The guide, in brief

This is a personal Hong Kong companion built around your two-month stay at Four Seasons Place in Central. The Map view is for spatial planning, the Ranked List for prioritizing, Food for eating culture, Achievements for tracking milestones, Journal for writing things down, Medical for emergencies, and About for orientation. Swipe left or right anywhere outside the map to move between tabs.

Where things are relative to your apartment

Four Seasons Place sits in the IFC complex in Central, on the north shore of Hong Kong Island, directly on Victoria Harbour. The financial and commercial center of the city, and one of the best-located residences for both work and exploration. Hong Kong Station (Airport Express + Tung Chung line) is in your building. Star Ferry Pier is a 5-minute walk.

Hong Kong Island — north shore

Runs east to west along the southern side of Victoria Harbour. The northern shore — Central, Sheung Wan, Admiralty, Wan Chai, Causeway Bay — is walkable end-to-end or one to two MTR stops apart. This is your home base.

Hong Kong Island — south side

Reached by tunnel or bus over the hills. Stanley, Repulse Bay, and Aberdeen sit here. About 30 to 40 minutes by surface transit, with a markedly different feel — beaches, lower density, and colonial-era architecture in places.

Kowloon

The peninsula directly across the harbor to the north. Tsim Sha Tsui faces your apartment, reached by Star Ferry in eight minutes. North of TST: Mong Kok, Sham Shui Po, and the older residential and commercial districts.

Northern Kowloon

Diamond Hill, Wong Tai Sin, and Kowloon City sit further north. About 25 to 30 minutes by MTR from Central. Several major cultural and religious sites cluster here.

Lantau Island

The largest outlying island, west of Hong Kong Island. Contains the airport and the Big Buddha. About 30 to 45 minutes by MTR from Central via the Tung Chung line, which runs out of Hong Kong Station inside the IFC complex.

Getting around

• Octopus Card — Tap-and-go for MTR, buses, trams, Star Ferry, and most convenience stores. Buy at any MTR station. Refundable.
• MTR — Fast, clean, English-signed. The Tsuen Wan, Island, and Tung Chung lines cover most of what you'll need.
• Ding Ding (tram) — Slow but iconic. HK$3 flat fare, north shore of HK Island only.
• Star Ferry — Cheap harbor crossing; one of the genuine pleasures of the city.
• Taxis — Red on HK Island and Kowloon, green in NT, blue on Lantau. Cash or Alipay/WeChat; Octopus not always accepted.

Souvenir ideas

• Tea — Lock Cha Tea Shop (HK Park) for proper aged pu-erh, oolong, and tea ware. Fook Ming Tong (multiple locations) for gifts.
• Chops & seals — Hand-carved name chops on Man Wa Lane in Sheung Wan. Pick a stone, give them your English or Chinese name, pick it up in a day or two.
• Antiques & curios — Hollywood Road and Cat Street for vintage Mao-era posters, Cold War-era ephemera, ceramic Buddhas, and odd cultural objects.
• Design objects — PMQ for indie HK designers; G.O.D. (Goods of Desire) for cheeky locally-themed lifestyle products.
• Edible gifts — Wing Wah lotus seed paste mooncakes (year-round availability); Kee Wah egg rolls; Tai Cheong egg tarts (eat fresh, don't try to ship).
• Apparel — Bespoke shirts on Pottinger Street, Sam's Tailor (Tsim Sha Tsui) for suits if you have time for fittings.
• Snacks for back home — Dried seafood from Des Voeux Road West (Sheung Wan), preserved fruit and Chinese pastries from Yiu Fung Store (Wan Chai), or Garden bakery products from any supermarket.
• Art prints & books — M+ Museum shop, HK Palace Museum shop, or Bleak House Books / Bookazine for English-language HK-themed titles.
• Jade & jewelry — Jade Market in Yau Ma Tei is a tourist experience; for serious purchases, go to a reputable shop with certification.
• Liquor — Local craft from Two Moons Distillery; or pick up a duty-free Japanese whisky on the way out (DFS at the airport).

