Planning a trip to Hong Kong? You should be. Then again, figuring out what to do (and what to see, eat, etc.!) in the exhilarating, crazily compact city is almost enough to make you want to destroy your passport. Because, understatement, Hong Kong has it all. It’s the kind of delightfully dizzying destination that you could visit a hundred times and still find something new to fall in love with. Plus, the explosive sensory experiences are aplenty. Skinny, shiny skyscrapers, oft-engulfed in bamboo scaffolding, tower over historic temples. Cherry-red taxis and grassy green trams (called “ding dings” by locals for their pedestrian warning bells) picturesquely pass pink, blue, and yellow brick buildings that soar from the concrete. You’ll stroll through mazes of open-air markets where vendors sell everything from spiky durian to “I Heart HK” T-shirts. And, if you’re anything like me, you’ll enter each and every bakery that tempts you with fragrant egg tarts and pineapple buns. I recently returned to the former British colony for the first time in nearly four long, demented years, and, despite the record-breaking rainfall (Google “black rainstorm Hong Kong”), my week in the ever-electrifying metropolis was a fever dream I never wanted to wake up from.
Relive the dream with me, below, to find out how I like to spend a rainy week in Hong Kong, from where to stay to where to vintage shop. Then, go on and book a trip, ideally after typhoon season.
Visit a Traditional Cha Chaan Teng for Hong Kong-Style Milk Tea, Pastries, and Cheap East-Meets-West Comfort Food
When in Hong Kong, you seriously must stop by a classic cha chaan teng, commonly called Hong Kong-style cafes or diners in English. Expect unpretentious vibes, lightning-quick but not necessarily warm service, lots of locals, and an inexpensive mishmash of East-meets-West comfort food. Some of the dishes might seem eclectic for non-Hongkongers, like the particularly addictive HK-style French toast, which is often stuffed with peanut butter and drizzled with condensed milk. Another cha chaan teng mainstay is egg and luncheon meat instant noodles, as well as a slew of Cantonese pastries to bookend your meal with. There’s something to thrill all tastebuds, but if it’s your first time at one of these lovable joints, you must order a HK-style milk tea. It’s a psychotically delicious velvety smooth black tea and evaporated milk concoction. After all, “tea restaurant” is the literal English translation for cha chaan teng.
So, what’s the best cha chaan teng of them all? That’s like asking a New Yorker about their favorite slice. Many queue up for the eggs at Australia Dairy Company in Jordan. Others are all about the milk tea and egg tarts at Cheung Hing Coffee Shop in Happy Valley.
I have a soft spot for the shoe-box-sized Kam Fung Cafe in Wan Chai, which has been open since the late ‘50s. It was the first spot I hit up at 7 a.m. after a 15-hour flight. With a jetlagged broken brain, I zombie-walked to the perma-packed hole-in-the-wall while growl-muttering, “Must. have. pineapple. buns.”
I have dreamt about Kam Fung’s famed pineapple buns. (Pineapple buns are ubiquitous at cha cha tengs and bakeries all over Hong Kong, but despite the name, they’re pineapple-free.) Kam Fung makes their housemade pineapple buns gigantic and semi-sweet with a thick, crumbly cookie-texture-like crust and warm and pillowy insides. Order your bun like a local–stuffed with a chunk of salty butter. It’s so good. I paired that perfection with a glass of cold milk tea–emphasis on cold because it’s still typhoon season and the subtropical weather was doing its hellish humidity thing–and they served it the traditional way: chilled sans ice. This heaven-in-my-mouth combo instantly cured my jetlag and millennial dread. But I didn’t have time to get emotional or discreetly lick the crumbs from the plate—time is of the essence at a cha chaan teng and it’s an order, devour, pay at the register (cash only!), and get out type of situation. It’s tense-ish. It’s beautiful. I wouldn’t change a thing. Well, I did forget to order Kam Fung’s delicately flaky egg tarts to-go from the bakery at the front of the cafe. I’d change that and order several. PS: I hear that their chicken pies are also exceptional.
Instagrammable Spots Worth Stopping By
The Peak, the tallest mountain on Hong Kong Island, is probably the most touristy spot of them all. And I proudly visit its sublimity every time I’m in town. (Unless there’s a “black rainstorm,” as there was during my recent trip, which saw Hong Kong experiencing its heaviest rainfall in nearly 140 years.) The Peak’s accessible by the Peak tram, which scales the leafy mountain at a wild incline, so if you’re scared of heights or suffer from vertigo, it might not be the ride for you. Once exiting the tram, make your way to the Peak Tower’s Sky Terrace 428, which towers 428 meters above sea level, and take several escalators to the cloud-piercing viewing platforms, which are, of course, the highest viewing platforms in Hong Kong. You’ll be rewarded with pinch me I must be dreaming 360-degree vistas of the magical metropolis. Post-Instagramming, I usually like to carefully walk down the alarmingly steep mountain—luckily, there are a few routes that lead you down paved roads and right into the heart of Central, so use Google Maps and choose what’s best for you and your knees.
