Hip and cosmopolitan Hong Kong

Cool and cosmopolitan (social media posts have a way of capturing this pretty well), Hong Kong is so much more than just a concrete skyline and a great city to visit with friends.

The former British colony is 70% greenery including mountains and countryside, surrounded by water and offers multiple forms of transit that double as diversions. Ferries, trains, taxis, double-decker buses, air trams and walking escalator commutes—you name it, Hong Kong will take you where you need to go, in whichever mode of transportation is suitable for you.

Lucky for me, my BFF moved to Hong Kong a year or so ago and while exploring is in my nature, it was nice to have an itinerary at times, provided by a (now local) expatriate and also being able to wander off on my own.

The fourth-most densely populated region in the world, Hong Kong is teeming with culture.

The city has lots of traditional Chinese street food and fancy dim sum options, but also a great international mix of cuisine like French-Vietnamese, Japanese and Spanish-inspired tapas spots. Same goes for nightlife: there’s karaoke and rooftops with city views, bougie hotel bars, salsa clubs (with super-skilled local salsa dancers!) and tiki bars.

The possibilities are endless, but don’t expect to walk less than six miles a day here.

Stay/Sleep

With rooms starting at around $130 USD a night, a stay at Tuve won’t leave you broke (unlike other lovely Hong Kong hotels, where comfort mostly comes with a hefty price tag).

This boutique hotel is hidden on a bustling street in the residential Causeway Bay neighborhood and its minimalistic Scandinavian design will give you a serious desire to redecorate your own place in floor-to-ceiling white marble with hints of concrete and oxidized metal. Tuve’s robes and slippers are plush and in the intense tropical Hong Kong heat, you may not want to leave your cool, cozy room with big windows, blackout curtains and Le Labo Santal 33 bath products.

Eat/Drink

Think good paella in China doesn’t exist? Well, it does—believe it.

Think good paella in China doesn’t exist? Well, believe it. A fun concept by Michelin-starred chef Jason Atherton, 22 Ships gives off anything but stuffy Michelin-starred vibes. The Spanish tapas-style bar on Ship Street in Hong Kong’s Wanchai area plays a great mix of music, keeps the wine flowing and has the friendliest staff in town. Do not leave without ordering the jamon, manchego and truffle toast topped with quail eggs, the cauliflower dish and the seafood paella with fava beans and crispy bacon.

Desserts are also 100 percent worth it (I die for the goat’s cheese ice cream with granola and raspberries), but try not to get too full because right across the street you’ll find Ham & Sherry and Back Bar, two more lively dining/drinking spots, also by Chef Atherton. I could’ve eaten on this block every night, but alas, there were too many things to do, see and eat in HK — which isn’t a bad problem to have.

Did somebody say dim sum? If you can’t make it to Duddell’s weekend dim sum brunch (it’s recommended you eat on the terrace and wash the dumplings down with a bottle of champagne, or two), lunch hour in the upstairs lounge is just as wonderful.

The entire place (which is a Michelin-starred authentic Cantonese joint, BTW) is a feast for the eyes—not to mention the mouth—with classic and contemporary artworks lining the walls and a small gallery at the restaurant’s entrance. I recommend a cocktail called A Lotus Blossoms; with KiNo Tea gin, yuzu, raw honey, lemongrass, whites, bee pollen and sansho dust, it’s as carefully and beautifully decorated as it is delicious.

Do the honey glazed barbecued Iberico pork as a starter and try all the dumplings, but especially the pork and shrimp dumpling with black truffle. Save room for egg white fried rice and dessert. You could easily spend hours here drooling over the menu and decor.

The cool thing—or one of the many cool things—about Hong Kong is that it’s easy to change scenery, and fast.

A quick taxi ride into Repulse Bay, in the Southern part of Hong Kong Island, will take you to the beach and a small dining/shopping strip with water views. South American, Caribbean and Hawaiian-influenced food in the tropically-decorated Limewood is my idea of comfort food (I grew up eating South American and Caribbean foods in South Florida) and here, there’s plenty to go around. It’s also a great place to take a break from heavy foods by choosing lighter menu items like the Norwegian Salmon Tartare with coconut water and ginger, soft shell crab salad and whole roasted free-range Jerk chicken with caramelized pineapple and mango habanero sauce.

Finish your meal with hand-piped churros and walk it off on a tour of Tin Hau Temple. When you’re ready, hop on a double-decker bus (make sure to sit up top for crazy blue and green views) that’ll take you back to the action-packed city center.

Shop

There is so much to see and buy, if your wallet and itinerary allows, of course. My favorite shops in the city: Buly 1803 (a jaw-droppingly gorgeous and expensive perfumery; I wanted everything here, but settled for a pack of scented matches), Goods of Desire (a lifestyle shop that’s been around since 1996, G.O.D. is a great place to buy souvenirs, including the hilarious and fun Angry Cat by artist Lao Ganbu) and Sake Central (this sake store sells sake, of course, but also Japanese glassware, ceramics, and has a sake bar with snacks by Chef Lok Yan Li) are great places to start.