Hello, I’m Stephen. I’m half Chinese, half English, and I’ve been guiding visitors around Hong Kong for over 10 years. Here are my personal recommendations for seeing a different side of my hometown.

Most people picture Hong Kong as nothing but towering skyscrapers and dense city streets. While that’s certainly part of its charm, over half of Hong Kong’s land is actually protected country park and green space. Lantau Island, Hong Kong’s largest island—even bigger than Hong Kong Island itself—is the perfect place to experience that side of the city.

Ride the Ngong Ping Cable Car

Your journey begins with one of Hong Kong’s most spectacular experiences: the Ngong Ping 360 cable car.

The ride takes around 25 minutes, floating high above mountains, forests and reservoirs before arriving at Ngong Ping. It’s a wonderfully relaxing way to start the day, giving you time to slow down, take in the scenery and see Hong Kong from a completely different perspective.

Explore Ngong Ping Village

When you arrive, you’ll first walk through Ngong Ping Village. Rather than just being a shopping area, it’s a great place to browse for unique Hong Kong gifts. You’ll find beautifully made fans, quality chopsticks, locally produced cookies that make excellent gifts for friends and colleagues back home, as well as plenty of other interesting souvenirs. It’s a fun place to wander before continuing to the monastery and the Big Buddha.

Visit the Big Buddha

The highlight of Ngong Ping is undoubtedly the Tian Tan Buddha, the world’s largest outdoor seated bronze Buddha.

It takes around 268 steps to reach the top, but the climb is well worth it. Along the way you’ll enjoy stunning views across Lantau Country Park, Lantau Peak—the second-highest mountain in Hong Kong—and out towards the South China Sea.

Many visitors don’t realise you can actually enter the Buddha. Inside you’ll find a small exhibition, an ancestral hall, and, perhaps most importantly on a hot day, air conditioning while you take a well-earned break after the climb.

The highlight of Ngong Ping is undoubtedly the Tian Tan Buddha, the world’s largest outdoor seated bronze Buddha.

Many visitors don’t realise you can actually enter the Buddha. Inside you’ll find a small exhibition, an ancestral hall, and, perhaps most importantly on a hot day, air conditioning while you take a well-earned break after the climb.

Po Lin Monastery

At the foot of the Buddha sits Po Lin Monastery, one of Hong Kong’s most important Buddhist temples, founded in 1906.

Here you can learn more about Buddhism, light incense to pray for good fortune, and admire the peaceful temple grounds.

One of the most fascinating parts of the monastery is the Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas. Despite its name, there aren’t literally ten thousand Buddhas inside. The name symbolises the Buddhist belief that anyone can achieve enlightenment, making it a powerful reminder that Buddhahood is something everyone can aspire to.

Before leaving, I always recommend stopping by the monastery’s vegetarian snack shop. My favourites are the spring rolls, the pan-fried red bean cakes, and the vegetarian ham sui gok—a delicious fried glutinous rice dumpling that’s perfect as a quick snack before continuing your journey.

Step Back in Time in Tai O Fishing Village

After Ngong Ping, it’s a short drive to my favourite place on Lantau—Tai O.

This village is especially meaningful to me because my dad’s family grew up here. Visiting Tai O feels like stepping back 50 or 60 years into Hong Kong’s past, before it became the global city it is today.

Long ago, much of Hong Kong’s coastline was lined with simple wooden houses. Most have disappeared as the city developed, but because Tai O sits in one of Hong Kong’s most remote corners, it has managed to preserve its unique stilt houses built above the water.

People often describe Tai O as the “Venice of Hong Kong.” While there are similarities, I think it’s better described as a humble, authentic fishing village where local life still revolves around the waterways.

A small boat ride through the stilt houses is one of the highlights of the trip.

Spot the Pink Dolphins

If you’re lucky, you might even spot Hong Kong’s famous Chinese white dolphins—often called pink dolphins.

If seeing them is high on your wish list, your best chance is arriving in Tai O before 10 a.m. The earlier you go, the better your odds.

Even if the dolphins don’t appear, the boat ride itself is still well worth doing.

Eat Like a Local

Tai O is also famous for its local snacks. My personal favourite is the Tai O doughnut—a freshly fried, fluffy doughnut without the hole that’s best eaten warm.

You’ll also find traditional herbal teas made from locally grown herbs. Many locals drink them to help cool the body or settle the stomach after travelling. If you’re a seafood lover, Tai O is hard to beat. You can choose live seafood straight from the tanks and have it cooked fresh just minutes later. It doesn’t get much fresher than that.

Experience a Slower Side of Hong Kong. After spending time in Central and the busy shopping districts, Tai O offers a completely different atmosphere. Life moves at a slower pace, making it the perfect place to relax, unwind and experience a side of Hong Kong that many visitors never see. Also, Lantau is right next to the airport, so great for a layout where we pick you up from the airport or drop you off there afterwards. I have done many tours picking guests up from the cruise terminal, touring lantau and ending at the airport.

Discover Lantau with Us

If this sounds like your kind of Hong Kong, we’d love to show you around.

Because Lantau is spread across the island, we run this tour with a private vehicle, allowing you to relax, enjoy the scenery and spend more time experiencing each destination rather than worrying about transport connections. It makes the day much more comfortable, especially if you’re visiting on a cruise with limited time.

You can find more information about our Lantau Island Tour here.

This is just one guide in our series covering the best things to do during a Hong Kong cruise layover. Whether you’re interested in classic sightseeing, hidden neighbourhoods, heritage, hiking, family activities or incredible local food, we’ll be covering them all.

