The history of Hong Kong Establishment Day

On the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong SAR Establishment Day, we look back on how Hong Kong came to be under British rule from 1841 to 1997. (Save for violent Japanese occupation from 1941 to 1945.) In order to understand this and how Hong Kong’s time as a British colony ended, we look back at the tenuous state of trade between China and Western powers during the late Chinese Imperial era.

In the 18th and early 19th centuries, there was a great demand for Chinese products (especially tea, silk, and porcelain), tipping the balance of trade in China’s favour. In particular, the British had developed a strong taste for tea. Furthermore, trade between China and the West took place within the restrictions of the Canton System, effectively subjecting foreign trade to regulations imposed by the Chinese government. The system stated that trade could only happen at one Chinese port: Canton (called Guangzhou today); and only through licensed Chinese merchants. 

In an attempt to right this trade imbalance, the British East India Company started quietly importing opium to China, reversing the flow of silver into the Asian economy and leading to widespread addiction in the population.

Opium had already been used for mostly medicinal purposes in China for centuries. But when imports started pouring in, more and more people began smoking it as a recreational drug. With millions of addicts by the mid-1800s, the Chinese government recognized the problem and banned the production and importation of opium.

In 1839, a government official, dedicated to eliminating the “evil” of the illegal opium trade, seized and destroyed 2.6 million pounds of opium cargo from a group of merchants. The British government backed the merchants, citing the principle of free trade, and sent its navy forces to China. These tensions led to the breakout of the first Opium War. 

Historians attribute Chinese defeat in 1842 to Britain’s advanced weapon technology and superior naval strength. The British negotiated the signing of the Treaty of Nanjing. Among the stipulations that overwhelmingly benefitted themselves, the treaty allowed British merchants to trade at five additional ports, called the “treaty ports,” and with anyone they wanted. Also among the terms of the treaty was China’s cession of the island of Hong Kong.

Why take over Hong Kong?

Although lacking in natural resources, Hong Kong has a deep-water harbour sheltered by granite hills, making it an ideal port for British ships to ground and do repairs. With the Convention of Peking in 1860, the crown colony was expanded to include Kowloon; and the Second Convention of Peking in 1898 gave Britain a 99-year lease over the approximately 230 outlying islands that make up the New Territories. China called these, and a series of treaties the Qing dynasty signed with other empires during the 19th and 20th centuries, the unequal treaties.

For 150 years until the day we now call Hong Kong Establishment Day, Hong Kong became a critical link between China and the rest of the world. Until recently, about 90 percent of Chinese emigrants went through Hong Kong. Chinese people returning from travels in the West and Southeast Asia entered China through Hong Kong. Hong Kong imported goods that China couldn’t produce and exported goods internationally. It was a center for money remitted by overseas Chinese. Dr. Jack Hayes, professor of Chinese and Japanese history, calls the first Opium War “the beginning of the end of late Imperial China.”

The Sino-British Joint Declaration was signed in 1984 for China to resume sovereignty over Hong Kong. The special region was to be governed under the ‘one country, two systems’ policy for 50 years, until 2047.

When the British officially left on HKSAR Establishment Day, Hong Kong was left with a mostly expatriate police force, the pervasive architectural style of a shopfront with living quarters on the second floor and a balcony (imported from Singapore, another British colony), and a commitment to economic freedom and political stability. The handover ceremony culminated on July 1, 1997 in Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai.

HKSAR Establishment Day festivities on July 1, 2024

Since 1997, the July 1 public holiday had become a rallying point for pro-democracy protests. However, since 2020 pro-democracy rallies have been banned on the day.

In the midst of a serious pandemic wave in 2021, there was a light show instead of fireworks at Victoria Harbour. CE Carrie Lam attended the centenary celebrations in Beijing, marking the first time a Hong Kong chief executive was absent for the handover commemoration in the city.

HKSAR Establishment Day activities in 2024 include various freebies like:

• Star Ferry rides
• Tram trips
• Fortune Ferry journeys
• MTR Light Rail and New Territories bus trips
• Sun Ferry rides
• KMB and Long Win Bus rides for kids
• Entry to Hong Kong Wetland Park
• Guided tours
• Entry to government-run leisure facilities
• Museum exhibitions

Header image credits: Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library via WikiCommons

Charcoal Bar — Tsim Sha Tsui

One of the latest steakhouses in town. Created by LUBUD Group, Charcoal Bar is the latest addition to Harbour City in Tsim Sha Tsui. Overlooking Victoria Harbour, this innovative charcoal grill concept is the brainchild of two-Michelin-starred Chef Bjoern Alexander and Executive Chef Braden Reardon. Here, the art of live-fire cooking is reimagined, offering a feast of aged meats and fresh seafood, each expertly grilled over specially chosen firewood to enhance their unique flavours. From the Lychee Wood Smoked Op Rib to the Charcoal Grilled Eel, every dish showcases the chefs’ expertise. Even the desserts, such as the Charred Pineapple, are perfected with a charcoal touch.

Price Range: $$-$$$
Location: Shop OT G62, G/F, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui
Contact: Website | Instagram | Facebook | +852 2217 0088

The Den — Central

This non-assuming steakhouse in Hong Kong specialising in Australian wagyu steaks is hidden at the end of a path just off Bonham Road. Australian wagyu is known for being the closest match to Japanese wagyu, having more and better-distributed marbling than American wagyu. They offer seven cuts of succulent wagyu: rump, sirloin, ribeye, tenderloin, filet mignon, T-bone, and Tomahawk. If you feel like indulging, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a Tomahawk steak (HK$1,440 for 1kg steak) done better elsewhere.

8 Oaklands Path, Mid-Levels | +852 5496 9406

Feather & Bone — Multiple locations

Another place to find fantastic steak in Hong Kong is Feather & Bone, which started as a small butcher shop in a Central wet market and is now an award-winning grocer and butcher. Six of their 11 grocery locations across the city have a restaurant, a testament to their quality and, bonus, you’re likely to have one near you for a visit. Their hormone- and antibiotic-free meat sourced directly from farmers is flown into Hong Kong chilled, not frozen. As a butcher shop at its core, diners can pick the exact cut they want at the counter and get it grilled on the spot. The dry-aged rib-eye is excellent, and you can have it with one of their seven sauces – our gentle recommendation is the ‘nduja butter or one of the whole peppercorn mustards.

Multiple locations in Hong Kong

Backstreet Steak — Wan Chai

This no-frills steakhouse tucked away on Cross Lane behind Wan Chai Road doesn’t have any particularly special decoration or upscale environment, but the staff are extremely knowledgeable about food and the steaks’ high quality are on full display through Chef Oscar and team’s preparation. Our recommendations are the chuck short rib which yields an extremely rich, beefy flavour with evenly distributed fat (HK$360 or HK$560 with lunch or dinner set), or their famous Beef Wellington (HK$560 or HK$680, respectively). Backstreet Steak sources their beef from Brandt Beef, a Southern Californian ranch that has received the Seal of Excellence from the Master Chefs’ Institute. They also offer tasting menus ranging from HK$1,000 to HK$1,600 where Chef Oscar whips up six to 12 courses of mystery dishes.

Shop A Wing Shing Mansion, 7 Cross Ln, Wan Chai | backstreetsteak@icloud.com

Wooloomooloo Steakhouse — Wan Chai, Tsim Sha Tsui

Ask 10 people where to find good steak in Hong Kong, and chances are many of them will mention this one. Wooloomooloo Steakhouse is Wooloomooloo Prime’s older sister, the original flagship brand for Australian steak in an upscale setting. Cuts like the 3- to 4-week wet-aged filet mignon (HK$435 for 180g steak) from Queensland are oh-so-buttery. The Wan Chai location has incredible views of the city from 31 floors up (try to get the rooftop patio seating if you can), while the Tsim Sha Tsui location is located beside the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront. Both make for perfect, classy spots for an al fresco steak dinner.

Wan Chai: 31/F, The Hennessy, 256 Hennessy Rd | +852 2893 6960 (call) or +852 9258 6522 (WhatsApp)

Tsim Sha Tsui: No. 7 & 8, G/F, Tsim Sha Tsui Centre, 66 Mody Rd | +852 2722 7050 (call) or +852 9264 6822 (WhatsApp)

Kaen Teppanyaki — Central

Meaning ‘blaze’ in Japanese, Kaen Teppanyaki is a Japanese steakhouse part of the group of dining concepts, Forty-Five, located on the 45th floor of Landmark. Completely traceable wagyu, along with seasonal seafood and vegetables, are prepared using teppanyaki and Binchotan (cooking over odourless and smokeless white charcoal) techniques. The lunch sets start at HK$480 while the dinner tasting menus start at HK$1,680 for eight courses of seafood teppanyaki.

45/F, Forty-Five, Gloucester Tower Landmark, Central | +852 2155 9191

Buenos Aires Polo Club — Central

Is anyone surprised a Black Sheep restaurant made it onto the list? The crisp white tablecloths, wood panelling, and equestrian paintings of Buenos Aires Polo Club recall European member clubs of the early 1900s. They source grass-fed Black Angus beef from cows raised on the grasslands of Pampas, Argentina. The 240-oz ‘El Dorado’ Ribye (HK$988 at dinner time) is a monster in size and flavour, and the Crepe Flambé cooked tableside as well as the Fries Provenzal (fries tossed with duck fat, garlic, and parsley) are our picks off the menu. This steakhouse is a splurge for sure, but well worth the extra spend if you’re celebrating something.

7/F, 33 Wyndham St, Central | +852 2321 8681

The Steak House by Regent Hong Kong — Tsim Sha Tsui

Closed in 2020 for a renovation after 40 years of hosting A-list guests, the InterContinental Hong Kong has reopened as Regent Hong Kong in 2023. The Steak House, when it opened in the 80s, was the first steakhouse in the city to feature a charcoal grill. With its reopening, the reimagined restaurant brings a curated selection of in-house aged meats, seafood, and wines, along with the return of the venue’s famous salad bar. The space is evocative and elegant, with commissioned works by local contemporary artists and chefs performing culinary theatre at the iconic grill.

G/F, Regent Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Rd | +852 2313 2313

Bones & Blades — Sai Ying Pun

Bones & Blades is a steakhouse and delicatessen/butcher in Sai Ying Pun. Their focus is on honest, high-quality ingredients, serving only grass-fed animals conscientiously sourced from family-owned farms. Even their sauces are homemade, down to their own ketchup. Bones & Blades’ butchers are seriously knowledgeable and the calibre of the ingredients made apparent in the flavours is unmistakeable. We recommend the rump cap steak with flakey salt and the hamburger.

1 Second St, Sai Ying Pun | +852 2517 4266

Carver — Causeway Bay

Carver is a newly opened steakhouse a couple minutes from Times Square. Their best offerings are their dry-aged beef steaks cured in the limestone dry-aging cabinet set at the entrance of the restaurant, all of which are grilled over charcoal and served with their own jus. You’re not just paying for the steak, but the contemporary, stylish environment which is highly conducive to a special occasion! As such, we recommend visiting at lunchtime for the cost-effective five-course lunch menu (HK$318) which includes access to the salad bar, soup, cold appetisers, a main (the steak option is the U.S. Beef Striploin with an HK$70 supplement), and dessert. Another à la carte stand-out is the striploin dry-aged for 20 days with a coffee grounds crust (HK$498).

1/F, Crowne Plaza Hong Kong Causeway Bay, 8 Leighton Rd, Causeway Bay | +852 5978 5971

Sunset Grill — Tung Chung

Sunset Grill is a rooftop steakhouse set on the 19th floor of the five-star Sheraton Tung Chung hotel, with a sweeping view of Hong Kong International Airport. On the lower end of pricing, we recommend the juicy rib-eye with chimichurri (HK$398), while on the higher end, we recommend the 30-day dry-aged bone-in porterhouse (HK$1,298). (Tip: The lobster mac and cheese, although a bit pricey, is a delicious side.) We love that Sunset Grill has a huge patio space which makes a romantic setting for date night or sunset cocktails. They also have a nice list of signature cocktails anchored in local ingredients like the Honey Old Fashioned made with honey from Mui Wo or Lantau Mary made with Absolut infused with Tai O dried shrimp.

