UltimateCity Guide Hong Kong
Our favourites
Hong Kong Island and the harbour at night from Victoria Peak Hong Kong Island and the harbour at night from Victoria Peak The Central skyline and the IFC tower seen from the Star Ferry on Victoria Harbour The Tian Tan Buddha above the green hills and sea of Lantau, from above A red-sailed junk crossing Victoria Harbour

The city guide to Hong Kong

Best of Hong Kong

The harbour from the Peak, the Star Ferry since 1888, Cantonese dining rooms with three MICHELIN stars, dim sum and roast goose in the lanes of Central, and the museums of West Kowloon.

Where to eatWhat to see
A cruise ship in the Bay of Kotor, MontenegroSister guideULTIMATE CruisesLines, ships and itineraries, from river to expeditionThe Matterhorn in winter above ZermattSister guideULTIMATE Ski ResortsSeason dates, hotels, après and ski schools, resort by resort

Your trusted, one‑stop guide to Hong Kong

Hong Kong is a city of the harbour: the towers of Central and the Peak above them on one side, Tsim Sha Tsui and West Kowloon on the other, and the Star Ferry in between. It is one of the world’s great places to eat, from roast goose and wonton noodles to seven restaurants with three MICHELIN stars, and a gateway to the beaches of the South Side, the Big Buddha on Lantau, the islands and Macau. We list only places we have checked against their own websites and official sources.

The Star Ferry

Since 1888

The Star Ferry

Victoria Harbour·Ferry

The best-value view in Hong Kong: the Star Ferry between Central and Tsim Sha Tsui, which has crossed Victoria Harbour since 1888. Take the upper deck at dusk, as the towers light up.

Plan your crossing

Hong Kong by neighbourhood

From Central to West Kowloon: each area has its own guide.

The Central skyline and the IFC tower seen from the Star Ferry on Victoria HarbourNeighbourhood guideCentralThe heart of the islandThe Central skyline and the IFC tower seen from the Star Ferry on Victoria HarbourNeighbourhood guideAdmiraltyPacific Place and the parksThe Central skyline and the IFC tower seen from the Star Ferry on Victoria HarbourNeighbourhood guideWan ChaiOld and newThe curving galleries and escalators of Times Square, Causeway BayNeighbourhood guideCauseway BayShops and Victoria ParkGiant incense coils hanging from the ceiling of Man Mo TempleNeighbourhood guideSheung Wan & Tai Ping ShanTemples, antiques and small kitchensHong Kong Island and the harbour at night from Victoria PeakNeighbourhood guideThe PeakThe view of Hong KongThe sweep of Repulse Bay beach beneath green hills and towersNeighbourhood guideThe South SideBeaches and StanleyThe Bruce Lee statue on the Avenue of Stars, facing the Hong Kong Island skylineNeighbourhood guideTsim Sha TsuiThe Peninsula and the waterfrontThe International Commerce Centre in West Kowloon, with a Star Ferry on the harbourNeighbourhood guideWest KowloonMuseums and the tallest tower

Plan your trip

The practical things to know before you go.

The vaulted roof and concourse of Hong Kong International AirportBefore you goHong Kong essentialsEntry, money and getting aroundAn Airport Express train on its way across LantauGetting aroundGetting aroundAirport Express, MTR and ferriesHong Kong Island and the harbour at night from Victoria PeakItineraryThe scenic itineraryCentral, the Peak and the South SideAfternoon tea on a three-tier stand in the Lobby of The PeninsulaLuxury guideLuxury Hong KongThe finest addresses

Beyond Hong Kong

The Big Buddha, Macau, the Geopark and two islands, all within an hour or so.

The Tian Tan Buddha above the green hills and sea of Lantau, from aboveBeyond Hong KongLantauThe Big Buddha and Tai OSenado Square in Macau at night, its wave-patterned paving lit upBeyond Hong KongMacauSenado Square and the old townStilt houses, fish rafts and boats at Po Toi O, Sai KungBeyond Hong KongSai KungSeafood and the GeoparkSeafood restaurants on stilts and boats in the bay at Sok Kwu Wan, LammaBeyond Hong KongLammaThe trail and the seafoodPainted fishing boats moored in Cheung Chau harbourBeyond Hong KongCheung ChauBeaches, bikes and the Bun Festival

In depth: Hong Kong’s back stories

The harbour hotels, the Hong Kong table, the bars, the sights and buying a home.