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Hello, I’m Stephen. Half English, half Chinese, and this is my personal guide to my hometown of Hong Kong. If you’re short on time, say a cruise stop or a long layover, you can still get a brilliant snapshot of the city. Hong Kong is incredibly compact, which means in just one day, you can see and taste quite a lot. 

Victoria Peak

First up, the skyline. Fun fact: by the technical definition, buildings over150 meters, Hong Kong has more skyscrapers than anywhere else in the world, even New York. The most classic place to take it all in is from the top of the Victoria Peak. And the best way up, in my opinion, is by the Peak Tram. This little funicular has been climbing that hill for over 140 years, at a jaw-dropping 30-degree angle. It feels a bit like a roller coaster, weaving between high-rises and greenery before opening out to spectacular views. At the Peak, the view is obviously the main event. But there’s more to it than that. You can snack your way around some fantastic local treats: sourdough egg tarts from Bakehouse, Xiao Long Bao, wonton shrimp noodles. 

In recent years, the Peak has also become a great shopping spot, with two main malls catering mostly to tourists: Peak Galleria and Peak Tower. You’ll find some unique souvenirs there, like socks patterned with the Hong Kong skyline—which make fun gifts for grandchildren when you’re not sure what they like. And of course, there are classic key rings and fridge magnets too.

Man Mo temple

Easy spot to spend a couple of hours. For something more cultural, step into one of Hong Kong’s traditional temples. They’re serene pockets in the middle of the city, full of incense smoke, textured wood, and stone that’s seen centuries of city life. Locals come to pray for guidance, to ask for good fortune, and sometimes to consult fortune-tellers. There’s a really grounding atmosphere there, hard to manufacture, but very real. 

My three personal favourite temples to visit are Man Mo, Temple in Sheung Wan, Wong Tai Sin Temple, and Pak Tai Temple in Wan Chai. Man Mo Temple is one of Hong Kong’s oldest, dedicated to the God of Literature and the God of War, known for its giant hanging incense coils and traditional architecture. Wong Tai Sin is probably the busiest and most lively. It’s a large complex where people come to pray for good fortune, make wishes, and have their fortunes told. Pak Tai Temple in Wan Chai, meanwhile, is tucked away on a quiet side street. It’s much calmer. Textured with history and atmosphere, a great spot if you want a more peaceful temple experience.

Dim Sum

And of course, food. If you only have time for one meal, make it dim sum. Small steamed dishes made for sharing. Classics like har gow, those translucent shrimp dumplings, and siu mai , pork and shrimp dumplings, are musts. If you’re feeling adventurous, try ham sui gok, crisp, chewy, glutinous rice dumplings filled with savory minced pork, mushrooms, and preserved turnip. It’s all about sharing and tasting together. 

When it comes to dim sum, most guides will send you to the oldest spots. Honestly? A lot of them feel cramped, and the service can be brusque. Instead, I recommend some of the reinvented spots, easier to navigate, consistently better food, and way more comfortable. Lin Heung Lau’s Tsim Sha Tsui branch keeps the tradition but with a cleaner vibe, and you can even watch the chefs hand-make the dim sum. Old Fung Tea House in Mong Kok is a local favorite, almost no tourists, and the food is excellent. And if you want guaranteed comfort and solid service, Maxim’s Palace is my safe bet, reliable, polished, and found all over town.

Ding Ding Tram

Getting around, while the Star Ferry is iconic, if you’re on a cruise, you probably don’t need it. You’re already moored right in Victoria Harbour. Instead, hop on the double-decker Ding Ding tram that rattles through Hong Kong Island. Cheap, cheerful, and brilliant for people-watching as the city drifts past your window. 

Want to see the most on your short Hong Kong cruise stop? Hire a local guide. In just seven hours, you can cover five or six unique sites without the stress. For the classics, our Peak to Pier tour covers most of what I’ve mentioned here, plus a few more surprises.

That pretty much sums up a one day classic Hong Kong layover. In future posts, I’ll dive deeper into themes like shopping, hiking, food trails, and family-friendly activities. So, stay tuned.

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In this second part, we break down their day item by item, look at where they went wrong (and occasionally right), and map out the smarter routes they could have taken. Nine items, one city, eight hours – here’s how the task could really have been won.

Reminder of the shopping list:

1. Shrimp paste – specified as “10 x 300g brick”

2. Mahjong set – “hand painted”

3. Baby corn – “4 catty, picked today”

4. Chinese calligraphy brush – a brush for Chinese writing (around 20 cm).

5. Dragon boat head – a wooden dragon head fixed to the front of a dragon boat, required to be about one metre in length.

6. Golden pineapple

7. Erhu

8. Ding ding illustration

9. Tea cake – “labelled 2005”

You can read more information on these local items in Part 1 of Following the Apprentice trail.

Part 2: What the teams did…

Stanley

OK, Stanley. This is where many of you will remember that both teams made the trek out to the south side of Hong Kong Island – and both successfully secured the dragon boat head and ticked it off their list. The dragon boat head wasn’t bought in the market at all, but down at Stanley Beach, which makes perfect sense given that’s where real teams train and store their boats.

Crucially, the candidates weren’t battling for seats on the bus like regular visitors – they had private vehicles for the whole task. That should have made their day far more efficient, cutting out the waiting and walking time that comes with public transport. However, it didn’t help that the girls’ team famously managed to lose their driver, and basically lost the task trying to reunite with him.

The Wong family seem to have the arts and antiques cornered in Stanley Market!

