While some people will wave Hong Kong aside as merely a place to go shopping, there is so much more to Hong Kong than just high-end shopping. With a complex history, mixing the cultures of east and west, this tiny yet vibrant island nation has shown us just what a great place it is. It has both an amazing skyline (the city has the most skyscrapers in the world!) and green space – parks and nature preserves make up 40% of Hong Kong. We had four full days there and did one day in Macau (in addition to our arriving and departing days).

Hong Kong in Photos: Our Trip

After a long flight, we weren’t ready to do much more than just go to sleep. However, upon arriving at our Airbnb, we were greeted with a pretty fantastic view of Hong Kong Island and Victoria Peak out of our window. We were pretty pleased to have this view each day.

The next morning we decided to try a local breakfast place. I decided to try congee, a staple of breakfast for Hong Kongers. Admittedly, when we first read about congee, I wasn’t overly eager to eat it – but I knew that I would need to give it a shot. I was surprised to find it really good. Congee is a simple rice porridge garnished with some meat – in this case, beef – and green onions. It was so filling and flavorful, I would have it for breakfast again, but I would learn that in Hong Kong ‘pork belly’ would mean tripe, not bacon. It was still good, but a little chewy. (See: What We Ate in Hong Kong)

The forecast showed storms later in the week, so we decided to take advantage of a clear weather day. In the early morning, we came across the Chai Wan street market as we searched for our bus. Like many of the markets we come across in Asia, you can seemingly find everything here – fruit, vegetables, fish, meat, chilis, and a quick bite to eat. We didn’t linger long, but we actually did take two passes through.

Our primary destination for the day was Dragon’s Back. The iconic ridge hike is on the southeastern peninsula of Hong Kong Island and provides epic panoramic views of the surrounding ocean and mountains. The hike isn’t too strenuous despite the constant up and down along the ridge.

The entire time we were hiking along Dragon’s Back, these butterflies would flutter across our paths. I spent entirely too much time trying to get a good shot of one of them, and finally after nearly an hour into our trek – I got one.

After finishing our hike, we took the bus from the trail to Shek O beach. Because it was November, the water was a little chilly, but there were still a few swimmers and surfers out in the water. The beach was pretty quiet, but in the summer season would be packed with beachgoers.

We didn’t get in the water but decided to just take a break in the sand instead. Even though it was late November, we were comfortable in bathing suits.

Next, we made our way to the Quarry Bay area. Hong Kong is incredibly dense with over 7 million people squeezed into a tiny space between mountains and Victoria Harbor. The only way to go is up, and numerous apartment buildings rise alongside each other. Montane Mansion is one of many such complexes. The entire city was an eclectic mix of new and gritty.

Despite the cramped living conditions, the citizens still are able to make time and enjoy some fun and games. These residents were playing some sort of game while tourists like us nearby snapped photos of the iconic buildings.

Colloquially known as “Ding-dings”, these trams run the length of Hong Kong Island and will get you where you need to go. These double-decker trams have been in operation since 1904, and while they may be a little bit slow and at times slightly uncomfortable, they offer great views of the city and at $1.3HKD (~$0.30USD) the price can’t be beaten. We used the Ding-dings multiple times during our visit.

Jet lag had us getting up far earlier than we typically would, but it was all for the better. Because we were getting up so early we were able to watch as the city woke up. A common sight throughout the city was the roast duck or goose restaurant, easily spotted by the hanging birds in the window. Hong Kong is also home to many Michelin-star and Michelin-recognized restaurants, as you can see by the sign above the door.

On our way through Kowloon, we took a stop to check out the wet-market. The sheer number and variety of sea life for sale is astounding. Purchasing some fish was not on our agenda, but rather to grab breakfast at a food court above the market – sadly it wasn’t open when we went. Regardless, if you want fresh seafood, the wet markets are the place to go.

Originally a Chinese Fort, the Kowloon Walled City quickly grew into an untamed and unregulated tangle of buildings – essentially becoming its own city – beginning with British occupation in 1898. At its peak in 1990, it held 50,000 residents in a mere 6.4 acres of land, designating it the densest place on Earth. The eviction took several years and the buildings were eventually torn down in 1993 to be replaced by the Kowloon Walled City Park. Only a few remnants remain such as the yamen building and parts of the south gate.

Today, Kowloon Walled City Park has been turned into a traditional Chinese garden that wanders through multiple courtyards and gardens. A wide variety of plants and local wildlife can be food. There are also areas for local residents to run, bike, and exercise within the park.

A koi pond with an artificial waterfall is a prominent section of the garden.

As we were walking through Kowloon Walled City Park, we came across around a dozen photographers all excited pointing their cameras into the trees below the terrace upon which we stood. We really weren’t sure what they were looking at initially, but once we finally found it we decided to join in and take a few photos of our own. The Scarlet Backed Flowerpecker is not a rare bird, but it apparently still garners a lot of excitement.

Managed by the Chi Lin Nunnery, the Lian Nan Garden is another exemplary example of Chinese gardens. The center of the park is dominated by a massive koi pond, with the remains grounds giving home to carefully curated trees, shrubs and flowers, and multiple wood-crafted pagodas.

It was raining rather hard as we explored the grounds of Lian Nan, but that was perfectly fine. Briana loves the rain, and it turned to sprinkles not too long after.

