The Atlas Obscura Guide To Hong Kong

30 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Hong Kong

Updated September 18, 2024

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Unusual Attractions in Hong Kong

The stacked homes of the Monster Building.

Hong Kong

Quarry Bay 'Monster Building'

This hulking behemoth is actually five interconnected towers built in the 1960s.

The flower tunnel.

Kowloon, Hong Kong

Un Chau Estate Flower Tunnel

In Hong Kong, a fairytale flower tunnel is hidden within the gardens of a public housing complex.

Chunking Mansions malls.

Hong Kong

Chungking Mansions

Teeming with illegal goods and services, this towering maze of vice is also a popular tourist accommodation.

(Flickr/antwerpenR)

Hong Kong

Kowloon Walled City Park

Remnants of the most densely packed city in world history, that thrived on anarchy for 30 years.

Abandoned gods and Buddhas

Hong Kong

A Sky Full of Gods and Buddhas

Thousands of abandoned statues of deities are taken to this hillside in southern Hong Kong.

(Flickr/DoNotLick)

Ngong Ping, Hong Kong

Tian Tan Buddha

Climb to the top of the world's largest seated bronze Buddha.

Lam Tsuen Wishing Trees

Tai Po, Hong Kong

Lam Tsuen Wishing Trees

A pair of trees near a Hong Kong shrine are said to grant wishes, but only the ones they hold on to.

Cheng Po Cave

Hong Kong

Cheung Po Tsai Pirate Cave

Venture into the hideout of one of Hong Kong's legendary pirates.

See All 30 Things To Do in Hong Kong

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Hong Kong

Classic Cantonese dim sum dishes.

Hong Kong

Sun Hing Restaurant

A half-century-old handmade dim sum joint opens daily at 3:00 a.m.

The iconic egg tart, revisted.

Hong Kong

Bakehouse

The iconic egg tart gets an upgrade with a laminated sourdough crust.

Roasted goose, pork, and other meats are excellent here.

Hong Kong

Sun Kwai Heung

This no-frills joint has some of the most sublime Cantonese barbecue in town.

This sweet treat is the ultimate afternoon pick-me-up.

Hong Kong

My Cup of Tea

Sip sweet, luxuriously creamy Hong Kong-style milk tea at this cafe.

See all 7 Places to Eat in Hong Kong

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Architecture 6

Shops 5

Architectural Oddities 5

Restaurants 4

Places To Stay 4

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wants to go to Stephen and Stitt
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wants to go to HSBC Building Feng Shui Cannons
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wants to go to Central-Mid-Levels Escalators

Stories About Hong Kong

Cockatoos’ talkative and friendly nature has helped them adapt to Hong Kong’s urban environment.

Could Hong Kong's Fugitive Cockatoos Save the Species?

The city's feral flock is thriving while the global cockatoo population is under threat.

by Naomi Xu Elegant

September 24, 2021

The Shropshire Regiment amid the destruction of homes in Hong Kong, 1894.

Echoes of the 1894 Plague Still Reverberate in Hong Kong

Death was not the end of the indignities the Chinese community faced during that pandemic.

by Courtney Lichterman

Each embroidered work is three inches square.

An Artist Immortalizes Hong Kong's Neon Signs, One Stitch at a Time

Percy Lam uses embroidery to preserve an art form that's hanging by a thread.

Kowloon Walled City was built without regulations.

The Strange Saga of Kowloon Walled City

Anarchic, organic, surreal, this enclave was once among the most densely populated places on Earth.

by James Crawford

January 6, 2020

A cheeky cat, along with the edgy character 屌.

To Protest a Feared Extradition Bill, Hongkongers Turn to Mooncakes

A bakery is churning out profane, popular protest pastries.

Cherry Street Cocoon, Hong Kong, 2009

A Visual Appreciation of Hong Kong's Bamboo Scaffolding

Photographer Peter Steinhauer has captured striking images of cocooned skyscrapers.

by Claire Selvin

November 16, 2018

Cremated remains enter the water in biodegradable bags.

Can Hong Kong Sell Its Residents on Watery Graves?

Sea burial is a way to save space in a dense city, but runs counter to funeral traditions.

by Jessica Leigh Hester

October 31, 2018

Even if riders keep to themselves, microbes mix and mingle on the Hong Kong subway every day.

How Microbes Commute on the Hong Kong Subway

Meet the smallest straphangers.

by Jessica Leigh Hester

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