Your ultimate guide to Hong Kong

When you’re trying to come up with the image of a city crammed with soaring buildings, Hollywood would have you believe that New York City is the one place that comes to mind – remember all those sweeping shots of the NYC cityscape in everything from Gossip Girl and Sex and the City to Mad Men? But, the fact remains that it is not actually the world leader for skyscrapers – Hong Kong is! According to the UK’s Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, skyscrapers are buildings that measure 150 metres or taller. Hong Kong, with a relatively small amount of valuable land area sandwiched between mountainous terrain and the sea, has always chosen to expand upwards, and now boasts more than 550 completed skyscrapers, making us the city with the most skyscrapers in the world. The second place goes to our mainland Chinese neighbour Shenzhen, a mega-city that has more than 380 skyscrapers. With a skyline full of enormous buildings like the 115-storey Ping An Finance Center, there’s no doubt that the ‘Silicon Valley of China’ will be expanding its portfolio of architectural giants even further in the years to come. New York comes in at number three, with the city’s iconic builds like the Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, One World Trade Center, and the residential towers of Billionaire’s Row making up over 320 skyscrapers. The other cities rounding out the top 10 cities with the most skyscrapers are Dubai, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, Chicago, and Wuhan, respectively. Of course, with new buildings being constructed every day – especially within fast-moving Asian cities – these rankings are bound to be quite fluid. Check back again next year to see who lands where, but one thing’s for sure: no other city is coming near our skyscraper count any time soon. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Hong Kong newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox Recommended stories: Hongkongers prioritise health and longevity more than ever – but men would rather focus on tech The first Black Rainstorm of the year pelts Hong Kong, with rain expected until next week McDonald’s Hong Kong releases Chiikawa Happy Meal toys

Even in our city known for its relentlessly fast pace and challenging work-life balance, the need for improved well-being and good health is growing – perhaps imperatively so. Aligning with global health trends, Hong Kong residents are showing a greater desire to prioritise better living instead of simply longer living. Manulife’s Asia Care Survey 2025 highlights a shift in mindset among participants, with 77 percent of respondents redefining health as the power to live well, live independently, and engage in fulfilling activities as part of their preferred lifestyles, not simply living illness-free. Hongkongers also appear to be embracing holistic ageing as part of life’s many milestones over maximising lifespan – almost 47 percent of respondents emphasise maintaining good physical and mental health in order to age gracefully, putting personal freedom, dignity, and purpose on equal footing with pursuing longevity, though achieving financial freedom comes at a close second at 41.3 percent. And how are Hongkongers addressing critical health issues? 68 percent of respondents are embracing preventative health, building up resilience, and taking care of mental health and emotional well-being – all factors identified as key concerns for attaining long-term vitality. Normal ageing is increasingly being seen as less of a negative thing to combat, and the focus is on maintaining a good quality of life instead.  However, another study shows that men have some catching up to do with regards to their health. According to AXA Global Healthcare, men in Hong Kong are less likely to seek help to address serious health issues. In fact, 95 percent of male respondents would rather allocate their time toward repairing broken tech devices than acting swiftly in the face of health concerns (33 percent). High levels of fatigue and stress don’t faze men either, with only 27 percent and 24 percent of respondents, respectively, answering that they would take action when coming across these symptoms in their day-to-day life. Unsurprisingly, money and professional responsibilities are on the top of their minds instead. 99 percent of men surveyed would immediately take care of a lost mobile phone, 98 percent would prioritise dealing with a lost bank card, and 96 percent would place high importance on responding to a missive from their boss – talk about being married to your work. AXA Global Healthcare’s study also shares that pet welfare takes an important seat at the table, with 72 percent of respondents likely to take quick action if their pet seemed unwell. Considering that number is higher than men opting to see a professional when faced with their own health (only 64 percent) – well, at least Fido’s well taken care of! Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Hong Kong newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox Recommended stories: The first Black Rainstorm of the year pelts Hong Kong, with rain expected until next week McDonald’s Hong Kong releases Chiikawa Happy Meal toys A Hong Kong-exclusive panda twins Labubu debuts for our panda cubs’ birthday

