What Is Dragon Boat Festival

Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated on June 10, 2024. Also known as Tuen Ng Festival (端午節, tuen ng jit in Cantonese) or Double Fifth Festival (雙五節, seung ng jit in Cantonese), the day highlights dragon boat racing as a symbol of the culmination of multiple practices meant to drive away evil energy and invite clean energy into your life.

The name ‘Double Fifth Festival’ comes from the holiday’s occurrence on the fifth day of the five-month lunar calendar. Celebrated all over Asia, the most common activities are watching fierce dragon boat races and eating symbolic foods like sticky rice cooked in lotus leaves.

How To Celebrate Dragon Boat Festival

In modern days, the Dragon Boat Festival is mainly celebrated in Hong Kong, China, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, and within the Chinese community in other countries. While traditional practices like hanging dried herbs may no longer be seen everywhere, activities like eating festive foods and dragon boat racing are still commonly practised around the world. Different countries have various ways of celebrating, but they all unite around the core ideas of avoiding sickness and warding off evil spirits.

In ancient times, traditional celebrations are key in encouraging a healthy and especially prosperous year ahead:

• Hanging portraits of the guardian deity Zhong Kui (鍾馗), a hunter of demons, in the home to keep dark spirits from entering;
• Hanging mugwort leaves, a Chinese herbal medicine, on the front door to protect the household from illness. Indeed, it’s been found that insects are repelled by mugwort and calamus plants;
• Giving children lucky fragrance pouches called ‘fragrant sachets’ (香囊, heung nong in Cantonese), which are sewn with silk cloth and thread and then filled with fragrances or herbs. Again, the effects are twofold: these bags are worn around the neck or tied to the front of clothing to protect the individual from evil spirits and to deter insects carrying infectious diseases;
• Standing an egg on its end for a day, which is believed to bring prosperity for the year.

The History Behind Dragon Boat Festival

The Dragon Boat Festival is believed to have its origin two thousand years ago in the Warring States period (475-221 BC). During this divisive ancient Chinese era, seven states fought for territorial control until the country was united under the Qin Dynasty.

Chinese figures Qu Yuan, Wu Zixu, and Cao E are said to have lived during this period, and the legends surrounding their lives are key to understanding the history and various modern practices surrounding the festival. 

Qu Yuan (屈原)

Qu Yuan was a poet and political minister in the Chu state characterized by his classical poetry and political devotion. As the king’s main advisor, Qu Yuan attempted to introduce strong political reform. Other officials became jealous of his high position and manipulated the king into exiling Qu Yuan.

During his exile, Qu Yuan wrote poems to show his love for his province. When the Chu state eventually fell to the Qin state, the story states that Qu Yuan was so devastated that he wrote one final poem and then drowned himself in a river on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. The legend goes on to say that sympathetic villagers rowed onto the river to retrieve his body.

Unable to find it, they rowed along the river hitting the water with their paddles and beating drums to scare bad spirits away. They also threw lumps of rice into the water to distract fish from eating the body. Scholars write of his death as a form of martyrdom, a respectable symbol of his dedication to his home state. In this way, the traditions of boat racing and consumption of rice dumplings came about to honor the memory of Qu Yuan.

Wu Zixu (伍子胥)  

A second origin story tells of Wu Zixu, the ancient premier of Wu state. People in the provinces of Jiangsu and Zhejiang, which is the former territory of the Wu state, more commonly attribute this story to the birth of Tuen Ng Festival.

Wu’s brother and father were imprisoned on order of the king. Eventually, both were executed. Wu Zixu fled to Wu state in fear that he would experience the same fate. He eventually helped Wu state’s king conquer Chu state, avenging his family members’ execution and advancing in political rank. But when the king’s successor was bribed by an opposing state’s official (a state that Wu had advised the successor to target), Wu Zixu was commanded to commit suicide.

Wu’s body was thrown into a river on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month and locals held dragon boat races to show solidarity with him.

Cao E (曹娥)

Another popular origin story behind Tuen Ng Festival is about a loyal daughter named Cao E. The young girl’s father drowned in a river, his body lost to the water. Cao E searched along the riverbanks for his corpse for days, wanting to give her father a proper burial. Unable to contain her sorrow, on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, the filial daughter jumped into the river. Cao E’s body was discovered days later. In her arms, she held her father, having finally found him in death.

What To Eat During Dragon Boat Festival?

In Hong Kong

The most traditional food related to the Dragon Boat Festival is the rice dumpling known as zongzi (粽子), simply called jung (糉) in Hong Kong. The dumpling starts with sticky glutinous rice that is soaked in alkaline water. The sticky rice is wrapped in bamboo leaves in a triangular shape, filled with precooked ingredients, tied with string, and boiled in water. The common fillings for glutinous rice dumplings are egg yolk, pork, lotus seeds, green bean paste, peanuts, and other nuts.

The lumps of rice thrown into the river in the story of Qu Yuan have evolved into this elaborate, rich food that sees variations in fillings and bamboo leaf shapes throughout Asian countries.

In Taiwan & Mainland China

In Taiwan, multiple ingredients like shiitake mushrooms, shallots, and baby shrimp are stir-fried and then steamed inside rice dumplings. In Northern China, the sticky rice dumplings tend to be sweeter; in Southern China, the rice dumplings are salty and more rectangular; in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, people boil eggs in tea and dye them red to be hung in a bag around children’s neck for good luck.

Another culinary tradition during Tuen Ng Festival is drinking realgar wine. Chinese yellow wine is combined with trace amounts of powdered realgar (雄黄, xiong huang in Putonghua), which is a dark yellow arsenic sulphide mineral. Here again, the beliefs are both practical and symbolic; the wine is an antidote for poison and also thought to chase away evil energy.

What Is The Significance Of Dragon Boat Races?

The dragon boat race is the most exciting, colourful event during Tuen Ng Festival. The famous dragon boat is a long, narrow boat painted with a Chinese dragon head and tail. The number of paddlers can stretch from 10 to 50, with the typical team consisting of 22 people. Along with the paddlers, there is also the leader at the bow beating the timekeeping drum and a steerer at the rear.

Teamwork is an essential factor as all the paddlers need to move in unison, following the rhythm of the beating drum. This ritual of the beating drum and synchronicity placates the rain gods so that they bring raindrops in the year to come, and also celebrates rice growth in the summer.

Since 1976, dragon boat racing has started to become more popular as the Hong Kong government under British rule marketed dragon boat racing as a sport to attract tourism. As the International Dragon Boat Federation was built in 1991, since then dragon boat racing has been practiced in lots of countries around the world. The Hong Kong Dragon Boat Race attracts international athletes to compete every year and races have become so popular that lots of countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Germany have their own dragon races.

The Dragon Boat Festival or Double Fifth Festival has grown from a legend based on defending the home from evil spirits to an international tradition. The world has grown to share its praise and Hong Kong has embraced it wholeheartedly. The Dragon Boat race remains a sport of unity and an amazing festival to respect both the legends and the current culture surrounding it.

Where can I watch the dragon boat races in Hong Kong this year?

This year, the following dragon boat races are scheduled:

• 2024 Eastern District Dragon Boat Race — June 2, 2024
• Aberdeen Dragon Boat Race 2024 — June 10, 2024
• Stanley International Dragon Boat Championships — June 10, 2024
• Sai Kung Tuen Ng Festival — June 10, 2024
• Sha Tin Dragon Boat Race — June 10, 2024
• Tai Po Dragon Boat Race — June 10, 2024
• Tuen Mun Dragon Boat Race — June 10, 2024
• Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races — June 15-16, 2024
• Tai O Dragon Boat Water Parade & Dragon Boat Races — June 30, 2024

Head to our Dragon Boat Festival event guide for more details.

FAQ about Dragon Boat Festival

Other traditional Chinese festivals: Lunar New Year — Lunar New Year Fair — Birthday of Che Kung — Chinese Lantern Festival — Kwun Yum Treasury Opening Festival — Ching Ming Festival — Tin Hau Festival — Cheung Chau Bun Festival — Buddha’s Birthday — Birthday of Tam Kung — Dragon Boat Festival — Birthday of Kwan Tai — Qixi Festival — Hung Shing Festival — Hungry Ghost Festival — Mid-Autumn Festival — Monkey King Festival — Birthday of Confucius — Chung Yeung Festival — Winter Solstice Festival.

Header image credits: eLjeProks via WikiCommons

What is Hungry Ghost Festival?

Hungry Ghost Festival (盂蘭節, pronounced yu lan jit in Cantonese and yú lán jié in Putonghua) is a festival celebrated on August 30, 2023 that focuses on paying tribute to the spirits of ancestors, as well as other unknown ghosts, as they wander the physical realm. Ritual practices are observed during the entire seventh month in the lunar calendar, which is from August 17 to September 14 this year. This period is also called Ghost Month (鬼月, pronounced gwai yut) and the 15th day of the lunar month is considered the apex of the festival period.

This special time, called Zhongyuan Festival in Taoism, Yulan Festival in Buddhism, or just Ghost Festival, may seem similar to Halloween as it’s a festival about ghosts. But in fact, East Asian people believe that during this month the gates of the afterlife open and troubled ghosts wander around the streets of the living.

Why do spirits wander the earth during Yulan Festival?

As the spirits roam the physical world, they visit their descendants because they haven’t received a proper send-off or been remembered well enough after their death. During the entire month, there are ceremonies and rituals to appease, feed, and entertain these spirits. Along with providing offerings like food and faux money, people also avoid doing certain things in order to avoid upsetting the ghosts.