19/F, Sheraton Hong Kong Tung Chung Hotel, 9 Yi Tung Rd, Tung Chung, Lantau Island | +852 2535 0025

CARVER — Causeway Bay

A new modern steakhouse opened at Crowne Plaza Causeway Bay in 2023. Carver selects the finest cuts of meat from ranches in the US, Australia, and Japan and gives them proper dry-age treatment in the 13 foot high, in-house dry-aging cabinet. The elegant 2,000 sq.ft space is the foundation for diving into world-class beef steaks, seafood, and sommelier-led wine pairings, housing a marble-clad cocktail bar.

1/F, Crowne Plaza Hong Kong, 8 Leighton Rd, Causeway Bay | +852 5978 5971

Macelle — Central

A value-for-money steakhouse in Soho, you ask, how can it be? But it is – Marcelle is a butcher’s shop and one of the newest steak restaurants in Hong Kong that opened in late 2022 in Soho. Order at the butcher’s counter and they use a wood-fired grill and oven (versus a gas or electric, which don’t imbue the same smoky flavour) to prepare your protein to the preferred temperature, resulting in a perfectly seasoned, incredible quality steak for less than you would normally pay in Central. The express set lunch is just HK$165 for a 200-gram steak, soup, spicy meatballs, french fries, salad, foccacia, and dessert. For those looking for a ‘sea’ option, the tuna tartare is also delightful!

LG/F, Shama Soho, 9-11 Staunton St, Central | +852 5607 4860

Header image credits: Buenos Aires Polo Club

Ohana — Wan Chai

Ohana is a delightful tiki bar, offering an extensive selection of shisha options, including some with ice infusion for added refreshment. Indulge in unique cocktails like the “Tiki Jungle,” a tropical twist on the classic fruit punch, or the “The Glitzy Torch,” a passion fruit and elderflower blend that they ignite for a captivating experience. With a charming outdoor terrace adorned with greenery, Ohana transports you to a jungle-like setting, making it the perfect place to unwind and escape the stress of Hong Kong.

Address: 29/F, QRE Plaza, 202 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai
Working Hours: 5 pm–2 am (Monday to Wednesday), 5 pm–3am (Thursday to Saturday), 5 pm–2 am (Sunday)
Contact: Instagram | Facebook | +852 2648 0900

She Says Lounge — Tsim Sha Tsui

She Says, a shisha bar in Tsim Sha Tsui, offers a range of drinks, cocktails, teas, munchies, and premium shisha. Whether you prefer indoor or terrace seating, you can relax and enjoy unique “wookahs” for a distinctive hookah experience. Oscar and Rita lead the team at She Says, ensuring a welcoming atmosphere for guests to unwind and enjoy their time. Remember, happy hour is from 4.30 PM to 78PM, every day!

Address: 4/F, Soho Tower, 25 Hart Avenue, Tsim Sha Tsui, Tsim Sha Tsui
Working Hours: 4:30 pm–2 am (Every day, except Friday 2:30am).
Contact: Instagram | Facebook | +852 2330 0242

Shahrazad Lebanese Dining Lounge & Bar — Central

For a window into Lebanon in Hong Kong, you may need to visit Shahrazad Lounge & Bar in Central. If anything, you cannot fault the lounge on its ambiance, with the wall-to-wall set of folding windows that open right out to Wyndham Street, incredible mosaic wall art, and comfortable decor that invites you to sit for extended periods of time like you’re at a family friend’s home. Their shisha comes in a range of fruit and dessert-y flavours. If you’re looking for a beautiful, airy environment to smoke in, this should be at the top of your list.

Address: 2/F, Carfield Commercial Building, 77 Wyndham St, Central
Working Hours: 12pm–3 pm; 5:30–12 am, everyday
Contact: Website | Instagram | +852 2330 0242

J.Moon Lounge — Mong Kok

J.Moon is an all-rounder for cool atmosphere, fusion food (including tacos, pizza, and pasta), creative cocktails, and a large partially covered terrace for shisha. They’re currently releasing a series of cocktails based on the star signs! With an inviting, Instagrammable space theme and a small, focused shisha menu, J.Moon is a great spot for a long hangout. The large windows, which bring in a lot of light during the day, also make it a nice way to transition from a day to nighttime space.

Address: Pakpolee Commercial Centre, Unit 410-411, 4/F, 1A Sai Yeung Choi St S, Mong Kok
Working Hours: 2 pm–12 am (Monday to Thursday), 12 pm–2 am (Friday and Saturday), 12 pm–12 am (Sunday)
Contact: Instagram | +852 9545 5738

HYC Bar & Lounge — Tsim Sha Tsui

HYC offers up exactly what you might expect from a penthouse address. A hookah and gin lounge with a cool, minimal indoor space, the highlight is the see-through staircase leading up to the huge rooftop area, with unhindered views of Kowloon and the harbour. If you’re not a fan of gin, they also serve classic cocktails as well as drinks inspired by locales like Brazil and Okinawa. Setting HYC apart from other hookah spots is that they offer shisha sets made by Kalous and Shishabucks.

Address: 22/F, Nathan Hill, 38 Hillwood Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
Working Hours: 5 pm–2 am (Monday to Thursday), 5 pm–3 am (Friday & Saturday), 5 pm–2 am (Sunday)
Contact: Website | Instagram | Facebook | +852 2572 6388

He Says — Causeway Bay

The same group behind much-loved hookah lounge She Says, people regularly frequent He Says because of the wide range of shisha flavours, good wine list, and inviting environment. They also offer cocktails, and you can even ask your server to mix you up a custom flavour for your bowl. The best deals are during happy hour, and you’d be hard-pressed to find the same harbour view at a similar price point.

Address: 13/F, the L.Square, 459-461 Lockhart Road, Causeway Bay
Working Hours: 4.30 pm–2 am (Monday to Thursday), 4.30 pm–2.30 am (Friday & Saturday), 4.30 pm–2 am (Sunday)
Contact: Instagram | Facebook | +852 3188 4443

The Aces HK — multiple locations

The Aces is a provider of all things shisha – pipes, bowls, and flavours. Along with doing shisha rental delivery to your home, they partner with top tier bars and restaurants such as Alto, Babacio, and the China Bar in TST, bringing the same quality of shisha and service to all 15 partners. Their staff are always friendly and knowledgeable about their mixes and how to use the setups. Getting consistently high quality shisha and an incomparable variety of choice for incredible locations… can you ask for more?

Address: Depends on the branch (see here)
Working Hours: Causeway Bay, Tsim Sha Tsui, Tsim Sha Tsui East, Central, Jordan, Sheung Wan
Contact: Website | Instagram | Facebook

The Parallel — Central

Located in Central, not far from Tai Kwun, The Parallel has a special treat available Sunday to Thursday: the “Shisha Combo.” With this deal, you get to enjoy a shisha session along with two drinks of your choice. The atmosphere is cosy and soothing, with soft blue lighting creating a relaxed mood for your evening in Central. It’s a great place to relax and share some shisha with friends in a comfortable and welcoming environment.

Address: 9 Old Bailey St, Central
Working Hours: 5pm–12 am (Monday to Wednesday), 5pm–2 am (Thursday & Saturday), 5pm–4am (Friday)
Contact: Instagram | Facebook | +852 9880 8321

Sumac — Central

Another Lebanese lounge where you can enjoy a waterpipe, Sumac is just set apart from the busy inner workings of Central, with a moody atmosphere, delicious Middle Eastern food, and cozy separate shisha area with a terrace. If you need to line your stomach first, we suggest the hummus, succulent skewers, and generous amounts of pita. But the hookah, consistently lauded as quality and smooth, is what puts it on the map as a go-to lounge.

Address: 8 Glenealy, Central
Working Hours: 6pm–10 pm (Monday), 12–3 pm; 6–10 pm (Tuesday to Friday), 12–34pm; 6–10 pm (Saturday)
Contact: Website | Instagram | Facebook | +852 9594 1173

Header image credits: Awesome Sauce Creative via Unsplash

Bela Vista Villa — Cheung Chau

Bela Vista Villa (東堤小築, dung tai siu juk) is a complex of vacation condos on Cheung Chau island. Nicknamed the ‘Resort of Charcoal Suicide’, a rumour goes that a woman dressed in traditional red Chinese clothing killed her son and then committed suicide in one of the villas in 1989. It’s said that wearing this clothing when one dies makes one into a vengeful ghost.

Since 1989, the beachfront villas have been the site of tens more suicides. Another local legend says that a girl committed suicide in one of the villas by burning charcoal and then overdosing on pills, after her suicide threats were ignored by her boyfriend. The area is said to be shrouded in yin energy, and residents report seeing a ghostly female figure in the buildings and on Tung Wan beach.

Location: Cheung Chau Beach Rd N, Cheung Chau

High Street Ghost House — Sai Wan

Located on No. 2 High Street is Sai Ying Pun Community Complex. Now referred to by whisperers of ghost stories as High Street Ghost House, the building was previously the site of the Old Mental Hospital (舊精神病院, gau jing san beng yun), the granite facade and verandah of which have been preserved. Beginning operations in 1947, it was the first and largest psychiatric facility of its kind. The hospital was overcrowded and undermanned as Hong Kong’s population had quickly grown to 1.5 million. With little understanding about and stigma still surrounding mental illness, common psychiatric treatments included the use of drugs causing depressive symptoms or even deaths, electroconvulsive therapy, and in ‘severe’ cases, lobotomies. 

During WWII, Japanese soldiers commandeered the hospital and it was rumoured to be used as a mass execution hall. Bodies were supposedly buried in King George’s Park across the street. The hospital permanently closed down when Castle Peak Hospital opened in 1961. Tales of ghost sightings and associations with war deaths and mental illness are cast over the building.

Location: 2 High St, Sai Wan

Dragon Lodge — The Peak

What could be a highly desired property on the Peak is considered Hong Kong’s ‘most haunted house‘. The original owner of the Dragon Lodge mansion (龍廬, lung lou), estimated to have been built in the 1920s, went bankrupt, turning it over to a new owner who died inside the house; the third occupants were the Japanese army, some of whom reportedly decapitated Catholic nuns in the front yard.

At one point, the property was to be redeveloped by Hudson Group. However, the project was abandoned because the workers were convinced the site was haunted. Pictures taken by anonymous urban exploration group URBEX show gruesome scratches all over the wallpaper, mouldy mattresses, and an exterior overtaken by vines and overgrown grass.

Location: 32 Lugard Rd, The Peak

31 Granville Road — Tsim Sha Tsui

31 Granville Road is the site of the horrific 1993 ‘Hello Kitty’ murder. Twenty-three-year old club hostess Fan Man-Yee (敏儀) was taken captive by four people over a matter of a stolen wallet. She was tortured in the Tsim Sha Tsui flat on Granville Road for a month before being killed or succumbing to her injuries. 

Her captors then dismembered her, most gruesomely leaving her head inside a Hello Kitty doll in the apartment. Fan’s heinous murder was reported to the police by one of the perpetrators, a 14-year-old female who was in a relationship with another captor.

The residential building was demolished and a hotel built over the site in 2016.

Location: 31 Granville Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui

Bridges Street YMCA — Sheung Wan

The YMCA on Bridges Street is known to most as housing the city’s first indoor pool, but it has a darker origin story going back to the mid-20th century.

Japanese forces occupying the territory at the time used buildings on Bridges Street as barracks. When the Japanese army surrendered at the end of the Second World War, it’s said that a number of soldiers committed suicide in the barracks to avoid being tried for war crimes. Passersby have reported hearing sounds of military marching and crying coming from the YMCA building.

Location: 51 Bridges St, Sheung Wan

Tat Tak School — Yuen Long

Tat Tak School (達德學校, daak dak hok haau) was opened to provide schooling to Ping Shan villagers in Yuen Long district from 1974 to 1998. When the villagers resisted British eviction efforts, they were overcome and later buried on the site. Villagers fighting back against Japanese occupational forces were also killed and buried around the school. Further, shortly before the school closed, a headmistress wearing a red dress also supposedly committed suicide by hanging in one of the bathrooms.

Rumours of an ominous energy and sightings of the headmistress’ ghost were already rampant when a group of students explored the school in 2001, one of them turning hysterical and biting her fellow classmate inside the building. Since then, Tat Tak has sat in ramshackle ruin of abandoned furniture and debris.

