Anna Harrison takes a tour of the different districts to help you get acquainted.
The pumping economic heart of Central
Get straight to the heart of things in Central, the business district on Hong Kong Island.
This is the town of soaring skyscrapers and thousands of office workers. But it is also where you can take the old tram up the hill, past high-rises at impossible angles, to The Peak to orient yourself. From here you can see across to the Kowloon side of Hong Kong, enjoying the views and the fresh air above the bustling city. When night falls, sip a cocktail at the swanky Murray Lane bar or the new rooftop bar Popinjays (opening in July) and drink in the glittering skyline.
This area of town, around Hollywood Rd, is dotted with art galleries, antiques shops and little eateries and has a decidedly hipster vibe. This is where you'll spot Instagram stars posing in front of street art with photographers in tow. You too can jostle for position alongside the famous townhouses on Graham St. If you'd rather stuff your face than duck face, head to Tai Cheong Bakery, famous for its flaky egg tarts. Along Hollywood Rd is the PMQ, an old block that used to be the police married quarters, but is now a thriving arts hub where you can watch local designers at work and pick up a few presents for those back home. When it's time to eat, try Grassroots Pantry. Chef Peggy Chan specialises in recreating distinctive tastes from around the world using plant-based foods and a farm-to-table ethos and the result is inspiring — don't miss the popcorn "chicken" mushrooms.
Street art in the Old Town Central.
Old and new collide in Wan Chai
Wan Chai is the more down-to-earth cousin. One of the oldest neighbourhoods in Hong Kong, its neon signs and run-down apartments are slowly being replaced with trendy restaurants and bars. Lee Tung Ave, which used to be where you'd get your wedding invitations calligraphed, has been transformed into a string of boutique shops and cafes.
Down the end is Hay!, serving up Shanghai-based dishes in a nostalgic space with booths, old black-and-white photos, and the distinctive red lampshades of the markets.
A few blocks away is the Comix Home Base, a workshop and exhibition gallery for animation artists and aficionados. And downstairs you can find the Homeland Tea Garden where master May Chan takes tea appreciation classes. Walking into her shop is like stepping into the past, with packages of tea lined up along one side like an apothecary, and delicate porcelain cups on the other. Take a seat on one of the tiny stools and watch as she makes magic with the tea leaves.
Tourist hub of Tsim Sha Tsui
Take the cable car to Ngong Ping on Lantau Island. Photo / Anna Harrison
There's plenty more to explore on the Kowloon side of Hong Kong. Take the Star Ferry from Wan Chai across to Tsim Sha Tsui — these have been operating since 1888 and are a charming nod to the old way of life. This district is known for being packed with tourists making use of its shopping malls, hotels and restaurants. But the best spot is the Ocean Terminal Deck at Harbour City where you can watch the sunset over the water and the light shows across the skyline of Hong Kong Island. For exceptional traditional dishes, head to China Tang, a white-tablecloth venue under the direction of three Michelin-starred chef Albert Au Kwok Keung. Or if you prefer something a bit more fun, there's Yum Cha on Granville Rd. The dim sum is infused with a sense of humour, from the custard buns with little eyes, to the pineapple birds in a cage.
Find everything at Sham Shui Po
The markets in the old working-class neighbourhood of Sham Shui Po have everything.
Whole streets are dedicated to electronics, fabrics, gold, jade, beads and the flea market.
Shops overflow with dried fish maw, sea cucumbers, abalone, calamari, prawns, and all kinds of mushrooms. Try the street food: fried rolls, dumplings and fish balls and little steamed parcels topped with a fried chicken foot. Or head along to Kwan Kee Bamboo Noodle where they make noodles using the traditional bamboo method. There's plenty more street art to be found here too, including the rainbow bear on Tai Nan St. But don't leave before you check out Mei Ho House in the nearby Shek Kip Mei district. This H-shaped museum and hostel is an old resettlement block built after a huge shantytown fire left more than 50,000 people homeless in the 50s. It was the city's first attempt at mass social housing and the rooms are awfully small — 12sq m per family, with communal shower blocks down the hall.
Street food in Sham Shui Po.
Lantau Island of living history
On Lantau Island you can soak up some religious and cultural tradition. Take the cable car to Ngong Ping, soaring through the clouds and over the mountainous island. From there it's 268 steps up to the Big Buddha watching serenely over the mainland. You can also visit the hall of the 10,000 buddhas at Po Lin Monastery where the incense will make your eyes water. Take a taxi to the other side of Lantau Island and you'll find Tai O fishing village. This is built on stilts over the water and you can take a boat tour or just wander the alleyways, chatting with locals selling homemade shrimp paste from their back doors.
If you keep walking you'll get to the Heritage Hotel, a colonial building that used to be a police station guarding against pirates. Have lunch there or book a room for a romantic night away and head down to the pier to watch the sun set over the South China Sea.
Checklist
GETTING THERE Cathay Pacific flies daily from Auckland to Hong with Economy Class return fares from $1626.
ACCOMMODATION The Murray hotel is located along legendary Cotton Tree Drive in the heart of Hong Kong.
