Your ultimate wellness city guide to Hong Kong
With the travel bubble back on the cards, here is the best wellbeing recommendations from local experts Dervla Louli and Liz Weselby
Text: Tiff H
Credit: Asaya Hong Kong
With the launch of the highly anticipated Singapore-Hong Kong travel bubble, we unveil the first in our series of wellness city guides for key metropolis’ around the world. And of course, we’ve got leading on-the-ground experts to give us the heads-up. Here, Hong Kong wellbeing guru and founder of Compare Retreats Dervla Louli, and former Editorial Director of LUXE City Guides Liz Weselby reveal their top local locations for a holistic and healthy Hong Kong getaway.
Credit: Asaya Hong Kong
Top wellness hotels in Hong Kong
The largest dedicated wellness facility in the city, Asaya Hong Kong is part of Rosewood Hong Kong and offers locally-inspired experiences across five key components of holistic wellness: emotional balance, fitness and nutrition, physical therapies, skin health, and community. Their Spa Suites are the ultimate pampering retreats in the heart of the city.
The Upper House is an urban wellness destination nestled between Hong Kong's skyscrapers with a 24-hour gym, yoga and fitness classes on a stunning lawn and in-room treatments using organic Bamford products. The spacious baths overlooking the city skyline are the cherry on cake for a relaxing stay.
For those looking for a classically luxurious experience, the Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong offers an environment of holistic rejuvenation influenced by the sophisticated style of 1930s Shanghai.
The Four Seasons outdoor pool is unbeatable for relaxation and Vitamin D top-ups. Heated year round, the free-form, infinity-edge pool is equipped with underwater speakers and overlooks Victoria Harbour. That’s what we call extra.
Favourite nature trails & hikes in Hong Kong
Time: 2.5 hrs
Hong Kong’s most famous hike is relatively easy, though you need a reasonable degree of fitness — it’s also a good one for older kids. After a steep, stepped start, it unfurls into an undulating trail across the top of the Shek O Peninsula (aka the dragon’s back) offering wide vistas of southern Hong Kong Island and the South China Sea. Post trek, hop into a cab to Shek O for a cooling dip in the ocean and casual Thai-Chinese eats by the beach.
Time: 2–3 hrs
The three-hour Morning Trail up to The Peak offer sweeping views of the city, along with lush tropical foliage and varied bird life. For something a little more strenuous, keep ascending to Mount High West, which is a prime spot for sunset-watching.
Wilson Trail, Hong Kong Island
Time: 2–3 hrs
Also know as ‘Twin Peaks’, The Violet Hill-Twins section of the 78-km-long Wilson Trail offers a proper glute-busting workout with a side of spectacular views over Tai Tam Reservoirs and southern Hong Kong. Hop in a cab to Wong Nai Chung Gap/Tai Tam Reservoir Road (ask for Park View, a well-known condo complex) and take the steps on the right, a couple of hundred metres past Wong Nai Chung Reservoir. Violet Hill provides a warm up before you tackle the staggeringly steep Twins; once conquered the journey down affords birds-eye views of Stanley Beach.
Lantau Island, Section 2 Lantau Trail
Time: Half a day
Beloved by hikers and trail runners for its diverse, challenging terrain the mighty mountain-straddling Lantau Trail is a 70km loop that’s easily broken down into sections. If you only have half a day to spare, Section 2 (up and over Sunset Peak) passes through sheltered woodland, open meadows and waterfalls and affords wide-angled views of the South China Sea and other islands. Take the 3M bus from Mui Wo to Tung Chung, alighting at Nam Shan where you’ll spy a wooden hut and sign denoting the start of the Sunset Peak section. After descending, the trail meets Tung Chung Road where you can hop on a bus to Cheung Sha Beach for a relaxing lunch at Bathers with the sand between your toes.
Sai Kung, MacLehose Trail, Sections 2–3
Time: One day
Sai Kung in the northeast of the New Territories is the local go-to for rural escape. Comprising country parks and remote pristine beaches, it’s host to numerous hiking trails from gentle reservoir walks to challenging mountain summits. Sai Kung is also the starting point for the famous 100-kilometre long MacLehose Trail, and the 13.5 km long Section 2 is one of Hong Kong’s most spectacular hikes. The trail begins among the rolling hills near Long Ke beach, ascending to Sai Wan Shan and continuing to the aptly named Sharp Peak, before heading downhill, passing beaches and inlets. You’ll finish at Pak Tam Au village, where buses take you back to Sai Kung Town Centre.
