Overview
A city where we spent 5 days in May 2025 for a business trip, naturally squeezing in tourist activities on the side.
It was far more chaotic than we expected. We'd been to many tropical destinations before, but I think this was the first time we encountered such extreme concrete density in a tropical setting. Normally, tropical climates compensate for the humidity and heat with beach access and lush greenery. In Hong Kong, while there's vegetation outside the urban zones, the residential areas have been terribly managed. Massive buildings trap all the humidity and drive up the perceived temperature. The sea is too polluted for central swimming. No relief from the heat.
What to See
Geography & Cityscape:
- From the plane, you notice a remarkable number of islands.
- Generally grey skies. Looks like it will rain constantly but doesn't actually rain much.
- Buildings are so close together that in an earthquake they'd all knock into each other. They've built with the confidence of not being in a seismic zone.
- Residential areas are all massive buildings with many old ones. Significant visual pollution.
- I don't think I've ever seen a place with this many bridges. Long, spanning bridges that connect the city beautifully, possibly the city's best feature.
- The sea smells like sewage.
Tourist Spots:
- The airport is huge but exit is easy and fast for foreigners.
- Uber is available but pricier than DiDi, though DiDi occasionally takes unnecessary detours.
- The central tourist spots, Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade, Bruce Lee Statue, Hong Kong Observation Wheel, are all highly rated online but none really impressed us.
- Macau is a 1-hour ferry ride away. Departure passport control was easy; the ferry experience is chaotic with locals eating, watching videos at full volume. Turkish passports get some extra scrutiny on the Macau entry side.
- Everything looks close on the map but is actually quite far in practice.
- Google Maps works terribly here, neither walking nor driving routes are reliable.
- Kowloon Walled City Park: The history is fascinating and the current park is lovely, more of a peaceful garden experience.
- Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery: Closes at 5 PM but the climb up alone is worth it. Beautiful and uniquely varied Buddha statues — fat ones, tall ones, even one that looks Muslim.
- Chi Lin Nunnery: Closes at 4:30 but the garden stays open until 7, so even if you miss the interior, you can see the building from the garden. The atmosphere is incredible — a wonderfully peaceful garden.
- Nan Lian Garden: Under maintenance when we visited. Worth combining with Chi Lin, but not worth a special trip.
- Sik Sik Yuen: I didn't get to see it personally but my wife did. Apparently the top must-see spot. The most revered site among locals, who reportedly refuse to leave at closing time. Quite a unique place.
The People:
- Street smarts seem surprisingly low for such a major city.
- Despite the heat and humidity, everyone jogs. Dozens of people running along the waterfront at 9 PM.
- Everyone is very polite and helpful to each other.
- Heavy smokers.
- Despite the towering buildings, you can feel the poverty in the general population.
- Everyone hangs their laundry out the window vertically. In this humid, polluted air, how it ever dries is a mystery.
Food & Drink
Breakfast is a wild mix, everything from main dishes to noodles to dumplings.
- O'Thai: Superb food, great view. We went full tapas. Lobster sandwich, calamari, fish taco were the highlights. 5/5.
- Resbyne Restaurant: Wagyu, Bolognese pasta, orange salad, garlic bread, all solid. Very pleasant meal, just a bit cramped. Wine menu was mediocre. 4/5.
- NOC: Excellent coffee and breakfast. Western-style. 5/5.
- Above & Beyond: Outstanding wine list. Food is more adventurous Chinese — lobster soup, abalone and jellyfish were bold choices. Some dishes worked, some didn't. Dragon fruit soup dessert was a miss. 4/5.
- Scarlet Wine Bar and Restaurant: Food was excellent across the board. Limited by-the-glass options, which was disappointing. Their signature pike fish was outstanding. Salmon tartare and octopus were both superb. Great food, weak on wine. 4/5.
- Flames: Decent food but some menu items are only available as fixed packages with soft drinks that can be "upgraded" to house wine — but you can't pay the difference for the wine you actually want. No restroom inside. Risotto was good, beef was a bit tough. 3/5.
Tips & Advice
My final take: building this much concrete in such a beautiful tropical location was a massive missed opportunity. They've completely ruined a fantastic natural setting. The sea and waterfront reek. People either live here out of necessity, or they're ultra-rich living in luxury and happen to be from here.