Hong Kong woke up this morning on July 29 to find dark skies and extremely rainy weather. After rainfall steadily worsened, the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) issued the Black Rainstorm Warning Signal at 9.10am, which later got lowered to the Red Rainstorm Warning at 11.05am.  A broad trough of low pressure is the culprit bringing showers and thunderstorms to the coast of southern China today and tomorrow. As of 10am today, the tropical cyclone Co-May was also centred around 390 km east of Wenzhou, edging closer to the coast of eastern China as it moves across the East China Sea today and tomorrow. The weather for the rest of today will mainly be cloudy with showers and squally thunderstorms, with occasional showers and thunderstorms carrying over into tomorrow. In fact, according to the HKO forecast, there will be rain every day until next Wednesday, with the finest weather on this Thursday and Friday, July 31 and August 1, expected to bring sunny intervals between showers and thunderstorms. What is a Black Rainstorm? A Black Rainstorm Warning Signal is issued when heavy rain exceeding 70 ml in an hour is falling or is expected to fall over Hong Kong. As of 10.50am today, more than 100 ml of hourly rainfall has been recorded, which means this is a severe rainstorm. The HKO warns that the rain is particularly heavy in the Eastern and Southern districts, where there is an increased risk of landslides. Does this mean we don’t have to go to work or school? In general, if a Red or Black Rainstorm Warning is issued early enough in the morning, then we don’t have to physically go in to work or school. However, since most students would already have arrived at school or at least enroute by the time the signal was issued this morning, they will have to stay where they are for safety reasons.  The same goes for office workers; employers should not require their employees to travel to work during Black Rainstorm conditions. If, however, you are already in office by that point, then you shouldn’t attempt to leave and return home. Employees working outdoors in exposed areas should stop work and seek shelter indoors. Keep an eye on the weather at the HKO website. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Hong Kong newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox Recommended stories: McDonald’s Hong Kong releases Chiikawa Happy Meal toys A Hong Kong-exclusive panda twins Labubu debuts for our panda cubs’ birthday Have you watched the 100 best Hong Kong movies of all time?

Hot on the heels of McDonald’s time-limited Chiikawa Days-themed menu items comes more collaboration products between the fast-food giant and these cute Japanese critters. McDonald’s Hong Kong is now releasing a range of Happy Meal toys on Chiikawa and friends, to be changed up each week. From now until the end of August, purchase a McDonald’s Happy Meal to receive a Chiikawa toy. There are eight versions altogether, with each type being offered on specific dates throughout the promotion period, so make sure you keep an eye on the dates to get your favourite. The Hachiware calendar will be released on July 28, followed by the Rakko measuring device on August 1, the Chiikawa pen holder on August 4, the Usagi hotcake box on August 8, the Momonga pen cap on August 11, the Hachiware photo frame on August 15, the Chiikawa notepad on August 18, and finally the Usagi sticker dispenser on August 22. Photograph: FB/mcdonaldshongkong | © Onagano / chiikawa committee Jul © 2025 McDonald's Customers who want to get their hands on their collectable toys must purchase a Cheese Egg Bun Happy Meal set or a four-piece McNuggets Happy Meal via the McDonald’s app to receive specific Chiikawa Days designs, released each Monday and Friday at 11am. After receiving a confirmation of purchase with a QR code, you can then pick up your meal with the toy at selected McDonald’s restaurants. Make sure you go collect them within the specific dates and times, otherwise it will be considered forfeit! Alternatively, you can also visit 40 specific McDonald’s branches in person to purchase your Chiikawa Happy Meal. Be sure you’re ordering from the list of approved branches, or ordering via the designated webpage via the McDonald’s app and not just the normal purchase interface, or you’ll end up with a random book from the ‘Little People, Big Dreams’ series instead (not bad, but that’s not what you’re here for). Which Chiikawa Days toy do you most want to get? Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Hong Kong newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox Recommended stories: A Hong Kong-exclusive panda twins Labubu debuts for our panda cubs’ birthday Hong Kong is getting two special-edition Chiikawa Days Octopus cards Giant Crybaby installations take over Festival Walk, with a Pop Mart pop-up store