Once they’d gone all that way, they could easily have picked up several more items in the same area. Stanley Market is packed with Chinese arts, crafts and souvenirs, while just beside Stanley Plaza the Tin Hau Temple area is where you’re most likely to find the golden pineapple as a paper offering used for worship. Between the market stalls, art and calligraphy stands, music and curios shops, and tram‑themed souvenirs, they stood a good chance of finding a ding ding illustration, an erhu, a Chinese calligraphy brush and that elusive golden pineapple without having to criss‑cross the whole city.
The trade‑off, of course, is still time. Even with private vehicles, Stanley is a long way from downtown, and it’s even longer once you factor in getting across to Lantau Island and up to the Big Buddha later in the day. In an eight‑hour task, that’s a serious chunk of the schedule spent on the road, even if the area itself is almost a one‑stop shop for several of the trickier items.

Where we would have gone for: Shrimp paste, corn, dragon boat head and golden pineapple offerings

Ap Lei Chau Main Street

OK, so here is what they could have done – and the girls were SO close! In Aberdeen, the teacher at Mulberry House Kindergarten actually pointed them in the right direction, but where she told them to turn right, they turned left and ended up completely lost instead.

From Aberdeen, they had two very straightforward options: hop on the little kaito ferry across the water or jump back in their car and drive over to Ap Lei Chau. If they’d done that, they would have been in exactly the right neighbourhood for several of the items on their list. Ap Lei Chau is home to working fishing communities and a very abundant wet markets, and this is where they could realistically have sourced the shrimp paste, a dragon boat head, and found four catty of baby corn picked that day.

We found exactly these items in about 30-40 minutes.

Ap Lei Chau is also home to a large fishing community with plenty of specialist boat builders, marine supply yards and at least three Dragon Boat Associations. Whilst Stanley wasn’t a bad shout for this item in our opinion, this area crucially could have been lucrative and saved so much time.

It’s also worth noting that the Aberdeen Wholesale Fish Market – where they actually ended up, only to find it closed – was never going to be the right place for bricks of shrimp paste. That kind of fermented product is sold through a very different network of shops and producers, not straight off the wholesale fish floor.

And finally, the Golden Pineapple offering…

We would be certain that almost any temple would stock them. This is the Hung Shing Temple we walked into next to the Ap Lei Chau wet market. That would have been four out of the nine items ticked off already.

Central district

With more items still to track down, half the girls headed to Central in search of the mahjong set and baby corn – though quite why they didn’t pick up the vegetables around Peel Street and Graham Street (which they definitely walked through!) remains a mystery. In the end, they did manage to secure the mahjong set at Glocal Mahjong in PMQ, but not without a struggle; even finding the right unit number in Hong Kong’s high‑rise maze seemed to throw them off. Full credit, though, for negotiating an impressive 50% discount with the owner. That’s a note to ourselves for next time a guest asks where to buy a set – it is clearly it’s worth singing very nicely.

Where we would have gone for: mahjong, ding-ding illustration and tea cake

Hollywood Road, Central

Glocal Mahjong would have been our first choice for the hand-painted mahjong set too, simply because it’s the most commercially accessible option. If you’re after a truly traditional, hand‑carved set from a specialist workshop, you’re usually looking at a six‑month pre‑order and a price tag in the thousands, which doesn’t exactly fit an eight‑hour Apprentice budget.

While they were in the neighbourhood, there were several other smart wins they could have picked up. PMQ itself has a tea shop inside, and Hollywood Road, Peel Street and the surrounding lanes are dotted with excellent tea merchants – including Wing Yuen Tea House on Peel Street that would have been ideal for the 2005 tea cake.

This same Central–SoHo grid would also have been perfect hunting ground for the ding ding tram illustration. Between Bookazine, Goods of Desire (G.O.D.) and Lion Rock Press, there are countless prints, cards and souvenirs celebrating Hong Kong’s beloved street scenes. We actually found a great ding ding illustration ourselves in the Bookazine on Lyndhurst Terrace – proof that, with a little local knowledge, the teams could have turned this compact area into a highly efficient one‑stop shop.

Kowloon… we think!

The boys’ team did at least head in the right direction by ducking into a stationery shop for the calligraphy brush, but came out empty‑handed. Their luck got even worse when the shop owner sold them paper from a brand called “Pineapple” – not quite the auspicious golden pineapple paper offering that was actually on the list.

Photo credit: BBC. Can we leave now? Please?

They did, however, manage to secure an erhu for around HK$475, which is an absolute steal for a traditional instrument. Because they were so pleased with the price, they didn’t want to be rude and rush the owner while he insisted on tuning it for them… very polite, very British – and very time‑consuming in the middle of an eight‑hour race.

Where we would have gone for: erhu and calligraphy brush

Yue Hwa Department Store

We have to admit it: on the erhu, the boys would have beaten us hands down. Our natural first stop for a Chinese instrument like that would have been the Yue Hwa Chinese Products Emporium in Kowloon, where the cheapest erhu we saw recently was around HK$2,800 – roughly five‑and‑a‑half times what the boys paid!

On the calligraphy brush, though, we’d have clawed back the win. Those are stocked in abundance at Yue Hwa, with perfectly good brushes starting from about HK$80. In other words, they nailed the bargain instrument, but there was a much easier (and cheaper) path to ticking off the brush.

The finish: Ngong Ping 360 cable-car and Big Buddha

The final rendezvous at the Big Buddha made for beautiful television – but as a practical end point, it was a nightmare choice.
Because half of the girls’ team managed to get themselves lost in Stanley, the other half of the team reached the meeting point just before sunset, but the rest didn’t arrive until well after dark.

You also cannot simply drive up to the Big Buddha by private car unless you have a special permit for the restricted access roads, and those licences are extremely hard to obtain. That leaves the Ngong Ping cable car as the only genuinely fast route – and that stops running around 6:00pm – so from a local point of view it was the worst possible place to finish: high risk of missing the last cable car, and almost guaranteed late arrivals if anything ran behind schedule. For anyone planning a real‑life visit, the remaining options outside cable‑car hours are bus or a pre‑arranged taxi hire, both of which take significantly longer.

