Welcome to Hong Kong

Hong Kong is a city of vertical extremes. Nowhere else in the world do so many skyscrapers stand so close together, do so many people crowd into such a small space — and nowhere else is untouched nature just a bus ride away from concrete canyons. Hong Kong is adrenaline, chaos, and beauty in one breath.

• Victoria Peak & the Skyline — The skyline of Hong Kong Island, seen from Victoria Peak or the Tsim Sha Tsui Waterfront, is among the most spectacular cityscapes in the world. At night, when thousands of lights turn the skyscrapers into a light organ, the sight is simply overwhelming. The Symphony of Lights (every evening at 8 PM) illuminates the skyline with lasers and searchlights.
• Dim Sum — the Art of the Small Bite — Hong Kong is the dim sum capital of the world. Served in steaming bamboo baskets — Har Gau (shrimp dumplings), Siu Mai (pork dumplings), Char Siu Bau (BBQ pork buns), Cheung Fun (rice noodle rolls): A dim sum brunch is Hong Kong's culinary ritual, from street food to Michelin-starred restaurants.
• Star Ferry — the Most Beautiful Harbor Ride in the World — Since 1888, the Star Ferry has connected Hong Kong Island with Kowloon — a 10-minute crossing over Victoria Harbour that is as iconic as the city itself. For 2.70 HKD (0.30 €!), you get the best view of the skyline, the harbor, and the junks. National Geographic called it one of the "50 things you must do in your lifetime."
• Tian Tan Buddha & Lantau — At the summit of Lantau Island sits the Tian Tan Buddha (Big Buddha) — a 34-meter-high bronze statue that has watched over the mountains and the sea since 1993. The cable car ride (Ngong Ping 360) to it offers panoramic views of the mountains, the airport, and the South China Sea that you will never forget.
• Temple Street Night Market — When the sun sets, Hong Kong's oldest night market comes alive: Temple Street in Yau Ma Tei transforms into a maze of stalls selling everything — from jade jewelry to fake watches to freshly fried noodles, plus fortune tellers and Cantonese opera under the open sky.
• Nature Right at Your Doorstep — 40% of Hong Kong's area is nature reserves. Dreamy hiking trails (Dragon's Back, Lantau Peak, MacLehose Trail), secluded beaches, geoparks with volcanic rock formations, and fishing villages that look like they did 100 years ago — all within an hour from the center.
• Shopping Without Limits — Hong Kong is a free port: no VAT, no import duties. Electronics, clothing, jewelry, and luxury goods are often cheaper than elsewhere. From luxury boutiques in Central to malls in Causeway Bay to bargain bazaars in Mong Kok — shopping is a national sport here.
• The Most Efficient City in the World — Hong Kong's MTR (metro) is punctual to the second, the Octopus Card works everywhere (train, bus, 7-Eleven, supermarket), and the city is so densely built that everything is within walking distance or reachable by MTR. No waiting, no standstill — Hong Kong is efficiency as a way of life.

Hong Kong is not a city for relaxing — it is a city for marveling, eating, discovering, and being overwhelmed. Whether for 3 days or 3 weeks: This city will not let you go.

Hong Kong consists of three main areas plus the outlying islands — each with its own character:

Hong Kong Island — Central & Victoria Peak

For whom: First-time visitors, business travelers, skyline fans
The financial and business center with the famous skyline, Victoria Peak, the Mid-Levels escalators, the bars in Lan Kwai Fong, and the temples in Sheung Wan. Here beats the business heart, but also the cultural one — PMQ, Man Mo Temple, and Hollywood Road are full of galleries and antique shops.

Kowloon — Tsim Sha Tsui & Mong Kok

For whom: Foodies, shoppers, night market fans
The opposite side of Victoria Harbour: Tsim Sha Tsui (TST) with the waterfront promenade and the best skyline view, Mong Kok with the Temple Street Night Market, the Ladies' Market, and the Goldfish Market. Denser, louder, more authentic than Hong Kong Island — the real Hong Kong experience.

Lantau — Big Buddha & Nature

For whom: Nature lovers, spiritual seekers, day-trippers
Hong Kong's largest island: the Tian Tan Buddha (Big Buddha), the Po Lin Monastery, the Ngong Ping 360 cable car, Tai O (the "Venice of Hong Kong" with stilt houses), and Lantau Peak for sunrise hikers. The airport is also located here.