Ping Shan, Yuen Long District

Cheung Sha Wan Abattoir — Cheung Sha Wan

The Cheung Sha Wan Abattoir was one of three main slaughterhouses in Hong Kong that slaughtered tens of thousands of pigs, cows, and sheep. After the abattoir’s closure in 1999, the building was commissioned to be an arts compound. However, the plan was abandoned when artists pushed back, saying it had a haunted atmosphere. Today the building sits derelict, protected by barbed wire and guards.

The abattoir is also well-known for the story of the ‘Spirit Buffalo’. In 1983, a buffalo about to be slaughtered cried out intensely and seemed to be begging for its life. The shocked workers released the animal to live out its life peacefully near a Tsz Wan Shan temple. After the buffalo’s death, a temple worker was visited in a dream by its spirit, proclaiming it was an animal deity. A statue was erected in front of the temple to honour the Spirit Buffalo.

Location: 757 Lai Chi Kok Rd, Cheung Sha Wan

Victoria Road Detention Centre — Pok Fu Lam

Also known as the Mount Davis Concentration Camp, a Special Branch of the Royal Hong Kong Police Force held political prisoners and suspected spies here during the 1967 Leftist riots. Nicknamed the ‘White House’, Victoria Road Detention Centre is also said to have been used to hold Taiwanese spies caught smuggling explosives to mainland China.

Dissidents imprisoned in the building have since revealed the poor conditions, describing ‘tin can’ single person cells lit 24/7 by blinding overhead lights that confused prisoners’ sense of time. Inmates were interrogated and tortured and could be held for unlimited amounts of time, with little accountability on the special police branch. The White House sat without signpost and unmarked on maps, a living monument of painful memory, until it started housing the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business in 2018.

Location: Junction of Victoria Rd and Mount Davis Rd, Pok Fu Lam

Nam Koo Terrace — Wan Chai

Called ‘Wan Chai Haunted House’, Nam Koo Terrace (南固臺, naam gu toi) was built by a wealthy Shanghai family circa 1915. It was then seized during the Japanese occupation and used as a military brothel, with women forced to provide ‘comfort’ to Japanese soldiers. Rumours of haunting began when an owner, To Chak-man, died of unknown causes inside the mansion during WWII.

Hopewell Holdings announced plans to demolish the Grade I historic building to make way for a hotel in 1993. Yet, no developments have occurred. Urban explorers and passersby tell tales of hearing people screaming from inside the house or seeing strange shadows in its dark windows.

Location: 55 Ship St, Wan Chai

Murray House — Stanley

Today, Murray House (美利樓, mei lei lau) overlooks Stanley Bay and houses day-tripping attractions. However, it first served as a British officers’ mess as part of the military complex erected in Central in 1844 after Hong Kong was ceded by China. During the 1941 Battle of Hong Kong, the Japanese army seized it for use as a military police headquarters. It housed torture chambers and jail cells, and up to 4,000 people are said to have been executed inside its walls.

After Japanese occupation, the building housed government workers. In 1963 and 1974, exorcisms were conducted to ease workers’ fears about strange supernatural activity. Few ghost sightings was reported after the exorcisms. When the land under Murray House was sold for a Bank of China branch in the 1980s, the structure was dismantled and later rebuilt where it stands today.

Location: 96 Stanley Main St, Stanley

So Lo Pun — New Territories

So Lo Pun is an abandoned Hakka village buried in the Northeastern corner of Hong Kong. The hazy story of why the villagers vanished, leaving their homes to crumble, and the tendency of compasses to stop working correctly in the area (which gives the village its name: 鎖羅盆 meaning ‘Locked Compass’), have fueled rumours that something menacing happened to the villagers. There are various tales, including an illness wiping out the majority of the Hakka residents. Another story goes that a large group of villagers were on their way to a wedding on boats when an accident resulted in the revellers dying; those who survived left So Lo Pun behind in sorrow. Whatever the true story is, visitors to the ramshackle remains have reported feeling strange energies in the area.

Location: So Lo Pun, Plover Cove Country Park, New Territories

Header image credits: Bob Mocarsky via WikiCommons

Formally called tropical cyclone warning signals, typhoon signals are meant to give the public plenty of warning about the potentially destructive effects of wind and rain associated with a tropical storm.

How do typhoons form?

‘Typhoon’ and ‘hurricane’ are different names for the same phenomenon of cyclones over the sea. The difference in terminology comes from where the storm occurs geographically. In North America and the Carribean, the term hurricane is used. In Southeast Asia, the same phenomenon is called a typhoon. The generic term tropical cyclone is used in the South Pacific and Indian Ocean.

This type of weather disturbance occurs when there is a tropical thunderstorm over warm oceans. The strong winds pull in moisture from the water, leaving a deficit of air near the water’s surface. More air rushes in to replace it, which also heats up and rises. All of this humid and warm air creates intense precipitation and wind which can cause monumental destruction on land.

A history of typhoon signals

The first method of warning the public about imminent severe winds was the typhoon gun. Placed in front of the Tsim Sha Tsui Police Barracks facing Victoria Harbour, the gun was fired once when a gale (a wind stronger than a breeze and lighter than a storm) was expected and twice when a typhoon force wind was expected.

In 1897, Hong Kong adopted the system for signalling severe weather invented by English navy officer Robert Fitzroy. In the original basic system, when strong winds were expected, signals were hoisted on a mast for passing ships to see. A black cone pointing upwards signaled a gale blowing in a northern direction, and a cone pointing down signaled a southernly gale. A cylinder shape, or ‘drum’, was added below to indicate a gale that may reach hurricane force. At night, when the shapes couldn’t be seen, lights were used to indicate the shapes: three dots formed a triangle, four dots formed a square.

Combined with a numbering system implemented in 1931, the basis of shapes behind these storm cone signals are still the primary weather warning system in Hong Kong today.

What do the typhoon signals mean?

There are five categories in the tropical cyclone warning system: 1, 3, 8, 9 and 10. The raising of signal 9 or 10 is rare and indicates that destructive force is expected.

Typhoon Mangkhut in September 2018, one of the most destructive typhoons to near Hong Kong since 1999, hit signal 10.

Typhoon Mangkhut wreaked havoc on infrastructure, smashing windows, separating roofs from buildings, interrupting electricity supply all over the city, and causing severe overcrowding on public transportation. Thankfully, the death toll was 0 and in the wake of the monster storm several memes were born.

So, why are there missing numbers in the tropical cyclone warning system? The original standardized numbering system was proposed by a conference of Eastern Asia weather bodies and did include 2, 4, 5, 6, and 7.

However, the hazards indicated by 2 and 4 were already conveyed in Hong Kong’s existing shape signals so they were omitted. Numbers 5 to 8 indicated the same wind severity but in different directions, and in 1973 these were changed to “8 + corresponding wind direction” to simplify the numbers’ meanings. Now, the public could understand at a glance that a bigger number meant a stronger wind.

Signal	Name	Meaning
	Standby Signal No. 1	A tropical cyclone is within approximately 800 kilometres of Hong Kong and may affect the territory.
	Strong Wind Signal No. 3	Strong wind is blowing or expected to blow near sea level, with gusts which may exceed 110 km/h. Public transportation continues to run, but some cruises and flights may be cancelled. Kindergartens will close.
	No. 8 Northwest Gale or Storm Signal	Gale or storm force wind is blowing or expected to blow near sea level, with gusts that may exceed 180 km/h. Public transport, ferries, offices, schools, and stores close.
	No. 8 Southwest Gale or Storm Signal	See above.
	No. 8 Northeast Gale or Storm Signal	See above.
	No. 8 Southeast Gale or Storm Signal	See above.
	Increasing Gale or Storm Signal No. 9	Gale or hurricane force wind is increasing or expected to increase significantly.
	Hurricane Signal No. 10	Hurricane force wind is blowing or expected to blow with gusts that may exceed 220 km/h.

Here is what to do during a typhoon in Hong Kong:

• T1: There is a storm nearby that may become a typhoon. Factor this possibility into outdoor plans, being mindful that strong winds may occur over offshore waters. Keep an eye out for weather updates on the HKO website or app, TV, and radio.
• T3: Low-lying areas may experience flooding or seawater backflow. Secure loose objects or take them indoors.
• T8: Winds are expected to reach gale force within 12 hours after this signal is issued. Return home or find other shelter well above sea level that can withstand gale force winds. If it’s safer to stay at work, do so. When the weather deteriorates suddenly and a no. 8 is expected in under 2 hours, a special pre-no. 8 announcement is made.
• Storm Signal 9 and T10: All safety precautions should be completed (i.e. under safe shelter, stocked up on water and food for a few days, large windows taped). Stay indoors and away from exposed windows and doors.

Other weather warnings

There are other warnings issued separately from the tropical cyclone warnings. The latter exclusively indicate the threat of winds associated with a cyclone. Combined with warnings for rainstorms or landslips, the HKO can create a clearer picture of what to expect and how to prepare for potential danger.

Rainstorm Warnings

Amber: Heavy rain exceeding 30 mL/hr has or is expected to fall, with possible flooding in low-lying areas and areas without sufficient drainage. You should: attend public examinations as normal, avoid bodies of water that may flood, and keep an eye out for heightened warnings.

Red: Heavy rainfall exceeding 50 mL/hr has or is expected to fall, which is likely to cause serious flooding, river overflow, and/or traffic jams. You should: stop working if your job requires you to be outside, but go to indoor work as usual if transportation is running normally and it’s safe to do so.

Black: Very heavy rainfall exceeding 70mL/hr has or expected to fall. You should: stay indoors until rain has passed, stop working and find shelter if you’re required to be outside, stay at work if it’s safer than returning home, or go to a temporary shelter operated by the Home Affairs Department if you have nowhere safe to go. (Call emergency hotline 2835 1473 to find the shelter nearest to you.)

Sometimes, the weather worsens so suddenly that a red warning is issued without a preceding amber, or a black warning is issued without a preceding red.

Strong Monsoon Signal

This signal is issued when winds associated with monsoon are at or exceeding 40km/h near sea level. The winter monsoon occurs from October to March, and the summer monsoon occurs from April to September. You should: bring objects likely to be blown away indoors, stay away from the shoreline as rough swells may affect the coast, and be aware of strong winds on freeways if you’re driving.

Special Announcement on Flooding in the Northern New Territories

This warning is issued when heavy rainfall makes flooding occur or likely to occur in the northern New Territories areas of Pat Heung, Kam Tin, Yuen Long, Ngau Tam Mei, San Tin, Sheung Shui, Ta Kwu Ling, and Sha Tau Kok. There have been enough cases of isolated rainstorms and subsequent flooding occurring in these lay-lowing regions to warrant a separate warning. A specialized announcement like this can be very important because avoiding false calls in unaffected areas keeps people sensitive to signals when they do affect them directly.

How do I know what the current typhoon signal is?

Go to the HKO website or call the Dial-a-Weather service at 1878 200. The Hong Kong Observatory posts the current tropical cyclone warning here.

If a typhoon signal has not been issued yet but the weather is becoming increasingly dangerous, it may be helpful to take a look at these radar images that track rain movement. The Observatory updates the page every 6-12 minutes showing the location, intensity, and direction of rain in and around Hong Kong.

Hong Kong Disneyland Halloween activities

Once again, villain characters from the Disney films will roam the park, inviting guests to join the dark side of the Disney universe for the night. Of course, the park will turn into a spooky town filled with Halloween delights and games.

The well-liked ‘Let’s Get Wicked’ musical will return, turning Maleficent, Cruella, Ursula, and Mother Gothel from supporting characters into the stars. The all-ages show will be an electric, hair-raising drama with performances of songs from the protaganists’ movies.

Limited edition Halloween merchandise

Guests can dress for the occasion with merch like the Maleficent light-up headband, the Disney Villains headband that you can personalise with your favourite mini plush toys, a glowing necklace, and a mystery box filled with one surprise plush keychain of four available characters, available only during the Halloween season.

Hong Kong Disneyland’s Halloween festivities will end on October 31, 2023.

Image credits: Courtesy Hong Kong Disneyland Resort

The oOOMA Body, Art & Mind Retreat was thus born.