The one unqualified triumph of the finale was the boardroom itself. The showdown took place in Hong Kong’s newest statement skyscraper, The Henderson, which only opened at the end of 2024 and has already become a striking new landmark on the skyline.

In the end, the numbers told their own story. The boys’ team finished with three correct items (erhu, tea cake and dragon boat head), spending HK$3,195, plus HK$38 on an incorrect purchase, for a total of HK$3,223 including transport. They failed to secure five items, picked up one fine, and had half the team arriving late at the final checkpoint, adding HK$4,040 in penalties – bringing their grand total to HK$7,273. The ladies’ team fared even worse on the scoreboard, ending up with just two correct items (mahjong set and dragon boat head) and spending HK$3,200, while missing seven items on the list. With half the team arriving over two hours late and one fine on top, they racked up HK$7,000 in penalties, taking their final total to HK$10,200 – and two of the women ultimately heard the dreaded words and were fired in the boardroom.

Harsh as the outcome was, there is at least one silver lining: every single candidate still got to experience Hong Kong up close – from markets and temples to beaches and skylines. We can only hope that, despite the stress of the task and the pressure of the cameras, they managed to enjoy even a little of what makes this city so unforgettable.

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Of course, the best part for us was watching the teams try to navigate the city and hunt down their shopping list. We were literally shouting at the TV, desperate to tell them which direction to take, which vendors to ask, and which district would have saved them precious time and dollars. When you know Hong Kong well, you can’t help but think how different their day would have been.

Nine items, one city, eight hours. Could it be done? Absolutely. With the right route they could have ticked off the whole list with time to spare. Here is how we would have done it!

The Shopping List

Shrimp paste

Shrimp paste

This is a paste made from only two ingredients- silver shrimp and salt, traditionally sun‑dried and ground in fishing villages like Tai O. You really don’t need to use much as it has a powerful aroma and deep salty-sea flavour. The locally made jars and dried bricks can be found in most wet markets.

Golden pineapple (paper). On screen, they clarify that the “golden pineapple” is a paper object – a symbolic tower of gold paper used in Chinese temples and festivals as offerings, not a piece note paper (read on!). The pineapple is considered to be an auspicious fruit whose name in several Chinese dialects sounds like “prosperity is coming”. In Hong Kong, these paper pineapples are burned at temples and roadside altars and offered to gods and deities for blessings of wealth, protection and good fortune.

Mahjong set (hand-painted)

The candidates describe mahjong as “tiny little blocks… like dominoes” and are sent to find a “hand painted” set. Culturally, mahjong is one of Hong Kong’s favourite social pastimes: families play during Lunar New Year, at wedding banquets and on typhoon‑signal days, and the clatter of tiles is a familiar soundtrack in homes and teahouses.

Dragon boat head

The brief called for a dragon boat head of over one metre – not a souvenir, but the proper wooden figurehead fixed to the front of a boat. The dragon boat head is the carved and painted wooden head mounted on the prow of dragon boats, used for the Dragon Boat Festival races held each year across Hong Kong.

Erhu (two‑stringed instrument)

An erhu is a two‑stringed Chinese bowed instrument, sometimes called the “Chinese violin”. It has a small resonating body and a long neck, and produces a haunting, expressive sound that many people instantly associate with traditional Chinese music. In Hong Kong, you’ll often hear the erhu busked on street corners or featured in Chinese orchestras.

Chinese calligraphy brush (around 20 cm)

In Hong Kong, these brushes connect directly to classical Chinese culture, from schoolchildren practising characters to master calligraphers writing auspicious couplets at the Lunar New Year.

Tea cake (labelled 2005)

The briefing describes a “tea cake, labelled 2005. The “tea cake” on the list refers to a compressed disc of tea leaves, most commonly associated with aged pu’er tea. These cakes are wrapped in paper printed with the tea’s origin and year, which is why a “2005” label matters: like wine, older vintages can be more prized and more expensive. For Hong Kong, where yum cha, tea appreciation and tea trading have long histories, a tea cake isn’t just a drink – it’s a collectible piece of culinary culture that reflects time, terroir and tradition.

Ding ding illustration

The episode refers to a “ding ding” related item – Hong Kong’s famous double‑decker trams are nicknamed “ding ding” after the sound their bells make. An illustration of a ding ding – whether a poster, print or postcard – captures that instantly recognisable slice of Hong Kong life.

Baby corn – 4 catty, picked today

The teams are told to find “4 catty of baby corn, picked today”, and one lead mentions heading towards more agricultural areas. A catty (斤) is a traditional Chinese weight unit that’s still used every day in wet markets here; in Hong Kong it’s officially just over 600 grams, around 604–605 grams per catty. That means four catty of baby corn is roughly 2.4 kilograms – a serious amount of veg for one shopping list. There are of course farms in the New Territories, but we think there was a definite chance to find in the required amount early on in any of the local wet markets.

Read on to Part 2 to see our analysis of where the teams went…

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The spirit of the Horse and Lunar New Year

The Horse in the Chinese zodiac symbolises speed, vitality and freedom, and years ruled by this sign are seen as full of possibility and momentum. People born in Horse years are often described as sociable, adventurous and independent – the friends who rally everyone together, book the trip and somehow squeeze three experiences into one afternoon. That same spirited energy runs right through Hong Kong during Lunar New Year, when the city comes alive with colour, incense, flowers and food.