Crystal chandeliers and a sitting area in the lobby of the Mandarin OrientalThe back storyGrand hotels on the harbourIsland or Kowloon?A bamboo steamer of har gow, siu mai and bunsThe back storyThe Hong Kong tableFrom dim sum to three starsThe marble bar and sculpted ceiling of Ozone at The Ritz-CarltonThe back storyAbove the harbourThe barsGiant incense coils hanging from the ceiling of Man Mo TempleThe back storySeeing Hong Kong wellThe Peak, the harbour and the templesDeep Water Bay and Repulse Bay from the hills above, with boats at anchorThe back storyBuying in Hong KongAgents, title and stamp dutyThe round porthole windows of Jardine HouseFun factsHong Kong fun factsThings you might not know

ULTIMATE City Guides: Europe & beyond

Planning a longer journey? Each city in the network has its own independent guide, written with the same care and checked place by place. Here are the guides that are live, with more on the way.

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Prince’s Palace on the Rock, superyachts in Port Hercule, Larvotto’s beach clubs and the Grand Prix streets.Visit the guide The Millennium Bridge over the MoračaMontenegroULTIMATE PodgoricaMontenegro’s relaxed capital of rivers and café terraces, and the gateway to the Bay of Kotor, Lake Skadar, Cetinje and the mountains.Visit the guide The Sebilj fountain and the square of BaščaršijaBosnia & HerzegovinaULTIMATE SarajevoWhere East meets West at a line in the pavement: an Ottoman bazaar, Habsburg boulevards, Bosnian coffee and the 1984 Olympic mountains, with Mostar two hours away.Visit the guide The Matterhorn in winter above ZermattOur sister guideULTIMATE Ski Resorts (Europe & North America)Ski resorts in Europe and North America, country by country, for every budget: season dates, hotels, mountain restaurants, après, ski schools and getting there.Visit the guide The Warrior on a Horse fountain in Macedonia Square, Skopje, lit at nightNorth MacedoniaULTIMATE SkopjeA 15th-century 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the Mission, three-star tables and the Golden Gate Bridge.Visit the guide The pink sand beach of Harbour Island, the BahamasOur sister guideULTIMATE The BahamasSeven hundred islands: Nassau and Paradise Island, the Exuma Cays and the swimming pigs, Harbour Island’s pink sand, marinas and island hopping.Visit the guide The golden sand and calm water of Paynes Bay, St. JamesOur sister guideULTIMATE BarbadosThe Platinum West Coast and Sandy Lane, UNESCO-listed Bridgetown, rum where it was born, Friday nights in Oistins and the wild Atlantic east.Visit the guide Gros Piton and Petit Piton, the twin volcanic spires of the UNESCO-listed PitonsOur sister guideULTIMATE St LuciaThe UNESCO Pitons and Soufrière’s drive-in volcano, Marigot Bay, Rodney Bay and the Gros Islet street party, reefs, rum and cocoa.Visit the guide The Grand Palace reflected at dawnThailandULTIMATE BangkokThe Grand Palace and Wat Arun on the river, the grand hotels of Charoen Krung, MICHELIN stars from street food to tasting menus, rooftop bars and the Thai islands.Visit the guide An aerial view of a small island ringed by reef in the MaldivesOur sister guideULTIMATE MaldivesUndersea restaurants and overwater bars, Hanifaru Bay’s mantas, the whale sharks of South Ari, private islands and the little capital, Malé.Visit the guide The Taj Mahal Palace and the Gateway of India from the harbourIndiaULTIMATE MumbaiThe Taj and the Gateway of India, Marine Drive’s Queen’s Necklace, three UNESCO sites, modern Indian restaurants and day trips to Elephanta and the Ghats.Visit the guide The Lujiazui skyline lit up at night across the Huangpu RiverChinaULTIMATE ShanghaiThe grand hotels of the Bund facing the towers of Pudong, every MICHELIN star, Yu Garden, the two Shanghai Museums and day trips to Suzhou and Hangzhou.Visit the guide A caparisoned elephant in the Esala Perahera procession, KandyOur sister guideULTIMATE Sri LankaColombo, the ramparts of Galle Fort, the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, the tea country by train, Sigiriya and leopards in Yala.Visit the guide Burj Khalifa and Business Bay at blue hourUnited Arab EmiratesULTIMATE DubaiBurj Khalifa and the Fountain, abras on the Creek, resorts on the Palm, every MICHELIN star of 2026 and day trips to Abu Dhabi and Hatta.Visit the guide

HOT TOPICS · Have Your Say

The latest from our readers: visitors and locals talking about Hong Kong, its restaurants, theatres, museums and neighbourhoods.

    Have your say in HOT TOPICS

    Xiqu Centre

    This week’s pick

    Xiqu Centre

    West Kowloon·Chinese opera house

    Cantonese opera at the Xiqu Centre in West Kowloon: watch the Tea House Rising Stars Troupe over tea and dim sum, then walk the waterfront to M+.