People practice these customs out of tradition to keep the relations between the living and the dead peaceful and to help the spirits pass back into their own realm. There isn’t an entirely documented history that clearly lays out the origins of this festival, but these are the basic principles behind the ritual practices. Today, people still hold the principles to be true and follow the rituals as they’ve been taught to.

How did Hungry Ghost Festival start?

Different origin stories for this festival time are told: the Mulian story is common in Chinese Buddhism and the story of ghost trials is a well-known story in Taoism.

In the Buddhist origin story, a close disciple of Syakamuni Buddha named Mulian (目連) helped save his mother from hell. His mother, a vegetarian, was sentenced to hell when she accidentally drank soup cooked with meat. Mulian cared for his deceased mother and tried to look for her in the afterlife by offering food to her. However, the food was taken away by hungry ghosts around her. He sought help from Buddha, who taught Mulian to chant and give sacrificial offerings in order to descend to hell and help his mother. People are touched by the kindness exemplified in this story and follow the offering ritual as a blessing to their ancestors.

In Taoism, the 15th day of the seventh lunar month is the judgment day for ghosts. It is believed that the judge of the lower realm gathers all spirits together and looks through their records to check who was kind or evil during their earthly lives. Ghosts with lesser sins would receive forgiveness, while ghosts with serious sins might suffer punishment and not be reincarnated. Ritual ceremonies are performed by the living family members of the ghosts in the hope that the judge offers them mercy.

How to celebrate Hungry Ghost Festival

During the Hungry Ghost Festival, rituals and special ceremonies are observed to pay tribute to unknown ghosts to avoid angering them and provoking them to play pranks on the living, but also to show reverence and pay respect to the spirits of your own ancestors. Families usually serve food on the memorial tables in their homes to ask for their ancestors’ blessings as they believe the dead are looking after them in spiritual forms.

Other common rituals people do during this time include burning incense and joss paper, which are paper products such as hell bank notes, clothing, cars, or other things ancestors enjoyed in paper form as a way to transfer them to the afterlife. Crowds gather at night to watch Chinese opera performances held at temporary bamboo structures decorated with lights. People also release paper lanterns on water, signifying guiding the ghosts back to the afterlife.

On the festival night, locals have a feast and leave an empty seat at the dining table as a symbol for their lost members. These rituals are believed to calm the ghosts as they wander and allow their ancestors to live a better afterlife.

What to avoid doing during Hungry Ghost Festival

There are certain taboo behaviours people will make sure not to do to avoid provoking the ghosts or incurring bad luck. For example, people usually:

1. Avoid telling ghost stories. 
2. Avoid touching food offerings and apologize if you accidentally knock them over.
3. Avoid scheduling significant events during this time, like starting a new business, getting married, or moving into a new home.
4. Avoid leaving money on the street as it is believed to be a bribe to the guards at the underworld’s entrance, which will be counted as a mark against you during your final judgement.
5. Avoid taking the last transportation of the day.
6. Avoid taking photos at night.
7. Avoid standing chopsticks upright in your bowl when eating as this considered an invitation to the ghosts.
8. Avoid wearing red and black clothing.
9. Avoid bodies of water, as a ghost who died drowning may try to do the same to you.
10. Avoid sleeping next to or facing a mirror.
11. Avoid sitting in the front row of Chinese opera performances; these seats are reserved for spirits.

Hungry Ghost Festival in other Asian countries

Festivals with similar themes and rituals to the Hungry Ghost Festival are also celebrated in other Asian cultures. In Taiwan, the lighting ceremony on grand temporary bamboo structures lasts for a few days during the Zhongyuan Ghost Festival in Keelung to show respect to deceased ancestors. These structures are also the site of operas and grand feasts.

In Japan, similar beliefs and rituals encapsulate the Bon Festival. Japanese people create food offerings named syouryouuma, which are sculptures of cucumbers or eggplants with wooden stick legs made to resemble a horse or cow to symbolize the spirits being transported between two worlds.

In Indonesia, there is an ancestor worship festival called Ma’nene. Known as a cleansing ritual, locals clean, groom, and dress their ancestors’ corpses with new, expensive clothing as a way to show remembrance to their deceased family members.

Where to see Yulan Festival festivities in Hong Kong

• Victoria Park Hungry Ghost Festival ceremony in Victoria Park, Causeway Bay (August 23, 2023)
• Temple rituals & Chinese opera at Yuen Da Temple, San Ha St, Chai Wan (entire Ghost Month)

FAQ about Hungry Ghost Festival

Other traditional Chinese festivals: Lunar New Year — Lunar New Year Fair — Birthday of Che Kung — Chinese Lantern Festival — Kwun Yum Treasury Opening Festival — Ching Ming Festival — Tin Hau Festival — Cheung Chau Bun Festival — Buddha’s Birthday — Birthday of Tam Kung — Dragon Boat Festival — Birthday of Kwan Tai — Qixi Festival — Hung Shing Festival — Hungry Ghost Festival — Mid-Autumn Festival — Monkey King Festival — Birthday of Confucius — Chung Yeung Festival — Winter Solstice Festival.

Header image credits: Leung Chee Keung Kenneth via WikiCommons

What are mooncakes?

Mooncakes (月餅, pronounced yut beng in Cantonese and yuè bǐng in Mandarin) are a round pastry with a thin, crackly shell and a sweet filling (traditionally, either lotus seed paste or red bean paste) and preserved duck egg yolks. The circular shape of mooncakes, which resemble the full moon at the peak of the harvesting season, symbolize unity and completeness, an important concept in Chinese culture.

Historically, the Hong Kong mooncake crust is made with flour, sugar syrup, oil, and alkaline water to prevent cracks. For the filling, white or yellow lotus seed paste or red bean paste surrounds an entire preserved egg yolk and occasionally contains seeds and other seasoning, as well. Today, various mooncake styles are common during Mid-Autumn Festival season, such as cold dessert ‘snowskin’ mooncakes, lava custard filling, and chocolate mooncakes.

What is the origin of mooncakes?

There are a few folktales surrounding the origin and cultural significance of mooncakes. These include a story about Ming revolutionaries using mooncakes to disseminate their messages in order to overthrow their Mongol rulers in the mid-fourteenth century.

However, the most common story surrounding mooncakes is the one about Chinese moon goddess Chang’e (嫦娥, pronounced seung ngo in Cantonese) that originated in the book of Huainanzi (淮南子) during the Han dynasty. The Chinese legend describes how the Earth originally had ten suns that would cross the sky one by one. However, one day all ten suns appeared at once, causing a severe drought. Chang’e’s husband, Hou Yi (后羿), shot down nine suns with his bow to end the drought. For his heroic actions, he was elected to be king.

At this point, there are variations in tellings of the legend.

One variation says that Hou Yi found a potion to achieve eternal life. Chang’e wished to end his rule and drank the immortality elixir herself, escaping to the moon for refuge. In a karmic punishment for her selfishness, she was transformed into a frog.

The other version of this mooncake history describes how the Queen of Heaven gave Hou Yi the immortality potion as a reward for saving humanity from starvation. The new king didn’t want to leave his wife, and gave her the potion for safekeeping. A greedy man named Fengmeng tried to take the potion from Chang’e, and knowing she couldn’t successfully fight him, she swallowed the potion and flew to the moon. When Hou Yi discovered his wife was gone, he was devastated and prepared her favourite cakes as offerings in an attempt to bring her back. Unsuccessful, he prepared a banquet every year on that day, the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month.

Ever since then, Chinese people have observed this festival day to honour Chang’e, the spirit of the moon, and reunite with their family where the mythological husband and wife couldn’t.

How are mooncakes made?

To make a traditional Hong Kong-style mooncake, first, an entire salted egg yolk is moulded by hand into the middle of a ball of dense filling. The roundness of the egg yolk should be carefully maintained at this stage. Then, the ball is wrapped into a round of thin pastry. The ball is then stamped into the ubiquitous uniform mooncake shape by a wood or plastic mould.

The pastry to filling ratio should be approximately 1:2, and the pastry can be made even thinner without breaking at the shaping stage if done by an experienced chef.

Mooncakes traditionally have Chinese blessing words like “harmony” and “longevity” stamped on the tops as a wish for peace and long life. They are also sometimes stamped with the name of the bakery they came from, or business names when gifted as corporate presents. Other moon-related symbols like rabbits (the loyal companion of the moon goddess is a rabbit) and flowers appear on the crowing decoration.

Stored at room or cooler temperatures, mooncakes can typically last for one to two weeks depending on their ingredients. Fillings made of exclusively lotus seed paste and egg yolk can be kept for longer than perishable ingredients like butter.

What are the different types of mooncakes?

Today, mooncakes come in many modern variations in filling and crust ingredients and flavours. However, the stamps on top still usually carry the motifs of the classic moon legend. There are also regional variations mooncakes throughout China and other parts of Asia. The following are variants on the traditional lotus seed paste and salty egg yolk mooncake seen in Hong Kong.

Snow skin mooncake is a cool, light, dessert-style mooncake. The skin is made with sugar and glutinous rice flour, and sweet red or green bean paste filling is accompanied by fruit, black sesame, chocolate, or edible bird’s nest.

The more fulfilling, decadent lava egg custard mooncake is made with a pastry of flour, butter, egg, and icing sugar. The creamy custard filling is made with a variety of milk and milk substitutes, custard powder, butter, sugar, and salted egg yolk.

Jelly mooncake is a bouncy, usually colourful mooncake with an outer layer made from fruit, coconut milk, water, sugar, and agar powder. The inside is filled with more fruits that imitate the traditional globular egg yolk centre. Still other creative “crystal” mooncakes are made with osthmanthus or longan jellies and filled with drief fruits or flowers.

