There are trips where you visit a place… and then there are trips where you step fully into it.
Hong Kong was the second kind. I heard from so many people that I was going to love Hong Kong, but wow, was that an understatement! Here’s how it went down…

We flew in for Consensus Hong Kong which is a crypto/blockchain event for Albert’s work, and had a few extra days to experience the city for fun and tourism. It was the perfect blend of work and play.

Sleeping in the Sky at The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong

We checked in to the Ritz Carlton Hong Kong late at night when we arrived. I have found that Ritz Carlton hotels in Asia are even better than they are in the west, and Hong Kong is their crown jewel location, being one of the tallest hotels in the world. We stayed on the 112th floor, which honestly felt unreal, as if you’re part of the amazing skyline that you’re looking at. There were moments where the clouds would roll in and completely surround the building, like we were floating somewhere between the city and the sky. The day view was unreal, but the night view was spectacular.

It set the tone for the entire trip: elevated, immersive, and just slightly surreal.

Food and Exploring

We spent hours walking up and down Kowloon with no strict agenda, just following whatever felt interesting. When we first arrived, I was still on the tailend of recovery from endometriosis surgery, so I was moving slowly and still feeling hormonal and fragile. 

Moments after stepping outside, we turned a corner, and I saw this huge sign that said, “Jesus is Lord” in both English and Chinese (Cantonese) and it stopped me dead in my tracks. As a practicing Catholic, I was amazed to see this… especially because it wasn’t a paid ad for anything like I would see in my home country and I simply was not expecting it.

Walking around is where Hong Kong really reveals itself.

We first stopped at the ICONIC Peninsula Hotel, which has a rich history and amazing stories… if those walls could talk! We had a great time exploring the hotel and visiting the shops inside – truly an incredible place.  

In terms of food, we made it a point to try everything, especially the small, unassuming spots that somehow hold Michelin recognition. The below includes a combo of both Kowloon and Hong Kong Island food spots:

  • – Kam Wah Cafe for the iconic pineapple buns and egg tarts… make sure you get the pineapple bun warm with a cold slab of butter!
  • – Mochi-covered mango that was somehow even better than it sounds
  • – Kau Kee Restaurant and Sister Wah for their famous Michelin rated beef brisket noodles
  • – Heartwarming for Michelin rated black sesame soft serve that felt indulgent but still “clean”
  • – Temple Street Market
  • – Mak Man Kee, Michelin rated for wontons
  • – Tosca Di Angelo, 1 Michelin star on the 102nd floor of the Ritz Carlton
  • – Viral Dirty Coffee in the Monster Building

What is really fascinating about these food places is that the majority of them are not putting garbage ingredients in their food. Sure, there are places where theres junk food, but it was easy to avoid here if you care about that. For example, the aromatic herbs in the brisket noodles were truly medicinal and tasted incredible. The pineapple buns use animal fat instead of crisco. The black sesame soft serve kept refined sugar to a minimum and highlighted the health benefits from sesame paste.

Hong Kong is wildly crowded and wildly efficient. It’s like New York City, but more crowded and more civilized. People have manners and you feel safe. Everyone takes public transport via Octopus card and politely waits on line to board each train after people have exited the train. The cultural food scene is wild. It needs no overproduction, no fluff, just really good food that people have been perfecting for years.

One thing I found fascinating at the standard restaurant in Hong Kong is that you will receive your food in under 1 minute from ordering, and you could be sharing a table with total strangers who all mind their own business in the best possible way. You almost always pay the bill at the front of the restaurant, like you would at a New York Diner. 

The energy in Hong Kong is insane. There is a bell noise that you hear everywhere from the crosswalks to the escalators. Hong Kong is its own world… It’s truly an exciting place with a variety of things to do and see. 

Hong Kong Island: Fast-Paced and Elevated

Crossing over from Kowloon to Hong Kong Island, the energy shifts slightly. It can be even faster paced, but more polished and still deeply layered.

We spent time shopping, wandering through the efficient elevated walkway system (which is a fully built pedestrian world above the streets), and visiting historic sites like the old Victoria jail at Tai Kwun Centre for Heritage and Arts.

We also stopped into Ginza Xiaoma, which had the most amazing preloved Hermes offering I have ever seen.

One of my favorite parts of the entire trip: visiting Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and attending Mass at Holy Rosary Church. I love attending mass while visiting a new country for a number of reasons. I love to, of course, practice my faith, but it is also an incredibly amazing cultural experience. Mass at Holy Rosary was in English, but when we visited the cathedral, there was a group of women praying the rosary in Cantonese and it was incredible to hear and see. 

There’s something grounding about stepping into quiet, sacred spaces in the middle of such a fast-moving city.

One thing I was not prepared for was how hilly the island is! There are stairs everywhere and steep hills. I am glad I was on the tailend of my surgery recovery to be able to endure it. It was an amazing work out and felt so great to be active the entire time! The weather was stunning.

Culture in Every Detail

One of the things that stood out most was how tradition and modern life exist side by side.

You’ll see skyscrapers going up with bamboo scaffolding, built by hand in a way that’s been done for generations. It’s a reminder that not everything needs to be replaced to move forward. I honestly cannot believe they still use bamboo scaffolding. 

We also arrived right at the start of preparations for the beginning of Chinese New Year, which added this underlying energy to everything. Decorations going up, people preparing, a sense that something meaningful was about to begin.

The Moments In Between

In between everything, we went to a friend’s crypto event, blending work and social in a way that felt very “Hong Kong.”

And then we did something completely different.

Hong Kong Disneyland, But Make It Private

We ended our time there at Hong Kong Disneyland with a VIP private tour with our friends, and it was honestly one of the most fun days we’ve had traveling. No matter what kind of Disney ticket you buy, it is always a magical experience, but VIP takes it to another level! Having the ability to skip every line imaginable is such a game changer.

Final Thoughts

Hong Kong is dense, intense, and layered in a way that’s hard to fully explain until you’re in it. We walked it, tasted it, prayed in it, got lost in it, and said yes to everything we could. It has an energy and flavor of its own that must be experienced if afforded the opportunity. You will not be disappointed!