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50 things we love about Hong Kong

Reasons to love this place we call home

Written by
Time Out Hong Kong
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Amazing things to do, great restaurants and bars, picturesque hikes – there’s so much to love about Hong Kong. And to pay tribute to this eclectic place we call home, we hit the streets to ask real Hongkongers what it is they – because enough about what we think – love most about our city. From cha chaan tengs to Chow Yun-fat, here are the 50 greatest things we all love about living in the 852.

And what’s more, you can show your love for all your favourite local spots, from the café where you grab breakfast to that spa you use to unwind, by voting in Time Out Hong Kong’s Love Hong Kong campaign. Once all the votes are counted we’ll be having a grand announcement for the winners, declaring what are Hong Kong’s most-loved spots. Every vote counts, so be sure to get involved and show your favourite spots some love!

GET VOCAL FOR YOUR LOCAL: Love Hong Kong

50 things we love about Hong Kong

It’s exciting

1. It’s exciting

Rubberband, musicians

“The city is so energetic and something exciting is always going on. She has given us a chance to become somebody.”

Freedom

2. Freedom

Mr Chu, 72, Sai Kung

“I love our freedom. As long as politics doesn’t come into play, we enjoy a lot of freedom here in Hong Kong.”

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Cantopop

3. Cantopop

Joohee Yoon, 26, Sheung Wan

My family’s from Korea but my parents are learning how to sing Cantonese songs. My favourite Cantopop artist – actually he’s the only one I know – is Eason Chan. I saw him perform during the Mnet Asia Music Awards. My favourite Eason song is《浮誇》[Exaggerated].”

It’s multicultural

4. It’s multicultural

Quince, 35, Fortress Hill

Hong Kong is really diverse. For example, you’ll find Chinese culture but also remnants of the colonial era. Since Hong Kong is an international business hub, there’s also a lot of expats. Even in the architecture or the food, you can find influences from many different cultures.”

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Victoria Harbour

5. Victoria Harbour

Pinky, 23, New Territories

“I love Victoria Harbour. It’s beautiful.”

The MTR

6. The MTR

Mr Cheng, 73, Southern District

The MTR goes everywhere. It’s one of the icons of Hong Kong.”

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The people

7. The people

Leon, 26, Tseung Kwan O

“Hong Kong people appear to be cold and distant but when you’re in need, people are willing to help, even if they’re strangers.”

That nostalgic feeling

8. That nostalgic feeling

Polly, 26, Tseung Kwan O

“I love the old parts of Hong Kong, like Pottinger Street in Central.”

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Martial arts

9. Martial arts

Chik Choi-wah, 50-something, Yau Ma Tei

“I love the martial arts of Hong Kong. I especially like doing tai chi at Kowloon Park. It’s a gathering point for different types of martial arts lovers. As long as you ask politely, most coaches and sifus are happy to chat and share tips.”

Shopping

10. Shopping

Kitty, 40s, Wong Tai Sin

I love our shops the most. Hong Kong is a famous shopping paradise and there’s really nice stuff here. I usually go to Causeway Bay or East Tsim Sha Tsui. I always end up with bags and bags of stuff.”

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Hong Kong cinema

11. Hong Kong cinema

Sally, 48, Olympic

I love Hong Kong films from the 80s and 90s. My favourite actor is Stephen Chow. He’s an icon. Even if you don’t like him, he’s definitely an icon. His new films are fine but I prefer the classics like God of Cookery.”

It‘s easy to make money

12. It‘s easy to make money

Willie Hapa, 59, Causeway Bay

“I like Hong Kong because I can make money here and bring it back to the Philippines.”

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The fast pace of living

13. The fast pace of living

Eunice, 22, Olympic

“Whether it’s night or day, there’s always a lot to do.”

The girls are pretty

14. The girls are pretty

Uncle Choi, 60s, Tin Shui Wai

“The girls here are pretty. They’reallverytrendy and charming. I also like the fact that Hong Kong is quite democratic. Hong Kong people have a sense of self-dignity and will fight for their rights. But China also needs face. I hope we can all have a good living environment because Hong Kong is an international city.”

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It’s buzzing

15. It’s buzzing

Mui Thomas, 25, rugby referee

“Hong Kong is an amazingly vibrant city. And people are quite helpful most of the time. Hong Kong is my home and nothing compares to the buzz and craziness! The city has also helped me find my identity and allowed my parents and me to try and raise awareness of what it means to live with a visible difference.”

Books

16. Books

Jerry, 31, Kennedy Town

“I love browsing Eslite and other bookstores in Hong Kong. I wish there were even more options when it came to these types of shops.”

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Andy Lau

17. Andy Lau

Cheria Lau, 52, Wan Chai

“I think Andy Lau is a great role model. It’s not so much his singing but more him as a person. He’s got a very hard- working spirit and a great attitude towards life.”

Architecture

18. Architecture

Morrie Ho, 15, Wong Tai Sin

I really love the architecture here. It’s a hybrid of eastern and western influences. Also, if you take the path from Sai Kung’s Wong Shek campsite to Chek Keng, you can see a lot of fascinating temples.”

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Local culture

19. Local culture

Ms Wu, 50s ,Tsing Yi

“I love the old traditions here.”

It’s a free port

20. It’s a free port

Mr Chan, 52, Ma On Shan

I love that this city is a free port that allows me to purchase fruits from different countries and provide a greater variety of options to my customers.”

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TV dramas

21. TV dramas

Mr Lee, 50, Sheung Wan

“The old television dramas were better! I actually preferred ATV over TVB, so it’s a shame that it shut down. I still watch ATV dramas online, though. My favourite is Reincarnated, which is much better than its sequel, Dragon Strikes.”

