Mandarin Oriental Chef Wing-Keung Wong’s Guide to Hong Kong

Hong Kong may not be a large city, but it’s packed full of famous attractions. If you only have time to take in a couple of sights, Wong suggests riding the Star Ferry between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon “for a close-up look at one of the world’s most photographed harbors.” If you go after dark, you’ll be treated to a spectacular view of the magnificent, colorful lights that decorate the city’s tallest buildings. Another spot that shouldn’t be missed is the incense-filled Man Mo Temple, one of Hong Kong’s oldest religious sites.

To get a real taste of local life, Wong suggests a visit to the dai pai dongs, a series of open-air street stalls in Central. You can order dishes from different vendors in the area, which will allow you to try a variety of local classics, including wok-fried razor clams and salt and pepper fried squid. During busy hours, you might end up sharing a table with other customers. “Dining there offers a front-row view of the local street life, which is truly a Hong Kong experience,” says Wong.

If you want to get up close and personal with ingredients before they’re cooked, head to Ap Lei Chau Market, a multi-storey wet market on Ap Lei Chau (a small island just off the southern coast of Hong Kong), where vendors sell the freshest catches of the day, from sea bream to razor clams.

Alternatively, one of the city’s most unique but under-the-radar spots is Gwo Laan (also called the Yau Ma Tei Fruit Market), where merchants have supplied Hong Kong with fresh fruit for more than a century. “It’s a unique experience to see how the vendors do wholesale trade in the early morning,” explains Wong. The market is also open to retail customers on the weekend, so you can shop for your own mangosteens, watermelons, and star fruit.

Families from across Asia come to the city to visit Hong Kong Disneyland®, but Wong says that travelers with kids shouldn’t forget to take advantage of the island’s natural attractions. “Enjoy the great outdoors and stay close to nature by hiking,” he suggests. “There are many trails offering spectacular views of Hong Kong.” For the best views (and a rigorous hike suitable only for older kids), he recommends a trail known as Park View to Stanley, which takes roughly three hours and offers a panoramic view from the top of the Twin Peaks.

To truly enjoy Hong Kong’s island life, Wong recommends heading to Silver Mine Bay, a curved strip of sandy beach next to Mui Wo Village on Lantau Island that is quieter and more relaxing than some of the area’s better-known beaches. “Enjoy the sea breeze and take a walk,” he suggests. Or, if you want to eat right on the water, head to Shun Kee, a restaurant on a small boat at Typhoon Shelter in Causeway Bay. The cooks serve classic Cantonese-style dishes such as garlic crab, grilled prawns, and soy sauce clams, all made from freshly caught seafood.

When Wong eats out, he favors local foods. “Cantonese cuisine is more sophisticated and delicate compared to other Chinese cuisines. It puts great emphasis on the freshness of ingredients, ‘wok hei’ (the subtle combination of aroma and taste that a well-used wok imparts to food), precise cooking time, and cutting skills,” he explains. “The seasonings of the dishes should be well balanced to bring out the best flavors of the main ingredients.”

For visitors looking for classic local dishes, Wong recommends the sesame rolls from Maxim’s Palace, a popular dim sum spot; or the deep-fried prawns with crab roe at Yung Kee, which has been open since 1942. For a more modern take on Cantonese cuisine, Wong suggests visitors come to Man Wah to try his deep-fried sea urchin pudding, or head to Mott 32, where the menu includes dishes including barbecued Pluma Ibérica pork with Yellow Mountain honey and crispy air-dried Angus beef.