Time: 4 hours
The highest peak in Hong Kong at 957 metres, Tai Mo Shan is renowned for its breath-taking sunrises. Head off before dawn to catch the sun’s slow ascent as its rays light up the city.
Time: 5 hours
Prepare to vye with hordes of athleisure-wearing Instagrammers at the top of this hike across the Kowloon Peninsula. Selfie-seeking aside, they’re here for good reason as on a clear day you’ll see all of Hong Kong unfolding below you. A reasonably challenging hike, Lion’s Rock is best tackled first thing in the morning or at sunset (allowing time to descend before dark). Take a cab to Sha Tin Pass and stop at the Lion Pavilion (starting point of MacLehose Trail, Section 5). The hike weaves through woodland before the rocky ascent and ends at Kowloon Reservoir.
East Dam of High Island Reservoir to Tai Long Wan Beach
Time: 2–3 hrs
Ideal for more seasoned trekkers, this hike will take you along the east coast of Sai Kung Country Park past four stunning beaches: Sai Wan, Ham Tin Wan, Tai Wan and Tung Wan. You’ll be rewarded with uninterrupted views of turquoise clear waters, lush greenery and sparkling white sand.
Credit: XYZ Studio
Great workout studios in Hong Kong
Offering world-leading body composition coaches, Ultimate Performance is ideal for both women and men looking to build their strength. Joseph is great for strength and resistance training.
Address: 3rd Floor Unicorn Trade Centre, 127-131 Des Veoux Road Central, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: Open from 5:00 to 22:00 on weekdays, 8:00 to 17:00 on Saturday, and 9:00 to 15:00 on Sunday
PURE Yoga is dedicated to serving the yoga community in Asia by offering diverse yoga practices - Vinyasa, Hatha, Hot, Wall Rope Yoga, Pre-Natal and more. Try a class with Patrick or Jenny and you can opt for a complimentary trial if you’re only in town for a few days.
Address: 16/f The Centrium, 60 Wyndham Street, Central, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: Open from 6:15 to 23:00 on weekdays, 7:30 to 20:00 on Saturday and Sunday
H-Kore’s unique training methods will ensure that all your fitness needs are met. Try the MegaKore classes which are 45 minute Lagree Fitness classes performed on the state of the art Megaformer machine will strengthen and tone your whole body.
Address: 3F Emperor Commercial Centre, 39 Des Voeux Road, Central, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: Open from 6:30 to 21:00 on weekdays, 8:00 to 17:00 on Saturday, and 9:00 to 17:00 on Sunday
Asia's first articulation of the new wave of indoor cycling, XYZ is the best spinning experience in the city, designed to help you escape the intensity of day-to-day life, reset your compass and engage with your sense of purpose.
Address: 2/F, New World Tower, 18 Queen's Road Central, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: Open from 6:30 to 21:00 on weekdays, 7:00 to 19:00 on Saturday, and 7:00 to 18:00 on Sunday
What Strive lacks in decor it makes up for in no-nonsense, effective conditioning workouts. Prepare to sweat and feel the burn with one of their small group classes focusing on strength, cardio and flexibility. The small class sizes ensure you’re given plenty of attention and the instructors take time to correct your form — so you get a hard-core workout without injury. They also run kids’ classes and it doubles up as a basketball academy training HK’s top hoop stars.
Address: G/F, Kwai Bo Industrial Building, 40 Wong Chuk Hang Rd, Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: Open from 7:30 to 20:30 on weekdays, 9:00 to 14:00 on Saturday, Closed on Sunday
This warm, intimate Pilates studio at the top of Wyndham St offers floor and reformer classes, plus TRX and body kinetics. The focus here is on gaining strength, form, posture and flexibility to support how you move in all areas of life. They also have a large physio studio with gyrotonic equipment and run one-on-one classes, teacher training and rehab.
Address: 802-805, 8/F Yu Yuet Lai Building, 43-55 Wyndham Street, Central, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: 8:00 to 20:00 daily
TORQ
Torq are known for their spinning studio, but the ‘Switch’ combination classes at this powerhouse in Central are well worth your energy. Twenty minutes of spinning is followed by a 20-minute circuit that provides you with a full body strength and cardio workout.