A unique combination of two practices: Pilates and art, the retreat will be held over 4 nights and 3.5 days in October at a tranquil heritage resort in Chiang Mai. Not only a boutique resort with award-winning design, but a living and breathing cultural memory, the venue is a truly special setting for this one-of-a-kind experience.

Friends and teachers of more than two decades

American poet Mark Van Doren said, “The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery.” Your teachers during the retreat, Eleanor McColl and Ruth Hogg, have each been teaching in their respective fields for 23 years.

Ruth Hogg is a Polestar certified Pilates teacher with a background in classical ballet, having studied at the Royal Academy of Dance in London. She is the owner of RH+Studio which offers pop-up and livestream Pilates classes, and is praised for providing a personal individual touch even in a class of many.

Eleanor McColl has been a practising artist for 23 years, exhibiting at numerous fairs in Hong Kong and abroad. She passes on her passion for art by teaching at her studio when she’s not working on creating her own collections. Eleanor recently launched a brand of homeware and products inspired by her original works of art, which are themselves inspired by Hong Kong’s vibrant culture.

The name of the retreat, “oOOMA”, comes from combining the first letters of the names of the two teachers’ children – Olive, Otto, Oscar, Max, and Arthur. Friends for 24 years, Ruth and Eleanor attribute their harmonious ability to create a warm and inviting environment for students to their close friendship.

A retreat benefitting the body and mind for all

Held from 20thto 24th October, 2023 at the Kaomai Lanna Resort in Northern Thailand, the oOOMA Body, Art & Mind Retreat will not only be for experienced artists or Pilates practitioners.

The daily free-flow art and Pilates sessions held on the grounds will be accessible to all levels, limited to small group sizes that’ll allow for individual attention for both novice and experienced participants. Indeed, Eleanor has a unique way of bringing the artist out of everybody: “Of course you’re learning art techniques, but it’s mainly about exploring your feelings and thoughts in an unfettered way. You really don’t have to be the next Picasso.”

The most valuable part of the experience for the pair, they say, is hearing stories of participants’ perspectives about art or Pilates shifting after the retreat:

“oOOma Retreat was an absolute delight. After being slightly sceptical of my artistic abilities I was quickly put at ease by Eleanor’s instruction techniques and thoroughly embraced it. Beginning the day with Ruth for Pilates surrounded by the sound of nature was just magical. I left feeling completely relaxed and rejuvenated. The location was inspiring and peaceful. I look forward to hopefully joining another retreat soon.”

Gia Ferguson, participant who travelled from Sydney

The semi-structured format of the retreat allows participants to take from it what they need. Whether joining with a partner, a friend, or alone, all are welcome to bond in the shared experience as well as to take time to go deep within for some necessary alone time. “We want people to get meditative benefits without feeling like they’re meditating.” Ruth says. “The experience offers so much more than just art or Pilates.”

You may be asking, why combine art and Pilates at all? The beauty of pairing two practices together is that it offers something for everybody. Touching on all aspects of wellness, from body, to mind, to spirit, the connections between the two show up in various ways: the group sessions invite you to do something as part of a whole while concentrating on your own practice; the safety to explore creativity in a loose structure; and the meditative aspect of focusing on the task at hand.

The award-winning boutique resort

The Kaomai Lanna Resort is a boutique hotel and heritage site that has been awarded the Chiang Mai Design Award and the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Award for cultural heritage conservation. The idyllic guestrooms have been converted from 36 barns formerly used for tobacco curing during the peak of Thailand’s tobacco industry.

Set along the route from Chiang Mai city to Doi Inthanon which is the highest mountain in Thailand, the expansive grounds are surrounded by a tropical garden. Kaomai Lanna Resort’s verdant land is home to over 50 bird species and hundreds of plant species.

The food served at the café and restaurant has also been grown on-site, a testament to the thrumming vibrancy of the land. During the retreat, there’ll be plenty of time to visit the beautifully-designed coffee shop at the resort for homemade pastries, coffee, and locally harvested tea, swim in the pool, and explore Chiang Mai’s iconic temples and traditional villages.

What does each day look like?

On the arrival day, enjoy a tour of the design-award-winning premises, afternoon tea, a gentle evening Pilates session, and a homemade dinner.

Afterwards, each day will consist of two Pilates sessions with Ruth held in a peaceful yoga sala surrounded by the forest, morning and afternoon creativity sessions with Eleanor, three lovingly made Thai meals per day, and free exploration time. There will also be one sound meditation evening during the course of the retreat.

Whether looking to spark your inspiration as a creative, refresh your mindset on your approach to daily life, or to just share a special bonding experience with a loved one, join the oOOMA Retreat to embark on a journey for inward and outward wellness in a setting with unequalled natural beauty and historical significance.

Essential details

• When: October 20-24, 2023 (4 nights, 3.5 days)
• Where: Kaomai Lanna Resort, San Pa Tong District, Chiang Mai, Thailand
• Price: Register by August 20, 2023 to enjoy the 10% early bird discount of HK$10,800 per person for a Deluxe Shared Room (fits two people) or HK$11,500 for a Single Private Deluxe Room. After this, the regular prices are HK$12,000 and HK$13,000, respectively.
• What’s included: All-inclusive of accommodation, activities, transportation to/from the resort, and three meals a day. Flights are not included.
• Reserve: Reserve online or email el@eleanormccoll.com.

Image credits: Unless otherwise stated, images are courtesy Eleanor McColl and Ruth Hogg.

Cons of robot vacuums

Let’s go through the downsides of robot vacuums for Hongkongers. First, smart vacuums can be pricey upfront and to maintain. Second, they can lead get stuck on or under obstacles if navigation doesn’t work perfectly. They are also ineffective on non-flat surfaces like curtains, upholstery, and stairs (the last of which isn’t actually a concern in many Hong Kong homes).

Pros of smart vacuum for small apartments

Domestic robot vacuums have come a long way since they were introduced in the 90s. Let’s examine some reasons a robotic vacuum could be good for a compact household.

Save storage space

Robot vacuums and their stations are usually small and/or flat, taking up minimal space. The devices are typically housed in docking stations which, at their most foundational function, charge the devices, and at their fanciest, auto-empty dust from the device and even wash and dry their own mopping pads.

Easily manoeuvre tight spaces

With their round, low-profile shapes, smart vacuum cleaners can manoeuvre easily around tight corners. Furthermore, their finely tuned sensors (sometimes more than one for multidimensional ‘views’ of their environment) can identify obstacles quickly, stop, and decide on a new, more efficient path. This is especially important for performing in tiny homes with closely packed walls and furniture.

Hands-free control

The next reason that robot vacuums are suitable for small apartments is remote control. Automatic vacuums usually have accompanying smartphone apps and single button control. But more and more are coming out with fully hands-free voice control. The latest ECOVACS vacuum robots are powered by YIKO, the home service robot industry’s first virtual assistant that understands natural language commands. You can also schedule robotic vacuums to vacuum or mop (some come with dual vacuum-mop functions) on desired days and times to save time.

Nicer aesthetics

Auto vacuums have a sleeker look compared to traditional stick vacuums. In a small-sized flat with limited storage space, appliance aesthetics comes more into play. On the contrary, in larger homes, gadgets that are a bit of an eyesore can be hidden away in cabinets and storage closets.

Quieter than traditional vacuums

Another reason robot vacs are good for small apartments is that they are usually quieter than normal stick vacuums. This could be a make or break characteristic if you live in a flat with thin walls, especially if you have pups who are reactive and bark at loud noises. To give you an idea of the noise level of robotic vacuums, ECOVACS’ DEEBOT robotic floor cleaners range from 65 to 69 dB (a conversation between two people in a public place is about 60dB) when vacuuming on standard mode, compared to handheld vacuums which typically clock in at between 70 and 85 decibels.

For Hongkongers living in flats with limited space who value saving time cleaning up daily debris, need a device that intelligently navigates around kids’ toys or pet poop, or want to clean under furniture without lifting a finger, a robot vacuum may just be the answer.

Meet ECOVACS

ECOVACS is an industry-leading service robot manufacturer, producing DEEBOT smart vacuums, the WINBOT window cleaning robots, the AIRBOT air purifying robot, and more. Learn more about ECOVACS below:

• Website: https://www.ecovacs.com/
• Address: Find ECOVACS products at Ahaa shops (Monterey Place, Tseung Kwan O and Sha Tin Plaza) and Gilman Gallery (Portion B of Shop 1-41, G/F, Admiralty Centre)

Header image credits: GoodLifeStudio via Canva

Smart living began with the inventions of “labour-saving devices” like food processors, laundry machines, sewing machines; it then moved into the realm of remotes, devices used to regulate the strength of light, regulate home temperature. Today, it has evolved into the world of wireless, with voice-activated smart assistants, smart lights, video doorbells, and robot vacuums.

One such robot vacuum company, ECOVACS is leading the pack with its cutting-edge domestic robots.

Leading through innovation

The DNA of ECOVACS is their constant innovation with user-friendliness at the core. The inventor of integrating vacuuming and mopping into one robot, they also have WINBOT window cleaning robots, AIRBOT air purification robots, and even GOAT lawn mowing robots.. Beyond robot manufacturing, ECOVACS has established the Artificial Intelligence Engineering Institute in Nanjing to push forward research on and capabilities of service robots.

Common complaints about robot vacuums include:

• Limited battery life
• Noise
• Ineffective cleaning
• The need to empty the robot manually frequently
• The need for pre-cleaning so the robot doesn’t suck up things that it shouldn’t be vacuuming
• The ineffectiveness of cleaning corners/edges

ECOVACS has treated each of these commonly encountered problems in their DEEBOT floor cleaning robots using their own patented technologies.

Why ECOVACS robots are truly autonomous

Intelligent navigation

Versus cheaper models of robot vacuums which use the ‘bump-and-run’ method to navigate a room, DEEBOT uses 3D mapping technology and lasers to create comprehensive maps of entire floors and figure out the most efficient way to clean a room.

Their cutting-edge detection technology also helps the DEEBOT to avoid objects that could get sucked into the vacuum, like toys or cables or shoes, so pre-cleaning isn’t necessary. In some models, when the robot detects a change in surface, such as from tile to carpet, the robot automatically switches between vacuuming and mopping for one of the most hands-free cleaning experiences on the market.

Smarter, deeper cleaning

With a suction power going up to 6,000 Pa, DEEBOTS are capable of tackling pet hair, micro particles, and every day debris. As the pioneer of vacuum mop robots, their OZMO mopping system is capable of vacuuming, mopping, or simultaneous vacuum-mopping and is compatible with all types of surfaces, from wood to vinyl to laminate to carpet to tile. Their newer models have sensors with enhanced sensitivity to more effectively clean the edges and corners of walls.

While having strong suction, ECOVACS robots are also quiet, with some models about as loud as a refrigerator hum.

In a similar vein, ECOVACS’ WINBOT automatic window cleaning robots have an edge detection technology that detects edges in 0.02 seconds, making them usable with frameless windows or glass walls.

Minimal maintenance

Further adding to the hands-free experience, ECOVACS’ autonomous vacuums self-empty dust in their base station, which can go up to 60 days without emptying; some models such as the DEEBOT X1 OMNI even automatically wash and dry their own mopping pads. Boasting a strong battery life, their robot vacuums can clean for up to 300 minutes on a single charge.

AI voice-operated

Most of the newest generations of DEEBOT models are voice-operated with YIKO voice assistant, while all models are compatible with Google Home or Amazon Alexa. Using YIKO is intuitive, as it’s able to understand natural language, following commands like “OK YIKO, clean under the sofa,” or “OK YIKO, start cleaning the kitchen”.

Control it all on the app

The ECOVACS HOME app allows you to view a detailed 2D or 3D map of your home, spot-clean spills or around certain pieces of furniture, set out-of-boundary zones, and specify cleaning modes for certain rooms (for instance, mop and vacuum rooms with high foot traffic more frequently) so you can 100% personalise the robot’s routines to your household.