A festival born from legend and the farming calendar

Those same elements live on in Hong Kong today in the form of red lanterns, spring couplets on doorways, incense, drums and lion dances in the streets – all meant to sweep out bad luck and invite in a fresh start.

In a Horse year, that sense of renewal feels even stronger, because the Horse is associated with movement, freedom and charging confidently into the future.

Is Chinese New Year a good time to visit Hong Kong?

In a word, no. Among all the festivals on the Hong Kong calendar, Chinese New Year is the one that truly stops the city. Families meet up for reunion dinners, businesses close, and the usual bustle of the city gives way to family time at home, temple trips and lots and lots of meals.

Whilst there are things to do like the Lunar New Year Parade on the first day of the holiday, and the 23-minute firework display on the harbour on the second day… other than this visitors who don’t have family connections may be disappointed. Our recommendation is to visit the week BEFORE Chinese New Year to experience the excitement ahead of the actual dates such as the flower markets, street calligraphers letting you make your own meaningful banners (fai chun), and markets full of red and gold decorations.

Soak up the pre‑New Year buzz in old Hong Kong streets

In the weeks leading up to Lunar New Year, traditional neighbourhoods transform into living shopping lists of festive essentials. Wander through markets piled high with tangerines, melon seeds and towering boxes of cookies, and you’ll see why locals spend so much time preparing – it’s as much about the atmosphere as the snacks.

This is the perfect time to join our Lunar New Year Shopping Tour in Causeway Bay and let our excellent partner @explore_hongkong tell you what all the foods, flowers and lucky decorations really mean. You’ll learn why kumquats symbolise “gold”, how to choose the right couplets for your door, and which treats every Hong Kong family stocks up on before the big day.

Visit temples for Horse‑worthy good luck

No Lunar New Year in Hong Kong is complete without a temple visit. Locals head to Man Mo, Wong Tai Sin and other temples to burn incense, thank the gods for the past year and ask for blessings in the one to come.

During the Year of the Horse, many people will focus on wishes related to career moves, travel and bold personal changes – all themes connected with the Horse’s dynamic spirit. Join our one of our private tours to watch fortune sticks being shaken, see how locals make offerings, and learn the etiquette so you can participate respectfully.

If this is your year, be sure to make a special offering at the Wong Tai Sin Temple to ensure that everything runs smoothly for you!

From temples to track: the Jockey Club’s CNY Raceday

While placing a bet is part of the tradition for many Hongkongers, the whole event is really about “trying your luck” for the year ahead, enjoying the festival atmosphere and soaking up another facet of local culture. At Hong Kong Greeters we don’t advocate gambling, but we love helping guests understand why an afternoon at the races – complete with drums, lion dances and New Year decorations – sits right alongside flower markets and temple visits in the local CNY playbook.

One very Hong Kong expression of New Year optimism is Chinese New Year Raceday at Sha Tin Racecourse, organised by the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

Ask us if you would like to include this visit in one of your tours, because as an overseas visitor, there are also special areas to take advantage of that only you can access!

Bring Horse energy into your own year

Whether you’re a Horse yourself or just borrowing its bold energy for the year, Hong Kong is an inspiring place to set your intentions for the months ahead. Between temple visits, harbour views and shared meals, you’ll have plenty of moments to pause, reflect and decide what you want your “gallop” through the year to look like. 恭喜發財 (gung hei faat coi) or Happy Chinese New Year!!

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Hong Kong’s Jumbo Floating Restaurant began life as a symbol of prosperity and spectacle in the 1970s and ended with a mysterious capsizing in the South China Sea in 2022, while under tow to an undisclosed new home (rumoured to be Cambodia). For decades it was a near‑mandatory stop on Western visitors’ itineraries, a place to try Cantonese banquets, be handed chopsticks for the first time (with knives and forks quietly available), and soak up a fantasy of imperial China against the very real backdrop of Aberdeen’s fishing community.

From fishermen’s barges to a “floating palace”

Floating restaurants in Aberdeen grew out of fishermen’s barges from the Pearl River Delta, where people added simple stages and kitchens so fishing families could host banquets, sing, and socialise without going ashore. In the 1920s–30s, Hong Kong fishermen began operating similar boats, at first serving only the fishing community, then gradually opening to city dwellers and tourists as word spread about fresh seafood eaten right above the water where it was caught.

By 1952, the Tai Pak Floating Restaurant was operating at Aberdeen, eventually seating hundreds and helping establish the idea that eating afloat, among moored junks and sampans, was part of “real Hong Kong.” These restaurants offered both an accessible luxury for locals celebrating weddings and banquets and an exotic, lantern‑lit world that early Western visitors felt they “had” to experience when Asia was still a long-haul, once‑in‑a‑lifetime trip.

Building Jumbo – fire, rebirth, and VIP guests

In the early 1970s, herbal tea magnate Wong Lo‑kat decided to outdo Tai Pak with a vast new floating palace called Jumbo, built at Kowloon Chung Hwa shipyard for around HK$14 million and decorated like a Qing‑style imperial palace. Before it could open, a welding spark triggered a catastrophic four‑alarm fire on 30 October 1971, destroying the nearly finished structure and killing 34 people while injuring dozens more, a tragedy that forced a complete rebuild.

Macau casino tycoon Stanley Ho stepped in, bought the project in 1972, and poured roughly HK$30 million into a new Jumbo, which finally opened to the public on 19 October 1976 and would later be grouped with Tai Pak and Sea Palace under the “Jumbo Kingdom” banner. In its heyday, Jumbo hosted royalty and celebrities; among the most famous visitors was Queen Elizabeth II, who dined there during an official visit, helping cement its image as the place to go in Hong Kong for a showpiece Cantonese seafood banquet.

