I’ve visited Hong Kong about five times now. It’s a city with a curious magnetism that never gets old, no matter how many times I go.
World-class night views, authentic Cantonese cuisine, the deep and chaotic Chungking Mansions, and the casino city of Macau just a ferry ride away. This time I want to write honestly about the Hong Kong I keep returning to, and the Macau you’ll want to pair it with.
Cantonese Cuisine Lives Up to Its Home Turf
Among Chinese cuisine, counted as one of the world’s great culinary traditions, Cantonese food truly lives up to its Guangzhou roots.
When you travel the world, you’ll find Chinese and Indian food just about everywhere. That’s exactly why they’ve always saved me when nothing else suited my palate. For a world traveler, Chinese and Indian food are like a lifeline.
The Cantonese food I ate at its source was, as expected, in a class of its own.
Trying Tang Mian, the Ancestor of Ramen
I’ve actually been a Japanese ramen enthusiast for years, eating my way across the country.
So I tried tang mian, the original noodle soup that could be called the ancestor of ramen. My honest impression? With apologies, I think Japanese ramen, which evolved on its own path, is better, at least to my taste.
Of course the authentic tang mian was delicious too. But it made me realize that Japanese ramen has evolved into a different food entirely. With full respect for its roots, that’s my honest take.
Hong Kong’s Night View Is World-Class
I love natural scenery and night views alike. And Hong Kong’s night view is counted among the world’s three greatest.
The night view of Hakodate in Hokkaido is beautiful too, but every time I come to Hong Kong, I head up to Victoria Peak without fail. The sea of light called the million-dollar view never fails to overwhelm me, no matter how many times I see it.
Hong Kong night view spots
└ Victoria Peak
One of the world's three great night views
Reach the summit by Peak Tram
└ Victoria Harbour
The "Symphony of Lights" sound and
light show every night at 8pmFor the record, the remaining one of the world’s three great night views, Naples, I have yet to see. That’s homework for another day.
Chungking Mansions, a Sanctuary for Deep Travelers
Hong Kong has modern hotels and hotels steeped in history. But for the deeper kind of traveler, I want to introduce “Chungking Mansions.”
Inside this jumbled complex, restaurants and shops of every ethnicity and dirt-cheap hotels are packed in tight. People of African, Indian, and Middle Eastern descent mingle together, creating a uniquely chaotic world.
The appeal of Chungking Mansions
└ Rooms are quite small
└ But being singles, calmer than dorms
└ Cheap above all
└ Authentic cuisine from many countriesThe hotel rooms are quite small, but since they’re singles, they’re calmer than a dormitory. And above all, they’re cheap. Tasting authentic dishes from various countries is also an experience unique to this place. Clean hotels are nice, but this kind of deep, chaotic world is part of the joy of travel too.
A Day Trip to Shenzhen from Hong Kong
From Hong Kong, you can take a day trip by train to the modern Chinese city of Shenzhen.
But caution is needed. On mainland China, foreign apps don’t work. Without preparation, your usual Google Maps and other apps will stop working. Set up a VPN before you go.
Hong Kong itself has a history as a British colony, so English works and the people are kind. It has a distinct culture, different from mainland China.
Macau Is Just a Ferry Ride Away
Once you’re in Hong Kong, you’ll want to visit Macau as a set. It’s just a ferry ride away.
From Hong Kong to Macau
└ Ferry: about 1 hour
└ HZMB bridge bus: about 40 min, 24-hour service
└ The bus is cheaper than the ferryMacau is the only place in mainland China where casinos are legalized. As a result, the city had a glittering atmosphere like Las Vegas.
My USD 500 Doubled at the Macau Casino
Macau has luxury casino resort hotels like Las Vegas. But they were expensive, far beyond what I could afford to stay in. As for hotels, I felt Las Vegas offers more reasonable prices even for luxury options.
Now, about the casino.
I don’t have the courage for person-to-person table games like blackjack. So I tried roulette. A near 50-50 bet on red or black, excluding zero.
Just once, I put USD 500 on a single bet. And luckily it hit, doubling my stake.
And I quit immediately. For someone who had kept losing at the casinos in Singapore and Manila, this was a miraculous victory. I had finally learned that knowing when to walk away is everything.
Macau Is Also a City of World Heritage
Macau isn’t only a casino city. It’s actually a historic city dense with World Heritage sites.
Macau's World Heritage
└ Ruins of St. Paul's (Senado façade)
The symbol of Macau, only the front wall
remains after a fire
└ Senado Square
A European-style plaza with wave-patterned
mosaic cobblestones and colonial architectureA remnant of Portuguese colonial rule, the streetscape is somehow European. The glamour of the casinos and the old streets of World Heritage. Having these two faces is what makes Macau fascinating.
Macau Cuisine Shows Portuguese Influence
Macau specialties
└ Portuguese cuisine
Bacalhau (salted cod), African chicken
└ Macau-style egg tart
Pastel de nata, with browned custard
on a pastry crustWhere Hong Kong egg tarts have a crisp cookie crust, Macau’s use a pastry crust. Comparing the two is fun in itself.
Hong Kong Airport Is an Asian Hub
Hong Kong International Airport is also a hub for Asia.
If you’re traveling with Cathay Pacific or similar, stopping by on a transit is a good option. You can structure a trip to enjoy a bit of Hong Kong on a layover. That ease of access is another great appeal of Hong Kong.
Travel Basics
Best season
└ October to December (clear skies, comfortable)
└ Avoid: May to September
(hot and humid, typhoon season July-Sept)
Cost guide
└ Local eatery: 50-80 HKD
└ Subway base fare: around 5 HKD
Currency
└ Hong Kong Dollar and Macau Pataca
└ Hong Kong Dollars work as-is in MacauCautions: Hong Kong’s Current Situation
In recent years, Hong Kong’s political situation has affected travel as well.
What to know
└ Refusing to give authorities your phone
password when asked is a criminal offense
└ Stay away from demonstrations and gatherings
└ Avoid clothing with political slogans
└ TikTok is unavailable
(other foreign apps work without a VPN)Hong Kong is a safe city, but it’s good to be aware of these current realities. There’s no problem with ordinary sightseeing, but keep them in mind just in case.
Final Thoughts
Hong Kong, which I’ve visited five times, is a city where I find something new every single time. Authentic Cantonese cuisine, a world-class night view, the deep chaos of Chungking Mansions. The modern and the historic, the refined and the chaotic, all coexist here.
And in Macau, just a ferry ride away, you can enjoy two faces: the glamour of the casinos and the old streets of World Heritage. Winning miraculously at roulette is a good memory too.
Hong Kong and Macau bring out each other’s appeal when visited as a set. Starting from an Asian hub airport, I encourage you to tour these two cities. Next time, I’ll definitely go see the night view of Naples too.