Meet ECOVACS

• Website: https://www.ecovacs.com/us
• Address: Find ECOVACS products at Ahaa shops (Monterey Place, Tseung Kwan O and Sha Tin Plaza) and Gilman Gallery (Portion B of Shop 1-41, G/F, Admiralty Centre)

Image credits: Courtesy ECOVACS

Messina — Central

The original Messina opened in Sydney in 2002. Now thriving with more than 25 outlets in Australia, Messina brought its artisan gelato ice cream to Hong Kong in 2021. At any give time, they have 35 signature flavours in their display case, such as Choc Fondant, Dulce de Leche, and Pistachio Praline, plus local flavours that regularly change like Milk Tea, Tofu Fa, Yuen Yeung, Yoyoyokult; as well as five special flavours, each of which are only available for seven days.

Messina has withstood the test of time by controlling every point of production, using milk from their own dairy farm, hazelnuts from their hazelnut farm, and making their own dulce de luche and chocolate from Ecuadorian cacao. One of the pricier ice cream spots on this list, you can get one scoop for HK$70, two for HK$85, or three for HK$95. They also make avant-garde gelato cakes.

Central #1: 37-43 Pottinger St | info@gelatomessina.com.hk

Central #2: Pop-up at Shop 239, LANDMARK ATRIUM, 15 Queen’s Rd Central

Mobile Softee — Multiple locations

Iconic and ubiquitous, Mobile Softee brings joy on wheels to every corner of Hong Kong. With 14 ice cream trucks roaming the city, you can usually spot the vibrant vans in areas with concentrated foot traffic, like Mong Kok, Tsim Sha Tsui, and Central. Since starting operations in 1970, Mobile Softee has sold just four items: milky soft serve ice cream, ice cream drumstick with peanuts, Large Cups, and Jumbo Orange. The affordable prices of HK$10 to HK$13 and iconic white, red, and blue vans make Mobile Softee a quintessential part of many Hongkongers’ childhoods.

Commonly seen at Star Ferry Pier (Tsim Sha Tsui), Central Pier no. 6, Stanley Main Street, Sai Kung Pier, Golden Bauhinia Square (Wan Chai), outside Sham Shui Po Station Exit D2)

Venchi — Multiple locations

Italian chocolatier Venchi is also known for its decadent ice cream offering. The chain’s spattering of small outlets in Hong Kong have done well with their luxe, velvety gelatos and fruity sorbets. They’ve tuned their ears to local tastes to the sound of limited edition flavours like Durian and Lychee. The mini cone with 120 grams of ice cream starts at the premium price point of HK$59, and they also offer ‘Gourmet’ cones and cups which are coated with an absolutely sinful layer of chocolate and/or nuts for an extra HK$15.

Multiple locations in Hong Kong

il Bel Paese — Discovery Bay, Happy Valley, Tsim Sha Tsui

Charming Italian restaurant and market il Bel Paese offers creamy gelato in handmade waffle cones at three locations: Discovery Bay, Happy Valley, and Tsim Sha Tsui (the only dedicated gelateria). There are no gimmicks here, just classics like rich dark chocolate, espresso, and hazelnut for full Ferrero Rocher feels, as well as tropical favourites like coconut, mango, and tart red berry. Pointing out which flavours are egg-free and dairy-free is a nice touch, too. Prices start at HK$38 for one hearty scoop in a cup or cone and go up to HK$88 for three.

Discovery Bay: G29-32A, Block C, DB South Plaza | +852 2987 0202

Happy Valley: 18A Yik Yam St | +852 2868 2818

Tsim Sha Tsui: 62 Mody Rd

Barista by Givrés — Central

Treat your senses to the pretty-as-a-picture gelato at Barista by Givrés. Located in Central, this trendy Hong Kong ice cream shop and café elevates the whole post-dinner treat experience with their patented creations of handcrafted gelato roses served on dainty metal stands. As the design is patented, you won’t find gelato roses anywhere else in Hong Kong.

The Rose in a simple cone (HK$50 for one flavour or HK$65 for two) that looks like you’re holding a pretty flower in your hand is the classic, but you can also pair the ice cream with a waffle, croffle, brownie, croissant, or even make it an affogato with a pour of their artisan espresso (from HK$68 to HK$80). The flavour options are simple, with popular ones being fragrant rose, pistachio, and vanilla.

7 Staunton St, Central | +852 9659 0816

XTC Gelato — Central

This Hong Kong gelataria has been around since 2001. Located centrally beside the Mid-Levels escalator, they serve gelato as well as sorbets for non-dairy takers in creative flavours like Clover Honey Yoghurt, Pear Williams Brandy, and Sour Cream; they also have a couple of nice locally bent flavours like the Hong Kong Milk Tea and Stem Ginger. They also make deliciously dense ice cream cakes, gelato popsicles, gelato cookie sandwiches, and gelato shakes. After a night out in the pub, swing by for a single scoop for HK$50. If you’re not sure what flavour to get, don’t worry, because the shopkeepers are always generous with the samples.

45B Cochrane St, Central | +852 2541 0500

Sweets House Cha Cha — Tsim Sha Tsui

With just one little shop inside city’super Harbour City, Sweets House Cha Cha is a gem offering honest soft serve ice cream made with Japanese ingredients. The Hokkaido Milk Soft Cream (HK$36) and Kyoto Uji Matcha Soft Cream (HK$38) are the must-tries at this Hong Kong ice cream shop if you’re going for the first time. If you want something a little more buffed up for a pretty Instagram shot, the soft serve in waffle cups (from HK$50) are perfect for sharing. The texture is uber creamy while the purity of the ingredients are obvious — they’ll have you saying “It’s not too sweet!”.

city’super, 3/F, Harbour City, 17 Canton Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui | +852 2375 8222

Twist & Buckle — Tsim Sha Tsui and North Point

Twist & Buckle is where ice cream becomes a work of art. The proclaimed “Churros Specialists” have branches in Tsim Sha Tsui and North Point, serving up whimsical delights of ice cream topped with just-made churros. Opened by two South American friends, the churros are made the traditional way while the flavour combinations are more inventive; think Crème Brûlée, Strawberry Stracciatella, and Lemon Pie. The ice cream churros range from HK$58 when paired with the original churro, to HK$68 for special flavours like the Rainbow and Cookie Monster (pictured above).

Tsim Sha Tsui: 29-31 Chatham Rd S | +852 6508 2674

North Point: 180 Electric Rd, North Point

Via Tokyo — Causeway Bay

Escape the bustling streets of Causeway Bay and enter the serene world of Via Tokyo. This Japanese-inspired dessert haven has a nice selection of soft-serve ice cream. Indulge in their velvety matcha, aromatic hojicha, pure Hokkaido milk, or heavenly black sesame flavours. The prices range from HK$40 to HK$50. One of our favourites has to be the Mochi Azuki (from HK$53) with a heaping bowl of sultry soft serve and little bites of tacky mochi. Matcha experts at their core, Via Tokyo also does other delectable matcha desserts such as Uji Matcha Basque Cheesecake and Matcha Rollcake.

Shop 1A-1B, Leishun Court, 106-126 Leighton Rd, Causeway Bay | +852 2895 1116

Mini Melts — Multiple locations

Mini Melts are a tiny wonder in the ice cream world. With 15 kiosks across Hong Kong, this treat from Canada offers a unique twist on the classic scoop. Each little gem of ice cream is frozen using liquid nitrogen with flavours ranging from tangy fruit medleys to Cotton Candy to Banana Split. A cup with one flavour will set you back around HK$40. The little ones will definitely be fans of this delightful ice cream treat which is as fun to eat as it is to look at.

Multiple locations in Hong Kong

Header image credits: Jean Balzan via Canva

22 Ships — Wan Chai

They don’t take reservations, and we don’t have any ranking 22 Ships among the most beloved Spanish restaurants in Hong Kong. Since 2012, the upscale tapas bar has wooed Hongkongers with its authentic tapas offering and Spanish vinos. We recommend the Canary Grilled Octopus (HK$238) served the Canary Island way – that is, with various mojos which are sauces of olive oil, peppers, garlic, and spices. The menu is not limited to tapas, with dishes taking cues from all over the Mediterranean like the Whole Lobster Paella (HK$628) packing a lot of punch. This spot has become a main drawing point of Wan Chai’s popular foodie street, Ship Street. Expect to pay around HK$300 to HK$500 per person.

22 Ship St, Wan Chai | +852 2555 0722

Bàrbar — Wan Chai

Bàrbar is a casual Spanish wine and tapas bar. Under the direction of the same minds that birthed Pica Pica, it boasts the most extensive selection of Spanish wines by the glass in Hong Kong. The name comes from the combination of open kitchen tapas bar and intimate four-seater wine bar, where diners can appreciate the communal spirit of Spanish food culture with a theatrical touch. Bàrbar features a Josper grill, a grill-oven invented in Barcelona that reaches exceptionally high temperatures, forming a delightful crust on meat and seafood while retaining the natural juices.

Bàrbar, Shop A, G/F, 9 Ship St, Wan Chai | +852 2810 0008

Pica Pica — Sheung Wan

Watch the trams chug past Pica Pica from its buzzy location right beside the historic Western Market. The convivial atmosphere in this modern Spanish eatery and relatively lower prices compared to other Spanish restaurants on Hong Kong Island make reservations absolutely necessary (that is, if you want a table; seats at the kitchen counter or bar are by walk-in only). Pica was awarded the “Restaurants from Spain Certification” which honours international restaurants with authentic Spanish produce and cuisine. The Black Paella with squid ink (from HK$120) and Red Prawn Hot Dog (HK$120) bursting with head cream from a Josper-grilled prawn are must-tries.

G/F, Shop G & H Kai Tak Commercial Building, 317 – 321 Des Voeux Rd Central, Sheung Wan | +852 2811 9880

Nuevo Tapas Bar — Central

What do you get when you pair a cocktail lounge with a fusion tapas bar? Nuevo, a restobar located in Lan Kwai Fong, showcases regional Spanish cuisine with some Asian twists in such dishes as the Pan Fried Crab cake with Sea Urchin Sauce (HK$168). Traditional tapas such as the Spanish Tomato Bread and Padron Peppers are also done well (HK$48 and HK$78 respectively). Given the location in the bar district, you couldn’t really leave without trying one of the tipples — among their signature cocktails (named after gemstones), the gin-based Amber is a great option.

G/F, Winner Building Block B, 8-16 Wing Wah Ln, Central | +852 9080 5271

The Optimist — Wan Chai

For an authentic Northern Spanish dining experience in a sophisticated setting, put The Optimist in your calendar. Formed by coasts, the North of Spain is known for its love of incorporating octopus and pintxos (snacks held together with toothpicks). The three-storey asador (restaurant specialising in roasted meats) is decorated so you feel like you’re in a trendy bar in Barcelona. Besides the main plates of lamb chops, pork, rib-eyes, and chicken cooked on Asador grills, the Charcuterie Española (HK$190) packed with five types of cheese and olives is an editor favourite. On the tapas side of things, the Huevos Rotos (“broken eggs”, priced from HK$120) is also receommended.

39 Hennessy Rd, Wan Chai | +852 2433 3324

Rústico — Lai Chi Kok

One of the rare destinations to savour Spanish cuisine in Kowloon, Rústico is a cosy hideaway in Lai Chi Kok offering Catalan cuisine amidst rustic interiors. The Catalonia community of 7.5 million in Spain has a distinct culinary tradition which stands out for utilising ingredients sourced from the Mediterranean coast, with standout dishes such as tomato bread and arròs negre with black-coloured rice cooked in seafood broth. Rústico’s repertoire of dry-aged meats, tapas, and slow-cooked proteins are far from what you’d expect to find in this area. Menu highlights include Catalan-style fish soup (HK$128), callos (HK$158), a beef tripe and chickpea stew, and of course, paellas of the seafood and land-roaming variety.

Shop G01, G/F, D2 Place One, 9 Cheung Yee St, Lai Chi Kok | +852 2743 4511

Olé Spanish Restaurant — Central

Spanish native Carmelo Lopez has brought a touch of his upbringing to Central’s Ice Street. Open since 1998, Olé has the ambiance of a family-owned restaurant and the service and food of a fine dining restaurant. On offer are all the classic tapas you would expect, as well as what is likely the most extensive paella menu in the city (all of which are baked on a stone oven). As far as mains, the suckling pig prepared and served in the Segovian manner (HK$850 for half pig), is absolutely stand-out. The nightly live guitar music is a nice touch for special occasions.