Tourists: Movies and Instagramable Moments!

From the late 1970s through the 1990s, Jumbo became a must‑do for Western visitors, especially when travel to mainland China was still restricted and Hong Kong acted as a “South Gate of China.” Tour groups would pile into sampans or tour boats, step onto the dragon‑guarded gangway, and be ushered into vast banquet halls where, for many guests, this was their very first encounter with live seafood tanks, dim sum trolleys, and the slightly daunting gift of chopsticks placed at each setting.

Jumbo’s theatrical interiors—golden dragons, carved wood, and bright neon—made it a natural film location. It appears (or is strongly associated) in:

• Bruce Lee’s “Enter the Dragon” (1973), which uses Aberdeen’s floating restaurants as part of its Hong Kong sequences.
• The James Bond film “The Man With the Golden Gun” (1974), widely cited as featuring Jumbo or its sister floating palace, reinforcing its bond with the 007 mythos.
• Steven Soderbergh’s “Contagion” (2011), in which modern Hong Kong stands in for a global outbreak’s origin, with Jumbo providing a visually iconic backdrop.

Decline, closure, and the South China Sea

Despite surviving the Asian financial crisis and later global downturns, Jumbo struggled in the 2000s as tastes shifted and operating costs rose, and by the late 2010s it was no longer the guaranteed money‑spinner it once had been. The 2019 protests and then the Covid‑19 pandemic dealt the final blow; Jumbo ceased operations on 3 March 2020 after posting years of losses, and its long‑time backer Stanley Ho passed away shortly afterwards in May 2020.

In June 2022, with no clear rescue plan in Hong Kong, the owners arranged for Jumbo to be towed out of Aberdeen Harbour to an undisclosed overseas yard, widely reported as somewhere in Southeast Asia. On 18 June, while passing near the Paracel (Xisha) Islands in the South China Sea, the vessel reportedly encountered “adverse conditions,” took on water, and capsized; the company initially said it had sunk in water over 1,000 metres deep, later clarifying that it had capsized and salvage would be extremely difficult, with subsequent reports indicating it ultimately sank and parts of the wreck lodged on a reef.

What’s left of Jumbo today?

Physically, the famous barge is gone from Aberdeen, but fragments of its story—and even pieces of its fabric—live on around Hong Kong.

For visitors today, the spirit of Jumbo survives in a few key ways you can point out on tour:

• Aberdeen itself, where guides can explain the old network of floating restaurants, the fishermen’s lifestyle, and show archival photos of Jumbo Kingdom in its neon prime. To explore more and taste some authentic fisherman cuisine, we do run a monthly immersive trip to Aberdeen. Link here for more information.
• The Central Harbourfront, near the Hong Kong Observation Wheel, where themed costume photo booths continue the tradition of “dressing up” in Chinese outfits—an echo of the old souvenir costume photos taken on Jumbo’s ornate staircases and throne chairs.
• Pop culture: screenings of “Enter the Dragon,” “The Man With the Golden Gun,” and “Contagion,” along with local films that used Jumbo as shorthand for “Hong Kong glamour,” allow visitors to time‑travel back to when a dinner at a floating restaurant was the highlight of a first Asia trip.

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Countdown to 2026 in Style

Don’t miss out on the most extraordinary New Year’s Eve celebration Hong Kong has to offer. Secure your spot, and let’s welcome 2026 in unparalleled style!

There’s no better feeling than welcoming the New Year surrounded by Hong Kong’s sparkling skyline, fireworks bursting overhead, and a boatful of people ready to celebrate. That’s exactly what our New Year’s Eve Cruise delivers, and we can’t wait to do it all over again! Ready to make memories that will last a lifetime? Secure your spot where a first-class experience awaits. This unforgettable journey is starts at HK $2,300* per person and includes the free-flow of drinks and a festive menu.

Join us for the most exclusive celebration of the year, the Hong Kong New Year’s Eve Fireworks on Victoria Harbour – guaranteed the best seats in town! Board our intimate and exclusive 70ft yacht, enjoy the open-bar hospitality, scrumptious menu, the fantastic night view and the magnificent New Year’s Eve fireworks with less than 45 people.

Raise Your Glass to Free-Flow Fun

As we set sail from Tin Hau public pier at 9:00pm, you’ll enjoy a festive appetiser menu that sets the mood for the night. But that’s not all; our open-bar hospitality ensures your glass is never empty. Sip on Prosecco, red and white wine, beer, soft drinks, juices, tea, and coffee – all included in the package. Or choose to upgrade to our Champagne cruise for an additional HK $400 to enjoy free-flow Moët and a selection of spirits with mixers.

The Best Seats in Town for Hong Kong’s New Year’s Eve Fireworks

Picture this: You, on the LazyDays Elephant, an exclusive yacht with a 45-person capacity, plenty of indoor space, and a delectable festive food and drinks menu that will leave your taste buds tingling with delight. This 4-hour free-flow voyage is your ticket to an unforgettable evening of celebration.

A Night to Remember

As the clock ticks closer to midnight, soak in the fantastic night views of Hong Kong’s iconic skyline. Feel the electric energy building up all around you as the city prepares to welcome 2025 with a bang.

The highlight of the evening? You guessed it! Witness a dazzling display of fireworks that will light up the sky and your heart. We’ll cruise back to the pier at 12:30am, concluding an unforgettable night.

Click on the book now button for all the menu and drinks information. Strictly adults only.

* Early-bird pricing until 30th September 2025.

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Here is our top 5 favourite Coffee Table Books.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Should you click through and make a purchase, this means that at no additional cost to you, we may make a small commission.

