Model Angelababy has called Hong Kong home since she was a young girl. Here are her top picks, from fave spots to shop on Hollywood Road to where to watch fireworks at Lunar New Year.
The very name Hong Kong immediately conjures up luxury boutiques, wild nightlife, street food and spectacular architecture. We asked Angelababy (Angela Yang Ying) to help us get to the heart of this dynamic city with so much to offer.
The Hong Kong-based Hollywood actress and high-fashion model calls her adopted hometown an exciting blend of cultures. "Hong Kong is a real mix of East and West," she says. "It's the culture that makes the city so special."
The city's cultural celebrations include epic festivities like Lunar New Year when Victoria Harbour's sky is lit up with fireworks, the centuries old Cheung Chau Bun Festival when competitors scramble up a tower of steamed buns filled with lotus paste and the thrilling Victoria Harbour river races of the Dragon Boat Festival. This Lunar New Year (17 February) welcomes the Year of the Horse, when the city's streets come alive with parades, lantern displays and bloom displays; considered auspicious for the new year. The festivities last for two weeks, culminating this year on 3 March; the Lantern Festival.
Here are Angelababy's favourite ways to explore Hong Kong – at Lunar New Year and beyond.
- Best for local culture: Cha chaan teng
To find the real Hong Kong, Angelababy recommends looking no further than a cha chaan teng (tea restaurant). "Tea houses are deeply rooted in Hong Kong's culinary culture. Traditional Hongkongers enjoy going to tea houses for lunch with family or friends."
Locals and expats alike sit huddled around tables in these old-school cafes, which are decorated with whirling fans and patterned floor tiles. These iconic Hong Kong spots are known for serving European treats with an Asian twist, so expect cups of strong Hong Kong milk tea made with condensed or evaporated milk, flaky egg tarts and pineapple buns with a cracked surface resembling its spiky namesake fruit: "If you're working on movies in Hong Kong, everybody stops at 15:15 for afternoon tea [and] we'll all enjoy an egg tart or a pineapple bun".
- Best culinary experience: Dim sum
Another culinary custom synonymous with Hong Kong culture is dim sum; a traditional Chinese brunch where a dazzling variety of small, savoury bites in bamboo baskets are wheeled through the restaurant on carts, to be shared with the whole table. "[It's] quality time with family," says Angelababy. "It's not just about filling the stomach; it's an experience." Hongkongers tuck into baskets of stewed, roasted or steamed dumplings such as char siu bao (doughy balls of sweet roast pork); siu mai (open-topped steamed dumplings); or soup dumplings filled with richly flavourful broth, which they wash down with tea.