You know how you’ve made it in life when you get an Hermès bag named after you, like the Birkin or the Kelly? Well, Hong Kong’s twin panda cubs have definitely made it to celebrity status from the moment they were born, now further solidified with the fact that popular collectable Labubu is releasing a special figurine in honour of the cubs’ birthday. The Hong Kong Tourism Board has teamed up with Ocean Park, where the bears are homed, and the creator of Labubu, Kasing Lung, to debut a limited-edition Labubu x Panda Twins birthday collectable. The whimsical figurine features a bamboo green Labubu in a polka dot party hat, happily cradling two baby pandas in its arms. Fans of original artwork will enjoy that this doll is designed after Lung’s older drawings of his ubiquitous Nordic monster, instead of the rounded, fuzzy versions we’re used to seeing on plush keychains. You’ll need a spot of luck to get your hands on these limited-edition Labubus. All visitors to Ocean Park Hong Kong – Hong Kong citizens and travellers alike – can now pre-register to join a lucky draw taking place from August 1 to 31, for a chance to win a panda birthday gift box containing the Labubu figurine. The set comes in a custom gift box and also includes a handcrafted birthday card from Lung himself. There will only be approximately 300 gift boxes available during this stage of the celebrations, so get your entry in quickly. Additional birthday-edition Labubu boxes will be available during the pandas’ birthday celebrations from August 15 to 17, so check back from more details soon. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Hong Kong newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox Recommended stories: Hong Kong is getting two special-edition Chiikawa Days Octopus cards Giant Crybaby installations take over Festival Walk, with a Pop Mart pop-up store All Hong Kong taxis are required to accept e-payment from April 2026

Whenever Hongkongers like something, we go all out in the hyperfixation. In celebration of the upcoming Chiikawa Days exhibition in K11 Musea, Octopus is soon releasing two special-edition Octopus cards themed after the popular Chiikawa Days characters.  Featuring Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi running around with their extermination sticks, these cards will have a day design with recognisable buildings from the Hong Kong cityscape in the background, and a dark blue night version with fireworks. The physical Octopus cards are priced at $128, and will be available for preorder on the Octopus app from August 1 to 31.  For those who don’t want to lug around another card in their wallets, the Chiikawa-themed cards are also available for digital purchase on the Octopus app for $18. After the theme is purchased and applied, the Chiikawa characters will grace the app’s home screen, the Octopus activation screen, as well as the digital card image. Are you going to swap out your boring old Octopus card for these Chiikawa Days designs? Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Hong Kong newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox Recommended stories: Giant Crybaby installations take over Festival Walk, with a Pop Mart pop-up store All Hong Kong taxis are required to accept e-payment from April 2026 Hong Kong’s anime convention returns bigger and better this year

Among the toy keychains that have taken over hearts and social media feeds recently, Crybaby has always been a particularly cute brand, with endearing characters that are instantly recognisable from the tears on their faces. This summer, these weeping cuties are taking over Festival Walk in Kowloon Tong with multiple giant installations. Themed after a playground, eight oversized blind box characters from Crybaby’s Crying For Love series are dotted around the main atrium of the mall for fans to admire and take photos with. The centrepiece is the giant Love You Cherry Much figures, sitting side by side in their cherry outfits above a red-and-white ball pit. Other cute installations include the angel and devil Kiss Kiss characters pouting towards each other in a smooch, a Stupid Cupid heart-shaped swing set, and a translucent red box housing a Heart Broken Crybaby. Photograph: Catharina Cheung It’s not all just photo ops, as Pop Mart also brings a pop-up store to this event, with plenty of goodies to keep all collectors and shoppers satisfied. Aside from products from the Crying For Love series – like the gift box containing the angel and heart plushies, an adorable straw cup, and vinyl plush hanging dolls – this pop-up also stocks Crybaby’s other lines, such as the animal-themed Wild but Cutie series, the tutu-wearing Shiny Shiny series, their Powerpuff Girls collab, as well as scented candles and fragrances. If there’s an out-of-stock product on the Pop Mart website you have your eye on, it’s worth checking out this event to try your luck.  There will also be plenty of other merch from Pop Mart’s most popular characters, including Molly, Dimoo, Pucky, and more (no Labubus, though). Don’t leave without snapping some selfies at the Crybaby photo booth with Crying For Love photo frames. During the pop-up event, visitors can also register as My Festival members for free and use their bonus points to redeem Crybaby stickers or a Crybaby Playground single-use film camera. Crybaby Playground will be at Festival Walk from July 25 to August 31. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Hong Kong newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox Recommended stories: All Hong Kong taxis are required to accept e-payment from April 2026 Hong Kong’s anime convention starts today, returning bigger and better this year South Korean makeup brand Fwee opens flagship store in Hong Kong