History and Culture

Sunset Survivors

Lindsay Varty’s Sunset Survivors is a unique book. It captures traditional craftspeople and small business owners working in industries that are fast fading from Hong Kong. When these people retire, it’s unlikely that they will be replaced. Varty tirelessly tracked down each person in the book and interviewed them giving a very personal insight into the lives and disappearing skills.

These intimate and fascinating snapshots capture a unique slice of Hong Kong life, preserving it for posterity. Author Lindsay Varty grew up in Hong Kong and is one of our famous rugby stars.

City of Darkness: Revisited

Guy Giraud’s original City of Darkness is now in limited supply, but for the next best alternative you can find this version of the photobook just as satisfying and an updated version of the original. The Kowloon Walled City was once the most densely populated place on earth; an organically grown enclave that due to combination of history and circumstance found itself growing as an uninhibited maze.

Whilst it was demolished in 1993, you can still visit the Walled City Park and enjoy the updated exhibition of what the city once looked like, thanks to the record breaking Hong Kong movie: Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In

Hong Kong Then and Now

Hong Kong Then and Now captures the city’s breakneck speed of development, from a collection of sleepy fishing villages, to a skyscraper thicket.

Author Vaughan Grylls has achieved this temporal juxtaposition by presenting contrasting old black and white photographs of well known Hong Kong locations alongside contemporary photographs.

Architecture

Hong Kong Corner House

Alongside the glittering and famous skyscrapers of Hong Kong, there is the more utilitarian and often brutal architecture of dense public housing. Michael Wolf documented this in his brilliant Architecture of Density, sadly this book is not easily available and has become rather pricey.

Instead, his Hong Kong Corner Houses book is a cosier alternative and is both more affordable and readily available. We love these curved and aesthetically pleasing buildings.

We love the interesting story behind how Hong Kong’s corner houses came to exist. You’ll have to buy the book or come on one of our tours to find out more.

Trope

Trope brings together a smorgasbord of modern images by emerging photographers both from Hong Kong and further afield. You’ll find dense skyscrapers, neon lit streets and instagram hotspots.

Furthermore, the images are accompanied by maps and location details should you want to explore any of the locations in person.

Food

Jeremy Pang’s Hong Kong Kitchen: Classic Recipes for Baos, Noodles, Street Food and More…

For all you home cooks craving a taste of Hong Kong, Jeremy Pang’s Hong Kong Kitchen recipe book will enable you to recreate classic Hong Kong comfort food from your own kitchen. Technically, this is a recipe book. Nevertheless, we think it would look great on any coffee table and provide a mouthwatering talking point. Don’t forget his first book, Hong Kong Diner, which we have previously recommended!

Watch him in action on ITV’s This Morning!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Should you click through and make a purchase, this means that at no additional cost to you, we may make a small commission.

Hong Kong & Macau Gifts and Souvenirs

Garrison Kellior famously quoted, “A book is a gift you can open again and again”, if you’re looking for a gift for a young reader, see our top recommendations for Hong Kong children’s books. Alternatively if you have a soft spot for Hong Kong’s neighbor Macau, check out our Macau Bookshelf. 

However, if books aren’t your bag and you’re after Hong Kong themed gifts or goodies for yourself or a loved one, hop on over to our Hong Kong gift guide featuring several homegrown brands.

The post Armchair Travel: Hong Kong Coffee Table Books appeared first on Hong Kong Greeters.

This post contains affiliate links. Should you click through and make a purchase, we may make a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Hong Kong Board & Picture Books

Good Night Hong Kong

Sleep deprived new parents, this one is just for you

Good Night Hong Kong is a gentle book, designed to help lull your little ones to sleep, which sounds like a winning formula to us.

Along the way, they will ‘visit’ many of Hong Kong’s most famous landmarks treating your favourite younglings to moonlit tour of our city.

Hong Kong ABC

This sturdy board book has to be the perfect Hong Kong gift for the little people in your life and makes a refreshing change from the more standard Apple, Book, Cup kind of ABC books.

As you can see from the front cover, the A B C’s are Hong Kong. Didn’t you know that P is for Panda, J is for Junk Boat and D is for Dim sum?

This is Hong Kong

This is Hong Kong is a classic volume that would be a welcome addition to any child’s bookshelf.

Late author Miroslav Sasek, released a series of This is books featuring various cities. The Hong Kong book was said to be one of his favourites.

In particular, we love the gorgeously nostalgic and colourful illustrations in this hardback.

The Shadow in the Moon

Every year, Mid-Autumn festival is celebrated across China. The Shadow in the Moon follows a grandmother telling the legend of Chang-E to her grand daughter. Then they enjoy eating traditional mooncakes together. In case you’ve never heard of Mid-Autumn festival, you can read our guide to Mid-Autumn Festival in Hong Kong. Now her new picture book is out as well also picking up on a Mid-Autumn delight, the mooncake!

The Mermaid and the Pink Dolphin

Did you know that Hong Kong’s waters are home to endangered pink dolphins? Although mermaids are nigh on impossible to spot, pink dolphins can often be seen playing in our waters, particularly around South Lantau.

The Mermaid and the Pink Dolphin was Written and illustrated by Theadora Whittington. This story introduces young readers to Hong Kong’s pink dolphins and their plight. As an added bonus, the book is endorsed by the WWF.

Other children’s books that we love, which are not so widely available outside Hong Kong, included Sarah Brennan’s Chinese Calendar Tales with a hilarious rhyming tale for each zodiac animal and Lost in Hong Kong by Matthew Cooper. Newcomer Suzanne Younan has released two books about Willy the eco-friendly green dragon and last but not least, not to forget Ellen Wy Leou books about Lulu the Hong Kong Cat.