1/F, Shun Ho Tower, 24-30 Ice House St, Central | +852 2523 8624

Quiero Más — Central

From the F&B group behind hugely successful Indian restaurant Gaylord is Quiero Más, a ‘Mod-Med’ or Modern Mediterranean restaurant. Chef Alex Fargas, previously of Michelin-starred restaurants in his home country of Spain before leading La Paloma as chef-owner, takes a little bit of Italy, a little bit of Greece, and a lot of Spain to put together an unapologetic menu of Spanish dishes made with Southern European ingredients. The contemporary 3,000 square foot space is separated into a classy dining room and cocktail lounge. With the awesome cityviews you’d expect from the 20th floor setting, the offerings of weekend brunch and extensive drinks menu make this an excellent weekend hangout. Expect to pay around HK$400-600 per person.

20/F, MM8 Tower, 2-8 Wellington St, Central | +852 2383 0268

La Barra Tapas — Cheung Sha Wan

Recently opened in 2022, La Barra Tapas is a Spanish tapas restaurant in the unassuming neighbourhood of Cheung Sha Wan. With a robust menu of classic tapas, paellas, and grilled meats and seafood, this restaurant seating just around 20 is our number one recommendation for a cost-effective tapas restaurant in Hong Kong. In particular, we recommend the Fideuà De Pescado (HK$168), a dish which is similar to paella but made with short pasta noodles instead of rice. The churros served with dreamy melted dark chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream (HK$68) are the perfect way to end a meal at this local gem.

Shop A, 512, 518 Fuk Wing St, Cheung Sha Wan | +852 2411 1668

Calle Ocho — Causeway Bay

Meaning ‘Eighth Street’ as a reference to the eatery’s address, Calle Ocho should be your go-to Causeway Bay spot for not only delicious Spanish fare (Charcuterie, sharing plates, paella — they have it all) and some of the best examples of Spanish wines, but just fantastic decoration. The two-storey restaurant located beside the northwest corner of Victoria Park is modelled after Los Austrias, the oldest neighbourhood in Madrid housing 16th and 17th century buildings. If you’re visiting for the first time, the Suckling Pig Terrine and Uni-Cone, a delightful combination of tuna tartar with sea urchin and wasabi avocado (both HK$180) are must-tries.

Fashion Walk, 8 Cleveland St, Causeway Bay | +852 2638 8895

El Cid Spanish Restaurant — Tsim Sha Tsui

El Cid is a stylish wine bar and Spanish tapas restaurant located on Tsim Sha Tsui’s dynamic Knutsford Terrace, serving a delightful array of tapas (with a great selection of vegetarian tapas), refreshing soups, paellas (the Chicken and Chorizo Paella with half of a roast chicken (HK$400) is a nice departure from seafood-focused paellas), and comforting Spanish mains. Established in 1992, the dimly-lit and intimate setting is perfect for a romantic evening with a glass of vino Español. As far as pricepoint, you can expect to pay HK$600 per person for dinner.

G/F, 14 Knutsford Terrace, Tsim Sha Tsui | +852 2312 1898

El Vaso de Oro — Sheung Wan

Inspired by the legendary Barcelona bar, El Vaso de Oro located in the budding neighbourhood of PoHo offers a wonderfully authentic Spanish experience. The menu features classic Spanish dishes like Pickled Mussels (HK$68) and Cured Cheese marinated in excellent olive oil (HK$88). (Fun fact: Spain is the largest producer of olive oil worldwide!) El Vaso de Oro is a small space with almost exclusively bar seating. This bustling spot is ideal for a casual night out with friends, soaking in the atmosphere reminiscent of a night in Spain’s lively streets. Expect to pay up to HK$300 per person.

999077, 44 Sai St, Sheung Wan | +852 2506 2518 or WhatsApp +852 5993 5958

Header image credits: rfranca via Canva

Bubble waffles are almost always made to order as their flavour and texture quickly deteoriorate within 10 minutes of being made – which, for us, is just an excuse to chow down faster. In this article, we’ll take you on a mouthwatering journey through the top egg waffles in Hong Kong.

Master Low-key Food Shop — Shau Kei Wan

Tucked away in Shau Kei Wan, Master Low-key Food Shop has a reputation for crafting some of the finest egg waffles, also known as bubble waffles, in Hong Kong. Their perfectly golden waffles, priced from HK$24 to HK$38, have an irresistible crunch and lightness. Visitors rave about the egg puffs’ distinctively aromatic egg flavour, which keeps people coming back for the classic local snack. For more of an assault on your tastebuds if you’re all too familiar with the original flavour, try the Golden Egg Waffle (HK$36) with bites of salted egg yolk and condensed milk.

G/F, Shop B3, Guangxin Building, Shau ​​Kei Wan Main St E | +852 6986 8500

Lee Keung Kee North Point Egg Waffles  — North Point, Tsim Sha Tsui

Lee Keung Kee North Point Egg Waffles has two bustling locations, in North Point and Tsim Sha Tsui, where you can find some of the best egg waffles in Hong Kong. Despite the shop’s name, they also serve up other famous street food items like siu mai and intestines. Known for their generously sized Hong Kong-style waffles with a delightful crispiness, patrons are more than willing to brave the queues. Their take on Hong Kong egglets err on having more hollow bubbles, which those who prefer a more crisp rather than cakey bite will love. Prices start at HK$22, and the black truffle eggette, a luxurious specialty, is a must-try for the adventurous foodie.

Tsim Sha Tsui: 78 Nathan Rd | +852 2590 9726

North Point: 492 King’s Rd | +852 25909726

629 Egg Waffle — Kowloon City

629 Egg Waffle, a cosy stall in Kowloon City, serves up fragrant, golden-brown egg waffles that are hard to resist. For just HK$20, you can savour their traditional waffles or indulge in the popular green tea egg puff with peanut butter and condensed milk (HK$30) for a sweet, gooey surprise. With just one shopkeeper pumping out waffles, expect to wait in line on weekends, but with 25 flavours to try, this is a nice one to visit again and again.

Shop 28J, G/F, Hong King Mall, 28 Hong Keung Street, San Po Kong | +852

Mammy Pancake — Multiple locations

Mammy Pancake is a beloved chain with over 10 branches in Hong Kong (plus a couple in Taiwan!) that has gained a loyal following for its range of unique flavours of Hong Kong egg waffle. Their crackly crisp exterior conceals a soft, warm center that just melts in your mouth. Mammy Pancake offers nearly 20 flavours including their signature matcha and chocolate chip egglets; you can even add HK$20 for two scoops of ice cream to turn it into an Instagrammable egg waffle cone. One of the few bubble waffle shop chains in Hong Kong, the prices are slightly higher than others starting at around HK$25 for special flavours, making these treats an indulgence.

Multiple locations in Hong Kong

Hung Hom Pancake (紅磡雞蛋仔) — Hung Hom

Located in the bustling neighborhood of Hung Hom just three minutes from Whampoa MTR station, Hung Hom Pancake offers a scrumptious range of egg waffles at wallet-friendly prices hovering around HK$15. Having been around for more than four decades, the shop’s unpretentious exterior belies the delicious treats within. Don’t miss their signature mixed flavour waffles, which let you try two flavours at once. Hung Hom Pancake’s bubble waffles have denser fillings than other egg waffle spots, giving way to a chewier and fluffier interior.

53 Bulkeley St, Hung Hom

More Eggettes — Mong Kok

More Eggettes, situated in vibrant Mong Kok (aka the most famous place for street food), is famous for their extensive menu of experimental flavors. These Hong Kong egg waffles, starting at HK$23, are not your typical eggette fare. From the indulgent Matcha Red Bean (HK$26) to the savoury Starry Pizza (HK$30), each creation is a culinary adventure. They also sell dumplings, siu mai, and milk tea if you need a bit more sustenance to power your trip around Kowloon.

17 Yu Chau St, Mong Kok | more.eggettes@gmail.com

BB Egg Waffle (BB雞蛋仔) — Chai Wan

BB Egg Waffle in Chai Wan is a hidden gem that attracts egg waffle enthusiasts from all around to the eastern corner of Hong Kong Island. With prices starting at HK$20, these waffles boast an ideal balance of fluffiness and crunch. The shop’s standout offering is the Belgium Chocolate egglet with its gooey centre that makes every bite a delightful experience. (Tip: BB Egg Waffle also well-liked for their waffle ice cream sandwiches priced from HK$26, and we recommend the Green Tea or Durian!)

Shop 413, G/F, Lok Hin Terrace, 350 Chai Wan Rd, Chai Wan

Hang Fat Egg Waffle (恒發雞蛋仔) — Kowloon City

Hang Fat Egg Waffle, another Kowloon City favourite, has earned a devoted customer base for its traditional, no-frills approach to egg waffles. Priced from HK$20, their waffles have a crispy exterior and tender interior that’ll have you craving more. Keep an eye out for their seasonal specials, like the aromatic taro waffle with each pocket absolutely stuffed with taro flour paste, which offers a pure, minimally sweet twist on the classic. Don’t go unless you have time to wait a bit, as the sole lady working the waffle machines works steadily to prepare each order.

64 Nga Tsin Wai Rd, Kowloon City

Header image credits: roboppy via Flickr

Kowloon Park — Tsim Sha Tsui

As soon as you step into Tsim Sha Tsui’s bustling district, the last thing you’d expect is to find a serene oasis like Kowloon Park. Spanning over 13 hectares, this park is perfect for family outings and picnics, with its maze of pathways, swimming complex, aviary, and Bird Lake, which is home to five species of birds (including Greater Flamingos!). It also houses multiple themed gardens (among which are the Garden of Life, Maze Garden, and Sculpture Garden) and a Heritage Discovery Centre (which tells the history of the British army’s barracks which once stood on the site of the park). Kowloon Park is so big, it can be reached by three different MTR stations: Tsim Sha Tsui, Austin, and Jordan stations.

Pet-friendly: Yes

Bike-friendly: No

Kowloon Park, 22 Austin Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui

Hong Kong Wetland Park — Tin Shui Wai

Spanning over 61 hectares, the Wetland Park is a reserve that actually returns the land that was converted into the mostly residential area of Tin Shui Wai Town back to its natural state of wetland. Here, you can observe wildlife from bird hides or wander through the mangroves on the boardwalks leading visitors through the recreated habitats of species that thrive in this area’s original wetland ecosystem. This conservation centre and park in Hong Kong also has multiple exhibitions about the animals that live in the park and how wetland systems benefit the surrounding environment, as well as an indoor play area for kids.

Pet-friendly: No

Bike-friendly: Yes

Hong Kong Wetland Park, Wetland Park Rd, Tin Shui Wai

Tamar Park — Admiralty

Tamar Park is an urban oasis in the middle of Admiralty’s bustling crowds of office workers. With its spacious lawns and stunning views right next to Victoria Harbour, it’s an ideal spot to relax with a picnic blanket. Elevated platforms protruding out into the harbour even act as a multi-purpose space for occasional exercise classes! The towering Central Government Complex, where the Chief Executive’s office is located, acts as a arched gate leading visitors into the park. However, beware of visiting on a cloudy day, as there aren’t covered areas to shelter you from bad weather.

Pet-friendly: Yes

Bike-friendly: No

Tamar Park, Harcourt Rd, Admiralty

Victoria Park — Causeway Bay

Victoria Park is Hong Kong Island’s largest park. Covering a vast 19 hectares, the park offers green spaces and sports facilities galore: six football pitches, a whopping 14 tennis courts, four basketball courts, an indoor swimming pool, and a bowling green. For families, there are also four playgrounds. This Hong Kong park located almost halfway between Causeway Bay and Tin Hau MTR stations is a hub for cultural events such as the Lunar New Year Fair and Mid-Autumn Festival, when market stalls selling food and seasonal traditional products are erected on the football pitches.

Pet-friendly: Yes

Bike-friendly: No

Victoria Park, 1 Hing Fat St, Causeway Bay

Lai Chi Kok Park — Lai Chi Kok

Lai Chi Kok Park is a picturesque 17.6-hectare park that features Chinese-style landscaping, a lake, outdoor chess tables, and a 200-seat amphitheatre. It’s an excellent spot for outdoor activities, with its range of recreational facilities, including a swimming pool, sports courts, a children’s playground, and a skatepark. The peaceful Lingnan Garden built in the Cantonese style with rock heaps making ‘mountains’ and a pebblestone path is a lovely feature of the park.