Trip ideas to consider

• The Peak at sunset — Take the Peak Tram up around 5 PM, walk the Lugard Road loop (free, 40 min) for skyline views as the lights come on. Dinner at the summit or back down in Central.
• Lantau day — Tung Chung MTR → Ngong Ping cable car (Crystal Cabin) → Big Buddha + Po Lin Monastery + Wisdom Path → vegetarian lunch at Po Lin → cable car back → Citygate Outlets if energy remains.
• Kowloon afternoon-into-evening — Star Ferry across → M+ and Palace Museum at West Kowloon → walk the TST Promenade → 8 PM Symphony of Lights → dinner in TST or Jordan, ending at Temple Street Night Market.
• Sham Shui Po deep cut — Apliu Street flea market in the late afternoon → Hop Yik Tai cheung fun stop → Kung Wo tofu fa → walk to Mong Kok via Sneakers Street and Ladies' Market.
• Diamond Hill triple — Chi Lin Nunnery → Nan Lian Garden → vegetarian lunch at Long Men Lou (inside the garden) → Wong Tai Sin Temple one MTR stop away.
• South Side beach day — Bus 6 or 6X from Central → Repulse Bay morning swim → walk to Stanley via the headland trail (1 hour) → Stanley Market and Murray House → seafood dinner waterside.
• Happy Valley Wednesday — Tram or taxi to Happy Valley around 7 PM → free general admission with foreign passport → cheap beers, food trucks, live music. Three or four races, easy bets at HK$10 a pop.
• Sheung Wan walking afternoon — Man Mo Temple → Hollywood Road antiques → Cat Street → coffee at one of the indie cafes on Tai Ping Shan Street → finish at PMQ for design shops.
• Yum cha morning — Old-school: Lin Heung Lau or Maxim's Palace, 11 AM, trolley service. Modern: Tim Ho Wan IFC, off-peak around 2 PM. Either is a 2-hour commitment minimum.
• Outlying island escape — Ferry to Cheung Chau or Lamma from Central Pier 4 or 5. Seafood lunch, no cars, walking trails, beach. A genuine break from Hong Kong's density. ~30 min ferry each way.

How to read the tiers

• Tier 1 — Strongly recommended. Missing these would leave a real gap.
• Tier 2 — Worth visiting for cultural value.
• Tier 3 — Worth visiting under the right conditions.
• Tier 4 — Limited standalone value.
• Food — Eating establishments worth seeking out.

Status & progress

Mark each place as Plan to Visit, Visited, Will Not Visit, or leave as Not Yet Visited. Status shared between Map and List. The progress bar tracks visited / (total - skipped) for the curated PLACES — MTR stations, airport, and medical facilities are map reference points, not progress items.

Practical notes for summer

Hot and humid in a way that genuinely affects planning. Outdoor stops are best in the morning or after sunset. Indoor and air-conditioned activities work for midafternoon. Typhoon signals can wipe out a weekend with no notice — build in flexibility. Always carry an umbrella; downpours are sudden.

Cultural norms & etiquette

Hong Kong blends Cantonese tradition, colonial legacy, and contemporary cosmopolitanism. The local pace is fast and direct, but courtesy still matters. Most of these are unwritten — Hongkongers won't correct you, but observing them earns goodwill.

Dining

• Chopstick rules — Never stick chopsticks upright in rice (resembles incense at funerals). Don't tap them on bowls. Don't pass food chopstick-to-chopstick — also a funeral association. Rest them on the chopstick rest or across your bowl.
• Tea etiquette — When someone pours tea for you, lightly tap two fingers (index and middle) on the table to thank them. This is the Hong Kong "silent thank you" for table service.
• Communal dishes — Most meals are shared. Use the serving spoon or chopsticks (公筷) if provided, not your own. Take small portions; don't pile food on your plate.
• Tipping — Not expected at cha chaan teng, dai pai dong, or local restaurants. Most mid-to-upscale restaurants add a 10% service charge automatically; rounding up beyond that is optional. Taxis: round up to the nearest dollar.
• Splitting the bill — Among locals, one person often pays for the whole table; arguing politely over the bill is normal. Among friends, going Dutch is increasingly accepted.
• Loud eating — Slurping noodles or soup isn't rude. Talking with your mouth full is.

