Last updated on January 3, 2026
“When Strangers Become Friends” is an alternative title for this story, as I unexpectedly connected with fellow photography enthusiasts, travelers, and locals in Hong Kong.
I booked a photo class on Airbnb Experiences called Learn Photography with HK Instagrammer. (Unfortunately, the host, William, does not do them via Airbnb anymore.) It was a great experience for me to improve my photography skills and to discover the city through the lens of a local! It was also a great way to meet other people with the same interests as me. I love being around other photographers because they inspire me to see things from different perspectives. As we walked around the city, absorbing the details of architecture, colors, and energy, we learned a bit more about Hong Kong’s resilient history and culture. Keep reading to check out some of the visual stories we collected as we explored Hong Kong.
Through this photo walk tour, we got to capture the beauty of the buildings where locals live in. Please keep in mind that these places are private residences! Be respectful of the residents when you visit.
Brutalist Buildings of Ping Shek Estate
The first place we hit up was Ping Shek Estate. Look how photogenic this place is.
I feel like you can’t go wrong with taking a good photo here because of how this building looks. It is like a 4-walled room with no door or windows… or an opened cardboard box. I think it would look cool and dramatic on a rainy day.
When we finished taking enough photos here, we walked out of this building to find these colorful houses.
I’m so happy we got to stop by a local bakery to try some of their freshly made egg tarts! I’m not sure of the name of the bakery in English since I only saw the Chinese sign.
It tasted so good, especially since they just came out of the oven so they were still hot! The egg filling was not firm, but slightly gooey, and the crust was soft. And bonus!! They only cost HK$3 (US$0.38) each!! They would cost more in a chain or touristy bakeries.
Rainbow Buildings of Choi Hung Estate
Next, we went to the oh-so-famous Choi Hung Estate. “Choi hung” means “rainbow” in Cantonese! Can you see why?
This place has become a popular landmark for tourists to take photos at. The Instagram photos of people in front of a rainbow building? Yeah, it’s Choi Hung Estate. There were so many people! Even locals come here for photoshoots. I’d say get creative with your angles and colors if you plan to take photos here.
All the photos of me here at Choi Hung Estate were taken by @sharasarapuddin.
How to Get to Choi Hung Estate
The best way to get to Choi Hung Estate is by MTR on the green line.
You’ll see the station is also painted with rainbow colors, which is another great photo opp for the creatives out there!
Green Gradients at Nam Shan Estate
The last estate we went to was Nam Shan Estate(石硤尾南山邨), in Shek Kip Mei, Hong Kong. I was so happy to learn a new photography trick!
There is a local food market here! These markets, featuring fresh fruits, vegetables, and animal products, are common in Hong Kong.
And that is the end of the photography tour! We went our separate ways from the local food market.
Twelve Floors of Shopping in Mong Kok
I decided to walk around Mong Kok since the day was still young. I went to Langham Place and there are 12 floors in this shopping mall. You can shop till you drop! There were also Gudetama-themed stalls there. I’m not sure if they were limited-time pop-ups though.
After all the walking outside on a hot, humid day in Hong Kong, a cold drink is necessary! Honeymoon Dessert caught my attention with its bold, bright, clean sign, and its colorful, refreshing fruits caught my craving.
Afterward, I walked around the mall before going to the Temple Street Night Market, which is about a 10-minute walk from the Langham Place.
At about 6:30 PM, I walked to Temple Street Night Market to get a few night shots of the entrance. I was determined to get a bird’s eye view. So, I went up to the fourth floor of a car park building. When I got there, trees were blocking the view -_- I totally should have gone higher, but I didn’t have enough time because I wanted to catch the Symphony of Lights at the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade (which starts at 8 PM once a day). Trying not to be too bitter, here is a shot of the Temple Street Night Market entrance gate from the ground.
Symphony of Lights at Tsim Sha Tsui
Made it to Tsim Sha Tsui five minutes before the buildings lit up with lights dancing to the beat of music! The outdoor lights show go on at 8 PM.
The lights dance for 10 minutes. I totally recommend going to see this free show at least once while you’re in the area. The lights are so pretty and it dances to the music. Best to go on a clear night.
Dinner at Din Tai Fung in Hong Kong
Dinner time! Also, met up with friends. This is my first time trying Din Tai Fung. They have several locations worldwide, including the USA. You will most likely find it in cities with large Chinese or Taiwanese communities.
Plan your trip to the hometown of Din Tai Fung!
Skip the long lines at Din Tai Fung and experience the restaurant and food in the city where it originated, Taipei, Taiwan! Book a wonderful dining tour with Din Tai Fung and the popular Raohe Night Market on Klook. Try the most famous Xiaolongbao in the world!
The xiao long baos (soup dumplings) were tasty!! We got one order of the pork xiao long baos and one order of the truffle xiao long baos. I think the pork tasted better. We also ordered wonton soup, beef noodle soup, grilled fish, and gai lan (Chinese broccoli).
After dinner, we went for a walk back at the pier. This ice cream truck reminds me of Mister Softee that I grew up with.
What I Learned From This Photography Walk
I learned so much on this day of photoshoots! Now I’m even more convinced that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Every photographer has their own style and they look for different aspects in a photo. Some people look for color, while others look for a pattern, angle, etc.
I also learned that I DO NOT like portrait shots (or close-up shots) of myself. I realize that I really love candid shots, photos taken when something or someone is in the moment. Those moments are so fun to capture because it just feels so real and genuine! Sometimes you can only capture those emotions once. Special thanks to @sharasarapuddin and @federra. All the photos they took of me were candid (except for one). Thanks to William for taking us around for this photography tour! I had so much fun~
What kind of photos do you like to take or see? 🙂
Sincerely,
Amy♡
2018.08.02. Thursday. Day 5.
AMY HANG IN HONG KONG.