It’s compact

22. It’s compact

Denise, 19, Pok Fu Lam

“Everything is so close, you never have to be on the bus for long.”

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It’s unique

23. It’s unique

Joseph Wong, 68, artist of Old Master Q comics

“I love Hong Kong. She’s a unique jungle of steel and concrete chopsticks, elegantly utilitarian, built by modern alchemists. It’s not a city built for comfort or prosperity but to astonish those who come to visit.”

Heritage buildings

24. Heritage buildings

Mr Tsang, 30, Tai Po

“I love the old architecture, especially in Central and Tsim Sha Tsui.”

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How late everything stays open

25. How late everything stays open

Nico, 33, Tuen Mun

Even when it’s late, you can always find something to do, even if it’s finding a coffee shop where you can hang out with friends.”

Chow Yun-fat

26. Chow Yun-fat

Mr Ng, 70, Kwun Tong

“My favourite actor is Chow Yun-fat. When it comes to entertainment, I love both his movies and his TV shows. I love his performance in An Autumn’s Tale.”

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Hiking

27. Hiking

Bowie Wu Fung, 86, actor

I love how there are so many hiking trails in Hong Kong. Take the Peak Circle Walk, for example. I used to go there a lot when I was younger. It’s a great date spot. I call it the ‘white path’ because it used to be surrounded by white fences. I also like our famous Lion Rock. The wind always seemed to get stronger when I got to the ‘neck’ of the lion. I remember how scary it was.”

Causeway Bay

28. Causeway Bay

Jasmine, 14, Central & Western District

“There’s so much to buy in Causeway Bay – products from all around the world. I mostly come here to shop since it’s close to my school.”

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Convenience

29. Convenience

Daniel, 30, Causeway Bay

“I like the fact that you can get around the city quite easily and that there’s a lot to do. From shopping to eating, you can pretty much meet all your needs here.”

Saftey

30. Saftey

Ms Cheung, 23, North Point

I feel safe walking on the streets here. Food is mostly safe to eat too. For example, we weren’t really affected by the Taiwanese gutter oil scandal.”

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The wet markets

31. The wet markets

Kenji Noguchi, 29, Tai Po: “The different wet markets across town all have their own personalities.”

The nightlife

32. The nightlife

Remu, 27, Tung Chung

The nightlife downtown is definitely a highlight.”

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The infrastructure

33. The infrastructure

Kenny Cheung, 23, Ma On Shan

“I love Hong Kong’s infrastructure, like the magnificent Tsing-Ma Bridge.”

It’s cosmopolitan

34. It’s cosmopolitan

Ms Lai, Guangzhou

“I love the feeling of crossing different roads and streets. It really feels like a big and modern city.”

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The outlying islands

35. The outlying islands

Mr Lai, 40s, Tsueng Kwan O

I love the natural landscape and I love visiting the islands around Sai Kung, like Yan Chau Tong. It’s actually easier than you think to get to these places with public transportation.”

Streetfood

36. Streetfood

Mr Chan, 27, Kowloon.

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Hotpot

37. Hotpot

Shum Bik-ting, 14, Kwun Tong.

24-hour dining

38. 24-hour dining

Mr Wong, 37, North Point

“You can find something to eat at any hour of the day!”

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The weather

39. The weather

Michael, 24, New Territories

The weather here is really quite nice.”

Business opportunities

40. Business opportunities

Winnie, 40s, Sha Tin

“I love that Hong Kong is such a commercial city. There are business opportunities everywhere.”

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Cha chaan tengs

41. Cha chaan tengs

Ling, 15, Mong Kok

“I like cha chaan tengs. Why? First, they offer a wide range of dishes to choose from. Second, they’re always affordable.”

Wonton noodles

42. Wonton noodles

Joey, 30s, Happy Valley

“Whenever I’m overseas I always miss local dishes like wonton noodles.”

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Local desserts

43. Local desserts

Oscar Kwok, 15, Kowloon City

“I love Hong Kong sweets, including egg waffles, egg tarts and all those new-fangled sweet soups.”

That night view

44. That night view

Helena Law Lan, 82, actress

“I was born here and I adore everything about this place. Before there were theme parks like Ocean Park, I used to love going to Haw Par Mansion in Tai Hang and taking a lot of photos. And of course, Hong Kong also has the best nightscape. Before there were so many skyscrapers in the city, I used to go up to The Peak, just to see the view at night. There weren’t as many lights and buildings as there are now, but the view was just as spectacular.”

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Bowl puddings

45. Bowl puddings

Kelly Lee, 15, Kwun Tong.

Dim sum

46. Dim sum

Mr Wong, 30, Yuen Long.

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It’s eclectic

47. It’s eclectic

Venny, 50s, Southern District

“Hong Kong’s beauty is the result of a rich cultural heritage. Unlike Singapore, where everything is new and artificial, Hong Kong’s beauty was built up slowly, piece by piece. That’s what’s special about Hong Kong – it’s an eclectic combination of things. And even though all the facets might seem odd at first, when it comes together, it’s actually really beautiful. This gives Hong Kong its special flavour.”

Country parks

48. Country parks

Paul, 32, Tsing Yi

“I love the country parks like Tai Mo Shan or Shing Mun Reservoir. These places are great for hiking, especially during winter.”

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Stability

49. Stability

John, 56, Central & Western District

“I love the fact that Hong Kong is a secure and stable society. We don’t get many natural disasters and, as long as you’re not too picky, it’s easy to find a job.”

It’s home

50. It’s home

William, 69, Sai Kung

“This is our place.”

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  • Attractions

We’re looking to crown the best spots in Hong Kong – from bars and restaurants to hiking trials and spas – and we want you to let us know which are most deserving.

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