One of the world’s great cities, Hong Kong is best known for its cloud-scraping skyline. Beyond those buildings, for those who dig a little deeper, the rewards are endless – streets where different cultures come together, where contemporary and traditional collide, and urban and nature sit side by side. Our guide to Hong Kong’s best neighbourhoods will help you find all that and more.
You see, a Hong Kong holiday isn’t just about exploring a city, it’s about delving into a rich conglomeration of neighbourhoods, each unique, each with its own history and culture, each offering something different to do, see, enjoy, and experience. It’s at this level that you’ll find true authenticity, when you’ll discover those memorable corners full of local charm, things that you’ll be so glad you didn’t miss.
So, how do you want to spend your time in Hong Kong? There really is something for everyone! Read on to find the best areas of Hong Kong to explore…
Central
Central is the quintessential image of Hong Kong, so of course it appears on a list of best neighbourhoods to explore! A tightly packed area of skyscrapers housing financial institutions and international corporations today, this is where Hong Kong began. Among the steel towers is where you’ll find the starkest fusion of East and West, on the atmospheric lanes where old temples hide and the very first businesses traded. Today, those traditional remnants stand side by side with world class eateries, vibrant bars, and contemporary art galleries and heritage arts venues like Tai Kwun. Central is also where you’ll find the iconic Victoria Peak Tram which will whisk you up to the city’s best viewpoint on top of Victoria Peak, and the Mid-Levels escalator, the world’s longest outdoor covered walkway system, an easy and convenient way to see the sights of the Mid-Levels neighbourhood.
West Kowloon
West Kowloon is always high on the list of best places in Hong Kong to explore, as an impressive collection of shopping areas, restaurants, and hotels, it is one of the top places for visitors to stay. It is home to the West Kowloon Cultural District, which is centred around three world class art and cultural institutions – M+, the Hong Kong Palace Museum and the Xiqu Centre, an area crisscrossed with paths and gardens that offer fabulous views over Victoria Harbour. This is the place to get your culture fix, from imperial artefacts to traditional opera performances. Don’t forget to look behind the modern façade for the network of alleyways where elderly artisans still practice traditional crafts like silk tailoring, mahjong making and jewellery making – they are a delight to explore.
Watching over it all is the ICC, Hong Kong’s tallest skyscraper, which sits on top of the Elements mall. Inside is the sky100 Observation Deck, on the 100th floor, which gives unparalleled 360° views over the city and the sea beyond. Up here you’ll also find exhibits on Hong Kong’s history and culture and Café 100 by The Ritz-Carlton, for tasty food with incredible views.
Yau Tsim Mong
Ok, a bit of a cheat here – Yau Tsim Mong is not one but three we’ve added to the list of Hong Kong’s best neighbourhoods! Occupying the end of Kowloon Peninsula, the component parts of Yau Tsim Mong are Yau Ma Tei, Tsim Sha Tsui and Mong Kok, Hong Kong’s most fascinating localities. Once occupied by a few quaint fishing villages, the area exploded into a maze of neon-lit streets, huge shopping malls and packed night markets and is the best place to explore, and get a taste of, the city’s incredible diversity. Here, street hawkers selling delicious street snacks sit metres from Michelin-starred restaurants and swanky high-rise hotels, market stalls selling everything from make up to electronics next to luxury, designer stores like Chanel and Louis Vuitton, the streets full of people from every walk of life, going about their days.
With its abundance of shops, restaurants, and hotels, Tsim Sha Tsui is wonderfully vibrant. There is plenty of culture to be discovered along its bustling streets as well as spectacular views across the harbour of Hong Kong’s iconic skyline. Connected to Central by the iconic Star Ferry, it is on Tsim Sha Tsui’s waterfront that tourists gather at 8pm every night to enjoy ‘A Symphony of Lights’, the magnificent multimedia light show that makes use of 40 of the soaring buildings across the harbour.
Mong Kok is one of the world’s most densely populated areas, a fascinating fusion of the historic mansions and modern high-rise buildings, its streets brightly lit with a plethora of neon signage. This is the place to come for excellent street food and for markets which are handily named, in the traditional style, after the items they sell. Head to Ladies Market for women’s clothing and cosmetics, to the Flower Market for flowers and plants, and the Bird Market for birds.
Once a small fishing village, Yau Ma Tei is now the home of traders, markets and a few lovely cultural sites. It’s here that you can practice your bargaining skills at the famous Temple Street Night Market and Jade Street, where you can shop for jade pieces, as well as visiting the old Tin Hau (goddess of the sea) temple, and the distinctively Art Deco Yau Ma Tei Theatre for some historical insight. There are also some excellent restaurants in the district, serving a diverse range of international cuisines – head to the quaint Mido Café, one of Hong Kong’s last cha-chaan-tengs (traditional diners) for a milk tea.
Sham Shui Po
Offering the best ‘local’ vibe of Hong Kong’s neighbourhoods and an eclectic collection of contrasts, Sham Shui Po is an old manufacturing district that once churned out textiles. The industrial architecture has been repurposed, to host unique boutique stores, coffee shops and studio space, creating a haven for shoppers, especially those who love to explore a treasure trove of retro. Hong Kongers, though, come for the food, dining in the family-run noodle cafes, Michelin-recommended dim sum restaurants like Tim Ho Wan, and to visit the street vendors who serve the best local snacks – we’d recommend it as one of the best foodie areas of Hong Kong to explore!
Sheung Wan
Arguably the coolest of all of Hong Kong’s neighbourhoods, Sheung Wan is a chic coming together of old and new. A lively area, popular with locals, you’ll find an eclectic collection of traditional – think Chinese herbal medicine shops, dried seafood, traditional coffin shops and incense fragranced temples like Man Mo, alongside all the trappings of modern Hong Kong. For coffee lovers, the café options are wide and wonderful, there are art galleries to wander and boutique shops to browse in. Food-wise there are even more choices, from sophisticated bistros to local gems like the Queen Street Cooked Food Market. The pace of life feels slower here compared to some of the other districts, and the old-world Chinese charm can be a welcome change to the overt contemporary of other parts of the city, making Sheung Wan a great place to explore.
Sai Kung
Hong Kong may be known as the ultimate urban destination, but not far from the skyscrapers there is a whole load of green great outdoors waiting. Sai Kung is Hong Kong’s best neighbourhood for locals looking for some of that great nature. Here, beyond the laidback Sai Kung Town with its seafood restaurants and cafes, are a whole wealth of outdoor things to do. There are golden beaches and swimmable bays, miles of walking trails across the Sai Kung Country Park, rolling green hills and traditional fishing villages and, excitingly, the Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark, featuring spectacular geological rock formations. Spend an afternoon exploring before returning to the town for a fresh fish dinner and drinks overlooking the beach.
As a destination, Hong Kong can be whatever you want it to be. It has food, shopping, history, beaches, culture, nature and everything in between. Explore it for yourself on one of our stopover itineraries – our three-day Hong Kong Glimpses or four-day Hong Kong in Focus itineraries or speak to us about creating an adventure of your very own.
