The Insider’s Guide to Hong Kong

Who

Even if you’ve never set foot in Hong Kong, you might feel like you know it through Wong Kar Wai’s romantic vignettes or John Woo’s punchy gangster classics. But nothing—not even a full movie marathon—compares to seeing the city for yourself.

Alongside your to-watch list, get a few tips from four discerning locals: Christina You, the director of Gagosian’s Hong Kong gallery; singer-songwriter Cheryl Chow, better-known by her stage name, Cehryl; chef Joyeta Ng; and Edgar Santillan, the beverage director at the restaurant group Spicy Pork Chop Noodle Ltd.

What

What to Bring

Hong Kong is a city of dualities, with everything from densely packed skyscrapers topped with rooftop bars to hiking trails and sandy beaches—often just a short train or bus ride from the bustle.

Pack accordingly. Santillan recommends light clothing, a camera, comfortable shoes, and swimwear so you can enjoy all the city has to offer. It’s hot and humid most months of the year, so air conditioning is often on blast in restaurants and malls. Chow always carries a cardigan or light layer with her, even in the warmer months.

You keeps a portable umbrella on hand “both for sun and the occasional downpour.”

What to Leave Behind

Unless you’re on a multi-stop trip or in the city during a cold snap—which are usually brief—you’re better off leaving your thick winter layers behind, says Santillan. And if you can help it, Ng recommends ditching “any restrictive diet regimen” while visiting. “You don’t want to miss out on anything!”

What to Keep in Mind

Hong Kong can be divided into three parts: Hong Kong Island (which boasts the city’s famous skyline); Kowloon, the larger land mass opposite it; and the New Territories, which extend northwards and borders mainland China. Most tourists will spend their time on Hong Kong island and in concentrated pockets of Kowloon, but if you have the luxury of time, there’s plenty to see in the New Territories.

Octopus cards, which are primarily used for public transportation, can also be used for payments in convenience stores and many chains. Tourists can opt for a tourist-specific physical card, a loan card (where you’re refunded for the card itself at the end of your visit), or a digital card.

“It’s easy to get caught up in the city’s fast pace and energy, but don’t skip the quieter moments,” says You. “Have tea in a park, take the ferry, or explore a lesser-known temple.”

Where

Where to Stay

Ng recommends staying in Central for its convenience and proximity to restaurants and bars. But for somewhere historical, she suggests The Peninsula, which opened in 1928 and wears its age and colonial-era architecture gracefully. “You can get picked up in one of their Rolls Royces and [enjoy] a full view of the Victoria Harbour in your room,” says Ng. (She also notes that the hotel’s beloved Chinese restaurant, Spring Moon, is credited with inventing XO sauce.)

For other luxury hotels with delicious food, Santillan recommends The Hari (which has the Japanese restaurant Zoku); The Murray (and its rooftop Italian restaurant, Popinjays); The Mandarin Oriental (which houses The Aubrey, an izakaya-inspired bar); The Rosewood (his favorite, and home to the cocktail bar DarkSide); and The Four Seasons (it has the Caprice Restaurant and Argo bar).

For travelers on a budget, Chow recommends venturing beyond the harborfront districts to stay at Eaton, a hotel with a creative and community-focussed bent. Located in Yau Ma Tei, it’s near popular restaurants, and the hotel itself has a music venue, cocktail bar, art gallery, co-working space, and food hall.

Where to Start the Day

Our insiders recommend grabbing coffee at Halfway Coffee, Fineprint, and Rootdown. But while you’re in Hong Kong, make sure to try the city’s signature milk tea—bitter, strong tea with sweet condensed milk—that was popularized during British colonial rule to create a caffeine-packed but affordable twist on afternoon high tea. Chow usually asks for less sugar, as a little condensed milk goes a long way.

To sample it in a retro setting, Ng recommends Cheung Hing Coffee Shop in Happy Valley, where the authentic cha chaan teng (Hong Kong-style diner) interiors come with strong milk teas, flaky egg tarts, and bo lo bao, a.k.a pineapple buns.

For a decidedly less serene experience, join the queue at Chow’s favorite, Australian Dairy Company, which is just as famous for its chaotically efficient service as it is for its no-frills breakfast sets featuring fluffy scrambled egg sandwiches and macaroni soup.

Where to Start the Day

Though known for its extortionate housing prices, Hong Kong does have many affordable restaurants.

For a cheap meal, Santillan heads to Dragon State for Cantonese BBQ classics like char siu, and to Tsim Chai Kee for wonton noodles. Ng’s go-to noodle joint is On Lee, which is known for fish balls, fish cakes, and beef brisket. She, like me, prefers the thick noodles, which you can get in soup or served dry and mixed with a hearty sauce. (Sample their house-made chili oil sparingly; it’s delicious but potent.) For a post-noodle sweet treat, On Lee “also do thick toasts with butter slices and condensed milk, which is as evil as it sounds,” says Ng.