    Find out more

    Every list in the guide

    Plan your day

    Hong Kong Island and the harbour at night from Victoria PeakItineraryThe Ultimate Hong Kong scenic itinerary: Central, the Peak and the South SideOne day, by tram, taxi and ferryThe colonnaded Barrack Block and parade ground at Tai KwunItineraryOne perfect day in Old Town CentralOne day, on footThe Bruce Lee statue on the Avenue of Stars, facing the Hong Kong Island skylineItineraryKowloon by the water: from The Peninsula to West KowloonOne day, on foot and by MTRThe Tian Tan Buddha above the green hills and sea of Lantau, from aboveItineraryThe Big Buddha and the islandsOne day, by cable car, bus and ferryDeep Water Bay and Repulse Bay from the hills above, with boats at anchorItineraryA property viewing day: the Peak, the South Side and West KowloonOne day, by car

    Know your neighbourhoods

    Our favourites right now

    Restaurants

    1. 1From dim sum to three MICHELIN stars: the Hong Kong table, the back storyHong Kong · In depth
    2. 2AmberCentral · French contemporary
    3. 3CapriceCentral · French contemporary
    See all 62

    Cafés

    1. 1The Lobby, The PeninsulaTsim Sha Tsui · Afternoon tea
    2. 2Mandarin Oriental Cake ShopCentral · Pâtisserie
    3. 3The Coffee AcademïcsCauseway Bay · Speciality coffee
    See all 10

    Bars

    1. 1Above the harbour: Hong Kong’s bars, the back storyHong Kong · In depth
    2. 2OzoneWest Kowloon · Rooftop bar
    3. 3SKYE Roofbar & GrillCauseway Bay · Rooftop bar
    See all 12

    Hotels

    1. 1Grand hotels on the harbour: where to stay in Hong Kong, the back storyVictoria Harbour · In depth
    2. 2Mandarin Oriental, Hong KongCentral · Grand hotel
    3. 3Mandarin Oriental The Landmark, Hong KongCentral · Luxury hotel
    See all 20

    Sights

    1. 1The Peak, the harbour and the temples: seeing Hong Kong well, the back storyHong Kong · In depth
    2. 2Victoria Peak and Sky Terrace 428The Peak · Viewpoint
    3. 3The Peak TramCentral · Funicular
    See all 18

    Museums & Shows

    1. 1M+West Kowloon · Museum of visual culture
    2. 2Hong Kong Palace MuseumWest Kowloon · Museum
    3. 3Hong Kong Museum of ArtTsim Sha Tsui · Art museum
    See all 12

    Parks

    1. 1Hong Kong ParkAdmiralty · City park
    2. 2Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical GardensCentral · Botanical garden
    3. 3Kowloon ParkTsim Sha Tsui · City park
    See all 8

    Walks

    1. 1Old Town CentralCentral · Walk
    2. 2The Tsim Sha Tsui waterfrontTsim Sha Tsui · Walk
    3. 3The Victoria Harbour walk on Hong Kong IslandCentral · Walk
    See all 6

    Shopping

    1. 1LANDMARKCentral · Luxury mall
    2. 2IFC MallCentral · Mall
    3. 3Pacific PlaceAdmiralty · Mall
    See all 12

    Spas & Health

    1. 1Emergencies: call 999Hong Kong · Emergency numbers
    2. 2Hong Kong Sanatorium & HospitalHappy Valley · Private hospital
    3. 3Matilda International HospitalThe Peak · Private hospital
    See all 11

    Property

    1. 1Buying in Hong Kong: the back storyHong Kong · In depth
    2. 2Landscope RealtyWan Chai · Estate agency
    3. 3Habitat PropertyCentral · Estate agency
    See all 8

    Developments

    1. 1West Kowloon Cultural DistrictWest Kowloon · Cultural district
    2. 2Kai Tak Sports ParkKai Tak · Sports and entertainment
    3. 3Victoria DocksideTsim Sha Tsui · Waterfront district
    See all 6

    Motoring

    1. 1Hotel cars and chauffeursHong Kong · Chauffeur service
    2. 2Avis Hong KongHong Kong · Car hire
    3. 3Zung Fu (Mercedes-Benz)Hong Kong · Car dealer
    See all 4

    Getting Around

    1. 1Hong Kong International Airport (HKG)Chek Lap Kok · Airport
    2. 2HeliservicesHong Kong · Helicopters
    3. 3Airport ExpressCentral · Airport train
    See all 11

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