Inside the Lian Nan Garden is Chi Lin Vegetarian, a Buddhist restaurant situated behind and under a waterfall. All the food provided is vegan and is very good, though certainly different than one might be used to. There is a very heavy focus on the use of mushroom and wheat-gluten.

On the other side of the harbor, on Hong Kong Island, we made an impromptu stop at Man Mo temple. Built in 1847, the temple consists of three rooms, two dedicated to the gods and a third used to resolve civil disputes. The entire temple is heavily perfumed with coils of incense that can burn for weeks at a time.

We perhaps chose the wrong day to head up to Victoria Peak on the funicular, as the rainy day didn’t provide the clearest view but it was still nice! The top of the peak is dominated by what can only be described as a magnificent tourist trap, but as tacky as it is, it was still fun. The wind, rain, and cold were a little much for us outside, so we spent a bit of time wandering through the observation tower.

Wet walks through the city streets really enhanced the energy of Hong Kong. Thankfully, there are many covered walkways and means to get around the city without getting soaked.

Though they are fading out of existence due to the gaining popularity of LED lights, Neon signs are still an iconic piece of Hong Kong culture.

We left early for Lantau Island and were able to get to Tian Tan before heavy crowds. The weather was pretty overcast, so we opted not to spend the extra money on the gondola and instead arrived by bus (we would like to try the gondola if we return, though). The Tian Tan Buddha is 112 feet tall and rests atop a mountain top that can be reached by a long staircase.

The overcast skies made for a perfect view of the southern coast of Lantau and the nearby islands. The rain wasn’t really present at all during the day luckily, though there was the occasional sprinkle here and there.

The Po Lin Monastery was established in 1903 and atop a mountain ridge near Lantau Peak. The Tian Tan Buddha is an extension of the monastery and is connected to Ngong Ping 360, a “traditional village” serving as a landing point for tourists who take the cable car up.

I’m not 100% sure what exactly it is we ate here, but it was pretty decent. The Po Lin Monastery serves vegan Buddhist food, which in this case was entirely various forms of wheat gluten. Each type was prepared differently, and there was no labeling so it was a mystery with each new bite. They also served noodles with mushrooms and spring rolls, which Briana chose to eat instead.

After a leisurely walk past the Po Lin Monastery and into the hills of Ngong Ping we came to the Wisdom Path. It consists of 38 wooden steles arranged in an infinity symbol. Each stele contains verses from the Heart Sutra, a centuries-old prayer shared by Buddhists, Confuscists, and Taoists.

Continuing on from the Wisdom Path is the trail to the top of Lantau Peak. We seriously considered attempting the hike, but we hadn’t planned it and we weren’t prepared for it either – so after a short bit, we decided to turn back and proceed with the rest of our day. Regardless, the mist billowing over the peak and ridges really gave us the itch to hike.

We took a bus from Ngong Ping down to the fishing village of Tai O. The village is dying out, but still serves as a tourist attraction and puts a heavy focus dried fish products. As you wander down the narrow streets and alleys, you can see a huge assortment of goods ranging from classic Hong Kong fare like to fish balls to the downright bizarre.

Tai O is not doing so well economically. It has always been a poorer village, and fires and a shrinking population have led the crumbling of the community. Today, the majority of the village consists of squatters huts (which the Hong Kong government recognizes and allows) and dilapidated stilt-houses. Still, the residents make it their home the best they can. It is just one of many examples in Hong Kong of the wide wealth inequality.

Tai O is a relatively recent village, with documentation at only about 300 years old. Though impossible to prove, it is said that Tai O was once a prominent pirate and smugglers cove, as the inlet created by the Tai O River and Creek provided safe refuge for ships. Today, you can still hire a local to take you out to sea a bit or to push further up the creek to see more of the village.

A small path through town eventually winds its way past the homes and into the forest. Eventually, the path splits and you find yourself as a small pavilion overlooking the sea.

Our final day in Hong Kong was a bit more leisurely and began with a look through the Yuen Po Bird Market. Here you can find hundreds of different birds – and their supplies – for sale. Birds have traditionally been a popular pet in China and you can sometimes still see residents taking their birds for walks. Today, many elderly residents will use the birds as a form of socialization, coming together in various parks with their birds. They will then hang the bird cages next to each other in trees for the birds to learn each other’s songs.

Some of the birds had managed to keep themselves out of the cages, but still made an appearance like this Red Whiskered Bulbul.

We arrived a little early in the day for the Ladies Market – they were still setting up. Despite that, the streets were still plenty busy and there was a lot to see, just not too to buy yet.

As the day progressed, rains came back into Hong Kong. We took some time to stop near the Opera House and look out over the harbor and watch the Chinese Junks make their way across the water.

In search of some food, we took a quick peek inside a mall. To our disappointment, they didn’t have a food court for us, but they did have some Christmas decorations set up.

On our final evening, I set out with the intent of having myself a roast goose dinner. I kept seeing them in shop windows, and I knew that Hong Kong did a good job with them. After a fair bit of searching, I finally found a place that would give me what I wanted. I was surprised because what came out was more than I expected: roast goose, goose sausage, barbeque goose, goose egg, and a few other variants of goose that escape me now, alongside pak choi atop rice. It was delicious.

Hong Kong was a fantastic city to visit, and we can’t wait to visit again. In fact, we felt that we could’ve used more time to do Kong Kong justice. While we got a good sampling, we also feel like we just scratched the surface.

4 Day Hong Kong Photojournal – Pin It!