I did not think I would like Hong Kong as much as I did!
There's a version of this trip where I spend 24 hours in Hong Kong, grab a bowl of noodles, take a few photos of the skyline, and move on.
That version didn't happen.
What started as a quick layover turned into three full days in one of the most unexpectedly captivating cities I've ever visited — and honestly? I'm not even a little sorry.
A City With Two Souls
If you don't know the history, Hong Kong can feel a little puzzling at first. It has the density and energy of a major Chinese city, but something about it feels distinctly different from the mainland. There's a reason for that.
Hong Kong was under British rule for 156 years — from 1841, when Britain first seized the island during the First Opium War, until July 1st, 1997, when sovereignty was officially handed back to China. For over a century and a half, Hong Kong developed its own distinct identity: a fusion of Chinese culture and British colonial influence, operating under its own legal system, economy, and way of life. When the handover happened, China agreed to honour a "one country, two systems" framework, preserving Hong Kong's autonomy for 50 years.
The result? A city that feels unlike anywhere else on earth. Walking through its streets, I kept thinking: this is what New York City would feel like if it were built in China. Cosmopolitan, fast-paced, packed with international residents and business travellers, yet rooted in something deeply, distinctly its own. Far from diminishing the city's character, that Western influence adds a fascinating layer to it. Hong Kong doesn't feel like a city that's confused about its identity — it feels like a city that's made peace with having more than one.
The Island vs. The Mainland
Here's something worth knowing before you go: Hong Kong is not just one place. There's the Kowloon Peninsula — the mainland side — and then there's Hong Kong Island, sitting just across Victoria Harbour.
I preferred the Island, without question. It reminded me of Brooklyn: trendier, more creative, a little more neighbourhood-y. The bars and restaurants feel more curated, the streets more interesting to wander. But the mainland holds its own charms — the waterfront boardwalk offers an iconic view of the Island's glittering skyline, and it's where you'll find the Bruce Lee statue, a tribute to a genuine Hong Kong legend. My dad grew up watching kung fu movies, so standing in front of that sculpture hit differently. It's a small thing, but those are the moments travel is made of.
Getting between the two sides is an experience in itself. The Cross-Harbour Tunnel — first opened in 1972 and still one of the busiest tunnels in the world — runs 1.86 kilometres beneath Victoria Harbour, connecting Kowloon with Hong Kong Island. It's the kind of infrastructure you don't think twice about when you're in a taxi moving through it. But from the air, on approach to the city? It looks incredible — cars and buses vanishing under the water and reappearing on the other side. One of those views that stays with you.
A City Built Upward (and Outward, and Downward)
Hong Kong doesn't sprawl — it stacks. With limited land and a booming population, the city has mastered the art of building vertically, and the effect is something you have to see in person. Towers rise improbably from hillsides. Rooftop bars perch above shopping malls. Hidden staircases connect neighbourhoods separated by elevation.
Speaking of hills — I genuinely wasn't prepared for how hilly Hong Kong Island is. You can walk for hours, turn a corner, and find yourself climbing a winding outdoor staircase that opens onto a completely different street, a café you'd never have found otherwise, a view that stops you in your tracks. It's the kind of city that rewards wandering.
The outdoor escalators of the Mid-Levels Escalator system are worth a mention too — the longest outdoor covered escalator system in the world, ferrying commuters (and curious visitors) up and down the hillside. You'll stumble across it mid-wander and wonder how you'd never heard of it before.
The Food: Yes, It's Worth the Hype
Instagram has done Hong Kong's food scene both a favour and a slight disservice. Yes, there are viral spots. Yes, the queues can feel performative. But trust me on this: the hype is largely deserved.
My favourite meal of the entire trip was a humble bowl of noodle soup from a Michelin-starred restaurant that was, by all appearances, a hole-in-the-wall. Cash only. No frills. Absolutely extraordinary. The fact that a place like that can earn a Michelin star tells you everything you need to know about the seriousness with which this city takes its food.
We also visited Carbone — the legendary Italian-American restaurant that started in New York and somehow feels just as at home in Hong Kong. It didn't disappoint. And if you only do one sweet thing while you're there, make it the Portuguese egg tarts from Bakehouse. Crispy, flaky, custardy perfection. You'll eat one and immediately want another.
The Ladies' Market
No visit to Hong Kong is complete without an evening at the Ladies' Market on Tung Choi Street in Mong Kok. Stretching over a kilometre with hundreds of stalls, it's a glorious organised chaos of knock-off designer goods, trinkets, souvenirs, clothing, gadgets, and street food. The air smells like curry fishballs. Everyone is bargaining. The neon lights are at full strength.
We picked up our souvenirs here, pushed through the crowds, and soaked in the energy of one of the most genuinely local street-shopping experiences I've encountered anywhere in the world. Go in the evening. Bring cash. Don't accept the first price.
A Gateway to All of China
One last thing worth mentioning for anyone planning a broader Asia trip: China's high-speed rail network is genuinely extraordinary. Fast, comfortable, and remarkably affordable, it connects Hong Kong to major cities across the country with ease. If you're already making the journey to this part of the world, consider building in time to explore beyond Hong Kong — cities like Guangzhou, Shenzhen, or even further afield are just a train ride away.
Would I Go Back?
Without hesitation.
Hong Kong surprised me in the best possible way. It's a city of layers — historical and modern, East and West, vertical and labyrinthine — that reveals itself slowly to the people willing to walk its hills and duck into its side streets. Three days felt like both too much and not nearly enough.
If you're planning a trip to Asia and wondering whether Hong Kong deserves more than a layover — it does. Give it the time it's earned.
Planning a trip to Asia or China? I'd love to help you put it together — reach out!