Pet-friendly: In designated areas

Bike-friendly: No

Lai Chi Kok Park, 1 Lai Wan Rd, Lai Chi Kok

Tuen Mun Park — Tuen Mun

Tuen Mun Park is a 12.5-hectare park that is a haven for reptile enthusiasts, with its Reptile House accommodating more than 30 species of lizards, snakes, and turtles (see if you can spot the Chinese Water Dragon!). There is also a lake, gardens, sports facilities, and a rollerskating rink. A nice place to stop over on a stroll is the Rose Corner in the eastern end of the park, where fragrant roses are planted.

Pet-friendly: Yes

Bike-friendly: In designated areas

Tuen Mun Park, Tuen Mun Heung Sze Wui Rd, Tuen Mun

Tsuen Wan Park — Tsuen Wan

Tsuen Wan Park is a 5.3-hectare urban park that offers stunning waterfront views of Rambler Channel (Tsuen Wan Pier, with a ferry to private housing estate Park Island, is connected to the park). Take a leisurely stroll along its promenade, relax on the lawn, listen to the burbling waterfall, or let the kids play in the playground. Sports enthusiasts will appreciate the park’s multipurpose courts and government-operated sports centre with a gym and outdoor climbing wall.

Pet-friendly: Yes

Bike-friendly: No

Tsuen Wan Park, 59 Wing Shun St, Tsuen Wan

Tsing Yi Park — Tsing Yi

Tsing Yi Park is a tranquil 7-hectare park on Tsing Yi Island that features a central lake, Chinese-style gardens, and ornamental bridges. A lively spot frequented by locals living in the multiple surrounding housing estates, this park in Hong Kong has jogging trails, free elderly fitness stations, and a Tai Chi Garden. The Palm Garden is a secluded oasis with a quaint stone path lacing through palm trees, which is perfect for a walk or quiet picnic.

Pet-friendly: Yes

Bike-friendly: No

Tsing Yi Park, 60 Tsing King Rd, Tsing Yi

Kowloon Walled City Park — Kowloon City

Built on the site of a former Qing Dynasty fortress, Kowloon Walled City Park is a historical park that provides a fascinating insight into Hong Kong’s past. The 2.8-hectare Walled City was home to 30,000 to 40,000 people and a site of debauchery under colonial rule, which was demolished and repurposed into a park by 1995. The park’s traditional Chinese gardens, ancient relics, and preserved archaeological artifacts (including an 1847 Qing building called the ‘Yamen’ and the remains of the Walled City’s South Gate) are a must-see for history buffs. Kowloon Walled City Park’s floral walks trailing all through the park are a beautiful way to see the whole space.

Pet-friendly: Yes

Bike-friendly: No

Kowloon Walled City Park, Tung Tsing Rd, Kowloon City

Hong Kong Park — Central

Hong Kong Park is a place that is very easy to miss unless you know it’s there. Located in an unprecedented place: the city’s primary business district of Central, it’s a luscious 8-hectare park that boasts grand greenery and striking views of high-rise buildings soaring over the treetops. Explore the aviary, conservatory, or lily ponds, and enjoy a meal at the park’s restaurant, Pondside. There’s even a museum situated in a 19th century home occupied by British Commanders during the colonial era, which displays ancient Chinese teaware.

Pet-friendly: Yes

Bike-friendly: No

Hong Kong Park, 19 Cotton Tree Dr, Central

Header image credits: SeanPavonePhoto via Canva

Hong Kong Island

IFC — Central

The Hong Kong International Finance Centre (IFC) is made up of two luxury commercial buildings: One IFC and Two IFC, which house the headquarters of prestigious organisations including the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and British newspaper Financial Times. At the bottom of the towers lies one of Hong Kong’s premium shopping destinations, IFC mall, with four levels of luxury retailers, a Lane Crawford, cinema, and Apple’s Hong Kong flagship store. A city of convenience indeed, IFC has direct access to the airport via a 25-minute train ride and an in-town check-in service where travellers can check in their luggage just below the mall (Note: Temporarily closed at the time of writing). The IFC skyscrapers famously featured in The Dark Knight and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life.

Location: 8 Finance St, Central
How to get there: Take the MTR to Hong Kong station and go out from Exit F, E, or A.

Landmark Atrium — Central

Landmark is the shopping mall for those looking for one place to shop the core international luxury brands. Landmark Atrium on 15 Queen’s Road Central is occupied by mostly high-end brands, a Harvey Nichols department store, and restaurants and cafés (altogether, the F&B establishments in LANDMARK hold a total of 15 Michelin stars). It’s actually part of the Landmark family of shopping centres all located in Central, which includes Landmark Chater (8 Connaught Rd Central), Landmark Alexandra (18 Chater Rd), and Landmark Prince’s (10 Chater Rd). The Christmas display on the ground floor if you’re around during the holiday season is not to be missed!

Location: 15 Queen’s Rd Central, Central
How to get there: Take the MTR to Central station and go out from Exit G.

Lee Gardens — Causeway Bay

Lee Gardens is not one place, but encompasses seven buildings: Hysan Place, Lee Theatre Plaza, One Hysan Avenue, and Lee Garden One to Six. The most popular shopping mall is Hysan Place with 17 levels of retail shopping. Notably, Taiwanese bookstore chain Eslite takes up an entire three floors, I.T. takes up one floor, and there’s a two-level Apple store. Many of the malls in Hong Kong are vertical shopping centres to make up for the lack of horizontal space, but Hysan Place is one of the places where this is felt most obviously, with a set of express escalators carrying you up to the 17th floor food court in around five minutes.

Lee Theatre Plaza is targeted at budget shoppers, with brands like Uniqlo, Muji, and Cotton On. Lee Garden towers One to Six are a mix of premium office towers and designer brand shopping.

Location: 33 Hysan Ave, Causeway Bay
How to get there: Take the MTR to Causeway Bay station and go out from Exit F2.

Pacific Place — Admiralty

Pacific Place has more than 160 shops, a cinema, and a department store spread out over four floors, with notable retailers like Balenciaga, American Vintage, Celine, and COS, as well as upscale F&B like Butter, Dim Sum Library, and Man Ho Chinese Restaurant (located in JW Marriott Hotel above the mall). The Great Food Hall on the LG1/F is a premium supermarket and some casual pick-up-and-go eateries. Three five-star hotels (Island Shangri-La, Conrad, and JW Marriott) are located right over Pacific Place.

Location: 88 Queensway, Admiralty
How to get there: Take the MTR to Admiralty station and go out from Exit F

Times Square — Causeway Bay

The Times Square of Hong Kong is the beating heart of Causeway Bay, a multi-use complex of designer brands, Lane Crawford, city’super, and a food court. A popular tourist destination, the shopping mall offers a good mix of brands at moderate and high price points, with more accessible shops like Zara, Adidas, American Eagle, and Log-On. There’s even a co-baking space and local English-language bookshop Bookazine! Opening in 1994, Times Square was the first vertical mall in Hong Kong.

Location: 1 Matheson St, Causeway Bay
How to get there: Take the MTR to Causeway Bay station and go out from Exit A

Fashion Walk — Causeway Bay

Fashion Walk is comprised of both an indoor space and outdoor space in Causeway Bay. There’s Charles & Keith, H&M, and multiple international altheticwear brands. The outside area is anchored by Fashion Walk Food Street (bordered by Kingston, Paterson, and Cleveland Streets), a cozy lane lined with restaurants and cafés which are perfect for a little stop for brunch or coffee after hitting the Fashion Walk stores located on the bordering streets.

Location: Kingston St, Paterson St, Cleveland St (outdoor) and Great George St (indoor), Causeway Bay
How to get there: Take the MTR to Causeway Bay station and go out from Exit E.

Kowloon

Harbour City — Tsim Sha Tsui

Harbour City is a gigantic complex with shopping and an observatory deck that juts out into Victoria Harbour, and even doubles as a cruise ship terminal. The biggest shopping mall in Hong Kong, it spans 2,000,000 square feet. It’s home to a small cinema and the largest Toys’R’Us in the city. With its incredible number of retailers (primarily upscale brands) and its proximity to the Star Ferry Pier, it’s a wildly popular mall for mainland and international tourists. The Ocean Terminal section of the mall was originally the first shopping mall in Hong Kong, opening in 1966.

Location: 3-27 Canton Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui
How to get there: Take the MTR to Tsim Sha Tsui station and walk 10-15 minutes or take the ferry from Central or Wan Chai to Star Ferry Pier and walk three minutes.

K11 Musea — Tsim Sha Tsui

Opening in 2019, K11 Musea is a completely new innovation on shopping malls in Hong Kong. Fittingly located on Tsim Sha Tsui dockside nearby the Hong Kong Museum of Art and Hong Kong Cultural Centre, it’s an experimental mixture of retail and cultural experiences, and at the most basic sense, it’s a beautiful shopping centre. The inside resembles a futuristic art museum with its organic shapes, actual art that sometimes doubles as rest areas, and flourishes of greenery. As a shopping centre, it houses international and up-and-coming local fashion brands as well as independent coffeehouses and restaurants.

Location: 18 Salisbury Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui
How to get there: Take the MTR to East Tsim Sha Tsui station and go out from Exit J

Elements — Tsim Sha Tsui

Elements is a high-end shopping mall connected to Kowloon and Austin MTR stations. Besides the shopping, the shopping centre has a skating rink and the largest cinema in Hong Kong with 1,600 seats total. The mall is sectioned into five zones with design inspired by the five Chinese elements: wood, water, fire, metal, and earth. It also connects to the International Commerce Centre which houses the Sky100 observation deck and the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. Notably, Elements offers more seating areas than most Hong Kong malls.

Location: 1 Austin Rd W, Tsim Sha Tsui
How to get there: Take the MTR to Kowloon station and go out from Exit C1 or D1.

Langham Place — Mong Kok

Langham Place was the second vertical mall to open in Hong Kong. (In fact, it was the tallest building on the Kowloon Peninsula when it was completed in 2004!) It most notably features a 148-ft escalator, the longest escalator in a shopping mall in the city. There are 15 levels of shops, with a healthy combination of international fashion houses, boutiques, and sportswear brands, as well as a plethora of food and beverage on B2/F, the 4/F food court, 9/F, and the uppermost floor. There’s also a cinema on the 8/F.

Location: 8 Argyle St, Mong Kok
How to get there: Take the MTR to Mong Kok station and go out from Exit C3 or E1.

MOKO — Mong Kok

MOKO is the main shopping mall in eastern Mong Kok. Situated just five minutes from the Flower Market, the shopping centre houses six floors of boutique shops and global brands like Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, and Uniqlo; there’s also a cinema, Japanese supermarket YATA, as well as a connecting five-star hotel, Royal Plaza Hotel. Besides being conveniently connected to Mong Kok East MTR station, there’s a bus terminal right outside the mall.

Location: 193 Prince Edward Rd W, Mong Kok
How to get there: Take the MTR to Mong Kok East station and go out from Exit D.

MegaBox — Kowloon Bay

Designed by American architecture firm JERDE, this box-shaped mall in lucky red has become a bit of an icon in eastern Kowloon. With a size of 1.1 million square feet spanning 19 floors, Megabox houses the second-largest IKEA branch in Hong Kong, as well as clothing and homeware stores, cinemas, AEON department store, and the biggest ice skating rink in the whole city at 26 x 57 metres. Although not located as near the MTR as most of the malls on this list, it can be reached with a free shuttle bus from Kowloon Bay MTR station.

Location: 38 Wang Chiu Rd, Kowloon Bay
How to get there: Take the MTR to Kowloon Bay station and go out from Exit A. Take the escalators to the Podium level, turn left at Circle K, and keep walking straight until you see an escalator going down into the bus terminal. Look for signs for the Megabox Shuttle Bus.