More Magic Carpet Rides to Hong Kong

We are now offering Virtual Tours or if you would rather stick with books, check out our Hong Kong coffee table book recommendations and also Macau book and movie recommendations.

This post contains affiliate links. Should you click through and make a purchase, we may make a small commission at no additional cost to you.

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Vegetarianism has deep roots in Hong Kong, largely influenced by Buddhist traditions. Buddhist monks and followers have long practiced vegetarianism as a way of promoting compassion and minimising harm to living beings. You will also find that many Hong Kong people will choose to eat a vegetarian diet on the 1st and 15th days of each lunar month due to ancient beliefs and the significance of renewal, cleansing and a fresh start that comes along with the new moon and full moon stages of the lunar calendar. This has led to the development of a rich vegetarian cuisine that emphasises fresh vegetables, tofu, and grains. The simplicity of these dishes also stems from historical economic constraints; during hard times, many families could only afford plant-based meals due to the high cost of meat.

Vitasoy and Soy Products

Since its introduction in 1940 by Lo Kwee-seong, Vitasoy is an established iconic brand in Hong Kong, deeply woven into the city’s pop culture and collective memory. Often referred to as “childhood in a box,” Vitasoy’s distinctive soy milk evokes nostalgia among many, while seasonal warm soy milk sold in glass bottles is a beloved winter treat. Lo Kwee-seong was a Hakka entrepreneur who founded Vitasoy amidst the socio-economic challenges of the time. Inspired by a talk on soybeans, which were referred to as “the cow of China” for their high protein content, Lo recognized the need for affordable, nutritious food. Vitasoy products have become an integral part of vegetarian cuisine in Hong Kong. Read more on the history of the company here in this SCMP article.

For some of the best examples of beancurd and tofu products, visit the family-run shop Kung Wo Beancurd Factory, G/F, 118 Pei Ho Street, Sham Shui Po.

Buddhist Vegetarian cuisine

Buddhist vegetarian cuisine often features humble ingredients prepared with great care. The focus is on enhancing the natural flavours of vegetables and using herbs and spices to create delicious dishes. The use of ingredients like fermented bean curd, wheat gluten or seitan, mushrooms, and a variety of vegetables allows for a delicious depth of flavour. These days you will also find many meat alternatives used in these dishes. However, you will not find pungent vegetables included in the preparation of Buddhist dishes, such as garlic, chive, leek and onion – these are said to increase sexual desire when cooked, and anger when eaten raw. This particular diet is a cornerstone of vegetarian cuisine among Buddhists.

For some of the best examples of Buddhist vegetarian cuisine, visit the restaurants at Chi Lin Nunnery in Kowloon or Po Lin Nunnery on Lantau Island (next to the Big Buddha), or Fook Lau Sau Vegetarian Restaurant, 8 Tit Hong Lane, Central.

Classic Vegetarian Hong Kong Foods

While vegetarian cuisine has its own identity, here are some classic Hong Kong foods which are also vegetarian:

1. Pineapple Bun (菠蘿包): This sweet bun topped with a crumbly, pineapple-shaped crust is a beloved snack. Depending on your vegetarian preferences, this is often enjoyed with a slice of butter (also contains milk and eggs).
2. Egg Tart (蛋撻): Though traditionally made with eggs, these tarts can sometimes be found in vegetarian variations. The flaky crust and creamy filling make it a staple dessert (also contains milk and butter). See our other post about the differences between Hong Kong and the Macau style egg tarts here.
3. Milk Tea (奶茶): Hong Kong-style milk tea is typically made with black tea and evaporated milk. Learn more about Hong Kong Milk tea here in another one of our posts.

4. Red Bean Pancakes (紅豆燒餅): Soft rice-dough pancakes, fried lightly each side, and filled with sweet red bean paste, offering a delightful contrast of textures.

5. Steamed Rice Rolls (腸粉): Silky and smooth steamed rice noodle rolls served with soy sauce, sweet sauce, sesame sauce, chilli sauce (optional) and sesame seeds. The combination of the sauces add something special to the flavour to this inexpensive street food.

6. Tofu Pudding (豆腐花): A soft and silky dessert made from fresh tofu, usually served with syrup or sweet toppings.

Most of these items can be found in the many local bakeries or Cha Chaan Tengs (Hong Kong style cafés), such as Kam Wai Café in Mong Kok, Lang Fong Yuen in Central and Kam Kee Café in Aberdeen.

Other vegetarian Chinese dishes VERY worth trying

Hong Kong’s vegetarian offerings include a variety of delicious dishes, such as:

• Three Treasures of the Earth (地三鲜): A stir-fry of eggplant, potatoes, and bell peppers, showcasing the rich flavors of fresh vegetables.
• Stir-Fried Spicy and Numbing Potato Noodles (麻辣燙炒薯粉): A spicy dish that combines chewy potato noodles with a mix of vegetables and spices.
• Vegetable Dumplings (素饺子): Steamed or pan-fried dumplings filled with a mix of seasonal vegetables.

The Three Treasures is a classic Buddhist vegetarian dish found in their restaurants. The spicy noodles can be found in Sichuan restaurants such as Chilli Fagara in Central, and the vegetable dumplings are a mainstay of Hong Kong – try Grandma’s dumplings in Tai Wai (婆婆家餃子館).

Vegetarian Food Tour

If you don’t have a lot of time to explore these places on your own, come with us on our Hong Kong Greeters vegetarian food tour with a small group of like-minded individuals. This is an excellent way to explore the city’s vibrant culinary scene through delicious plant-based dishes. Find out more here: Vegetarian food tour. Join us to discover the best of vegetarian cuisine in Hong Kong.

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