suitable for the Westerners. The fusion of cultures has diversified culinary art in this city where talented chefs absorb quintessence from the mainland and adapt it to fit international taste. Our advice is that do not just eat Chinese foods in Hong Kong, there are many Japanese, Indian, Korean and even French and Italian restaurants in this city.

1. Dim sum

Dim sum, which means ‘touch the heart’ in English, is a must-try cuisine in this city. The local dim sum is elegantly and exquisitely prepared with several bite-sized dishes in small bamboo steamer baskets. A traditional dim sum meal usually contains dumplings, rolls, buns and egg tart for dessert. Dim sum was traditionally eaten in breakfast or brunch, but now you can enjoy it for lunch and dinner.

Dim sum is mainly cooked by steaming, which is healthy since there is no oil involved. The serving is usually four to six pieces in one dish. Since the portions are small, you can have a chance to sample a variety of dishes and finish with appealing desserts such as pudding or sweet soups. Don’t forget to order Chinese tea which will be beneficial for your digest system.

Some famous dim sum restaurants in Hong Kong

• Dim Dim Sum: G/F, Man Wah Building, 23 Man Ying Street, Jordan
• Maxim’s Palace City Hall: 2/F, Low Block, City Hall, 5 Edinburgh Place, Central, Hong Kong Island
• Tim Ho Wan: 9–11 Fuk Wing Street, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon
• Duddell’s: Level 3, Shanghai Tang Mansion, 1 Duddell Street, Central
• Tin Lung Heen: 102/F, The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, International Commerce Centre, 1 Austin Road West, Tsim Sha Tsui

2. Seafood

Surrounded by the seas and islands, it is understandable that seafood is a must-have part of Hong Kong dishes. Crabs, shrimps, lobsters, and many kinds of fish can be found in the menu. There are many seafood restaurants around the city center, but small restaurants in the islands are the places which you can relish the freshness of the ingredients. The cooking techniques for seafood are simplified to remain its sweetness: steaming, stir-frying or eating in hotpot.

Some famous seafood restaurants in Hong Kong

• Ming Court: 6/F, Langham Place Hotel, 555 Shanghai Street, Mong Kok, Kowloon
• Lei Garden: Unit 3008, IFC Mall, 1 Harbour View Street, Central, Hong Kong Island
• Jumbo Kingdom Restaurant: Shum Wan Pier Drive, Wong Chuk Hang, Aberdeen

3. Hotpot

Hotpot is a flexible dish when you can choose your preferred ingredients and cook them by yourself. A boiling pot containing rich broth will be placed at the center and the ingredients will be put in the pot and boiled. Ingredients can vary from chicken, pork, beef, seafood, vegetables, mushrooms, and tofu. Don’t forget to order seafood since it is very fresh in Hong Kong. The broth can be really light or a tongue-burner, it depends on your taste.

4. Wonton noodles

This dish is really delicious with thin yellow noodles, green vegetables and onions and especially the Cantonese-styled wontons.  In some traditional restaurants, the dough for noodles is handmade from duck eggs, kneaded and rolled by hand. Ground meat, shrimps, and peppercorns are mixed and rolled in rice wrappers to make wonton. The broth is rich and sweet, you can add vinegar or chili for a stronger flavor.

5. Chinese barbecue (Siu mei)

Siu mei is a sought-after dish in Hong Kong and Macau. This food is noticeable with the scene of reddish roasted meats hanging in front of the store. Pork, chicken, duck or goose is roasted in an open fire or a large rotisserie oven. Only when siu mei is eaten with special plum sauce will the flavor of this dish be complete.

6. Cantonese congee

Congee or rice porridge is made from rice boiled in water and broth. Meat, fish, shrimp and flavorings can be added to this dish. In Asian culture, congee is fed for the ones who are sick because we believe that the hot porridge is a fast relief to flu and cold.

7. Crispy fried chicken

This dish takes a lot of time to prepare, normally a day. Firstly, the chicken is poached with some spices such as anise, cinnamon, peppercorn, ginger, and fennel. Then, it is dried, seasoned with vinegar and dried again to make crispy skin. Lastly, it is deep fried and served with white rice.

8. Chinese pastry

If you have sugar cravings, this city will offer a variety of choice. Egg tarts, pineapple buns, tofu pudding, coconut pudding, mango pudding, etc. are served in every restaurant. Sweet soup (tong sui) which is made from seeds and root vegetable with sugar will also be a great dessert. If you are lucky enough to visit Hong Kong during the Mid Autumn Festival, try delicious Chinese moon cake here.

Some famous restaurants in Hong Kong

• Ryu Gin: 101/F, International Commerce Centre, 1 Austin Road West, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
• Caprice: Four Seasons Hotel, 8 Finance St, Central, Hong Kong
• Samsen: 68 Stone Nullah Ln