Festival Walk — Kowloon Tong

Festival Walk is a seven-storey shopping centre with a cinema and skating rink. Multiple restaurants and the food have a view down into the ice rink, ‘The Glacier’, on the UG/F. The mall is primarily occupied by mid-range brands plus the flagship store of Agnes B. Other shops of note include Apple, Toys’R’Us, Marks & Spencer, and a Taste supermarket. It’s linked to the City University of Hong Kong via a walkway, making the mall popular among university students. During Christmastime, their famous Christmas tree that is as tall as nearly four storeys is erected.

Location: 80 Tat Chee Ave, Kowloon Tong
How to get there: Take the MTR to Kowloon Tong station and go out from Exit C2, G2, or H.

New Territories

New Town Plaza — Sha Tin

One of the busiest malls in Hong Kong is New Town Plaza. The nine-storey shopping centre in Sha Tin has around 350 shops spread throughout its two phases with a few upscale brands but primarily mid-range, including American Eagle, Bauhaus, Zara, and Foot Locker. There are also many beauty and athletic apparel brands. Notably, there’s a Snoopy-themed outdoor theme park, Snoopy’s World, which is free to enter. There’s also a roof garden with a play area for pets and some pop-up F&B concepts.

Location: 18 Sha Tin Centre St, Sha Tin
How to get there: Take the MTR to Sha Tin station and go out from Exit A3

YOHO — Yuen Long

YOHO is one of the newest shopping malls in the city, opening in 2017. Originally slated to be just one phase, the new development combined with what used to be a smaller shopping centre called Sun Yuen Long Centre, which became YOHO Mall Phase II. Phase I houses mostly mid-range fashion brands and luxury beauty brands, as well as a ton of jewellery stores, while Phase II has more local boutiques and sports apparel brands. A cinema, YATA, and 50,000 square feet outdoor green space called ‘Midtown Garden’ are notable features of YOHO, which are also located in Phase I. The mall is connected to two housing estates which sit over it: YOHO Midtown and YOHO Town.

Location: 8-9 Long Yat Rd, Yuen Long
How to get there: Take the MTR to Yuen Long station and go out from Exit K (YOHO Mall I) or Exit F (YOHO Mall II).

PopCorn — Tseung Kwan O

PopCorn is a owned by the MTR Corporation and as such, it’s conveniently connected to Tseung Kwan O MTR station. It’s the main mall in Tseung Kwan O, and its 345,000 square feet covers fashion, make-up, household products, dining, electronics, health, and more. There’s also a 622-seat cinema and Namco, a Japanese gaming centre. The mall opens out into Tong Ming Street Park with beautifully landscaped grass and a lot of space for picnicking.

Where: 9 Tong Yin St, Tseung Kwan O
How to get there: Take the MTR to Tseung Kwan O station and go out from Exit C.

Header image credits: Houiko Monilld Risea via WikiCommons

Restaurants in Hong Kong exist that are dedicated to the homey dish, served alongside side dishes like stir-fried noodles, century egg, and Chinese doughnut sticks (yau za gwai, literally translating to “deep-fried ghost”) — here are our favourite places to eat the best congee in Hong Kong.

Tasty Congee & Noodle Wantun Shop — Multiple locations

Tasty Congee & Wantun Noodle Shop started with a young apprentice named He Zhaohong who established a popular wonton noodle shop in Guangzhou in 1946. After running a streetside noodle stall in Wan Chai for a number of years, his son took over and in 1996 opened the first Tasty Congee & Wantun Noodle Shop, expanding the original menu to include comforting congee and dim sum.

The brand now has eight locations spread all over Hong Kong, as well as branches throughout mainland China and Bangkok. While the relatively higher prices reflect their international status, their small selection of Cantonese congees, including ‘boat congee’ originally made on sampan boats occupied by Canton boat people, are fragrant, with a clean taste and zero greasy mouth feel.

Multiple locations in Hong Kong

Sang Kee Congee Shop — Sheung Wan

Sang Kee’s praise has been sung by celebrity guests. However, it shouldn’t be attributed to the congee being a staggeringly shining star among the constellation of congee shops in Hong Kong. It’s really just down to its honest, daily freshly prepared porridge served in generous portions. With a more narrow menu than the usual local congee restaurant (they don’t serve the doughnut sticks ubiquitously served with congee in Hong Kong), the congees ranging from HK$20 to HK$60 are pumped out of the kitchen quickly and with the same high quality every time. Sang Kee’s congee slow-cooked with the ‘leftover’ parts of fish is their signature dish.

7 Burd St, Sheung Wan | +852 2541 1099

Chung Kee Congee — Multiple locations

One of the greatest things about congee is that it’s among the cheapest filling meals you can have no matter where you are in the city. Whether it’s a financial district or residential neighbourhood, the prices are friendly. This is true for Chung Kee Congee’s five branches concentrated on Hong Kong Island, where you need only shell out HK$20 to HK$30 for a hefty bowl of congee. The congee is clearly made with high-quality ingredients, but we especially appreciate the taste and range of their side dishes. Order the rice dumpling (zhong), turnip cake, or Chinese doughnut wrapped in a sheet of rice noodle and topped with a drizzle of soy sauce, called ja leung, for a perfect textural contrast with the porridge. Note that they only accept cash!

Multiple locations in Hong Kong

Master Congee — Multiple locations

Master Congee has one of the largest varieties of congees at reasonable prices starting from HK$20, with a full meal of congee and a side dish ringing in at under HK$40. This is another congee restaurant in Hong Kong that serves sampan congee (usually made from pork bones and seafood and served with a sprinkling of fried salted peanuts, coriander, green onion, and ginger slices).

Besides the classic yau za gwai doughnut stick (called youtiao in Putonghua) they also offer ‘beef tongue’ doughnuts (ngau lei sou), slightly sweet, puffy sesame balls (jin dui), and savoury doughnuts (haam jin beng) for the quintessential deep-fried carb pairing. Master Congee’s dishes are packed with deep flavour, but those with MSG sensitivities be warned as some of the congees purportedly contain some MSG.

Multiple locations in Hong Kong

Law Fu Kee — Central

Law Fu Kee is the congee specialist of Central, with two locations just six minutes’ walk from each other. The one on Des Voeux Road is the newer branch, but the one on Lyndhurst Terrace serves a wider variety of dishes. Every morning, they start with a plain congee with an especially smooth texture that’s been prepared overnight and cook ingredients from raw as they’re ordered, for an unmatched homemade taste. It’s a very popular destination for breakfast among the locals, so go in the morning if you can! First-timers have to try the fish congee with thin slices of just-cooked, juicy fish.

Central #1: G/F, 50 Lyndhurst Terrace | +852 2850 6756

Central #2: 140 Des Voeux Rd Central | +852 2541 3080

Chan Kan Kee Chiu Chow Restaurant — Tseung Kwan O

This Chiu Chow restaurant with 70 years of history mainly serves up coveted marinated meats (made in a distinct Chiu Chow-style marinade called lo sui). Besides that, the comforting Chiu Chow style congee is thicker than the Hong Kong iteration, cooking the rice until it breaks down into a paste-like texture. Chan Kan Kee has been awarded a Bib Gourmand label by the Michelin Guide every year since 2011 for its cost-effective gourmet offering.

The restaurant was once housed in Chiu Chow Lane (which was demolished and converted into today’s Heung Hing Lane in 1997. It moved to its current home in a shopping centre in 2020.

Shop 353B, 3/F, The LOHAS, 1 Lohas Park Rd, Tseung Kwan O | +852 2858 0033

Fat Kee Congee Shop — Multiple locations

With locations in Yuen Long, Tai Po, Wan Chai, and Sham Shui Po, Fat Kee Congee Shop caters to the local uncles that want an economical and yummy Hong Kong-style congee, with prices ranging from HK$20 to within HK$50. Served in clay bowls, the congee with pork offal for example is prepared well so there’s no lingering ‘off’ taste that can sometimes accompany offal dishes. On top of Guangdong congee, Fat Kee also serves a selection of other dishes, such as stir-fried beef or steamed yellow chicken with a heap of garlic and scallion oil.

Multiple locations in Hong Kong

Mui Kee Congee — Mong Kok

Mui Kee started as a small congee stall in Mong Kok manned by just one lady, named Mak Mui, in 1979. Now led by Ms. Mak’s grandson (pictured far left above), it’s made its permanent home on Fa Yuen Street, also known as the home of Ladies’ Market. Only open until 3pm, their congee is unique among congee establishments for its unmatched creaminess and depth of flavour, cooked with fish stock and century eggs which are broken up to imbue their umami essence into the porridge. The signature dish is porridge made with the mouth and fins of fish. The congee shop’s success has led to the opening of a Singapore branch!

Shop 11-12, 3/F, Fa Yuen Street Municipal Services Building, 123A Fa Yuen St, Mong Kok | +852 2789 0198

Header image credits: Connie Ma via WikiCommons

The high-speed ferry takes travellers between Hong Kong and Pazhou Ferry Terminal, which also officially opened on Thursday, in approximately two hours. The ferry operator in Pazhou had already been running trial routes to the China Ferry Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui since April 14.

At a virtual launch ceremony, Chief Executive John Lee praised the new connection, saying it “demonstrates the complementary advantages of the Greater Bay Area.”

The fare between Pazhou and the China Ferry Terminal (located at the China Hong Kong City complex in Tsim Sha Tsui) is HK$250, while ferrying between Pazhou and HKIA costs HK$295.

SkyPier, the ferry terminal at HKIA, provides a Sea-to-Air service which gives passengers from the mainland the ability to go through immigration and luggage check-in at Pazhou terminal so they can immediately head to their flight once they’ve arrived at the Hong Kong airport.

Mainland visitor numbers were forecasted to tip over 600,000 during the Golden Week holiday this week, the Hong Kong Free Press reported.

The Hong Kong government has been making efforts to draw cross-border travellers with initiatives like free air tickets for people from 14 mainland Chinese cities. Under the “Hello Hong Kong” tourism promotion campaign, the government has pledged to give away 500,000 free flight tickets from now until September 2023 to overseas tourists.

Header image credits: wonry via Canva

The booking period is only from midnight on May 3 until 11:59pm on May 6 for trips falling on or between May 8 to July 11, 2023. The promotion from the budget airline owned by Cathay Pacific is only valid for return trips beginning from Hong Kong to Hanoi.

Limited seats are available and note that travellers can only bring carry-on luggage.

Hanoi is the second-largest city in Vietnam, and with 1,000 years of history, is an incredible meeting point of culture, religion, and food. It is home to the famous Train Street, mingling of old and new in the colonial French architecture with iconic buildings like the Hanoi Opera House, night markets, temples, and cheap, delectable street food.

The Hong Kong government had previously announced that three locally based airlines, Cathay Pacific, HK Express, and Hong Kong Airlines, would be offering free air tickets for overseas tourists to travel to the Asian hub as part of the Airport Authority’s “World of Winners” campaign. This is part of the government’s “Happy Hong Kong” project aiming to re-attract international tourists. However, HK Express has yet to announce details of their giveaway.

Earlier in the week, Cathay announced the gifting of more than 3,200 tickets from London and Manchester to Hong Kong starting on May 9.

Header image credits: Silver Ringvee via Unsplash

From opening until closing on the weekend of May 20 to 21 (11am to 11pm), visitors can get a complimentary Observation Wheel ticket for the day at the box office, availability subject to the wheel’s capacity. Tickets are sponsored by long-time carnival sponsor AIA Hong Kong. (Visit the wheel’s Facebook page for updates.)

This was announced at the kick-off ceremony at Central Harbourfront on Wednesday afternoon of the countdown until AIA Carnival, with a clock counting down the days until the opening on December 21, 2023. The AIA Carnival will run through Christmas, New Year, and 2024 Lunar New Year holidays.

More than one million visitors are expected at AIA Carnival 2024 as it runs through peak holiday times.

In light of the government’s “Hello Hong Kong” and “Happy Hong Kong” campaigns, Randy Bloom, CEO of Great China Entertainment Group which is organising the event revealed that this year’s carnival will feature “an array of new experiences” with never-before-seen attractions and rides expected to be announced when tickets go on sale in September. The ceremony was attended by Olympic swimmer Siobhan Haughey, acting as AIA Hong Kong and Macau Ambassador.

This will be the first AIA Carnival since the one that opened in December 2019, which ran until February 2020.

Header image credits: Leung Cho Pan via Canva