While it's a cutesy cliché to call a city ‘a study in contrasts', the at once cacophonous and calming Hong Kong truly is one. Like laidback Cape-Town-meets-sense-busting-Beijing, the city-state - which is made up of a group of verdant islands including Kowloon and Hong Kong Island - is a fusion of the world's greatest hits.
Walk along the Kowloon riverbank at dawn and witness elderly Hong Kongers practising the stirringly tranquil art of Tai Chi before heading up the neon-saturated shopping arcades of Sai Yeung Choi Street and you're firmly in China. Be at the seaside - and rather posh - Stanley for a bistro lunch and you could be in UK's Brighton. And by nightfall, head to the trendy, steep streets of Soho, lined with bars and boutiques as well as food markets, and you couldn't be anywhere but Hong Kong.
Sweeping views
We started our day in Hong Kong by going straight to the top - catching the remarkably steep 188-year-old tram line (well it's officially a funicular railway) up to the famous Peak. The mountain is 522-metres above sea level on Hong Kong Island, and not only boasts breathtaking views of the buildings and greenery below but also has a unique history.
The area was a favourite for wealthy Brits to own summer homes in (HK was a British colony for 156 years, and was transferred to Chinese rule in 1997) back in the mid-1800s because of the cooler, less humid climate, and in 1888 a tram was built to make the journey there easier. Reaching the top of the tracks - amazed that Hong Kongese men used to carry people up the steep hill on sedan chairs - we zipped straight up to the Sky Terrace, a 428-metre-high viewing deck offering a 360-degree vista of the buildings hugging the ocean-front below.
The wind was a hair nightmare and the clouds began to burst with a fine drizzle, but after leaving a hot, Dubai summer this was a refreshing surprise. We took plenty of snaps, then ventured back to the tram, via The Peak Tower mall (which has a store that sells the best selection of Pez dispensers we've ever seen - did we buy some? You bet. A foot-long Darth Vader one).
Hollywood in HK
After the giddy heights of The Peak we decided to centre ourselves at a temple - driving back down to the centre of Hong Kong Island and to Man Mo Temple, which was built in 1847. Ceremonial smoke hung heavy in the air, this combined with bursts of red and coils of burning incense made for one of the most haphazardly beautiful temples we've ever seen. After lighting some joss sticks, we decided to explore the street the temple sits on, Hollywood Road (after an amazing coffee at the neighbouring Classified - classifiedfoodshops.com.hk).
Hollywood Road was the second street built when the Brits colonised Hong Kong, and as it was so close to the coastline it became the place where foreign merchants and sailors went to trade the artifacts and antiques they picked up in China - and today it's still the best spot for antique shopping in the city-state.
There are high-end spots selling mortgage-your-house-and-then-some items, as well as plenty of of-the-minute contemporary art galleries; but more suited to our budget were the cute little stalls along Cat Street. The tiny lane is jam-packed with vendors selling everything from Mao Zsedong watches to old English grandfather clocks, and some of the shops look like something from reality TV show Hoarders, the shelves so rammed with cacophonous collections.
The city-state that never sleeps
As night was falling, we were keen to try Hong Kong's famous nightlife, so we took the easy stroll from Hollywood Road to the as-trendy-as-it-sounds area of Soho (as in South Of Hollywood Road). The walk was made a lot easier by the central-mid-levels escalator - an ingenious, hill-busting 800-metre long outdoor (but covered) escalator that climbs 135 metres in height. We hopped on and checked out the cute bistros and bars we were passing along Shelley Street, and decided to hop off there. Bustling Soho is full of winding lanes and hilly streets, and houses a range of bars and restaurants - you can sample Hong Kong's best carpaccio at Italian joint Cecconi's, or opt for a chicly retro Cantonese meal at Double Happiness Café, before finishing off your night at jazz bar, The Melting Pot.
Either way, walking around the area you'll find yourself encountering many Instagram-worthy moments - whether it's a snap of a designer-clad businesswoman walking past the streetside fish market, or a pic of the neon signage in the drizzle, this part of the city - in fact the whole of Hong Kong - is full of the kind of visual sumptuousness that make travelling around the world worth it.
Filmed there
Battleship, Johnny English Reborn, Contagion, Push, Aegan, The Dark Knight, Parenni Maya Jalaima, Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle Of Life, Die Another Day, Rush Hour 2, The Man With The Golden Gun, You Only Live Twice
Trip notes
Lamma Island
Catch the ferry from one of the main islands to the beautiful fishing village of Lamma Island. The island's main port is lined with seafood restaurants that are a must-try, so get there mid-morning and take one of the many hiking trails through the hills (we had a 40-minute jaunt) before grabbing a seat at an eatery. Rainbow Seafood Restaurant serves scallops in a ginger reduction that taste finer than most, and the best bit is that if you eat here you can take their cute open-topped boat back to Kowloon or Hong Kong Island (far nicer than the passenger ferry).
Stanley
Drive to the southernmost part of Hong Kong Island - past the ogle-worthy villas of Repulse Bay - and you'll reach the small town of Stanley. The waterfront here boasts bistros and bars, while there's also a market where you can buy original, cheap artworks or classic souvenirs.
Sky 100
Hong Kong's answer to Burj Khalifa's At The Top - this 100th floor observation deck in Kowloon's ICC building allows the city-state to be viewed from all angles. It's a good idea to visit early on in your trip - hire one of the headsets and learn about the different parts of Hong Kong to find out what area appeals most (as there's too much to do all in one go!). sky100.com.hk
Stay here
LUXURY: InterContinental Hong Kong
Trying Tai Chi on the tranquil rooftop of this hotel at 6am will be a memory that stays with us for a lifetime. And the five-star spot also boasts a beautiful spa, a pool with underwater music, a Nobu, a Michelin starred dim sum spot called Yan Toh Heen (the crab served in-shell is a must) and a Spoon by Alain Ducasse. But, perhaps what makes this hotel most stand out, is its view. Situated right on the waterfront of Kowloon Island, most rooms look out to the iconic skyline of Hong Kong Island for amazing Facebook bragging potential. Rooms from Dh1,500 a night with breakfast (try the prawn wontons - amaze!)
ichotelsgroup.com
MID-RANGE: The Luxe Manor
In the midst of the busy and fun museum and shopping Kowloon suburb of Tsim Sha Tsui, you'll find this small but perfectly formed design hotel. While it doesn't boast harbour views, it does feature famously good service, quirky interiors that will make a design head's holiday and a bustling hotel bar called Dada, which we imagine a 21st century Salvador Dali would dig. Rooms from Dh650 per night.
theluxemanor.com
BUDGET: The T Hotel
While this hotel boasts suites with ocean or mountain views; flat screen TVs in design-forward rooms; a state-of-the-art gym and even little details like a pillow menu, it's surprisingly affordable. Why? Because the T stands for training. Situated in beautiful, green Pokulfam near Stanley and famous walking trails and only 20 minutes from Hong Kong city centre, the hotel is where hospitality students carry out their final training. Word is that the service is top notch. Rooms from Dh600 a night including breakfast.
vtc.edu.hk/thotel
Fly there
Fly from Dubai to Hong Kong with Cathay Pacific from Dh3,100 return. Visit cathaypacific.com for more.
We flew with Cathay Pacific and stayed at the Intercontinental Hong Kong, courtesy of the Hong Kong Tourism Board.
