What to Pack for Hong Kong

Central's gradients, the endless tiled tunnels of the MTR and the granite stairway up Dragon's Back all punish soft soles. Pick shoes with generous cushioning and uppers that breathe through the sticky air.

Humidity here never sleeps, so quick-drying fabric is your best friend. Rinse a shirt in the hotel sink and it's wearable by breakfast, letting you keep the luggage lean for a week-long stay.

Maximize space in a smaller suitcase, which is good for navigating Hong Kong's compact hotel rooms and crowded airport express trains. Keeps outfits for temple visits and business meetings separate.

Fold-flat to nothing, then pop open when you detour to Stanley Market or hit a New Territories trail. It swallows a bottle of water, a sweater against mall air-conditioning and a still-warm bag of egg-waffles.

Hong Kong sockets are UK-style three-prong Type G. A universal adapter lets you charge in your hotel and in Sheung Wan cafés where the wall has a jumble of plug types.

Maps in Mong Kok, neon shots in Tsim Sha Tsui and constant Peak-Tram timetable checks will bleed your phone dry. This brick returns a full charge several times over.

Cheap cables snap when crammed beside dim-sum takeaways. Bring three: one for the bedside, one for the daypack and a spare, dropping one among Temple Street's clutter is easy.

Slip them on and the clatter of dai pai dong woks, the MTR's roar and the airport's drone fade to a hush. They save sanity on the long-haul inbound flight and on the ferry to Lantau.

Older guesthouses may give you a single wall socket. A multiplier lets you top up phone, camera and adapter at once before you head out to shoot the skyline after dark.

Airport security in both directions wants liquids visible. The clear pouch speeds repacking in Hong Kong's famously tight hotel bathrooms and contains any in-flight leaks.

Blisters from Victoria Peak's loop or a scrape on a country-park step need quick attention. The kit tides you over until you spot the neon of a Watsons or Mannings on the next corner.

The bus ride to Stanley's switchbacks, the ferry roll to Lamma and the tram's sway along Des Voeux Road can churn stomachs. These bands calm the queasy without drugs.

No spills, no liquid limits, no mess. The solid bar lathers in Hong Kong's hard water and leaves room in your quart bag for something more fun than shampoo.

Crowded Ladies' Market lanes and a packed Star Ferry are prime scanning territory for digital pickpockets. The sleeve keeps passport chip and credit cards quiet and corrals your Hong Kong arrival card.

A slim pouch under your shirt hides backup cash, a second card and a passport photocopy while you bar-hop Lan Kwai Fong or ride the Ngong Ping 360.

Lock your checked bag for the flight and secure hostel lockers inside Chungking Mansions. A combination lock means no tiny keys to lose on the road.

After fourteen hours in economy you'll need a neck that still swivels to read MTR signs. A proper pillow saves you from starting the trip stiff and cranky.

Hong Kong never fully dims. Neon leaks around every curtain. The mask shuts it out so you can reset your body clock and grab some sleep on daytime flights too.

Summer storms arrive fast and hard. A wind-proof umbrella keeps you upright on the harbourfront when gusts rake across Victoria Harbour.

Skip the plastic and the cost. Top up from hotel filters or public fountains before you climb Lion Rock or stroll the Avenue of Stars, then roll the flask away when empty.

Shops charge for bags by law. Keep one folded in your pocket for impulse buys at Graham Street Market or a bottle from 7-Eleven.

Granite steps on Dragon's Back and the descent from Victoria Peak are slick with dew. A light pole saves knees and balance.

Finish Lion Rock after sunset or poke around a lamplit temple courtyard. A headlamp keeps both hands free for railings on dark stone paths.