I was recently in Shanghai for business, and decided to visit a friend in Hong Kong for one night at the end of my trip.

Upon arrival, I stepped outside the air-conditioned airport only to be slapped by humidity. 90 degrees Fahrenheit. 85% humidity. This LA girl is used to high temperatures, but dry heat — this was another level of hot.

My friend took me on an amazing tour of the city. When you visit, make sure you hit all these spots! 

Tim Ho Wan

After getting off the train, we immediately stopped for some dim sum in Hong Kong Station. DON'T SLEEP ON THE PORK BUNS. They're perfectly soft on the inside with an amazing BBQ pork filling and a slightly sweet and crunchy outer topping, similar to Japanese melon pan.

 

The Ovolo Hotel

Next up, we stopped by the hotel. Located in Central, the hotel is in a great (central!) location. The rooms are small but beautiful, and the minibar is free! *Pro-tip: Leave your AC running while you go out so you can enter your own version of paradise at the end of the night.

The Peak

The Peak is the highest point of Hong Kong, where you can get a beautiful view of the entire city. It's just a short tram ride up, but small tram = long line of tourists. The alternative? Hike! I'm not sure what compelled us to do so, but we decided to trudge up the mountain. 90 degrees Fahrenheit. 85% humidity. Half a bottle of water to our names.

Of course, once we finally made it, it was beautiful. The view was amazing, even though the clouds were starting to roll in. In the end, it was worth it and I got in my exercise for the next five years!

 

Mong Kong

Next up, we took the train to the other side of Hong Kong, the "Chinese side," as my friend put it (Hong Kong is very Westernized, full of British influence). Here, we went for dim sum: round two, and wandered around the streets, which were illuminated by hundreds of neon signs.

 

Victoria Harbour

To get back to the other side of Hong Kong, we walked to Victoria Harbour and took the ferry. Seeing the city lit up at night is astounding, and the breeze from the ferry isn't half bad either.

 

Lan Kwai Fong

To finish off our night, we went to the nightlife spot — a network of streets that are blocked off each night so people can party freely. There aren't any open-container laws in Hong Kong, so it gets crazy. We stopped at 7-Eleven for drinks (as the locals do) and sat on the street to watch the madness — the perfect ending to a whirlwind of a trip.

 

Despite feeling like I lost half of my body weight in sweat, I fell in love with the city and can't wait to spend more time there.