Can’t decide where to stay for your next Hong Kong trip? Is Tsim Sha Tsui a good area for tourists? Is Central better than Mong Kok? When is it ideal to stay in Lantau island? In this article, we’ll break it down to help you pick the best neighborhood for you.
Hong Kong is one of our most visited destinations. Over the past 13 years, we have stayed at various areas within the territory. And yes, some areas are better than others. But to properly determine the best, we need to understand Hong Kong’s geography.
Hong Kong may be small, but it is a bit complicated. It is set mainly on a peninsula, but it also covers various nearby islands. To its north is Shenzhen and to its west, now connected by a bridge, is Macau. And like Macau, Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region of China. It is a part of China, but it has its own economy, currency, and immigration laws. That’s why even Chinese mainlanders still need to go through immigration checks when entering Hong Kong.
Hong Kong is composed of 3 main regions:
- Kowloon, on the peninsula, where Tsim Sha Tsui and Mong Kok are located. Hong Kong’s city center has two faces. One of them is Kowloon, which covers most of the developed area on the mainland. This is the older and more traditional side of the city. It’s what many consider quintessential Hong Kong. It’s highly developed, yes, but you’ll easily notice that many of the buildings are not very modern. It is dense, busy, and incredibly textured. This side is often used as a setting in Hollywood movies.
- Hong Kong Island, where you’ll find the Central Business District. If Kowloon is gritty and traditional, Hong Kong Island is polished and aesthetically more colonial, blending Chinese culture with British influences well. But it is divided into smaller neighborhoods including Central, Admiralty, Wan Chai, Sheung Wan, and Causeway Bay.
- New Territories, which covers the area north of Kowloon and 200 outlying islands including Lantau Island, where you’ll find Hong Kong Disneyland, Ngong Ping 360, and Tai-O Village. The Hong Kong International Airport is also within the New Territories.
The truth is, Hong Kong is further divided into 18 smaller districts. But for tourists, especially first-timers, only a few of these will probably matter.
So which is the best area to stay? Objectively, I’d say it depends on your specific itinerary. But if you ask me for my personal preference, here’s how I would rank these areas.
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