Address: 3F, Abdoolally House, 20 Stanley Street, Hong Kong
Opening Hours Open from 5:30 to 18:00 on Mondays to Fridays and 7:00 to 19:00 on weekends
Credit: Veda
The best plant-based restaurants in Hong Kong
Veda celebrates Eastern and Western cultures and ingredients, bringing them together in a menu that is meant to be shared. The restaurant serves comfort vegetarian food with the philosophy of always using noble products and treating them with passion and care.
Address: 2 Arbuthnot Rd, Central, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: Open from 6:30 to 23:00 daily
A fast-casual plant-based restaurant located in the heart of Central, Treehouse is built on the premise that dining should be sustainable, ethical, modern and fast.
Address: Shop 1, H Code, 45 Pottinger St, Central, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: Open from 10:00 to 22:00 daily
A staple vegan spot in the city, Mana advocates for diet change, not climate change. Serving globally-inspired plant-based cuisine, the brand’s philosophy to feed people healthy food that is made from scratch daily, and to provide options to accommodate different diets and dietary restrictions without compromising taste or flavour.
Address: SoHo, 8 Staunton St, Central
Opening Hours: Open from 9:00 to 21:00 daily
Advocating a healthy, sustainable and eco-friendly lifestyle, Mother Pearl does healthy bubble tea formulated over time with nutritionists and experts in healthy eating, a drink infused with Asian heritage ingredients and executed with modern, plant-based techniques.
Address: 25號 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: Open from 9:00 to 21:00 on weekdays, 11:00 to 21:00 on Saturday and Sunday
Unsung hero of fresh, organic vegan, vegetarian fare — with the odd sustainably sourced fish or meat dish — tucked in the middle of Upper Lascar Row (aka Cat Street). Fab for a working lunch or a low-fi dinner and the Sheung Wan locale is quintessential Hong Kong. The warm veggie salad with pan-fried tofu is wholesome and crunchy.
Address: 32 Upper Lascar Row, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: Open from 11:00 to 22:00 from Tuesday to Sunday. Closed on Monday
This teeny vegan joint in Sheung Wan gets packed at lunchtime, so go early or order takeout and take a five-minute walk to Hollywood Road Park to picnic underneath the giant banyan tree. The varied menu draws on middle eastern, Japanese and Indian influences — with plenty of spice hits for the chilli inclined. Portions are well-sized and hearty. Go hungry.
Address: G/F, 103 Jervois St, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: Open from 11:30 to 16:00 and 17:00 to 20:00 from Monday to Saturday. Closed on Sunday
If you want to sample Hong Kong’s beloved yum cha without the porkiness, this divine tea house in Hong Kong Park has a decent menu of veggie dim sum. There’s also a branch at Tai Kwun but the original is more atmospheric. They also host Cantonese opera teas.
Address: G06-07, Block 01, Tai Kwun, 10 Hollywood Road, Central
Opening Hours: Open from 10:00 to 20:00 from Sunday to Friday, 10:00 to 21:00 on Saturday
This meat-free cafe in Sham Shui Po is a darling destination for the likes of eggplant spaghetti and beetroot risotto. Combine a visit with a walk around one of Hong Kong’s most genuine and interesting neighbourhoods.
Address: Shop 1, Fuk Lung Building, 191-199 Fuk Wa St, Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: 12:00 to 10:00 daily
Credit: Sugar
Bars serving excellent views and non-alcoholic cocktails in Hong Kong
Café Gray Deluxe is a Hong Kong institution famed for killer views and locally inspired continental cooking. They also do some of the city’s best non-alcoholic cocktails, including Empty Pocket with black tea, lemon, passionfruit, elderflower and red dates.
Address: Level 49 The Upper House Pacific Place 88, Queensway, Admiralty, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: Open from 6:30 to 22:30 daily
A Hong Kong institution since its opening in 2008, SEVVA is situated in the penthouse of the iconic Prince's Building in Central. Head there for beautifully-crafted mocktails.
Address: 25/F, Landmark Prince's, 10 Chater Rd, Central, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: Open from 12:00 to 22:00 on weekdays, 11:00 to 22:00 on Saturday. Closed on Sunday
With bold cocktails, an impressive wine list and moreish share plates, there’s no better place in Hong Kong to watch the sunset and the city light up after dark.
