Hong Kong menu: Dining to hiking and art

Gleaming skyscrapers, Michelin-starred noodle stalls, secluded beaches and a buzzing party scene all make Hong Kong the perfect place to experience the best of East-meets-West.

Home to 7 million people, the island city's densely packed districts weave around lush greenery and the iconic harbor of the fast-paced financial and trading center.

Hong Kong has everything from luxury boutiques and some of the world's best Cantonese cuisine to traditional markets, delicious hawker food and breathtaking hikes in the hills.

Transportation around the main island and the much larger peninsula, including bustling Kowloon, is a seamless affair by subway, bus and the famous "ding ding" tram. Taxis are plentiful and outlying islands are short ferry rides away.

Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Hong Kong offers non-stop gastronomic delights, with local and international fare available from before dawn until after party-goers leave the clubs in the early hours of the morning.

At roadside eateries, you can choose from dim sum, rice porridge, wonton noodle soups and clay-pot rice dishes.

For a more refined meal you can't go wrong at Luk Yu Tea House at 24-26 Stanley St in the Central district. The decades-old restaurant — with stained glass windows, wooden paneling and ceiling fans — is evocative of old Hong Kong. Go for the steamed barbecue pork buns and shrimp dumplings.

For top-notch cuisine in elegant surroundings, try to wangle an invitation to the China Club on the top floors of the old Bank of China building in Central, where you will be transported back to 1930s Shanghai. Enjoy traditional and modern dishes surrounded by vintage art and ornate lanterns.

Island Tang in The Galleria at 9 Queen's Rd and award-winning Yung Kee at 32-40 Wellington St, famous for roast goose and thousand-year-old eggs, are other favorites in Central.

Hutong, at 1 Peking Rd in the Tsim Sha Tsui district, is designed to resemble Beijing's ancient narrow alleys and courtyards. It serves northern Chinese food with spectacular views of Hong Kong's neon skyline.

For a relaxed brunch or casual dinner, visit the seaside promenade in Stanley, on the south side of the main island. At the Murray House, eating options include Wildfire for thin crust pizza and the Mijas Spanish Restaurant. On Stanley's main street, there's a variety of cafes and eateries.

The Peak Lookout at 121 Peak Rd, with its leafy outdoor patio, is lovely for a picturesque meal.

For more buzz, head to the Soho area in Central. Restaurants range from small mom-and-pop places to hip joints like Brickhouse at 20A D'Aguilar St for Mexican food and Yardbird at 33-35 Bridges St for yakitori and other Japanese delights.

Many new restaurants in Soho have a no reservation policy, so get there early to avoid the crowds.

Nightlife

For a quiet drink with atmosphere, go to The Pawn gastropub in a heritage building at 62 Johnston Rd in the Wan Chai district. Relax on the outdoor balcony and take in the sights and smells of one of the most storied neighborhoods or settle inside on one of the burgundy leather armchairs.

Lan Kwai Fong, a strip of bars and clubs in Central, and teeming Wyndham Street are good ways to experience how Hong Kong works hard and plays hard.

Bars range from Stormy Weather, where revelers stand on the street dancing, to trendy spots like Sociolito and Dragon I, popular with models and visiting celebrities.

Tazmania Ballroom in the Lan Kwai Fong hotel is a good place to people watch, while Azure, on the 29th floor of the hotel, has a spacious outdoor roof terrace.

To escape the crowds, Wyndham the 4th or the Quinary are elegant lounge bars with creative cocktails.

Salon No. 10 at 10 Arbuthnot Rd just above Wyndham Street is another hidden gem. An eclectic space with quirky interiors, quilted upholstery and a stuffed peacock, it also offers a dining menu.

On Kowloon side is Ozone, the highest bar in Asia, located on the 118th floor of the swanky Ritz Carlton hotel.

If you want to drink until daybreak, head to Carnegie's and Dusk till Dawn in Wan Chai. Once an infamous red-light district that was the backdrop for the fictional "Suzy Wong" book and film, Wan Chai retains a seedy undertone that fuses comfortably with flashy new clubs and restaurants along Lockhart Road.