Mixed nuts mooncake is a traditional mooncake originating from Guangdong, eaten more as a snack or part of a meal, that can contain ham, seeds, nuts, dried fruit, and dried scallops.

FAQ about mooncakes

More Mid-Autumn Festival guides

^{Header image credits: tsenphoto via Canva}

Shrimp dumplings (蝦餃)

Shrimp dumplings translates to har gow in Cantonese. The fillings are made with fresh shrimp and minced pork with seasoning. The fillings are wrapped in semi-transparent wrappers made of wheat and potato starch. It is best served immediately to keep the freshness and juiciness of the shrimp; when you bite into the skin, there should be a burst of flavour. 

Chicken feet (鳳爪)

Chicken feet, pronounced fung jao in Cantonese, is a popular dish that contains collagen for healthy skin. The feet are carefully cleaned, fried in hot oil, then marinated with mixtures of sauces and pepper. The dish is then steamed on a dish in a bamboo steamer to keep the meat stewing in its juices. The resulting dish is chewy, juicy, and rich in flavour all the way to the bones having soaked in the brine. 

BBQ pork buns (叉燒包)

Char siu bao is a barbecue pork bun that originated in Hong Kong. The steamed bun is made with white flour, sugar, baking powder, and filled with char siu that has the right balance of fat and lean meat. The perfect char siu bao has a cross on top that has opened slightly as it cooked, with light, fluffy bread, and aromatic char siu. Typically two to four are served in an order, either steamed or baked.

Siu mai (燒賣)

Siu mai is a wrapped meat dumpling that originated in Hohhot, Mongolia. Traditional siu mai uses a yellow coloured wrapper, but there are lighter-coloured versions too and both are delicious. Warm water and flour are made into the dough that forms the dumpling skin. Common fillings are pork, beef, or fish, and some versions are topped with quail eggs or crab roe for a pop of colour and bright flavour, which contrast the deep umami flavours of the meat. 

Radish or turnip cake (蘿蔔糕)

Known in English as turnip or radish cake, lo bak gou actually translates to “white carrot cake” in Cantonese. It is made with shredded turnips, which are combined with rice flour and lap cheung (preserved pork sausage) or ham to form the cake. Steamed lo bak gou is soft and moist, while the pan-seared version is a bit firmer and satisfyingly brown on the sides. The contrast in the pan-fried version between the crispy outer layer and the elastic inner layer is a delight.  

Sticky rice dumpling (糯米雞)

This sticky rice dumpling, called lo mai gai in Cantonese, is a dish of chicken and sticky glutinous rice wrapped in a lotus leaf. The steamed glutinous rice is combined with mushrooms, dried scallop, and lap cheung. The resulting dumpling has a moist, meshy, sticky texture with a hint of saltiness and umami. 

Fried taro dumpling (芋角)

Fried taro dumpling, called wu gok, is an artistic dim sum pastry with a unique honeycomb look. It is prepared by first cooking the taro until it’s soft, then mixing it with flour to form meshy taro balls. The balls are filled with sauteed ground pork, seasoning, and vegetables, and then deep-fried. Wu gok is airy, light, and crispy outside, and soft with a salty-sweet flavour inside. 

Pork ribs (排骨)

Steamed pork ribs are called pai gwut in Cantonese. Mini rib bites are cooked together with fermented black beans, soy sauce, and sugar, and garnished with green or red pepper. The simple dish is smooth, tender, and highlights the quality of the chicken. Some people like to add vinegar on top to remove any gamey smell. 

Beef balls (牛肉球)

Beef balls, called ngau yuk kau in Cantonese, is a dish of steamed meatballs that is made with minced ground beef, coriander, bean curd, and baking powder. The balls are further seasoned with orange peel, soy sauce, sesame oil, water chestnut, and pepper. It requires effort to make the beef tender by hand, so that they hold their shape. When made well, the meatballs have a consistent smooth texture throughout with the occasional crunch of water chestnut. 

Stuffed eggplant (煎釀茄子)

Stuffed eggplant, called jin yeung ke ji, has two layers of flavours, the minced dace fish meat topping and eggplant base. Fish meat is seasoned with salt and pepper, then the eggplants are sliced and pan-fried. To assemble, the eggplants are brushed with a cornstarch and water mixture to make sure the filling sticks, as it’s not actually put inside the eggplant. After steaming, it is served with soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and scallion oil. The meaty taste of eggplant with the juicy fish make this a great, fibrous dish.

Rice noodle rolls (腸粉)

Cheung fun is a dish of glistening rice noodle rolls served on an oval plate. Cheung fun is made by combining rice flour, starch, and sticky rice flour. The noodles are steamed to form a thin rice layer and then rolled. It can be served plain just like this with some soy sauce poured with a light hand, or with fillings such as shrimp, char siu (barbecue pork), beef, or fried Chinese donut. This dish is smooth and chewy. 

Sponge cake (馬拉糕)

Ma lai gou is a steamed sponge cake in Cantonese. The speciality of ma lai gou is the top layers of trapped air bubbles that make for a light cake. The traditional cake is made with flour, egg, lard, and butter. This mixture is fermented for 24 hours to allow air pockets to form, then steamed. The dish, often served at the end of the meal, is aromatic, spongy, moist, and fluffy. There is a brown sugar version that is a tad sweeter. There are many light dessert dishes commonly eaten at the end of yum cha, and this is just one of them.  

The tradition of yum cha continues to thrive in Hong Kong and around the world today and is best to try during the morning and afternoon, when the dishes have been freshly made. Look for restaurants close by to enjoy yummy dim sum!

Header image credits: Fook Lam Moon via CNN Travel

Sensory Zero

If you are looking for a breakfast joint with a specialty coffee, Sensory Zero is the place to go, especially if you work close to the Kowloon or Hong Kong Island areas. This store is modern and spacious for meeting friends and family. We especially recommend the all day breakfast of Japanese scrambled eggs served with potato wedges, salad, beans, sausage, and Australian beef. Their homemade jam is a must-try, which has three flavours: strawberry & rose, fig & earl grey, and mixed berries & black tea. They also have plenty of vegetarian options, or try out their overflowing croissant with wasabi paste if you are looking for a spicy kick to start the day.

Sensory Zero, multiple locations

The Diner

When The Diner isn’t busy frying up American classics like pulled pork burgers and grilled cheeses, they’re serving one of their three all day breakfasts. The retro restaurant’s pancakes topped with rashers and salmon fillet with pickled onions make delightful first meals of the day, and you can wash it down with bottomless coffee. You may even want breakfast with one of their signature milkshakes. Expect friendly service, authentic diner vibes, golden oldies in the background, and a long morning spent in their comfy booths.

G/F, Shiu King Court, 4-8 Arbuthnot Rd, Central | +852 2798 8219

Oolaa

If you are looking for the best weekend breakfast place to hang out with family, Oolaa is the place to enjoy a yummy breakfast in a relaxed atmosphere. The store is vegetarian-friendly and full of healthy options along with gluten- and dairy-free meals. The menu dances from eggs, breakfast burgers, and salmon with potato roti or a yeasty bagel to healthy brunch bowls, fruit salad, quinoa, and smoothies. You can also customize your own dish. These healthy dishes give you the burst of energy to go about your day with a fresh start.

Oolaa, multiple locations across Hong Kong

Green Waffle Diner

Green Waffle is a diner concept with a founder hailing from Canada. The diner’s Central location has been a breakfast institute for a decade. They specialize in waffles with all the toppings and sauce drizzlings you could want, including their ‘green’ pandan waffles, bananas foster waffles, and fried chicken leg waffles. With a commitment to using minimal salt and sugar in wholesome items like smoothie bowls, satisfying skillets, homemade jam, and almond or oat milk lattes, the goal is simple – humble food that leaves you feeling great.

Central: G/F, Jiahao Building, 35-39 Graham Street | +852 2887 9991

Causeway Bay: Shop 1303, 13th Floor, Hysan Place, 500 Hennessy Road | +852 2880 5123

Yuen Long: Shop G002, G/F, Phase 1, Yoho Mall, 9 Yuen Lung Street | +852 2363 0938

Elephant Grounds

Elephant Grounds is a coffee roaster brand started in 2013 and a modern breakfast spot. Their professional baristas use quality international farm-produced coffee beans to create their own espresso blend by combining Brazilian Arabica, Sumatra beans and more. Their coffee is best paired with eggs, breakfast burritos, nourishing breakfast bowls, and their buttermilk stacks. Try out some exclusive menu items specific to certain locations, such as the Causeway Bay exclusive mango coconut overnight oats, the Mid-Levels charred avo, or the Sheung Wan Roastery’s pulled pork benny. It is a spot best-suited to enjoy a classic Western breakfast or brunch in a young modern atmosphere, with five locations throughout Hong Kong.

Elephant Grounds, multiple locations across Hong Kong

CATCH.

CATCH. is an Australian restaurant specializing in seafood and European-style breakfast and brunch dishes made from the freshest ingredients. Their Quarry Bay location offers a tempting breakfast set from 8am until 11:45am on weekdays. We recommend their Smokey D with duck breast and scrambled eggs or their Dirty Eggs with paprika potatos fried to just the right crispiness topped with mayo, avocado, and cheddar. Their KTown location offers many of the same breakfast signature dishes (with some bonuses – think French toast with candied peaches and white chocolate… can a sweet breakfast be more heavenly?), but only on weekends and public holidays.