If you’ve ever had to scrounge up cash from friends to get a cab or grappled with handfuls of loose change in a taxi with a surly, impatient driver, then you’ll know how annoying it can be that Hong Kong’s cabs still mostly only accept cash. In a city where contactless payments have been in use since the Octopus card launched in the late 90s, it’s pretty ridiculous that cabbies have insisted on only taking cash payments all these years. Luckily, our taxis will soon catch up with the times, as they will all be required to accept e-payments next year. The Hong Kong government confirmed last week that all taxi drivers will have to offer at least two forms of electronic payment options from as early as April 1, 2026. The Transport Department is currently coordinating with various e-payment platforms, but one of the options is likely to be Hong Kong’s ubiquitous Octopus card.  In addition to e-payment arrangements, taxi drivers will also be required to install in-car recording systems to capture videos with sound inside taxi compartments, dash cams to show clear front and rear views, as well as capture location data via a global navigation satellite system. According to the Transport Department, these systems will ‘help deter taxi drivers’ malpractices, enhance driving safety…and safeguard the interest of drivers and passengers in the event of disputes’. For those concerned about personal privacy and security, the government says that recorded videos and data will be encrypted, and the information will only be accessed for specific purposes, such as investigating traffic-related offences. Hong Kong’s newest taxi fleets already offer electronic payment from the get go, and a portion of older, original taxis also accept Octopus or PayMe already, but we’re excited for the whole fleet of our classic Toyota Comfort cabs to finally join the digital age. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Hong Kong newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox Recommended stories: Hong Kong’s anime convention starts today, returning bigger and better this year The best things to check out this weekend in Hong Kong (July 25-27) South Korean makeup brand Fwee opens flagship store in Hong Kong

Anime and manga fans, our time has come! The 26th Ani-Com & Games Hong Kong (ACGHK) returns this year with anime voice actors, singers, Japanese brands, cosplayers galore, and more to check out. A major part of the event every year is the exhibitors and booths with anime and cartoon merchandise, with plenty of art, clothing, accessories, and creations by toy designers from 12 global regions to look through. Keep an eye out for limited-edition wares, such as the global debut of the Sailor Uniform Rilakkuma series, and just 300 sets of Golden Warrior models limited to this venue only. The number of doujin booths will be significantly increased for this year’s ACGHK, with over 550 stalls including 80 international offerings from Japan, South Korea, Europe, the Americas, and more – this is a great opportunity to check out self-published manga, art, and works by global creative minds. As part of Ani-Com, the Comics Masters Gathering will also bring together six European comic big names, six Chinese comic artists, and two Hong Kong artists in a showcase of their different styles and skillsets. Photograph: Courtesy AFP/Peter Parks Of course, no anime convention is complete without half the venue filled with fantastical cosplayers, and this year is no exception. With Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle just releasing in Japan and already smashing box office records, we’re betting there’ll be a lot of Tanjiro and Nezuko costumes. Either way, the best cosplayers will be judged at the Anime Cosplay Competition 2025, which also serves as the regional qualifier for the World Cosplay Summit 2026 in Japan, so let’s see which winning duo is representing Hong Kong at next year’s finals. Don’t leave without seeing live performances by popular anime idols, including singer and voice actor Yui Makinoa, and even a meet-and-greet session with popular Japanese virtual idol group Fuwamoco Vtubers. Get ready to geek out for five consecutive days, from July 25 to 29, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Hong Kong newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox Recommended stories: The best things to check out this weekend in Hong Kong (July 25-27) South Korean makeup brand Fwee opens flagship store in Hong Kong Ryan Choi wins Hong Kong’s first-ever gold medal at Fencing World Championships

