Where's the Ice Machine?

I can’t say for sure that Hong Kong is the world’s coolest city. But I don’t know of any other place where you can buy a Patek Philippe and visit a brothel in the same building.

What I can tell you is that the vibes are impeccable. Unique among cities, HK seems to exist outside of time. Ancient Chinese culture permeates an international city that feels very much like it’s the center of the world. In one moment you’ll see something impossibly futuristic and in the next you’re transported into into a scene from Enter the Dragon. Sometimes both in the same moment.

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What You Should Know About Hong Kong

The first thing to be aware of is the political situation that defines Hong Kong. As a British colony until 1997 the city has been a crossroads of the world for centuries. The culture is Chinese, but also separate and distinct from Mainland China. The political situation involving Hong Kong’s people, its pro-Beijing government, and Beijing itself is delicate to say the least.

The Hong Konger’s distaste and disdain for mainlanders is thinly disguised. In some cases it’s not disguised at all. Because the CCP imposes strict laws people are extremely restricted in what they can say freely. If you’re in the vicinity of a political demonstration while you’re in the city it’s best to stay well clear of it. As sympathetic as you might be surveillance is strong and being near a demonstration or posting certain things online could complicate your exit from the city.

Is anything ever truly cool without some element of danger involved? I don’t think it is. The city’s staunch independent streak imbues everything with an air of life during wartime you won’t find anywhere else. Not even in Macau.

Where to Stay in Hong Kong

A number of blogs are insistent that the Kowloon Side is better, or that it’s at least better for first time visitors. I don’t think it matters at all whether you stay there or on the island. The experience is exactly the same in both parts of the city. If you want to go somewhere specific the trains are so efficient it doesn’t matter where you start your trip. I stayed in Jordan and also in North Point on the island and both were great locations.

Search the Map: Hong Kong Hotels on Hotels.com

Looking at the transit map below you’re going to want to choose a hotel that’s either on the Tsuen Wan (red) Line or the Island Line (blue). Rooms are pretty pricy in Hong Kong. Expedia shows prices all over the place and some rooms are even below $100. Unless you’re paying $200-300 rooms are going to be small. With a good number of western brands present in the city Hong Kong is an ideal place to book with points. It may even prove worth it to buy points to book your hotel of choice.

Get an Octopus Card When You Arrive

Octopus is a stored payment system that is ubiquitous in Hong Kong. Something like 98% of Hong Kong residents use it. The card’s primary purpose is to pay for transit rides but as a form of payment Octopus is widely accepted throughout the city for all kinds of things. Octopus is far more convenient for riding the trains than buying single trip tickets several times a day. It’s also available for iPhone and Apple Watch.

You might think that if you’re only staying 2-3 days you can get by without Octopus but it won’t be long until you realize how far out of the loop you are without one. There’s a tourist version available. Visitors can have any excess value refunded.

You should be fine with a standard Octopus card though. Hong Kong is an expensive city and you’re more likely to be adding funds to the card than stuck with money on it. Before I left the airport I used the last of my Octopus funds to buy some food. There was not enough value left on the card to cover my whole order but the transaction went through anyway.

Ride the Trains Everywhere

For most people their first taste of the subway in Hong Kong will come as soon as they land at the airport. It can be a bit confusing because the airport train is distinct from the rest of the MTR system. It’s necessary to ride to Central Station, and find the train there to your destination.

You’ll notice a few things as you make your way from station to station. The first is that Hong Kong doesn’t really have names for its neighborhoods. Every area takes its name from the nearest MTR station.

The stations themselves are very large and each one is uniquely shaped. Exits are labeled A, B, C, D… but it takes some practice to get in the habit of knowing which exit you want and finding the way there. Some stations are so large that it can take 15 minutes to walk from the exit to the train.

No matter how fashionable people are in Hong Kong, everyone is wearing comfortable sneakers. They walk everywhere and you will too. Take it from them and pack your walking shoes or head over to Sneakers Street in Mong Kok and get a fresh pair as a souvenir.

You’ll also notice that wherever you go in Hong Kong there’s an old lady or a kid on their phone directly in front of you. No one ever rushes for a train. They only run 2-3 minutes apart. Have a little patience and keep your own phone in your pocket when you’re coming in and out of stations.

A Note About High Speed Rail

At the time of writing in June 2023 mainland China is still not issuing tourist visas. If and when China resumes issuing visas to tourists it is cheap and easy to take high speed rail into China.

From Hong Kong you can get to Guangzhou in under an hour for $30 USD and all the way to Beijing in 9 hours for under $200.

Hong Kong is a Big, Terrific Jumble

The shambled old mansions sit side by side with gleaming new steel and glass towers. Markets take over entire streets and trams, buses and taxis are zipping by in all directions. As a city with one of the highest population densities in the world the crowds are thick but surprisingly orderly.

The rocky topography that rises almost straight up from sea level can be disorienting. Skyscrapers are built directly into the side of the mountains. The City is simply too large and crowded for anyone to worry about what is built where. All of Hong Kong is Hong Kong. There aren’t rich neighborhoods and poor ones. Rich and poor share the same spaces in Hong Kong. And there are a lot of rich people here.

Hong Kong Has Stunning Views

Most hotels here are high rises and if you’re on a high enough floor you’re in for a truly impressive view no matter what part of town you’re in. If you’re near the harbor, even better. Water views over Victoria Harbor with the other half of the city’s skyline are abundant.

If you’re not lucky enough to secure a room with a view many hotels have bars and restaurants on their rooftops. You can enjoy a killer view of the city for just the price of a drink. I particularly enjoyed the rooftop at the Murray Hotel in Central. I snapped most of the above photos there. There might be better views in the city, particularly water views, but the Popinjay at the Murray strikes the perfect balance of casual elegance.

The Peak is a very popular attraction and the highest point in Hong Kong. Practically nextdoor to the Murray, views are amazing unless, like the day I visited, the fog is so thick you can’t see 10 feet. I still enjoyed riding the tram and walking around up there. The observation deck is a separate attraction from the Peak itself and we didn’t buy a ticket because of the fog.

From the High to the Low

Hong Kong’s infamous Triads have always been a fixture in the city and they remain a formidable presence today. Just as the lines are blurred between China and Hong Kong, there’s no clear distinction between what’s “legal” and “illegal.”

For example, brothels and prostitution are legal in Hong Kong. Organized crime remains heavily involved in the industry. Triads often own the apartment blocs where those brothels operate and bring girls in from the mainland. They take a significant fee up front and a percentage on an ongoing basis. That’s just one of many lines of business they’re in.

At one point I stumbled on an underground casino in Hong Kong. I mean literally underground, in a basement. There was a sign on the door indicating it was legal and above board, but it felt incredibly shady in there. I didn’t hang around long enough to find out more.

You’re never far from Triad activity in Hong Kong, even if you can’t see it or recognize it. But again, was anything ever truly cool without a little hint of danger?