Hong Kong SAR

Best Things to Do in Hong Kong in July

Make the most of summer with new harbour ferry service, restaurant openings and the revival of many cultural events across the city

With heat in the forecast, you’ll be wise to cool off over cocktails on a rooftop bar or make a splash at one of Hong Kong’s many splendid beaches. But there are a bunch of things going on in town this July to keep you busy in between.

Hop on a Ferry

While the green-and-white Star Ferry remains one of our favourite ways to cross the harbour and take in those skyline views – there’s a new player in town. As of 28 June, you can hop on the Fortune Ferry Company’s new service from Central’s Pier 8 (near the excellent Hong Kong Maritime Museum) to Hung Hom on the east side of Kowloon, making it easy to turn up at the Kerry Hotel for sunset drinks.

View of Victoria Harbour from Red Sugar Terrace at Hong Kong's Kerry Hotel

Join These Foodie Pop-Ups and Events

Black Sheep Restaurant’s Summer Festival adds some extracurricular activities to the diary from now through August. This month, you might graze on crab dishes by the beach with Hotal Colombo chef Gisela Alesbrook (16 July) or tango the night away at Argentinian steakhouse Buenos Aires Polo Club (18 July) with snacks and wine.

Sheung Wan’s Test Kitchen continues its series of pop-up dinners with The Bombay East Indian Girl x Test Kitchen (10-11 July). Visiting chef Samaira Rubina C. Kavatkar shares family recipes that combine elements of Bombay street foods, Indo-Portuguese flavours and refined East Indian cuisine along with eclectic wines.

An Indo-Portuguese dish of food at Hong Kong's Test Kitchen Pop-Up

If you’re in West Kowloon and looking to kick things up a notch, plump for Ozone’s Luminous Night Brunch (6pm-10:30pm, every Saturday from 11 July). The sky-high bar at The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong turns into a lush tropical lounge complete with cognac-based cocktails made with Hennessy V.S.O.P, Moët & Chandon and free-flow nibbles from the night brunch menu.

In Admiralty, the Cookie DPT pop-up continues to dominate Instagram stories and draw foodies to The Upper House. The brand’s beloved American-style (and sized…) cookies are available daily at the outdoor terrace of The Lawn on Level 6 until 30 August. Tuck into flavours such as brownie filled with chocolate chip and the ‘Earl Gray’, designed especially for The Upper House.

Try the Newest Hong Kong Restaurants

22 Ships Wan Chai tapas bar

Chef Agustin Ferrando Balbi has partnered with JIA Group to open Ando on Central’s Wellington Street as of 7 July. The former Haku chef’s first solo restaurant will draw on elements of his Argentinian and Spanish family roots as well as his time spent in one of Tokyo’s finest Michelin-starred kitchens.

JIA Group has also been busy with the reopening of its Wan Chai neighbourhood tapas bar 22 Ships. Leading the team in a new culinary direction is chef Antonio Oviedo, who will put his own spin on classics such as croquetas, roast suckling pig, cold cuts and cheeses.

Over in Tsim Sha Tsui, Yè Shanghai has opened with fabulous harbour views and a fusion of Shanghainese, Hong Kong and Western flavours. Highlights of chef Sze’s updated menu include a range of xiaolongbao (soup-filled pork dumplings), huadiao wine-marinated cod with fermented rice, plus baked stuffed freshwater crab shells.

In West Kowloon’s Elements mall, new rooftop bistro District 8 serves refreshing summer cocktails like the Vin De France (Dopff Au Moulin riesling, Mirabelle eau-de-vie, citric acid, and a touch of orange bitters) with hearty fare. We loved the charred cauliflower, dressed with Vadouvan spices and smoked yoghurt; pork and pistachio terrine with house-pickled veggie; and Rangers Valley hangar steak – which packs a flavourful punch from the Black Angus and wagyu cross-breeding.

Get Your Cultural Fix

Sovereign Art Foundation Hong Kong Goodbye Strangers by Hyundoo Park

Check out works by some of the finest artist in Asia Pacific at the 2020 Sovereign Asian Art Prize exhibition at K11 Atelier King’s Road art space. Four Hong Kong artists are shortlisted among the finalists, who hail from 18 countries and regions; works cover a wide variety of media from photography to sculpture.

Tai Kwun They Do Not Understand Each Other Installation view

Tai Kwun has reopened with two exhibitions this summer. Nineteen artists from Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Puerto Rico, Thailand and beyond seek to find common ground in the unfamiliar through exploring themes of understanding, miscommunication and tolerance in They Do Not Understand Each Other (until 13 September), while My Body Holds Its Shape comprises commissioned works by Tap Chan, Thea Djordjadze, Jason Dodge, Eisa Jocson and Pratchaya Phinthong experimenting with concepts of sculpture and form (until 1 September).

Mill CHAT Kato Izumi Museum From Home

And there’s still time to catch the ongoing Unconstrained Textiles: Stitching Methods, Crossing Ideas, showing until 26 July at the Centre for Heritage, Arts and Textile at The Mills in Tsuen Wan – including works by Hong Kong’s own Samson Young, Hong Kong-based Japanese artist Kato Izumi and South Korean artist Ham Kyungah. CHAT’s #museumfromhome initiative also lets you dive into online tours, workshops and artist from the comfort of home.

Seek Out Kid-Friendly Fun

K11 Musea Nature Discovery Park

The upscale, artsy mall K11 Musea hosts Donut Playhouse Kids Summer Carnival, which features cookie decorating classes, kid’s golf, tours of the Nature Discovery Park and more special experiences (until 6 September).

On the other end of the retail spectrum, a new branch of Japanese discount mega chain Don Don Donki (known in Japan as Don Quijote) opens 7 July in Causeway Bay. Spread over four storeys, it’s the chain’s third Hong Kong outpost and will stay open 24-7 for browsing the selection of esoteric Kit-Kat flavours, quirky toys, popular skincare products, sweets, fresh foods and many more goods.

Four Seasons Hong Kong, staycation

And while we’re all dreaming of our next overseas getaway, staycations in Hong Kong’s best hotels are the next best thing – offering some pampering, pools and good-value dining. Check out the Hong Kong hotel staycations to book right now.

Plan Ahead for These Hong Kong Events:

13-17 Aug: Hong Kong Food Expo

2 Sep: Hungry Ghost Festival

13 Sep: Mid-Autumn Festival

18-20 Sep: Rotten Head Music Festival

29 Oct-1 Nov: Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival

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