Gift-giving

• Color symbolism — Red and gold are auspicious. White is mourning. Don't wrap gifts in white or give white flowers casually.
• Taboo gifts — Avoid clocks (送鐘 sounds like "attending a funeral"), sharp objects like knives or scissors (severing the relationship), shoes (sending someone away), umbrellas (separation), and anything in sets of four (the number 4, 四, sounds like death, 死).
• Good gifts — Fruit baskets (especially oranges and apples), quality tea, branded chocolate, premium liquor, mooncakes during Mid-Autumn Festival, lai see (red packets) for younger relatives and service workers at Lunar New Year.
• Numbers — 8 (八) sounds like "wealth/prosperity" — very lucky. 9 (九) sounds like "long-lasting." 6 (六) sounds like "smooth/flowing." Give gifts or money in these amounts. Avoid 4 (and 14, 24, etc.). Many buildings skip the 4th, 14th, 24th, and 13th (Western superstition) floors.
• Receiving — Accept gifts with both hands. Don't open in front of the giver unless invited to.

Public behavior

• Volume — Hongkongers speak loudly in cha chaan teng and on the street, but quietly on the MTR. Phone calls on transit are technically allowed but frowned on.
• Queueing — Hong Kong has a strong queueing culture. Don't cut in line — at MTR doors, at street stalls, anywhere. People will say something.
• Escalator etiquette — Stand right, walk left. Universal.
• MTR doors — Let people exit before you board. Don't lean on the doors. Eating, drinking, and smoking are banned with fines.
• Smoking — Banned in all indoor public spaces, MTR stations, parks, beaches, and within 10 meters of bus stops. Fines are HK$1,500.
• Spitting and littering — Heavily fined (HK$1,500). The streets are cleaner than they look — keep them that way.
• Public displays of affection — Holding hands and brief kisses are fine. Anything beyond that draws attention, especially among older locals.

Religious sites

• Dress modestly — Cover shoulders and knees when entering temples and Buddhist sites. T-shirts are fine; tank tops and short shorts are not.
• Shoes — Generally keep them on at Cantonese temples. At some Buddhist halls, signs will indicate to remove them.
• Incense — You can buy and offer incense at most temples. Three sticks at a time is the convention; don't blow on a stick to extinguish — wave it.
• Photography — Most temples allow it in main halls. Don't photograph people praying, monks, or active rituals without asking. Some inner sanctums prohibit photos entirely (look for signs).
• Donations — Optional, dropped in the donation box; no specific amount expected.
• Quietness — Even active, busy temples have a different volume than outside. Match it.

Taboos & superstitions worth knowing

• Funeral references — Avoid white flowers as gifts, don't wear all-white (it's mourning), don't put your bag on the floor at someone's home, don't stand chopsticks in rice.
• Mirrors — Octagonal mirrors (bagua mirrors) outside doors are protective feng shui, not decoration. Don't take photos of them in mockery.
• Ghost month — The 7th month of the lunar calendar (typically August). Avoid weddings, surgeries, and major contracts. Many businesses temporarily slow down.
• Hungry Ghost Festival — Late August. You'll see people burning paper money and offerings on the street; don't step over the burning piles or the offerings on the sidewalk.
• Photos of seniors — Always ask. Some older Hongkongers strongly believe in not having their photo taken without permission.
• Pointing — Don't point with a single finger, especially at people or religious objects. Use an open palm.

Practical etiquette quick reference

• Octopus or contactless preferred over cash in most places.
• Greetings: a small nod and "Hi" or "Hello" works in most situations. Handshakes are common in business; light, not crushing.
• Saying "唔該" (m̀h gōi, "thank you / excuse me") to service workers is universally appreciated.
• Don't tap or knock on glass at storefronts to get attention.
• Yield seats on MTR to elderly, pregnant, and those with young children — there are designated priority seats but the entire car follows the same norm.

Offline use

All data, descriptions, status marks, food crossoffs, journal entries, and achievements are stored on your device via localStorage. The application works fully offline. Map tiles load from CartoDB when online and the browser caches recently-viewed areas. Place images load from Wikimedia Commons when online and fall back to a styled placeholder otherwise.