Kennedy Town: G/F, 95 Catchick St, Kennedy Town | +852 2855 1289

Quarry Bay: No. 21 Hoi Wan St, GF 17-19, Quarry Bay | +852 2568 3299

Classified

Classified, which has seven locations around Hong Kong island (except for their Kwun Tong spot), is one café chain that hasn’t let expansion spread them thin. Their food, centered around casual European-style dishes, is consistently on point and this is true for their breakfast menu available until 11:30am daily. The new breakfast menu featuring sourdough tartines, halloumi breakfast, and baked frittata are available at all of their comfortable, inviting venues, save New World Tower. Pair your breakfast with a high quality coffee and you’re set for the first half of the day.

Classified, multiple locations across Hong Kong

The Blue Goose Tavern

The Blue Goose Tavern is a gem on Lamma Island for a weekend getaway, where you can chill with a sparkling view of the sea and an original English breakfast. Their deck offers a panoramic view from Lamma, and is a great place to enjoy an early morning meal. Serving up “late breakfasts”, pub grub, homemade pies, and even wholesome Filipino dishes, for us the all day English breakfast is the absolute choice to order, and comes in two sizes for those of us who just need a little extra to start the day. On the menu are English sausages, bacon, mushroom, chips, toast, beans, and tomato with the additional option to add black pudding. There are also vegetarian options available and we recommend trying the Welsh Rarebit (oozy cheese on toasted bread). 

G/F, 47 Yung Shue Wan Main Street, Lamma Island | +852 9869 1919

Fineprint Coffee

Fineprint was co-founded by Scottie Callaghan, a 2010 Australian Barista Champion, who manages and personally handpicks coffee beans to guarantee coffee quality. Their coffee beans are freshly roasted in Hong Kong, with dairy-free options if you’d like your morning boost a bit milkier. Their Central location is a narrow nook great for the grab-and-goers. Why has this café made it onto the list? Fineprint’s Aussie-style coffee pairs excellently with their signature sourdough toasts which are baked in-house daily – they make a delicious, nutrient-dense breakfast. We recommend trying the ricotta toast drizzled with honey and blueberries and spicy salami toast with n’duja.

Central: G/F, 38 Peel Street, Soho, Central | +852 5503 6880
Tai Hang: G/F, 1 Lily Street, Tai Hang | +852 5331 5205
Sai Ying Pun: G/F, 14 Second Street, Western District | +852 9440 4889

Jaspas

Jaspas is a one-stop family-friendly breakfast place with omelette, hash, wraps, egg benedict, toasts, pancakes, and various breakfast sets. Jaspas’s big breakfast and buttermilk pancakes are the most popular items that are must-tries. Here, you can also get a breakfast brunch that lasts till 4 pm from Monday to Sunday. Besides satisfying breakfast items, the store offers other items to service all tastes such as bruschetta, calamari, mini ribs, quesadillas, and lamb chop lollipops.

Kennedy Town: Commercial Unit B, Ground Floor, Manhattan Heights, No. 83 Catchick Street | +852 2872 0823

Sai Kung: G/F, 13 Sha Tsui Path, Sai Kung | +852 2792 6388

All-In Burger & Bar

All-In Burger & Bar is well-known for its American-style burgers. But they also shine unexpectedly during breakfast – there is the classic All-In breakfast with three meats, baked beans, potato wedges, and eggs available daily. Expect an excellent English breakfast with an American twist. On weekends, there are delightful breakfast specials to order: caramelized banana pancakes with maple syrup, eggs benedict, and a well-priced breakfast set with a choice from five proteins. After breakfast, All-In offers burgers (fish/beef/spicy chicken/crab), submarines (cheese steak/pork/wild mushroom), dirty dogs (frankfurter, bolognese sauce with cheese) and fragrant fish and chips. A great location for a relaxing morning or late lunch in a tavern-like bar.

Shop B, G/F Sun Chun Building, No. 4A-7 Sun Chun Street, Tai Hang | +852 9211 0879

Zaks

Zaks is the ideal place to have a luxurious, Bali-style vacation breakfast. The family-friendly restaurant with an oceanfront view in Discovery Bay is a two-floor restaurant with welcoming, stylish indoor dining as well as breezy outdoor seating. They offer classic omelettes, pancakes, toast, eggs benedict, and fulfilling fruit bowls. Two breakfasts that stand out to us especially are the Potato Bravos and DB Big Breakfast (eggs, Cumberland sausage, bacon, tomato, beans, hash brown and toast). The store offers Illy classic drinks of chilled or speciality coffees. If your tot would like something a little different, they can browse the kid’s menu for a bit of tacos and fish bites with their eggs.

Shop G04, Block A, Discovery Bay Plaza, Lantau Island | +852 2987 6232

^{Header image credits: Melissa Walker Horn via Unsplash}

Hong Kong has been recognized as a gastronomical hub worldwide from its colonial period until now. These unique pastries are a special representation of the traditional, modern, creative and rich aspects of our foodie scene which enjoys distinction in the world. 

Egg tart (蛋撻)

Egg custard tarts (pronounced dan tat) originated from the United Kingdom and were first introduced in Hong Kong after World War II during the colonial period. They were originally baked in oval moulds, but these changed to circular flower-like moulds in 1930. Egg tarts are made with cake flour, egg mixture, butter, sugar, and salt. Milk is added in some recipes to create a sweet, creamy textured filling. The dough gets rolled out, flattened, placed in the moulds, and then filled with the custard to bake in the oven till golden yellow. 

Pineapple bun (菠蘿包)

Pineapple buns (pronounced bolo bao) get their name from their crowning sugary cross-square pattern which looks similar to a pineapple; they do not contain pineapple. The bread is made with flour, sugar, egg, salt, yeast, milk, and butter. The topping layer has similar ingredients but replaces yeast with baking powder. These mildy sweet pastries have a crunchy, fluffy top with a soft bun base. Bolo yau (菠蘿油), which translates to pineapple oil, is a variation that contains a piece of sliced butter in the centre.

Wife cake (老婆餅)

Wife cakes (pronounced lou po beng) are a traditional thin crust pastry made by mixing water, sugar, lard, and sticky rice powder, with a winter melon paste filling inside. A piece of flattened dough is brushed with egg and baked in the oven until golden brown. There are some fun legends to this pastry, but they revolve around the central theme of a husband and wife supporting each other and showing their appreciation by baking these cakes for the other. Wife cakes are more commonly eaten compared to their savoury counterpart husband cakes (老公餅, pronounced lou gung beng). These are instead made with minced meat, garlic, salt, and salty egg yolk. Together, the pair of pastries are known as sweetheart cakes. 

Almond biscuit (杏仁酥)

Traditional almond biscuits are crumbly and mellow, and mainly differ from western almond cookies in their use of lard instead of butter. The ingredients are flour, icing sugar, baking soda, baking powder, egg yolk, melted lard, almond extract, and almonds. To form an almond biscuit, flour is sifted and combined with the rest of the dry ingredients, combined with egg yolk and lard, and then rolled out into cookies that fit into your palm. These are topped with an almond as a garnish and then baked in the oven until aromatic – a great healthy treat with a satisfying crumbling bite.

Walnut biscuit (合桃酥)

Walnut biscuits have a unique look that resemble the surface of the moon. The pitted, rippling surface also recalls the texture of a walnut, giving the pastry its name. Some bakeries would add in crumbled walnuts to improve their texture. There are two versions of walnut biscuits; one contains their namesake and the other actually contains no nuts. The non-walnut version is usually made with flour, egg, lard, and melon seeds. Butter is a common alternative for the lard, since nowadays more people prefer a healthier version. The resulting biscuits are crispy and nutty.

Red bean pastry (紅豆酥)

Red bean pastry is a sweet delicacy that can be eaten as a dessert or snack. It is handmade with a fluffy, crisp top and slow-cooked red bean paste as the filling. The traditional red bean pastry is ball-shaped and garnished with black sesame seeds. The alternative version is flatter and the fissured top looks slightly similar to pineapple buns. They both are baked in the oven till light golden brown. Both versions of the red bean pastry smell buttery and have a light sweetness from the red beans. This pastry’s specialty is its balance of soft and crunchy textures.

Chinese shortbread (光酥餅)

Chinese shortbread are pronounced gwong sou beng in Cantonese, which is a homonym for the city of Jiangsu, China. It is the mini version of xiaoqiao dabing (西樵大餅), a dense bread originating from the Ming dynasty. A chef invented the original using fermented dough, egg, and sugar for a special government official to eat on his way to work. Hong Kong shortbread looks similar, but the texture is different from the original cake. The local version is made with cake flour, white sugar, solid vegetable oil, baking powder and soda, egg, and water, resulting in a light, soft pastry with little cracks on the top that is seen as a traditional, healthy biscuit. 

Thousand-year egg pastry (皮蛋酥)

Thousand-year egg pastry is a handmade classic snack. The traditional recipes use a 2:1 ratio for the green bean paste and ginger and contains a whole thousand-year egg in the middle.  Lard and cake flour are combined to make a puff pastry first, and then a cake pastry layer is formed using lard, sugar, cake flour, and water. The two layers come together to form the final dough. After a 10 minute rest, the dough is rolled out once more. The thousand-year egg is placed in the centre, wrapped with bean paste mixture, egg-washed twice, and baked in the oven. When it emerges, the pastry is delicate, fluffy, smooth, and complemented by the rich flavor of egg which has slightly melted into the other components. 

Pork pastry (雞仔餅)

Pork pastry is called gai zai beng, or chicken biscuit in Cantonese. It does not contain chicken, but rather originated from a maid who helped her master create a pastry to serve customers. The pastry was named after her, Xiaofeng, which has a similar meaning to ‘small chicken’. The filling is made by sautéing pickled Chinese mustard, five seeds including peanut, sesame, walnut, almonds, and melon seeds; pork belly, salt, and seasonings together. The filling is wrapped in the pastry dough, flattened, and baked in the oven until crispy. Many flavours and textures are shown off in the cake, with elements of sweet, salty, oily, meaty, and crispy.