The city is also great for Asian food generally, especially Southeast Asian cuisine. Santillan heads to Chachawan for Thai fare, and Samsen for casual Thai meals.

For a boisterous group dinner, head to dai pai dongs (al fresco food stalls) and cooked food markets, which sit atop wet markets for easy access to fresh produce. Chow’s favorites are Oi Man Sang in Sham Shui Po—one of the few remaining dai pai dongs to cook the old-fashioned way, with kerosene—and Dong Kee, in Sheung Wan. Share bottles of Blue Girl beer and classic seafood stir fry over rice.

Of course, Hong Kong is also packed with upscale Cantonese fare. Though Ng is biased (she interned at the institution), she urges visitors to secure a reservation at The Chairman, a revered Cantonese restaurant that toes the line between innovative and traditional cuisine. “It’s a big part of the reason why I wanted to cook Cantonese food,” says Ng. “For first timers, apart from their signature steamed flower crab with aged Shaoxing wine, the chicken fat and flat rice noodles and the geoduck poached in rice broth is also a must.”

For Cantonese food in chic settings, Santillan favors Duddles (where you can sample the signature dim sum and fried chicken on a leafy garden terrace) and Ho Lee Fook (where the interiors are opulent yet cushy, and the menu has memorable hits like Three Yellow Chicken and Kurobuta Char Siu).

Where to Shop

Channel Maggie Cheung from In the Mood for Love with a cheongsam from Qipology. Ng recommends the brand, which makes both ready-to-wear and bespoke versions of traditional Chinese designs. Their shop is located in Central’s PMQ, an arts and design hub.

“[The Landmark mall] offers high-end retail with a sense of refined elegance,” says You. “I also love wandering through Graham Street Market in Central. It’s one of the city’s oldest wet markets, a kaleidoscope of flavors and textures that still feels deeply authentic.”

Where to Look at Art

The city is home to relatively new blockbuster museums like The Palace Museum and the contemporary art-focussed M+, which is where Ng goes to see works by “King of Kowloon” Tsang Tsou Choi; photojournalist Liu Heung Shing; and Ai Wei Wei in a space that rivals the MoMa and Tate Modern.

M+ has “firmly established itself as one of Asia’s most important museums,” says You, who also recommends Tai Kwun, the former Central Police Station turned heritage-arts hub, and Para Site, an independent contemporary art center.

If you’re looking for art off the beaten path, consider taking the South Island line to Wong Chuk Hang, an up-and-coming neighborhood in the Southern District. “Many of the city’s more experimental and emerging galleries are tucked away in its old industrial buildings,” says You.

Where to Unwind

When the city gets overwhelming, the cluster of verdant parks scattered across Admiralty and Sheung Wan are much-needed oases. Ng heads to Hong Kong Park, where you can find an aviary, a teaware museum, and a tai chi garden within reach of Pacific Place mall, while Chow opts for Kowloon Park.

You’s favorites include the Chi Lin Nunnery and nearby Nan Lian Garden, which make a serene double bill for those seeking traditional architecture and a spiritual escape.

For a spa day, You’s go-to is Asaya at the Rosewood. “From bespoke treatments to tranquil spaces overlooking the harbour, it’s where I go to recharge.”

Where to Stay Up Late

Though Lan Kwai Fong—a street packed with bars and clubs—can be a rite of passage for Hong Kong first-timers, it’s also a bit of a tourist trap. Santillan recommends heading up to Cassio for electronic music, or Infinity for pool, darts, beer pong and Thai food.

On nights out, Chow takes cues from her friends and local DJs, including Yeti Out, Bad Times Disco, and Panic Library, who play at parties across the city and share upcoming dates on social media.

When

The city gets extremely hot in the summer months. “As much as I love Hong Kong, I cannot stand the hot and sticky summer weather: drowning in your own sweat, getting mosquito bites, and [getting] dripped on by air conditioner juice,” warns Ng.

You recommends visiting from late autumn to early winter, when milder temperatures are matched by a full cultural calendar. But plan well in advance if you’re looking to attend events like Art Basel Hong Kong in March.

Why

Few cities offer as compelling a mosaic of the old and new, the eastern and western, than Hong Kong. It’s what makes the city so much fun for locals and tourists alike.

“Hong Kong has a unique rhythm, fast-paced yet surprisingly grounded,” says You. “I love how you can start the day with a hike and end it at a world-class exhibition or restaurant,” says You. “It’s one of the most dynamic, yet liveable cities in the world.”