NEED TO KNOW
STAY
The Peninsula, Hong Kong
Extremely comfortable and luxurious. A superior room costs from £330 a night. For reservations and more information, visit peninsula.com. The Peninsula Hong Kong is part of the BA Prestige Collection.
EAT
The Luk Yu Tea House
A dim sum canteen with a menu that hasn’t really changed since 1933. Bestsellers include pork dumplings stuffed with garlic, dried shrimp, diced peanuts and shiitake mushrooms, with the cheapest dish a remarkable 80p. Kwong Wa Street, Mong Kok
Bo Innovation
Another Michelin-starred restaurant. I loved the rice steamed and wrapped in fragrant jasmine leaves. 60 Johnston Road, Wan Chai
Felix Restaurant, The Peninsula
Dine while drinking in the view of the harbour. I recommend a visit to the ladies’ — I won’t spoil the surprise by telling you why.
BUY
Avoid all the luxury goods stores around Causeway Bay and instead explore the markets: they are no longer dirty and crowded, and you won’t come across exotic creatures sold live for food. Instead, do as Kate Moss did last year and buy a pair of black silk pyjamas embroidered with red dragons at the Lanes (two parallel lanes in Central Hong Kong), or a bright blue floor-length cheongsam. Mine cost less than £10.
GET ABOUT
I reluctantly left the Rolls behind and used the clean, cheap (about one dollar for a single journey) and efficient MTR underground. All you need is an Octopus card. Similar to London’s Oyster card, it can be used in a variety of shops as well as on the underground and ferry. The Star Ferry takes you between Central Hong Kong and Tsim Sha Tsui on Kowloon for about 30 cents. And don’t worry about safety. I have a friend who lives on Lantau who says her daughter can wander around Central at 4am, use an ATM and get the last ferry home without ever being bothered. Not like New York and London, but so very Chinese. Gracious and courteous, always. For more information on Walk Hong Kong, visit walkhongkong.com.