Chinese bridal cake (嫁女餅)

Chinese bridal cakes are part of a tradition in Chinese weddings where the bride’s family sends out a pastry card along with the wedding invitation for her side of family and friends. Guests can use this card to redeem a bridal cake at a bakery, and this exchange has the meaning of sending best wishes to the couple, hoping their happiness and love will last forever. This wedding pastry is made using flour and lard that is chilled into a puff pastry. The red color pastry is flattened first, then wrapped in the puff pastry and rolled for a period of time. The dough is formed into a ball and then filled with lotus seed paste and salty egg yolk. A character which signifies “double happiness” (囍, pronounced hei) is stamped on top of the pastry.

They are also the birthplace of unique drinks with ingredient combinations boasting skin benefits, a remedy for the common cold, or simply delicious flavours borne of Hong Kong’s multicultural history and here is our guide to specialty drinks that you can find and order in a cha chaan teng. 

Cream soda with milk (忌廉溝鮮奶)

Cream soda with milk (pronounced gei lim kau xin lai) might sound like an odd combination of too much dairy together, but it is an interesting drink to order for its flavour and mouthfeel. It is served as half a glass of cold milk with a can of famous Schweppes Cream soda on the side. Patrons can then decide the amount of cream soda to pour into their glass of milk before stirring. It sounds simple but tastes like a bubbly milkshake, combining a sweet, creamy, smooth taste with a hint of carbonated kick. 

Stocking milk tea (絲襪奶茶)

Stocking milk tea (pronounced si mut lai cha) is a popular drink order as it is the authentic classic milk tea preparation in Hong Kong. The staple is prepared by straining multiple types of tea leaves into a cup using a chinois. (Pu’erh and ceylon tea are generally used, although the particular proportions differ between restaurants and are regarded as a secret.) A sackcloth bag covers the chinois to better filter the tea leaves, resembling a pair of pantyhose. Most cha chaan tengs use the brand Black & White Full Cream Evaporated Milk as it is made with fresh Netherlands milk, which is why you commonly see milk tea served in a Black & White cow logo ceramic cup representing the brand. Stocking milk tea has a richer, smooth balanced taste of black tea and milk than average milk tea and is a preferred order as a drink. 

Cha zau (茶走)

Cha zau milk tea originated from stocking milk tea. The way of making cha zau is slightly different from the classic preparation, as it is made of black tea, condensed milk, and sugar. The ratio of black tea and milk varies between these two versions of milk tea. Cha zau originated from customers requesting milk tea with no sugar added, worrying it would increase saliva production (making their request with the phrase zau tong, or “no sugar”). So cha chaan tengs started using condensed milk as a sugar alternative, which then became popularly ordered due to the resulting rich sweetness and creaminess.

Iced red bean (紅豆冰)

Red bean ice or red bean fleecy is known in Cantonese as hung dau bing. This cold red bean beverage consists of crushed ice with sweet red beans and vanilla ice cream. It is a classic refreshing dessert drink ideal on those hot summer days. This drink is best enjoyed using a big spoon to taste the mix of crunchy crushed ice, red beans, and creamy milk texture. Red bean ice is prepared by first cooking red beans with sugar to form a red bean paste which is then chilled in the refrigerator. After that, the red bean paste, evaporated milk, and crushed ice are combined into the sweetest dessert cup to order.

Hot water with egg (滾水蛋)

Hot water with egg (pronounced gwun sui dan) is a drink seen in traditional cha chaan tengs. As you may guess, the traditional way of serving this drink is by preparing a cup of hot water and dropping a raw egg in immediately before serving. Stir to incorporate the egg before it cooks, and add in white sugar before drinking. This warm, nurturing drink originated due to a lack of food supply in the time of old Hong Kong and was seen as a nutritional beverage. It tastes similar to light egg drop sweet soup. Hot water with egg might seem like an odd drink nowadays, but it is a simple way to grasp the old style of cha chaan teng. 

Hot Coke with ginger and lemon (熱薑檸樂)

Hot Coke with ginger and lemon (pronounced yit geung ling lok) is a drink that is commonly believed to relieve cold symptoms. Lemon is rich in vitamin C, and most people have heard Coke contains black sugar. In Chinese medicine, black sugar and ginger tea can improve body circulation and strengthen the stomach and spleen. This drink is bubbly, sweet, and slightly sour, and has a strong spiciness from the ginger. The soft drink’s carbonation is reduced significantly by the boiling process, making it easier on a sore throat. It is prescribed to alleviate cough and congestion, though its effects are not scientifically proven. The remedy is prepared by boiling Coca-Cola in a pot, adding in pre-peeled ginger and lemon slices for a few minutes, and pouring in a cup to serve. 

Ribena with lemon (檸賓)

Ribena is a blackcurrant drink that originated from the United Kingdom but has been a nostalgic drink in Hong Kong since the 90s. It is a concentrated blackcurrant juice that comes in non-carbonated or carbonated forms. In cha chaan tengs, Ribena is served with lemon to enhance its fruitiness (pronounced ling bun). It pairs well with soda or sparkling water. The result is sweet, fruity, slightly sour, and refreshing, with anthocyanins that are great for eye and skin health making it commonly known as an ideal drink for children.

Yuen yeung (鴛鴦)

This drink is commonly called yuen yeung. The name of the drink comes from the legend of mandarin ducks always coming in a pair (the Chinese name for the drink and the type of duck are the same) or as a reference to the combination of Western and Eastern drinks, coffee and milk tea. It is made with a 1:1 ratio of milk tea to coffee. This drink is typically smooth and has the sweetness from the milk lingering with a light bitter taste of coffee. It is a drink that gives you a great balance of complementary flavours and a boost of caffeine, a great alternative to order if you are indecisive about ordering between milk tea and coffee. 

Almond cream (杏仁霜)

Almond cream (pronounced hung yun seung) is another nutritious beverage that is well known for its skin health benefits. Almonds can improve blood circulation and has anti-aging effects, moisturizing and whitening skin. It is usually made with almond powder added to boiling water and sugar. The traditional way of making almond cream uses two kinds of almonds: sweet apricot kernel and bitter apricot kernel. These two ingredients can help to nourish the lungs and improve coughing symptoms. It is a smooth drink with a silky, milky-like texture as a great alternative to dairy drinks. Some people like to add evaporated milk to enhance its creamy texture. 

Black cow (黑牛)

The black cow (pronounced hak ngau) is a classic drink of sweet tooth satisfaction in the summer. It provides double sweetness with the combination of Coke and chocolate ice cream. The speciality of this drink is the coolness from the ice cream mixed with the bubbly Coke that creates the flavour as a magical drink of sweetest treasure. Rocky road ice cream is a wonderful option that is perfect for this drink. The drink is commonly served to customers with ice cream placed on top, creating a creamy, bubbly swirl as it sinks. The black cow is a dessert drink that is loved by children. 

We can see the change in Hong Kong through the culture of drinks in cha chaan teng. From classic milk tea to soft drinks, these drinks are rooted in Hong Kong food culture. Order and try out these classic drinks next time you dine in a cha chaan teng to see if they really do offer the health benefits they boast!

This is the only tram system in the world that exclusively uses double-decker cars. It has been a classic local representation of Hong Kong for over 100 years and since then, has attracted people from all over the world to experience its rhythmic journey around the busy city with great views in-between skyscrapers and Victoria Harbour.

The history of the trams in Hong Kong

The trams were created to offer an efficient transportation service around the Hong Kong Island area. The first 26 cars were built in the United Kingdom, then delivered to Hong Kong to be installed. The fully installed trams then became available for public use in 1904, with one track running from Kennedy Town to Causeway Bay.

The system has been run by Hong Kong Tramway since the English colonial period and the first generation of trams were designed as single-deckers, with ten cars reserved for first-class passengers and the remaining sections for third-class passengers.

• The first class tramcars had one bench running along both walls, seating 32 and costing 10 cents.
• The third class had six sets of benches arranged perpendicular to the car’s length, seating 48 and costing 5 cents.

After a few years, the system became more regulated and less segregated.

The second generation of tramcars, which were double-deckers, became available in 1912, allowing first-class and third-class cars to be combined into one car. The upper deck and part of the main deck was for first-class riders and the rest of the space for third-class riders.

In 1923, the design began to innovate, with permanent wooden roofs and roll-down blinds added. Also at this time, the Hong Kong Tramway started to use power from the Hong Kong Electric Company to run the trams.

From 1930 on, the trams became known for advertising with full car-sized campaigns. The Japanese Occupation hit the tram system hard and fewer tramcars were in operation until after 1945. After the occupation ended, Hong Kong Tramway took building the cars into their own hands and redesigned them to be more streamlined. These cars are classified as fifth generation tramcars.

Of these redesigned cars, tram No. 120 is still being operated today. 

The popularity of the trams grew so much that to handle the capacity, the company added single-decker trailers to serve first-class passengers until these were retired in 1982. One of the biggest social changes came in 1971, when female conductors and drivers began to be hired for the first time. Two years later, class identification was removed. Then in 1976, coin boxes were added to replace conductors.

Hong Kong Tramway continued to grow even more, and in 1986 a new tram numbered No. 28 was designed for large parties along with a new antique tram No. 128 in 1987 to commemorate past designs.

The trams today

The current trams have been modernized for reduced noise and improved suspension, comfort, and the addition of advertisements. They are a convenient and eco-friendly transportation service to commute within the Hong Kong Island area. One of the biggest advantages of this system is that the cars follow their own dedicated track and avoid typical traffic jams.

