By Hana R. Alberts

Lin Heung Kui Restaurant
Head here for a down-at-the-heels rendition of this quintessential brunch-time meal. It’s a Cantonese tradition so old that establishments like this used to have a dedicated place for patrons to hang the birdcages containing their inseparable avian friends. Today, rickety carts piled high with steaming bamboo baskets are pushed by surly matrons, navigating between tables filled with three generations out for their weekly family reunion. Embrace the brusque atmosphere and choose from among the steaming dumplings, buns, rice rolls, egg tarts, and more.
2/F-3/F, 46-50 Des Voeux Road West, Sheung Wan

Ozone
To discover what’s touted as the highest bar in the world, head to the 118th floor of the year-old Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong for a killer (if pricy) cocktail and a view of the iconic, glittering skyline from on high. Atop the tallest skyscraper in the city, Ozone’s open-air section is unique, complete with high stools, comfy couches, and binoculars for urban gazing, while the interior is cheerfully glitzy. Dress to impress.
International Commerce Center, 1 Austin Road West, West Kowloon;
ritzcarlton.com/en/properties/hongkong/dining/ozone

Private Kitchens
High rents and a shortage of space have led to the prevalence of private kitchens, which are typically located in converted apartments on the upper floors of buildings. In these hidden environments, entrepreneurial chefs cook up multicourse meals in cuisines from Chinese (try the beloved mainstay Yellow Door) to French (at the whimsically decorated Le Blanc) to a fusion of the two (found at Fa Zu Jie). One favorite of residents, Yin Yang, is housed in a historic Chinese tenement building and run by chef Margaret Xu Yuan, who uses locally grown ingredients and employs old cooking techniques learned in the Hakka villages of the New Territories. Call in advance.
18 Ship Street, Wan Chi;
www.yinyang.hk

Star Ferry
Join the throngs of commuters and blue sailor-suited crew members on the Star Ferry, which has been crisscrossing Victoria Harbour for 125 years. The lumbering white-and-green boats are not merely historic but also practical; it’s much easier than the subway to get between the Central neighborhood’s business district and Tsim Sha Tsui’s hotels, shops, museums, and other attractions, and the fare is a paltry 25 cents each way. For the price of a Star Ferry ticket, you get to gaze at various vessels chugging their way through the fabled waterway, plus observe Hong Kong’s densely packed cityscape on both sides, verdant mountains rising in the background. It’s the best bargain in town.
Central Pier 7 and Tsim Sha Tsui Pier;
www.starferry.com.hk

Lan Kwai Fong
The biggest party in town isn’t for everyone. This stretch of sidewalk is closed off to cars at night and lined with bars and restaurants stacked several stories high. Hong Kong’s lack of open-container laws means that the revelry can—and does—spill out into the streets, complete with blaring pop music and impromptu outdoor dance parties. Grab a drink from one of the watering holes (or 7-Eleven, because, you know, you can) and join the crowds if you dare. Otherwise, quickly take in the scene and seek refuge in a quieter nightspot nearby, like whisky specialist Angel’s Share, Blck Brd’s alfresco terrace, or the indie, back-alley Club 71.
Lan Kwai Fong, D’Aguilar Street and Wyndham Street, Central;
lankwaifong.com

Yau Ma Tei Theatre
Hong Kong’s unrelenting modernity has spelled the end for many traditional art forms, but Cantonese opera is putting up a fight. The recently opened Yau Ma Tei Theatre, in a refurbished old cinema, aims to revitalize the art by nurturing young talent and staging performances almost every night. While these melodramatic displays by elaborately costumed, heavily made-up singers may not be to everyone’s taste, the neighborhood itself is home to a pretty temple, one of the city’s most famous night markets, old-fashioned cooking-supply stores, and tons of street food. Walk north to Mong Kok (and its many bazaars) before an evening’s show for an amble through one of the densely populated areas in the world.
6 Waterloo Road, Yau Ma Tei;
www.lcsd.gov.hk/ymtt

The Big Buddha
Funny how one of Hong Kong’s most famous tourist attractions was built less than 20 years ago. But the best part about getting to this giant outdoor bronze statue is the cable-car ride there and back, which swings above the rolling hills of Lantau Island and offers some stellar panoramas of the South China Sea. So ignore the kitschy village around the Buddha and enjoy the scenery. You can even embark on a walk in the quiet countryside around the statue, or take a bus
to Tai O fishing village, Cheung Sha Beach, or the seaside town of Mui Wo to enjoy more of rural island life. Little-known fact: Hong Kong is made up of some
260 islands, and it would be a shame
to limit yourself to its urban centers.
Tian Tan Buddha, Lantau Island,
np360.com.hk

Custom Tailors
Bespoke clothing has been the quintessential souvenir of Hong Kong since the colonial era, and though these days it might be cheaper to get a suit custom-made or a dress copied in China or Vietnam, both classic establishments and cutting-edge upstarts are still clothing Hong Kong’s elite. Fitted suits from Italian fabrics are impeccably made at W.W. Chan, while the Armoury and Moustache are younger, hipper haberdashers. Get basic button-downs at Jantzen or more tricked-out ones at Cuffs, and, of course, head to Linva Tailors (at 38 Cochrane Street in Central) for the sexy, elegant cheongsams that Maggie Cheung made famous in Wong Kar-Wai’s In the Mood for Love.
wwchan.com; thearmoury.com; moustachehongkong.com; cuffs.hk

The Peak
Once the exclusive bastion of Hong Kong’s rich and famous when “coolies” had to lug goods and people up and down the mountain, The Peak has changed a bit. OK, so it may still be home to that echelon, but at least there’s now a sharply angled funicular, buses, and taxis to lug you up. Eschew the mall and unnecessary ticketed observation deck and circumnavigate the summit instead, along the little circuit formed by Lugard and Harlech roads—you’ll quickly leave the hordes of tourists behind and be rewarded with 360-degree views of the city and its natural surroundings. Plenty of other hikes start from the Peak, so check them out if you’re up for a longer escape from the city.
thepeak.com.hk

The Tram
The charming, crowded 108-year-old tramway traverses tracks that span almost the entire northern shore of Hong Kong Island, from Kennedy Town in Western District to Shau Kei Wan on the eastern side. Take a ride of any length for a quarter of a dollar or splurge to hop on and off throughout the route, which passes along some of Hong Kong’s classic (and most disparate) sights. From the dried-seafood shops of Sheung Wan and trendy, up-and-coming areas like Gough Street to the joggers and tai chi practitioners in Victoria Park—the tram rattles by them all. The best journey, though, is the one that ends at the Happy Valley Racecourse: most Wednesday nights between September and June, you can enjoy this vestige of British rule with throngs of locals and expatriates by placing a small bet on a lucky horse.
hktramways.com

Hana R. Alberts, the associate editor of HK Magazine, has written about Hong Kong for Forbes, The Wall Street Journal Asia, Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia and BBC Travel.

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