HONG  KONG

I lived in Hong Kong from October 2014 through February 2015.  It was an exciting time to be in the city.  When I arrived democracy protests were in full swing and crowds were camped out in the street.  I left right after Chinese New Year when a much happier group of crowds congregated at Flower Markets to celebrate the Year of the Sheep.  In between I explored all areas from the outer islands to deep into the heart of the New Territories.  At each metro station I seemed to unearth a new and interesting discovery.  
ESSENTIALS
Hong Kong requires little planning prior to a visit; there's just a few things to know before you arrive.
ATTRACTIONS
There are several "themes" to Hong Kong attractions: Dining, the Skyline, Nature, Colonialism, etc.  I've given most of these "themes" separate pages.  The uncategorized attractions are found here.
ITINERARIES
It's one thing to know what you want to experience when you are in Hong Kong, however, it's critical to know how these attractions are organized so you aren't running all over the islands.
HK FREE (OR NEARLY FREE)
In Hong Kong the best attractions are all free.

DINING "THEMES"

Hong Kong is renowned for it's sheer volume of dining establishments and the quality of those restaurants.  The variety ranges from a $20HKD macaroni noodle breakfast to Avant-Garde, Michelin Three Star restaurants that only the super wealthy can afford to patronize.  When deciding where to eat, I'd consider what Hong Kong does differently than focus on that cuisine type.   
COOKED FOOD CENTRES
This parking garage like buildings house Hong Kong's traditional street food stalls and are a quintessential dining experience. 
LOCAL DINING
Hong Kong restaurants offer the complete range of regional Chinese cuisines including dim sum, noodles, and congee, seasonal dishes, such as claypot rice, and local dishes, like Typhoon Shelter Crab. 
UPSCALE DINING
I tend to focus on the Cooked Food Centres and Local Dining options but Hong Kong has no shortage of upscale dining options, reflective of the city's wealth and cosmopolitan vibe.
CRAVINGS
The beauty of Hong Kong's dining relative to some of it's Asian peers is the quality and diversity beyond the local cuisine: pizza, hamburgers, Mexican, Korean, Japanese, Indian, Thai, etc. 
BREAKFAST
Given that 1/3 of my meals are breakfast it's fortunate that Hong Kong has quite the variety - there's Western, local, and an odd cuisines that combines both.  Most coffee shops also offer breakfast options.
COFFEE
Selecting a neighborhood, then using Open Rice to filter on Coffee Shops is an excellent way to explore Hong Kong.  The city has undergone a coffee shop boon in recent years so I always find a good place.

OTHER  "THEMES"

EXPATS AND COLONIALISM
If you visit certain areas of Hong Kong it will feel as though the British never left.
HONG KONG SKYLINE
It's a remarkable skyline and there are quite a few places that offer excellent vantage points.
MTR STATIONS
I've started the habit of randomly selecting MTR stops to explore other areas of Hong Kong.
NATURE
When you get tired of the city nature and beaches are not far away.
HONG KONG TRAVEL BASICS

HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS
Ridiculously high end hotels to budget hostels and guesthouses.  I was able to find a hostel in Causeway Bay for under $20/night otherwise I would have stayed in Chungking Mansions - a dodgy but landmark location in Kowloon.

FOOD
Ridiculously high end to a few dollars for a meal.  I tried a few Dim Sum places but otherwise focused on finding Western style food to satisfy future cravings.  I was successful with Pizza but still need to do some work on Hamburgers.  

SITES, ATTRACTIONS, ADVENTURES
Saving most of this for the period when I return to Hong Kong and find a job.  I’ll update accordingly.
  • Peak Tram - a necessary tourist trap
  • Star Ferry - the best way to see Hong Kong’s skyline
  • Happy Valley - the best city based sporting venue

IN "COUNTRY" TRAVEL
Metro and Bus cover the island very well.  The hostel or hotel can provide instructions and route numbers to go wherever you need.  Considering how expensive the city is taxi’s were cheap.  You can take a bus or Metro from the airport to city center.