As pedestrians, for your safety, be sure to look both ways to check if trams are coming before you cross the road. It is advised to plan ahead before your tram ride to know where to get off or which landmarks to look out for, as trams have no announcement of stops or digital signage. If you are unsure where to alight, you can ask fellow passengers for guidance or get off at large landmarks near your destination.

Practical information for riders

The earliest trams start around 5:45 a.m. and the last trams run from 11:30 p.m. to midnight.

However, note that the first and last tram times vary greatly from route to route and from weekdays to weekends/public holidays. For example, the last tram from Shau Kei Wan to Kennedy Town is as early as 7:10 p.m. while the last tram from Shau Kei Wan to Western Market is at midnight. To make sure you catch your tram, refer to the official timetable.

Tram fares:

• Adults: $2.60 
• Children: $1.30 
• Elderly: $1.20 

Fares are paid as you leave the tram, not when you enter the turnstiles, via cash in the coin box or by tapping your Octopus card. Besides regular trams, Hong Kong Tramway offers sightseeing tours on their 1920s style tramcars. Fares are $150 for adults and $95 for children, and children aged four and below can take tour rides for free.

The sightseeing tram begins at two points: Western Market Terminus (308 Des Voeux Road Central, Sheung Wan) which departs every day at 10 a.m., 1:45 p.m., and 4:15 p.m., and Causeway Bay Terminus (88 Yee Wo St, Causeway Bay), which departs every day at 11:05 a.m., 2:50 p.m., and 5:20 p.m.

Tour passengers embark on a guided tour of the Island’s landmarks, with historical stories told in 8 languages and free Wi-Fi. Unfortunately, regularly running tours have been suspended due to the pandemic, but chartered tours are still available for booking.

Tram routes

The tram system has 6 routes in total and approximately 120 stops. Find a comprehensive route map here.

1. Western Market  Shau Kei Wan
2. Happy Valley Shau Kei Wan
3. Shek Tong Tsui  North Point
4. Shek Tong Tsui  Causeway Bay
5. Kennedy Town  Happy Valley
6. Kennedy Town  Shau Kei Wan

If you just have a general idea of the district you want to visit, the main stops in major districts are: 

• Smithfield near Kennedy Town MTR Station
• Whitty Street near HKU MTR Station (Shek Tong Tsui District)
• Eastern Street near Sai Ying Pun MTR Station (Sai Ying Pun District)
• Man Wah Lane near Sheung Wan MTR Station
• Pedder Street near Central MTR Station and IFC 
• Admiralty MTR Station
• O’Brien Road near Wan Chai MTR Station and Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
• Paterson Street near Causeway Bay Station and Sogo Department store 
• Lau Sin Street near Tin Hau MTR station
• Fortress Hill MTR Station
• Shu Kuk Street near North Point MTR Station
• Finnie Street near Quarry Bay MTR Station
• Kornhill near Tai Koo MTR station and Taikoo Shing Cityplaza
• Holy Cross Path near Sai Wan Ho MTR station and Soho East
• Shau Kei Wan Terminus near Shau Kei Wan MTR station

Hong Kong Trams capture the unique essence of Hong Kong, the cultural combination from the west and the east. They are a classic Hong Kong icon where you can enjoy the feeling of old Hong Kong with a modern city view on your commute. 

Black pepper beef & potatoes (黑椒薯仔牛柳粒)

Black pepper beef and potatoes (pronounced hak jiu shu zai ngau lau lap) is a popular dish with the combination of great steak cut and black pepper soy sauce. The potatoes are cut in chunks and cooked to al dente with crispy skin. The beef is typically pan-seared to brown on all sides and to keep the moisture of the beef resulting in a juicy, tender steak. It is sauteed in the wok, to which potatoes and black pepper sauce are added to get a perfect flavorful combination of ingredients with the right kick of spiciness. The texture and flavor are not overwhelming, leaving the dish a favorite for many. 

Claypot rice (煲仔飯)

Claypot rice (pronounced bou zai fan)is a dish that pairs well with a variety of food ingredients. The popular dishes of claypot rice in dai pai dongs are chicken, lap cheong, and salty fish. Lap cheong is a dried Chinese sausage that is smoked with a hint of sweetness and salt. Salty fish is fried, has a golden outer layer, and soft interior. Claypot rice is cooked directly on the stove, where the ingredients are steamed to keep moisture and served with the crispy rice as the base. This provides a blend of crunchy and soft textures. 

Oyster omelette (蠔餅)

Oyster omelette (pronounced hou beng) is a Chiu Chow-style dish rich in protein and slightly different from a regular omelette. The success of this dish focuses on the ratio of flour, egg mixture, and cooking with oysters. Timing is essential for this aromatic dish in order to create a golden, crispy, delicate omelette. The preparation of oyster omelette is to soak oysters for about an hour to clear out sand, then they are cooked with garlic, scallion, and seasonings. White wine is an ingredient used to keep the umami taste of the oyster. Oyster omelette is a common order at dai pai dongs.

Black bean clams (豉椒炒蜆)

Black bean clams (pronounced si jiu chaau hin) are known as a delicious dish best cooked in a wok. Clams are soaked for at least an hour before cooking to remove extra sand. The key of the dish is to serve it right when the clams are slightly off the shells to maintain their freshness. This dish brings out the soft and sweet taste of clams and pairs well with beer. Typically black bean sauce is used for this dish (called douchi in Cantonese), a sauce made with fermented salted black soybeans that usually comes in a jar. 

Dried scallop & egg white fried rice (瑤柱蛋白炒飯)

The specialty of this fried rice dish (pronounced yiu chu daan baak chao faan) is the dried scallop, an expensive dried seafood ingredient that is contains nutrients like calcium, phosphorus, and iron, and several vitamins. Scallops are cooked, dried, and seen in dried seafood shops and traditional markets.  This dish starts with softening presoaked dried scallops before cooking. Sauteed egg whites, shredded dried scallops, chopped scallions are cooked with rice together in oil to get its umami flavor. Dried scallop is used to make XO sauce, which is commonly used in cooking this dish. This classic, distinctive dish is fluffy, light, and simple. 

Sweet and sour pork ribs (甜酸排骨)

Sweet and sour pork (pronounced tim syun pai gwat) is an appetizing dish with simple ingredients. The pork ribs are cut into bite-sized pieces and marinated with egg mixture, sugar, and salt. They are then dredged with flour or cornstarch to deep-fry in heated oil to get golden yellow and crispy. The dish is sweet and sour, as the pork is sauteed with pineapple to get sweet fruitiness. Vegetables like red pepper and onion are added to heighten the saucy flavor of the dish. This is a classic pork rib dish that is not greasy, a favorite of children and family.  

Stir-fried garlic shrimp (蒜香黃金蝦)

Stir-fried garlic shrimp (pronounced syun heung wong gam ha) is also named golden shrimp in Cantonese. It is a dish of crispy shrimp with a butter garlic aroma. The shrimp is usually light, chewy, and sweet. The flavor of the salty eggs is the key to the dish to enhance the shrimp’s flavor. The crustaceans are blanched and cooked with hot oil then sauteed with butter and garlic. Butter has a low smoke point that allows salty egg bites to stick to the shrimp and keep its umami profile. A dish that is a great test of the chef’s skills, and a lovely balance of flavors. 

Roasted crispy pigeon/squab (紅燒乳鴿)

Roasted crispy pigeon (pronounced hung siu yu gap) is a classic Hong Kong dish in Cantonese cuisine. It is a lean meat dish with a reasonable price that usually is cheaper than chicken. The pigeon is prepared by removing offals, a thorough cleaning, then marinating for an hour before cooking.  Roasting or frying pigeons helps keep the meat juicy. The glossy look of dark golden, crispy skin is from ladling with oil or brushing with maltose. This dish can be served as a whole pigeon, halved, or cut in pieces. The taste of pigeon is juicy, tender, and different from roasted goose. 

Crab with garlic and chili sauce (避風塘炒蟹)

Crab with garlic and chili sauce (pronounced bei fung tong chaau hai) is a classic traditional seafood dish of Cantonese cuisine. The uniqueness of the dish is it integrates garlic, chili, and black bean (douchi) to stand out from the aroma of crab. Every bite of soft crab meat has a hint of spice and richness in the flavor of ginger, scallion, and garlic. It is a well-presented dish to show the essence of the Cantonese flavor profile. The dish originates from marine restaurants of typhoon shelters (bei fung tong in Cantonese) in Hong Kong and has been a must-order dish in dai pai dongs. 

Fried pig intestines (炸大腸)

Fried pig intestines (pronounced ja dai cheung) are a specialty street snack dish in Hong Kong. The pork intestines are deep-fried and cut into pieces when served. The skin is thin and crunchy, but soft inside. It is a simple dish that requires lots of preparation and accurate timing for deep frying. The right cooking time prevents the intestines from being dried out or becoming too rubbery and tough to chew. Pig intestines served in dai pai dongs are different from the ones served in snack stores, where the former are prepared as pieces on skewers and deep-fried.

Dai pai dongs are a central icon of Hong Kong food culture and represent the change of history. They are a place for vibrant social interaction where you can also enjoy a quick snack, drink, or quality meal at an affordable price whether it is a seafood dish, specialty of Cantonese cuisine, or a new adventurous dish. 