Rising South Korean cosmetic brand Fwee – viral on social media for their bouncy pudding pot tints for lips and cheeks – is finally on our shores. After opening overseas locations in New York, Japan, and Vietnam, they’ve decided to bring their latest international flagship to Hong Kong, named Fwee Agit. Makeup fans can now get their hands on all 35 shades of their viral Lip & Cheek Blurry Pudding Pot; its newer, luminous counterpart the Lip & Cheek Glowy Jelly Pot; and their 3D Volumising Gloss in 17 shades. In the continuing Y2K resurgence, a must-have product from Fwee is their pudding pot keychain, which can hold a handy amount of the Blurry Pudding Pot or Glowy Jelly Pot products for touch-ups on the go – and it also makes for a cute bag charm! These little accessories come in silver, pink, blue, rose, and yellow, as well as a Hong Kong-exclusive shade of dark blue with white specks, like a starry night sky. We are told there will also be pudding pots shades that are exclusive to our city coming in within the next couple of months. Photograph: Catharina Cheung Fwee’s Gen-Z-centric products also come at accessible price points, running from approximately $88 for a lip serum to $168 for a cheek palette. We’re fans of their eyeshadow and blush palettes, which also come in a keychain form, as well as 12 shades of highlighter colours that you’re supposed to choose according to birth months (ours is a shimmery lilac blue). Their 3D Changing Gloss in the shade 01 Scene Black may look intimidatingly dark for a lip gloss, but it actually works to deepen the shade of whatever lipstick you have on underneath instead of showing up fully black – perfect for those lip colours that are too bright or too light on you. From their opening day on July 25 to the last day of July, customers to Fwee Agit can enjoy a 15-percent discount, and receive a free mini keychain pot when purchasing a Blurry Pudding Pot, which you can then fill with your shade of choice. Purchases of at least $350 or $580 after the in-store discount will also receive a free pocket mirror or taporin bag, respectively. Shopping offers continue into August, with purchases made from August 1 to 24 receiving a five-percent discount. Visit Fwee Agit at G/F, Windsor House, 311 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Hong Kong newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox Recommended stories: Ryan Choi wins Hong Kong’s first-ever gold medal at Fencing World Championships Liverpool and AC Milan face each other in Hong Kong this week – plus everything you need to know The Hong Kong passport is among the top 20 most powerful passports in the world

Do you remember an exhibition last summer that displayed miniature scenes of the Central and Western districts in Pacific Place? In case you missed it, the Joyful Miniature Association (JMA) is back once again, this time with more incredibly detailed dioramas of life in Hong Kong, including seven brand-new miniatures that have never been seen before. The 24 art pieces will highlight some of Hong Kong’s famous landmarks, cultural customs, and unique lifestyles. Peek into painstaking recreations of Sunday dim sum at Maxim’s Palace in City Hall, chaotic nighttime revelry along Lan Kwai Fong, the customs of worship and pin wheel buying at Man Mo Temple and Wong Tai Sin Temple, a moving model of the fifth generation of the Peak Tram funicular railway, views of Victoria Harbour complete with boats sailing and fireworks, and more.  Photograph: Courtesy Joyful Miniature Association The new miniatures at this show include the Kai Tak Sports Park, the legendary old Kowloon Walled City, night scenes of Temple Street, horse racing, aquatic animals on sale at one of the many shops along Goldfish Street, the cable car at Ngong Ping 360, and Hong Kong’s transhipment history at the Insta-famous Western District Pier. The JMA brings together over 100 Hong Kong artists who collectively integrate the traditionally European craft of miniatures with our distinctly local culture using cutting-edge technology. If there’s one way to stroll through the most iconic sights and experiences of Hong Kong in just a few steps, this exhibition is definitely it. ‘Hong Kong: Through the Looking Glass Miniature Exhibition’ will be on display at The Peak Tower from April 25 to June 23 – JMA’s longest exhibition in the city. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Hong Kong newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox Recommended stories: Hong Kong ranked as the 10th most walkable city in the world; 1st in East Asia Hong Kong Airport Express proposes fare increase of 9.4 percent The Cheung Chau Bun Festival is hosting a carnival this Sunday

We sit down with artist and designer Joe Foti before his new exhibition in Hong Kong

March in Hong Kong is not complete without a trip to the Wanchai Convention Centre to spend a day or two at Art Basel. This year’s fair gathers 240 global galleries, with large-scale installations, paintings, sculptures, digital art, live performances, video works, and more to see!

From a world without colours to her love of big city metros, we caught up with British artist Monster Chetwynd for a round of quick-fire questions while she's in town for her new installation at Pacific Place! 

Free on Tuesdays? Head over to Hugo's in TST for their unlimited steak and frites night, which also come with Caesar salad, a dessert, and plenty of tipples – just remember to wear loose pants.

G'day foodies! Renowned chef Shane Osborn has just opened a laidback Aussie-style cafe inspired by Australian pit stops. Perfect for a casual meal when in Central.

This arts month, don't miss Hong Kong's first ASMR exhibition that will give you all kinds of tingles.

This ‘Picasso for Asia’ exhibition is the first time that masterpieces from the Musée national Picasso-Paris are being shown alongside works from an Asian museum collection. Find out what makes the Spanish master of Cubism so influential – you have until mid-July!

These cool (and just a tad creepy) faceless sculptures are here for the whole of Hong Kong Arts Month, so make time in your diary to visit this month

What is villain hitting and why are old ladies beating paper with a shoe for $50? Of all the weird and wonderful traditions we have in Hong Kong, this one is definitely up there.