Hong Kong and the Traditions That Define the City

Most cities have a waterfront, but not many put dragon boats in it. Hong Kong has a history of dragon boat racing over the past 50 years, with more than 220 teams from 16 countries and regions competing across Victoria Harbour beneath a granite skyline. The 50th Sun Life Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races, which ran along the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade on June 27 and June 28, 2026, exemplified this spectacle. It is events such as these that remind us of Hong Kong’s paradox: where the ancient and new coexist, with every experience being unique to the city. Cities of this scale and speed can be intimidating. Hong Kong, though, welcomes travellers warmly, if you know where to look. 

Begin at Nan Lian Garden in Diamond Hill, a Tang Dynasty landscape juxtaposed against residential skyscrapers. Gilded wooden structures frame meticulous classical gardens that have survived the surrounding urban tumult. Nearby, Chi Lin Nunnery’s classical architecture has drawn Hollywood cinematographers for decades. Whilst neither appears in most itineraries, both merit a visit. Across the harbour, West Kowloon Cultural District spans 40 hectares of reclaimed land with an expansive waterfront comprising visual arts, performing arts, venues, and experiences within the iconic M+ building and the neighbouring Hong Kong Palace Museum. 

M+, designed by Herzog & de Meuron, holds Asia’s largest collection of contemporary visual culture across 33 galleries. Until August, it will feature Lee Bul’s retrospective on cyborgs and futuristic cities, spanning 200 works. Each evening through June, Shahzia Sikander’s luminous animation 3 to 12 Nautical Miles transforms the museum’s façade, tracing historical trade routes through hand-painted brushwork. 

Next door, the Hong Kong Palace Museum establishes the district as a nexus for imperial heritage, presenting treasures from Beijing’s Palace Museum collection. The museum houses imperial ceramics and antique silks. Forgo the Michelin-starred restaurants in favour of culinary discovery. Spend a morning in Sham Shui Po at a cha chaan teng, a traditional tea restaurant, savouring silken wonton noodles, glazed char siu, and clay-pot rice. The neighbourhoods of Shau Kei Wan and Sheung Wan also hold hidden gems where visitors can sample authentic Hong Kong style milk tea and pineapple buns, made from recipes passed down generations. Come evening, head to Sai Kung, a working fishing village in the New Territories where the fresh local catch takes centre stage. By day, the bustling promenade and colourful floating market come to life.

Further south, in the city’s industrial zones, Wong Chuk Hang houses Blindspot Gallery, Tang Contemporary Art, and similar spaces that continue to shape creative discourse. In North Point, the Sunbeam Theatre, a Cantonese opera house in operation for 40 years, preserves a tradition found nowhere else with such fidelity. Each October, the Central Harbourfront hosts the Wine & Dine Festival, where over 300 booths serve delicacies against the backdrop of the glittering harbour. These experiences confirm that Hong Kong does not borrow its character from elsewhere. Whether it is the dragon boats drumming across the harbour, an animated museum façade, or a dai pai dong stall serving congee at midnight, these traditions are specific to the city with several new ones still being invented.