Lit up in neon, crowded and close, colored by textile markets, and smelling of freshly roasted pork, Hong Kong is the city-lover’s ultimate paradise. If you prefer busy streets to sandy beaches and teashops to mountaintops, Hong Kong is sure to delight. And if you like to mix your time in the city with a touch of country, you’ll be surprised to find mountains and isolated islands outside of the city center.

Dim sum is a Cantonese favorite that has been exported to many countries but is at its best in Hong Kong. Dim sum with tea is a popular breakfast here and you can get many varieties of tiny dim sum treats such as egg tarts and pork dumplings.

Wontons are a noodle filled with prawns or pork eaten on their own or in broth and are a favorite in Hong Kong. Wontons, like dim sum, are Cantonese in origin. However, the food in Hong Kong is a blend of Cantonese, traditional cuisine from other regions of China, and British traditions resulting from colonialism.

As in Britain, teatime is observed here. In the mid-afternoon, office workers and stay-at-home mom’s alike brew cups of tea and have a small sandwich or an egg tart for an oasis of relaxation in the middle of the day. Check your watch if you see long lines at bakeries in the afternoon, most likely it will be about three o’clock, the heart of teatime.

From shopping malls to street markets with hidden local favorite shops in between, there is enough affordable, unique shopping to be done in Hong Kong to occupy you for several days or more. The Flower Market sells almost solely flowers and is worth strolling through just to smell the flowers and see all the bright colors of native plants. In the Ladies Market and on Temple Street you’ll find knockoffs and cheap clothing. However, you’ll find the true luxury brands at shopping malls. Ask locals about their favorite places to shop and then seek them out, even if they’re hidden and you need a map to find it, to bring something home that few others will.

Tea drinkers will delight over the many teashops in Hong Kong where you can browse hundreds of Chinese teas (and some foreign ones as well) to bring home and enjoy for months after returning. It’s rare to find teabags here. Most tea is sold as loose tea leaves and is of much higher quality than what you will readily find the United States. The British have had their influence on tea drinking in Hong Kong as well and you’ll find a large selection of British teas in the department store Marks and Spencer (as well as many other British goods).

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