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For a modern take on ancient China, check out the Chi Lin Nunnery in Kowloon. This gorgeous replica of a seven-hall Tang Dynasty (AD 618–907) complex took 10 years to build, using traditional techniques and materials. Bliss out as stubble-headed nuns chant to the Sakyamuni Buddha (see Chi Lin Nunnery).

Should your attention span wane on the fleeting 22-minute ride from the airport to Central, the AEL offers personal TVs in the back of every seat. Bright, shiny and a joy to use.

Gain some perspective on the dramatic skyline of the islands. The Star Ferries offer the best chance to capture the dramatic skyscrapers (see Star Ferry).

(“Below Hollywood Road”) The start of the journey takes you through the heart of this hip quarter.

Beat the pollution and enjoy the buzz at Oxyvital’s Central “oxygen bar”.

Requiring up to eight hours of slow cooking, preparation of this Hong Kong classic is an art. Households and restaurants guard their individual recipes, but all involve the classic five Chinese spices, rock sugar and tangerine peel. It’s served in an earthenware pot as a main course, or as a topping for rice or noodles. Given its richness, it is particularly enjoyed in winter.

Hong Kong’s double-decker buses are a British legacy, although these mostly come air-conditioned and (in a universally loathed development) with onboard TVs blaring ceaseless advertising. The low cost of using them may help you overcome this irritant.

The escalator begins opposite this agreeably raucous fruit and vegetable market.