 Grass jelly 涼粉/仙草

Grass jelly is a Chinese herb jelly commonly seen in East Asia. The main ingredient for grass jelly is the herb named platostoma palustre. It uses the herbs that are pre-soaked in water for hours, cooked then uses its liquid to combine with rice flour and cornstarch to form a jelly. This results in the color black and has a slightly bitter taste with a mildly chewy texture. It is served as a dessert in chunk or cube form and pairs with other ingredients such as coconut milk, evaporated milk, sago soup, or as a specialty drink with milk tea.

Tofu pudding 豆腐花

Tofu pudding is known as the traditional smooth beancurd dessert. It is rich with soybean flavor and has a soft, delightful texture different from regular tofu. It uses soymilk, which is prepared with uncooked soybeans blended and strained followed by cooking on the stove. Once soymilk is formed, by adding pre-dissolved edible gypsum or plaster powder and stir to form the bean curd. Serve tofu pudding with brown sugar to create a combination of soft and crunchy texture or the alternative of adding syrup to enjoy the original soybean flavor in a silky texture. 

Mango sago pomelo pudding 楊枝甘露

Mango sago pomelo pudding is a sweet and popular dessert invented in Lei Garden in 1984, a Cantonese restaurant in Hong Kong. The dessert name comes from the idea of the manna from a willow branch to refresh someone and is popular in tropical climates. This is a refreshing dessert with sago, syrup, cream, mango, and pomelo chunks. It provides a balance of fair smooth creamy and citrus taste. The creation of pudding is to blend mango to juice form, add in syrup, coconut milk, milk, water, stir, mix with precooked sago, and top with pomelo to serve. 

Red bean soup 紅豆湯

Red bean soup is a sweet dessert that is usually served hot. It is cooked with red beans, chang pei which is Chinese sun-dried orange peel, and cane sugar. Red bean soup usually results in a meshy sand-like texture by cooking longer. However, it can also be served as a clear and chewy texture with beans that are just fully cooked. This is a dessert that is high in protein and low fat. It is commonly served as dessert in weddings with the meaning of “May happiness be with you and may you stay in love.”

Black sesame tong yuen 黑芝麻湯圓

Tong yuen is a dessert of small white doughy balls with filling in the center. The black sesame filling is prepared with saute sesame seeds in a wok to get its aroma, then put into a blender. For making tong yuen, it is combined with glutinous rice flour and warm water to form the outer layer, then add in fillings to form a circle ball. Tong yuen tastes soft, chewy, and warm. It’s a signature festival food for the lunar new year, lantern festival, winter solstice, Mid-Autumn Festival, and weddings. Typically this dessert means family reunion and togetherness.  

Osmanthus flower jelly 桂花糕

A dessert floral scent jelly filled with delicate osmanthus flowers. Osmanthus flower blossoms around autumn and particularly people would sit under this tree to gaze at the full harvest moon. This jelly is a beautiful representation of the season and celebrates the Mid-Autumn Festival. A semi-translucent jelly that is soft, delicate, and sweet. The jelly is made with dried osmanthus flower, dried wolfberry, crystal sugar, and gelatin powder. The taste of the jelly is sweet yet a bit tart. The true pleasure of this dessert comes more from the aroma.

Milk pudding 燉奶  

This traditional milk pudding uses pure milk to simmer, combined with sugar to create a rich milk curd texture. Egg white is a common ingredient some use for thickening during cooking. Milk pudding is soft, smooth, creamy, but different from double skin milk, where the essence is the two skin milk layers formed on top during the cooking process. Milk pudding is a dessert rich in protein which is great for skin health benefits. Most like it best when served hot, but cold is great too. Famous places include Yee Shun Milk Company and Australia Dairy Company in Hong Kong. 

Sago soup 西米露

Sago soup is referred to as sai mai lou in Cantonese, a sweet soup dessert with small clear pearl tapioca balls. It uses evaporated milk or a milk substitute and coconut milk as the base. Sago is made from starch that is extracted from palm plants, a processed kind of rice to make lightly chewy tapioca balls. This tapioca is different from pearl tapioca that is used for bubble milk teas and they are cooked differently. Sago soup is best paired with fruits, red beans, and sweet potatoes to enhance its flavor. Sago is good for the spleen and lungs.

Walnut soup 合桃露

Walnut soup is a dessert with a texture between creamy and broth. Walnut naturally has a hint of bitterness, and it is cooked by boiling it then strained and sauteed to enhance its flavor and aroma. The soup is very rich with a blend of walnuts, smooth and nutty taste. It is commonly served with crystal sugar to balance the bitterness. Walnut is rich in linoleic, which provides nutrients for the mind, has vitamin E, and improves skin health. Some believe that the shape of the walnut resembles the brain which encourages the belief of supporting the mind.

But jai gou 砵仔糕

Put Chai Ko has been a traditional snack dessert that has been around since 1980. It is a circle bowl-like pudding cake. The cake is made with red beans, sticky rice flour, brown sugar and mixed with starch. The traditional way of eating Put Chai Ko is to pour out the cake from the bowl and serve it with a skewer. If you are looking to use white sugar you can make White Put Chai Ko as an alternative. Put Chai Ko is known as one of the famous Hong Kong historical street snacks and it is semi-soft, mildly chewy, sweet, and rich in red bean flavor. 

Hong Kong desserts are full of history and creativity. A simple traditional dessert can be a great alternative to try for a sweet yet healthy snack. Traditional style dessert shows an appreciation of cultural legacy.

It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad World (富貴逼人) 1987

This film depicts Hong Kong living in the 80s and 90s through the story of a couple as a grassroots family. When Mrs. Biu wins the lottery, the family who lives in government-sponsored housing has their luck changed. The family begins to realize that even without money, they still have each other. In Hong Kong, there is always the materialistic world around you, but it is short-lived compared to family. That value is brought to the screen in this comedy/action film, which is directed by Clifton Ko and stars Bill Tung and Lydia Shum.

God of Gamblers (賭神) 1989

This action/comedy story begins with Ko Chun (Chow Yun-Fat), a scheme gambler who loses his memory after an injury to his head. During a chase, he is saved by Michael Chan (Andy Lau) and the two start to work as a team. This catches the attention of Ko Yee (Fong Lung), who envies Chun’s fame, and the conflict between the two begins. There are other movies with Andy Lau in the main cast that are similar to God of Gamblers, but not all of them are part of the same film universe. Many of these are remakes or spin-offs in their own sense. Gambling movies were a big hit in the late 20th century due to the increased discussion regarding the Hong Kong Gambling Ordinance in 1977, which restricted gambling for entertainment, leisure, and personal reasons to a limited number of authorized establishments.

The Killer (喋血雙雄) 1989

Ah Jong (Chow Yun-Fat) is a professional killer that during a job blinds a bystander with his muzzle flash. He feels guilty due to his mistake and tries to raise money for her, but danger catches up to him. A hired killer is after him and Detective Li Ying (Danny Lee) is in hot pursuit. It’s up to Ah Jong to make things right and eventually, with Li’s help, he might just make it. This is a modern martial arts movie that shows the struggles between expectations, wishes, and responsibilities. Director John Woo draws upon animal symbolism to create a secondary narrative to his movies. For instance, the dove represents people’s spirits and in Hong Kong, it is known to mean long life together with your partner.

Fat Choi Spirit (嚦咕嚦咕新年財) 2002

In this comedy directed by Johnnie To and Wai Ka-fai, mahjong master Andy (Andy Lau) always wins until he faces a curse. Andy begins to figure out a new way to play mahjong. He realizes the game takes effort, skill, and some luck to keep on playing. He learns to look at the game with less seriousness instead of complaining about bad luck or comparing himself to others. The film premiered during the Lunar New Year, hence the title. Mahjong is a popular gambling game and casual pasttime in Hong Kong, with so many films revolving around it that there is an entire film genre dedicated to the game.

Infernal Affairs (無間道) 2002

Infernal Affairs is a thriller and suspenseful crime movie directed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak. Lau Kin-ming (Andy Lau) is a mobster mole in the police force, and Chan Wing-Yan (Tony Leung) is an officer who goes undercover as a mobster. They both are living their double lives learning more about the other since they were young. Slowly, they realize there is a mole in both of their groups and it becomes a race to uncover the truth. The movie is a portrayal of the collision between free will and decisions we make along the way, and the reality of good and bad in practice. This movie is a dramatization of what life might have been like for those involved in the triad gangs that existed in Hong Kong during the 20th century.

Initial D (頭文字D) 2005

A must-watch action/drama film directed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak that is for any dream go-getter. Takumi Fujiwara (Jay Chou), a teen who has a passion for racing cars lives with his father, an alcoholic race car driver. He delivers tofu during the daytime and secretly practices racing during the night. He learns that with patience and practice, his driving skills can give him an edge. He decides to join a race with other top racers in a heated competition to take it all. His story inspires young people to spend time and effort to pursue their dreams. The story shows that life’s struggles are just temporary and hard work will pay off. This is a big thing for Hong Kong as a lot of people carry these same goals for their own life. 

Painted Faces (七小福) 1988

This film about the life story of Chinese opera master Yu Jim-yuen (Sammo Hung) won Best Actor and Best Cinematography at the 8th Hong Kong Film Awards. Yu Jim-yuen studied at the China Drama Academy and became a master of his trade. The film portrays three actors’ journey of growing up and striving for success by learning from Master Yu before they became famous icons in the Hong Kong film industry. The movie is full of happy and sad moments going back to their childhood memories and flashbacks to their acting training, struggles, and living with their fellow classmates. This classic film shows gratitude, appreciation, and loyalty to a mentor for their nurturing and guidance. Yu Jim-yuen and his teaching of acting and film are an important part of Hong Kong film heritage.

