As Louis Vuitton prepares to show Pharrell’s second menswear collection for the house in Hong Kong on November 30, one Vogue writer reflects on her relationship with the city—and shares her guide to the new cultural hotspots that have blossomed over the past few years.
As someone who travels for a living, I’m frequently asked about my favorite destinations. Hong Kong immediately nabbed a spot in my top three following a spontaneous visit in 2016. The destination has this palpable, electrifying energy from the moment you land, but for me, it’s a little more personal. Growing up, detective movies and TV shows set in Hong Kong were a post-dinner pastime at my aunt’s house. The mom-and-pop shops set against a modern, cosmopolitan metropolis reminded me of my life in New York City—going from Brooklyn’s Chinatown into Midtown Manhattan is akin to taking the metro from Mong Kok to Central. And my way of speaking Cantonese, which involves sprinkling in a few English words here and there, is common for many locals. It’s truly a place where East meets West—me, in a simplified nutshell, as a Chinese American—and one that deeply resonates with me.
That illuminating vacation seven years ago launched annual visits to Hong Kong. By my last pre-Covid trip, over Christmas 2019, I’d noticed quite a few changes. Streets were dimmer, as more and more neon signs, one of Hong Kong’s iconic characteristics, were being removed. Even quintessential experiences like dining at a dai pai dong (open-air restaurant) were slowly disappearing. Then there were the protests, which radically shifted the energy.
But the destination was also undergoing a positive transformation, if you looked at it through the lens of culture and travel. In 2018, Tai Kwun, a heritage and arts center on the grounds of a former Central Police Station Compound, opened in Central after a decade of work. A year later, the $2.6 billion Victoria Dockside multi-use development at the tip of the Kowloon Peninsula was completed. Not only was the Tsim Tsa Tsui waterfront (including the Avenue of Stars) revamped by James Corner Field Operations, the same firm behind NYC’s High Line, but an entirely new social hub had materialized by way of K11 Musea, a high-end mall complete with destination dining, a rotating collection of art, and public green and outdoor spaces. To top it all off, Rosewood’s new flagship property at the eastern end of the project, offered well-heeled travelers luxurious accommodations and spectacular views of Victoria Harbour, multiple dining options including the Michelin-starred Indian restaurant Chaat, and one of the finest hotel wellness centers in the world.
More recently, the West Kowloon Cultural District has taken shape. Stretching across nearly 100 acres of reclaimed land a couple of miles down the road from Victoria Dockside, the district boasts landmark facilities such as the performing arts theater Xiqu Centre and the Hong Kong Palace Museum. There s also M+, which debuted in 2021 and has gained recognition for highlighting contemporary visual art, design, architecture, and moving image from all across Asia, a first for the region. And not only will the institution help foster creativity moving forward, but it has also become an indelible part of Hong Kong’s skyline thanks to its giant LED façade.
Back across the water on Hong Kong Island, Central Market was revitalized in 2021 as a new space for retail and dining; it has emerged as a popular hangout spot in its namesake neighborhood. The Peak Tram, a popular tourist attraction, has a new look, with cars boasting larger windows. Some of the destination’s iconic properties took advantage of the downtime created by the pandemic to renovate: Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, for example, chose to enhance its 399 rooms and suites, creating brighter and airier accommodations with modern furnishings and the latest technology. (Tip: book a Victoria Harbour–view room for incredible vistas of the Kowloon skyline.) The facelift also included a new lobby with an accompanying café, but the most noteworthy addition to its already impressive dining portfolio—which includes three-star Caprice and two-star Lung King Heen, the latter of which offers some of the best high-end dim sum in Hong Kong—is Argo. The craft cocktail bar’s rotating menu focuses on a set of ingredients, each one showcased in two drinks. And it’s not just the innovative tipples that will catch your attention: the conservatory-inspired interiors are a design enthusiast’s dream.
Despite everything new going on in Hong Kong, on my most recent trip back I couldn’t help but spend most of my time revisiting old favorites. Stops at Lan Fong Yuen, founded in 1952, for Hong Kong–style milk tea became a beloved morning routine. Lunch consisted of multiple midday snacks that included small bowls of wonton noodles from Mak’s Noodle, a pineapple bun with butter at a cha chaan teng (Hong Kong–style diner), curry fish balls from street vendors, or egg tarts from Tai Cheong Bakery. Between all this noshing I’d browse the small businesses at PMQ, pick up discs of pu’er at Ying Kee Tea House for my mom, walk aimlessly around the city, or hop aboard a ding ding, an onomatopoeia for the double-decker tram’s bell. By night I’d make my way to Yat Lok to gnaw on roast goose (a local specialty), Kwan Kee for their signature clay pot rice, or enjoy some siu yeh at Block 18 Doggie’s Noodle. Because at the end of the day, it’s these mom-and-pops that make up the fiber of Hong Kong.