I did make it to Quarry Bay in Eastern Hong Kong one tolerably rainy afternoon for a quick visit to the courtyard of the “Monster Building.” It isn’t actually a single building–it’s a cluster of five interconnected residential towers with colorful units that are stacked on top of each other in a Jenga-like fashion that apparently looks monster-ish to many. Built in the ‘60s, it has been featured in Hollywood blockbusters and all over social media. It’s the perfect visual of Hong Kong’s urban density, and, TBH, I find it to be a more impressive sight than The Big Buddha. If you’re gonna visit the courtyard, be quick and quiet because you’re technically on private property–10,000 residents call those towers home, according to Wikipedia. Don’t be an annoying TikToker. Do grab a coffee at % Arabica and an egg tart from one of the many nearby bakeries on your way out.
For additional picturesque spots, Google the Goldfish Market, Temple Street Night Market, Chi Lin Nunnery, Art Lane in Sai Ying Pun, the Central Mid-Levels escalators, and the list is infinite. Choi Hung Estate’s rooftop multicolored basketball court looks straight out of a Wes Anderson movie. For a scenic day trip, hop on a ferry to artsy Lamma Island. Rainy weather? The new-ish M+ Museum in Kowloon has an ongoing Yayoi Kusama exhibit. And of course, were you even in Hong Kong if you didn’t take a ride on the famed Star Ferry?
You’ll never run out of cool things to see in Hong Kong, whether you’re riding the “ding ding” or simply walking around. Just don’t forget to look up–the skyscraper-studded sky’s the limit.
Go Coffee Shop Hopping and Quirky Antique Shopping in Sheung Wan
Understatement alert: There’s a lot going on in Sheung Wan, a lively (and quite hilly) neighborhood flanked by hectic Central and artsy Sai Ying Pun. Walk around long enough and you’ll find yourself passing painfully hip cafes, art galleries, and design-forward boutiques that are sandwiched between traditional coffin stores, dried seafood vendors, and herbal medicine shops. You can’t go wrong by starting your day off at one of Hong Kong’s oldest temples, Man Mo Temple on Hollywood Road, where your eyeballs will appreciate the Qing Dynasty architecture, then intensely water due to the dozens of smoky incense coils that dangle from the ceiling.
Cross the street from the historic temple, head downhill, and within five minutes, you’ll reach Upper Lascar Row, aka Cat Street, a pedestrian-only, narrow street that’s awash with quirky curio stores and street stalls that sell cheap trinkets and perfectly good stocking stuffers like jade rollers and moon glass figurines of cats and Buddha. If there’s one store you should go into, it’s Select 18, a tiny, impossibly charming antique shop that’s located down a crooked alley and chaotically cluttered with retro telephones, typewriters, clocks, cameras, ceramic tableware, toys, jewelry, magazines, and amazing sunglasses. You could easily spend hours just combing through the killer selection of Cantopop (on vinyl, CD, and cassette tape) and the retro Hong Kong-themed posters and postcards, but you’ll likely require coffee.
You can get caffeinated a stone’s throw away at the Brooklyn-y Halfway Coffee, where creative types sip beverages that are served in vintage porcelain cups. I prefer the nearby and less scene-y Coffee & Laundry, a beyond-cute, aptly-named hole-in-the-wall that has been providing coffee, pastries, and 24-hour laundry service to Sheung Wan residents and visitors since 2014. If you’re a fellow cat lover, you’re in for a purr-fect treat. In other words, Coffee & Laundry is perfectly placed near all of the cat-frequented dried seafood stalls. Hello, heaven. Can’t make it to Hong Kong? Thankfully, Sheung Wan Cats, my favorite IG account, provides endless cute-cats-napping-atop-clear-crates-stuffed-with-dried-shrimp content.
Hungry in Sheung Wan? Try the mega-hyped Mora, an elegant eatery that opened during the pandemic and whose star ingredient is the soybean. And then report back to me since I didn’t go in due to my damp troll look courtesy of a rain and perspiration combination. I did drink at Mostly Harmless, an omakase-style cocktail bar that gave me intimate-haunt-in-Alphabet City vibes.
Explore Sham Shui Po and Try Tofu Pudding, One of Hong Kong’s Most Beloved Classic Desserts
There are so many treats to try when in Hong Kong, from egg waffles to sweet red bean soup, but nothing makes me lose my mind quite like tofu fa, or tofu pudding. Just imagine a bowl of melt-in-your-mouth silken tofu dreaminess that can be made hot or cold, sweet or savory. Plus, it’s protein-packed! To get my tofu pudding fix, I excitedly visited the 60-something-year-old Kung Wo Beancurd Factory on Pei Ho Street in the Kowloon neighborhood of Sham Shui Po. (By the way, Pei Ho Street is jampacked with stores and stalls selling fresh fruit, veggies, meats, clothes, snacks, electronics, and daily necessities.) At the no-frills, always-busy eatery, all things beancurd are masterfully served, like soy milk, tofu puffs, and deep-fried tofu stuffed with fish paste. As for their famed tofu pudding? They sell over 1,000 bowls of it a day, and I totally get it. Mine was warm, custard-like, bathed in ginger syrup, and soy amazing.