New Territories & Outlying Islands

For whom: Hikers, nature enthusiasts, explorers
The surprisingly green hinterland: the MacLehose Trail (100 km long-distance hiking trail), the UNESCO Global Geopark rocks in Sai Kung, secluded beaches in Clearwater Bay, the fishing village Tai Po, and the car-free islands Lamma and Cheung Chau with waterfront fish restaurants.

1. Sunset from Victoria Peak — Take the Peak Tram (the steepest funicular railway in the world) up to the Peak and enjoy the view over the skyline, the harbor, and Kowloon as the city below you glows with millions of lights. The most iconic view of Hong Kong. → Chap. Hong Kong Island
2. Star Ferry at Dusk — The 10-minute crossing between TST and Central for 2.70 HKD — with Victoria Harbour, the junks, and the illuminated skyline as a backdrop. The most romantic commute in the world since 1888. → Chap. Kowloon
3. Dim Sum for Brunch — Sample the steaming bamboo baskets in a traditional dim sum restaurant (yum cha): Har Gau, Siu Mai, Char Siu Bau, Cheung Fun, Egg Tarts. The culinary ritual that defines Hong Kong. → Chap. Understanding
4. Visit Tian Tan Buddha — Climb the 34-meter-high bronze statue on Lantau over 268 steps, let your gaze wander over the mountains and the sea, and enjoy the tranquility of the Po Lin Monastery. Best reached via Ngong Ping 360 (crystal cabin!). → Chap. Lantau
5. Temple Street Night Market — The organized chaos of a real night market: stalls with jade, watches, and curiosities, fortune tellers, Cantonese opera under the open sky, and food stalls with freshly fried noodles and seafood. From 6 PM to midnight. → Chap. Kowloon
6. Dragon's Back Hike — Hong Kong's most famous hiking trail: an 8.5 km ridge along the southeast coast of Hong Kong Island with panoramic views of the sea, Shek O Bay, and Big Wave Bay. Awarded by CNN as "Asia's best urban hike." → Chap. New Territories
7. Lan Kwai Fong at Night — Hong Kong's legendary party district in Central: a steep alley full of bars, clubs, and restaurants where bankers, expats, and tourists celebrate together. On weekends, the street is bursting at the seams. → Chap. Hong Kong Island
8. Symphony of Lights — Every evening at 8 PM: the world's largest permanent light and sound show, where over 40 buildings on both sides of Victoria Harbour are illuminated with lasers, searchlights, and LED displays. Best spot: TST Waterfront. Free of charge. → Chap. Kowloon
9. Visit Tai O Fishing Village — The "Venice of Hong Kong": a stilted fishing village at the western end of Lantau, where time has stood still. Dried fish, dolphin tours, shrimp paste, and an atmosphere that keeps old Hong Kong alive. → Chap. Lantau
10. Ride the Mid-Levels Escalators — The world's longest covered escalator system (800 m, 135 meters in height): in the morning, the escalators go downhill (to the business district), in the evening uphill (to the restaurants in SoHo). Along the way: street art, cafés, antique shops. → Chap. Hong Kong Island
11. Mong Kok Market Hopping — The densest, loudest, most overwhelming district of Hong Kong: Ladies' Market (clothing), Goldfish Market (aquatics), Flower Market (orchids), and Sneaker Street (sneakers) — all within a few blocks. → Chap. Kowloon
12. Man Mo Temple in Sheung Wan — Hong Kong's oldest temple (1847): giant incense coils hang from the ceiling, golden light filters through the smoke, and the gods of literature (Man) and war (Mo) preside in the semi-darkness. One of the city's most photogenic places. Free of charge. → Chap. Hong Kong Island
13. Egg Tart at Tai Cheong Bakery — Hong Kong's most famous bakery (since 1954, former favorite of Chris Patten, the last British governor) serves the perfect egg tarts: crispy shortcrust pastry, creamy egg custard filling, warm from the oven. 10 HKD each. → Chap. Understanding
14. Explore Cheung Chau Island — The car-free island an hour by ferry from Central: fish restaurants, Mini-Great-Wall (coastal hike), Bun Festival in May, and the most relaxed atmosphere in all of Hong Kong. Perfect half-day trip. → Chap. New Territories
15. Rooftop Bar over the Skyline — Hong Kong's rooftop bars are among the best in the world: Ozone (ICC Tower, 118th floor — the highest bar in the world), Sevva (overlooking the Bank of China), Aqua Spirit (TST, view of the skyline). A cocktail costs 120–180 HKD, but the view is priceless. → Chap. Hong Kong Island