Address: Taikoo Shing, Taikoo Shing RoadHK Hong Kong Island Taikoo 32/F, EAST, 29, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: Open from 6:30 to 00:00 daily
Ranked 33rd in Asia’s 50 Best Bars, Lobster Bar & Grill offers a creative take on your usual non-alcoholic beverages. The Cranky Crusta is a blend of Lyre’s American Malt, Seedlip spice, fresh lemon juice, orange marmalade and pineapple gum syrup, while Reds Are Roses features Seedlip grove 42, Lyre’s Dry Vermouth, red rose shrub, chamomile tea and cherry syrup.
Address: Pacific Place, Supreme Court Road, Central, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: Open from 11:30 to 22:00 daily
Local health stores & wellness experiences in Hong Kong
Offering hypnotherapy, hypnotherapy practitioner training, inner child healing, public speaking assistance and more, All About You is a leading wellness centre specialising in private workshops for mental wellness.
Address: 10A Wing Cheong Commercial Building, 19-25 Jervois Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: Open from 9:30 to 18:00 on weekdays, 9:30 to 13:00 on Saturday. Closed on Sunday
With a wide range of therapy programs from Ayurvedic massages to Reiki healing to psychotherapy, Shakti Healing Circle takes a holistic approach to your wellbeing, helping you achieve optimal wellness, as well as emotional and spiritual growth.
Address: 7/F Glenealy Tower, 1 Glenealy, Central, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: Open from 10:30 to 19:00 from Monday to Saturday. Closed on Sunday
REVIV’s proprietary IV therapy and nutrient injections have been developed by a team of clinical professionals and independently laboratory tested to deliver the vitamins, nutrients, electrolytes, minerals and antioxidants your body needs.
Address: 1300 Asia Standard Tower, 59-65 Queen’s Road Central, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: Open from 10:00 to 19:00 from Monday to Saturday. Closed on Sunday
Balance Health
This is a one-stop-shop of holistic healing offering a wide-range of east-west therapies from TCM, acupuncture and tui na to craniosacral therapy and kinesiology. You’ll also find therapeutic yoga, breathwork and meditation classes, a calm ambience and reputable practitioners.
Address: 2705, 27/F, Universal Trade Centre, 3-5 Arbuthnot Road
Opening Hours: 9:00 to 18:00 Mondays to Saturdays. Close on Sunday
Red Doors
Martha Collard has the largest collection of gongs in HK, each aligned to a different planet. Book one of her new moon or full moon gong baths to experience their immense power. The calm, light studio in Wong Chuk Hang is the perfect backdrop for a sound therapy session replete with cosy blankets, hammocks and a sneaky chocolate brownie afterwards.
Address: Flat A, 21st Floor, Lee Fund Centre, 31 Wong Chuk Hang Rd, Hong Kong
Fivelements Urban Habitat
Times Square in Causeway Bay is an unlikely location for one of the city’s best wellness experiences, but that’s a large part of the appeal of Fivelements. If you’re a regular to Bali you might recognise the name —the group’s first urban foray offers sound therapy, MBSR and mindfulness and other ‘sacred arts’ alongside fitness and yoga classes. The meditative tea ceremony, curated by Resham Daswani introduces the power of the leaf while Gretcha Yaneza’s group mindfulness sessions will leave you transformed.
Address: Level 13A, Tower One, Times Square, 1 Matheson St, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: 6:30 to 22:30 Monday to Friday, 7:30 to 21:30 on weekends
Tsz Shan Monastery
While not strictly a wellness spot, Li Ka Shing’s breathtaking Buddhist monastery in the New Territories offers a serene escape from the city. Backdropped by mountains and surrounded by lush vegetation, the sublime symmetry of the architecture is enhanced by refined gardens and lotus-dotted ponds. The hushed, calm ambiance is maintained by a strict limit on visitor numbers. Book ahead via the website, which also lists details of meditation retreats.
Dervla Louli is the founder of Compare Retreats, the luxury wellness travel booking portal and online publication. She was formerly the digital editor of Hong Kong Tatler, the director of integrated content at Edipresse Media Asia and the managing editor of Sassy Media Group where she oversaw seven websites spanning Asia, the Middle East and Australia.
Former Editorial Director of LUXE City Guides, Liz Weselby is a long-time Asia resident having lived for seven years in Bangkok and four and a half years in Singapore before moving to the Fragrant Harbour in 2014. She’s spent much of 2020 exploring Hong Kong and discovering new hidden gems.