Even if you’re anti-tofu, you’ve got to check out the neighborhood, which has become a magnet for young creatives in recent years but still has a very local feel. For excellent coffee, bagel sandwiches, and stellar people-watching, hit up Cafe Sausalito. If you’re a fan of yummy wallet-friendly cheong fun (steam rice rolls) and fish balls, get yourself to Hop Yik Tai. If you’re a record collector, a visit to Vinyl Hero is a must–the uber-cozy shop is located on the fifth floor of a residential building where stacked boxes of records from the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s reach the ceiling. I’m a big fan of city pop (late ‘70s-80s Japanese pop), so I was ecstatic to stumble upon SSP’s Showa City Club.
Last but not least, if you’re hunting for retro Hong Kong memorabilia, it’s all about Good Bad Creative. Explore two floors overflowing with zany figurines, novelty toys, board games, glassware, magazines, ashtrays, posters and postcards of Hong Kong movie and pop stars, and so much more. I took home a few cheap postcards featuring moody still images from Wong Kar-wai films. I wanted to take home the store’s friendly cat, but I settled for taking some pics.
Eat, Drink, and Be Mesmerized at an Up-in-the-Clouds Hotspot
There’s no shortage of severely stylish hotspots in Hong Kong, but nothing comes close to Salisterra in Admiralty, which opened in 2021. Sitting majestically on the 49th floor of arguably Hong Kong’s best hotel, The Upper House, Salisterra boasts picturesque-as-a-Victoria-Harbour postcard views of, yes, Victoria Harbour via its walls of windows. The boîte is outfitted in a tastefully glamorous fashion (thanks to lauded architect André Fu) with a Mediterranean coast color scheme and a showstopping bespoke chandelier that is made up of over eighty glowing glass lanterns evocative of the glittering body of water below. Already, Salisterra has attracted an artsy and fashionista-heavy crowd, which isn’t a surprise considering the House, with its Zen-posh apartment-like studios and suites, has already welcomed a long list of celebrities (including Posh Spice). Then there’s the fantastic Meditteranean-influenced menu. I twice enjoyed a sun-drenched breakfast (get the elevated HK-style French toast!), and I’m still daydreaming about my perfect dinner/my favorite night in Hong Kong, where I ordered gnocchi with mushrooms–which was artfully dressed with something that looked like glistening seafoam–as well as seafood risotto, a rosemary meringue topped with housemade limoncello sorbet, and a dirty martini or three. I also hear that if you fancy yourself afternoon tea and golden hour views, this is the fancy place to be. Designer-clad patrons often find themselves lingering long after their dinner, so join them at the moodily lit bar (everyone seems to always be in great spirits here) and order a seasonal cocktail up in the clouds at this social, cinematic hotspot. You just might bump elbows with an in-town movie star.
Rest Your Weary Sightseeing-Feet at a Tranquil Hideaway
I don’t know a better hotel than the appropriately named The Upper House, which sits atop the JW Marriott and soars in a tranquil fashion above the city. All of the sky-high guest rooms are spacious, calm-inducing beauties that come with spalike bathrooms with free-standing limestone bathtubs, gigantic windows providing faint-inducing views of Victoria Harbour and Victoria Peak, and a divine bed that will tempt you to stay in it until it’s time to check out. Fun fact: The Upper House offers the largest standard rooms in Hong Kong. Oh, and each Zenned-out, immaculately clean accommodation comes with a free and fancy mini-bar, including beer but not wine and spirits. Everything’s across-the-board superb. But experiencing this stylish sanctuary is gonna cost you a pretty penny.
A more affordable option that doesn’t skimp on serenity and style is the TUVE. The design-forward hidden gem is tucked away under an overpass in Tin Hau, an underrated foodie neighborhood close to bustling Causeway Bay. It’s a minimalist escapist retreat that feels like it could’ve been designed by Rick Owens, from its glamorously gothic entrance bedecked with pristine black marble to its sleek, shadowy, and futuristic lobby. As for the 66 rooms? They’re edgy stunners, particularly if you’re a minimalist design lover. The walk-in rain shower in the sleek gray-marble bathroom is everything, and the Le Labo bath amenities are the cherry on top. Be sure to request a room with light-flooded skyline views at this dreamy hideaway, and thank me later.
If you’re a traveler with a penchant for more of a retro-chic aesthetic, consider The Fleming. Once just another business hotel in the heart of vibrant Wan Chai, it got a dramatic makeover a few years ago inspired by Hong Kong’s most famous mode of transportation–the Star Ferry–replete with a nautical lobby and dapper guestrooms with brass light fixtures and Art Deco-style bathrooms. Plus, it’s home to the popular glitzy Italian eatery, Osteria Marzia, a perfect spot to really feel the pulse of the exciting neighborhood.
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