I have visited Hong Kong twice on layover trips and left longing for more each time. Geographically ,Turkey is where east meets west but culturally Hong Kong is where east meets west.

1. HKers take immense pride in their unique culture but thanks to divisive colonial policies by the British, they have largely been left in the limbo. I don’t want to open up any debate on this subject but let’s say its relationship status in/with China is complicated. Our recent travel was during the HK protests(although not at its peak on a weekday but still under travel advisory by US Department of State) but we didn’t feel unsafe even for a second. Probably, felt safer than most other big cities we have visited. This shows that HK people have deeply understood their cause and the need to maintain civility in their protests whereas most public protests start with good intentions but either fizzle our or spiral out of control to violence.

2. Good food in HK is diverse, ubiquitous and affordable. There are quality noodles, congee, bubble teas, snacks at pretty much every price point. Most importantly, Dim Sum is superlative. In both my trips, I made time for a dimsum meal at Tim Ho Wan, it is likely the most affordable one Michelin star restaurant in the world. The har gow(shrimp dumplings) is the best I have ever had.

3. During my first layover, I just walked as much as I could. It was humid and there are some steep hills like San Francisco. Then I discovered the central- mid level escalators. It is not only an outdoor escalator but the world’s longest at that. The steep hilly terrain in Hong Kong Island makes it hard to build traditional public transport systems. Hence, HK people just built a giant escalator. The bar for cool public transport has been set high by the Telefericos in South America but outdoor escalator are cool nonetheless.

4. Victoria Peak is touristy but it is still a quintessential HK experience. It is great to visit at dusk to capture both the day and night views of the skyline. Probably, the only time I caved in to buy a tourist portrait thanks to the glorious views. Normally, I would have preferred to hike or cab it to the top to avoid the crowds but we were lucky to be able to walk-in and jump on the peak tram without no wait. Although I didn’t have much expectations of the tram ride (it is actually a funicular), it was fun to experience the steep inclines.

5. Last but not least, Hong Kong is actually comprised of 263 island islands and the Kowloon peninsula. As a visitor, you are most likely to hang out in Hong Kong Island (Central, Victoria Peak, Airport), Lantau Island (Tian Tian Buddha) and Kowloon (Mong Kok, Jordan).