We Asked @ThisGirlAbroad for the Best Way to Spend 24 Hours in Hong Kong

@ThisGirlAbroad is a Canadian expat who moved from Toronto to Hong Kong in 2012. While job prospects inspired the move, the Hong Kong lifestyle (mostly the food) convinced her to stay and she soon found herself spending weekends eating her way through the city and writing about it on her blog and in local magazines. We asked her to distil 5 years of expertise into 1 day and tell us how we should spend 24 hours in Hong Kong.

It would start with a visit to a cha chaan teng (local café) in Sheung Wan, where I live. I’d order iced milk tea and Hong Kong-style custard lava French toast.

To burn off the carbs, I’d go for a hike along Dragon’s Back. It’s an 8.5-kilometre trail along the ridge of the mountains overlooking the southern part of Hong Kong Island. I’ve lived here almost seven years, yet I’m still in awe when I see the skyscrapers in the distance while I’m surrounded by lush wilderness.

I’d take a detour off the trail to get to my favourite beach, Shek O.

Later—if money weren’t a consideration—my perfect day would also include a private helicopter tour of the city. (I’d catch it on the rooftop helipad at The Peninsula Hotel.) After that, I’d splurge on a mandarin-collar blouse at the nearby Shanghai Tang.

I’d celebrate by watching the sun set over Victoria Harbour while sipping an Aperol spritz at Eye Bar. By this time, I’d be craving the chicken meatballs dipped in egg yolk and soy sauce at Yardbird back in Sheung Wan.

I’d end my day at Café Gray Bar with a negroni nightcap as I watch the dancing neon-light show across the water on Kowloon’s International Commerce Centre (ICC).

Find out more about our travels in Hong Kong and enter for a chance to win a trip for two to Hong Kong and Thailand valued at $7,500 CAD here.