Ip Man (葉問) 2008

This martial arts film is a Hong Kong and China co-production based on a true story. The film is directed by Wilson Yip, and based around the life of martial art master and instructor of Bruce Lee. Ip Man was a master and martial art winner in Foshan during the Sino Japanese War period. The film depicts this humble man being challenged by other masters and Japanese generals to heighten their own prestige. This is the first in a series of four movies about the legendary martial artist, the last of which was released in 2019.

Love in a Puff (志明與春嬌) 2010

The romantic drama is directed by Pang Ho Cheung and focuses on when the government set out to prevent indoor smoking by passing a new law. Cherie (Miriam Yeung) and Jimmy (Shawn Yue) meet during their cigarette breaks and start talking. These simple breaks begin to shift their relationship but when strained with work and relocations, their relationship is put to the test. Many can relate to this film as Hong Kong’s work environment leaves limited time for a growing relationship. This film received the 30th Hong Kong Film Awards for Best Screenplay and Best Actress for Miriam Yeung. 

Weeds on Fire (點五步) 2016

This film is the first award-winning work of the First Feature Film Initiative, a plan by the Hong Kong government to assist the movie industry in finding new talents. The film tells the story of the first baseball team in Hong Kong to win a league. It follows school principal Lu Kwong-Fai (Kai Chi Liu) who recruits ten players including Tse Chi-Lung (Yiu-Sing Sam) and Fan Chun-Wai (Tony Tsz-Tung Wu). At each step forward, the team faces another conflict on their journey to greatness. It all comes down to their final match against the Japanese team, but they will have to overcome themselves and their most difficult hardships. This movie is a great depiction and dramatization of a classic story based on historical events of the Sha Tin Martins team.

These ten diverse movies take you on multiple journeys from action, thriller, and comedy, to romance. It is incredible to see the changes the Hong Kong movie industry has gone through in terms of performance and storytelling. Their portrayals of Hong Kong culture and creative storytelling have inspired Western greats such as The Departed and more. The film industry in their portrayal of Hong Kong shows reality in different times, cultures, stories and offers great life lessons we can learn to apply. 

Chinese Calligraphy/Ink Painting

Chinese calligraphy is an activity of using ink on a brush to write Chinese characters in an artistic form. This method is an important expression to show appreciation to traditional Chinese culture, art, and history. There are a total of five major styles of Chinese Calligraphy, such as Zuan, Li, Tsao, Hsin, and Kai. These styles have evolved and branched off in time. A great way to learn is the Spring Festival couplets, which is a common form of Chinese calligraphy. During the new year, people write couplets to express blessings and wishes for the new year. Chinese ink paintings use a similar concept to calligraphy, but the paintings depict mountains, flowers, animals, and architecture. Check out the below workshop to learn Chinese Calligraphy and Ink Painting.

Art Connect and Communication

• Address: 7 Shing Yip St, Kwun Tong, Hong Kong
• The workshop allows up to four people, with the price starting at HKD$300, and is scheduled by appointment.
• Website: https://www.viator.com/tours/Hong-Kong-SAR/Brush-calligraphy-class/d35959-238941P1

Introduction to Wood-Fired Pottery 

Wood-fired clay is a unique form of pottery art. Clay was a significant material to use for buildings and crafting containers for food and drink storage in ancient times. In the modern world, Chinese ceramics is now a form of art to show as a decoration instead of for its traditional uses. Many people will decorate their ceramics with traditional art forms or wherever their creativity leads. Wood firing is an ancient method of firing clay (i.e. heating the clay to make it hard) that involves burning wood in a kiln and allowing the resulting ashes to fall on the surface of the clay, creating an ash glaze. The workshops are designed with different levels: the beginner course covers the throwing technique, which is the use of a pottery wheel to shape the ceramics. There are other options where students can learn more about mastering the turning wheel and the final glazing. Students will have their own time to practice ceramics skills and have the option to decide if they want to fire the finished product at the end of the workshop with additional fees. 

Tung Yao Ceramics

• Address: No. 4 Po Yan Street, Sheung Wan
• The standard workshop is the throwing trial class, priced at HKD$420. There are other course options available which can be booked on the official website.
• Website: https://www.tungyaoceramics.com/workshop

Introduction to Chinese Cuisine Cooking

Traditional Chinese food is best described as delicate, crafty, and flavorful. If you love dim sum or Cantonese roast and would love to learn how to cook, you can learn with a professional chef in Martha Sherpa’s Cooking Class. You will experience cooking stirfry with an authentic Chinese wok by making steamed buns, dumplings, siu mai, Chinese roast, vegetarian food, and Thai cuisine. While the class is currently suspended due to COVID-19 safety concerns, this workshop is definitely a must-check out when it resumes.

Chinese Culinary Institute – Martha Sherpa’s Cooking Class

• Address: 416-438 King’s Road, North Point, Hong Kong
• Phone:＋852 9498 2652
• Classes are available by appointment only, and can be booked via email at martha.sherpa@gmail.com or Whatsapp at +852 9498 2652.
• Website: https://cooking-class-hong-kong.business.sit

Traditional Pastry Baking: Egg Tart, Wife Biscuit, and Milky Mooncake

Local traditional snack pastries have been the legacy of Hong Kong food culture. They are the famous icons of Hong Kong and known as a must-try delicacy. From the crunchy shell of an egg tart with pudding-like egg filling to the soft baked crust of a flaky wife biscuit, to a snowy mooncake filled with custard that is a great Mid-Autumn festival treat, you can learn to bake your own traditional snacks in a workshop and bring these skills home. The best part is you can take away the finished product with you to enjoy. The workshop will provide ingredients, digital recipes, and support by working with baking ambassadors. 

Bake Your Own

• Address: 8/F, OLIV, 15 Sharp Street East, Causeway Bay (flagship store)
• Other location options: Mong Kok, Causeway Bay, Kowloon Bay, Yuen Long
• The workshop prices range from HKD$230 to 480 depending on the pastry or dessert. Booking an appointment on the official website (only available in Chinese) or on Viator (English available) starts at HKD$410. The workshop only accepts reservations one month ahead. If you are scheduling for more than one person, there may be additional fees as well as prepayment required.
• Official website (Chinese only): https://www.bakeyourownhk.com
• English reservation link: https://www.viator.com/tours/Hong-Kong-SAR/Hong-Kong-Cultural-Experience-Traditional-Dessert-Making/d35959-148395P1

Chinese Tea Tasting and Dim Sum Pairing

Tea is a traditional drink in Chinese cuisine, especially with the yum cha culture in Hong Kong. If you want to learn more about the flavor of tea and what tea is best to pair with dim sum, you will love the tea tasting and dim sum pairing workshop at Ming Cha Teahouse. You can enjoy four kinds of tea, each paired with a dim sum and steamed rice dish with toppings freshly made by a local chef. You get to practice using chopsticks and learn the customs of yum cha. 

Ming Cha Teahouse

• Address: Room 1007-1008, 10/F, Cheung Tat Centre, 18 Cheung Lee Street, Chai Wan, Hong Kong
• The workshop is typically 1 ½ hours and priced at HKD$300 with a minimum of four people.
• Website: https://www.mingcha.com/tea-pairing-with-dim-sum.html

Mahjong Class for Beginners 

Mahjong is a Chinese national treasure. It is a brain teaser game with numbers and symbols that test for skills and luck. It also can involve gambling, depending on how people play. Mahjong helps to enhance skills such as  probability thinking, problem-solving, and patience. It is an activity with a minimum of four and a maximum of six players that is great for gathering, chatting and enjoying time together. Playing Mahjong has been known to be a great benefit to those looking to increase critical thinking and even help prevent Alzheimer’s according to a research article published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.

Humid with a Chance of Fishballs

• Location: Guests pick the location, usually their residence.
• Class length is a total of 5 hours, which will be separated into two sessions of 2 ½ hours by appointment. For pricing and time availability, please contact the workshop facilitator at +852 3916 7664.
• Website: https://humidwithachanceoffishballs.com/mahjong-course/

Crafting Origami Paper Lamps 

Do you enjoy the patience and meticulousness of paper art? Origami paper lamps are one of the many craft paper art forms you can use to decorate your home. Originating from Japan and now with a blossoming culture unique to Hong Kong, origami is the art of paper-folding and creating sculptures as an end result. These decorative lamps can pop up and have a unique glow. This workshop hosted by HappiKami is beginner-friendly and attendees can keep their finished work. 

HappiKami Workshop

• Address: 255-257 Gloucester Rd, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
• Workshop length: 1 ½ hours
• Price: HKD$380 per person
• Website: https://www.viator.com/tours/Hong-Kong-SAR/Origami-Paper-Lamp-Workshop/d35959-234864P1

Traditional Chen Style Tai Chi Lesson 

Tai Chi is a Chinese martial art form that is commonly used as defensive training or as relaxation. Tai Chi believes in the concept of yin and yang, as the balance of bad and good. It is a relaxing breathing exercise to help find your inner peace and to strengthen your overall mental and physical wellbeing. Tai Chi can help to improve your balance, flexibility, focus, and self-confidence. It also helps build strength for your legs and cardiovascular endurance.

Chen Style Tai Chi Institute

• Address: Room No. 5 on 11/F, 135 Bonham Strand Trade Centre, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
• Price: The starting price is four classes a month for HKD$1500. There are also different prices for longer courses such as 12 months, 24 months and 48 months.
• Website: https://www.taichielite.com/eng/course.php?page=course1_2

Food, art and entertainment are the center of Hong Kong culture and living. These workshops are a glimpse of the variety of cultural learning experiences available to help you appreciate Hong Kong deeply. Indeed, enjoying a cultural workshop at your convenience is a great way to pick up a new skill or test your boundaries.