Your essential guide to Hong Kong

FEAST

Feed all five senses at Maxim’s Palace, a decades-old dim sum institution at City Hall offering a sense of occasion and views of Victoria Harbour. Do as generations of Hong Kong families have done and install yourself around a circular table to select steaming dishes from trolleys as they trundle past. Arrive early.

TRY

Save space for the best egg tarts in town at Bakehouse, where the crumbly crust of the Cantonese classic has been given a Swiss sourdough twist. The constant but quickly moving queue outside the bakery’s SoHo location is testament to its pastries’ perennial popularity. Try to avoid the breakfast and lunchtime crowds.

EXPLORE

Amid Central’s soaring glass-and-steel skyscrapers, Tai Kwun Centre for Heritage and Arts allows you to picture the city’s past. Once a colonial-era police station, magistracy and prison, the complex has been sensitively renewed by Herzog & de Meuron to house innovative exhibitions, high-end eateries and spectacular public spaces.

DRINK

For a tipple at one of Asia’s 50 Best Bars, look no further than The Aubrey. Perched on the 25th floor of Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, this Japanese izakaya-inspired watering hole is easy on the eye – think gilded glamour, greenery and curated curios – and experimental with its libations.

DINE

A green star means Amber now holds three coveted Michelin stars. Dutch-born chef Richard Ekkebus is a champion of sustainable gastronomy, so you won’t find any dairy products here, while seafood and meat are sustainably and ethically sourced. The signature dish is sublime: sea urchin with cauliflower, lobster and caviar.

DISCOVER

M+, Herzog & de Meuron’s paean to visual culture, must be experienced to be believed. At once grand and intricate, its expansive exhibition halls shine the spotlight on contemporary design, architecture and art rooted in Asia, while exterior spaces grant cinematic harbour panoramas and excellent photo opportunities.

GIVE

Get personal on Man Wa Lane, better known as Chop Alley, where master artisans carve custom stamps from jade, marble or wood. Historically used to authenticate documents, these unique 'chops' make excellent gifts today. Choose your preferred material and design and watch as they are skilfully and speedily transferred onto a seal in front of your eyes.

SAIL

For a slice of Hong Kong life, hop aboard the Star Ferry, which has carried commuters across the harbour from Kowloon since the 1880s. Nine old-fashioned green-and-cream boats now ply the routes, and are a city institution. Take a seat on the upper deck and enjoy the view.

REFLECT

Tang Dynasty-style architecture meets tranquillity at the Chi Lin Nunnery and adjacent Nan Lian Garden, a Buddhist complex in the shadow of the city’s symbolic Lion Rock. Some 60 nuns still live here, while visitors will find stillness among the exquisite bonsai trees, pagodas and pavilions.

ASCEND

One of the best things to do with kids in Hong Kong is to rise above the cityscape on the Peak Tram, a historic funicular railway that delivers Madame Tussauds Hong Kong, boardgame-themed attraction Monopoly Dreams and astonishing outlooks.

SAIL

Victoria Harbour was once awash with crimson-sailed wooden junk boats. Today, just a few remain and, of this handful, only one lays claim to complete authenticity – the Dukling. Built in neighbouring Macau in 1955, and lovingly restored to her former glory, the Dukling offers cruises and private charters aboard a living landmark.

VENTURE

Leave the city behind for the day in the charming seaside region of Sai Kung, known for its hiking trails. Watch from a waterfront restaurant as fishermen sell their catch, or take a boat to Yim Tin Tsai – a tiny island, dotted with historic salt pans. To finish, book a table at one-thirtyone, with its secluded seafront location and French-leaning menus.

Did you know that Queen’s Road, which runs through the heart of Central, is Hong Kong’s oldest street? Within walking distance of both Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, and The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, it was originally 6.4km long and completed by the British Army in 1843. Before the island’s extensive land reclamation, it was also used to partially track the original shoreline.

- The concierge team at The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong.

Feeling out of kilter? Let the expert therapists at The Mandarin Spa balance your qi, or energy, with Traditional Chinese Therapy. Adhering to ancient practices, the treatment focuses on acupressure points and energy channels, and also features singing bowls, breathwork and gua shua facial healing techniques.

Time-honoured techniques are also exercised every morning in Hong Kong Park, where people gather to study tai chi and qigong. Even if you aren’t able to join in, observing the slow, fluid movements helps to ease the mind. Those who rise later can soothe their senses at the park’s Admiralty Tea House, where tea is revered as a cultural art.