9 best things to do in Kowloon

Gritty, hectic and mischievous, Kowloon is the Mr. Hyde to Hong Kong Island’s genteel Dr. Jekyll. But unlike Mr. Hyde, who was a murderous psychopath, Kowloon is actually quite friendly once you get to know it.

First occupied by the British in 1860, Kowloon was home to farming and fishing communities for hundreds of years. Its name, which means “Nine Dragons,” supposedly comes from the Song Dynasty’s Emperor Bing, who named the area for its eight tallest mountains.

The ninth dragon was, of course, the emperor himself.

In honor of that long-departed egocentric emperor, here are nine ways to spend a day in Kowloon.

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Best vantage points for that perfect shot of Hong Kong Island are to be had in Kowloon.

1. Take in the view with a drink

Hong Kong Island might have most of the city’s iconic skyscrapers, but the best place to see them is from Kowloon, especially from a new generation of sky-high bars in Tsim Sha Tsui.

The 18th-floor Cocky Bar and 30th-floor Eyebar mix cocktails with spacious outdoor seating and sweeping harbor views. Reservations are recommended.

For a truly dizzying experience, head up to Ozone Sky Bar on the 118th floor of the International Commerce Centre, where you can see clear over the whole of Hong Kong Island -- as long as the sky is clear, which isn’t always a given.

If you suffer from vertigo or you like your bar tab a bit closer to earth, Deck ‘n’ Beer serves up ground-level views from its harborside terrace near the Avenue of Stars.

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Cocky Bar, 18/F, The One, 100 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, +852 2724 6388 www.cockybar.com
Eyebar, 30/F, iSquare, 63 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, +852 2487 3688, www.elite-concepts.com 
Ozone Sky Bar, 118/F, Ritz-Carlton Hotel, ICC, 1 Austin Road West, Tsim Sha Tsui, +852 2263 2270 www.ritzcarlton.com
Deck ‘n’ Beer, East Promenade, Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, +852 2723 9227 Deck 'n' Beer on CNNGo 

Chungking Mansions, den of good eats and legitimate businesses.

2. Explore Tsim Sha Tsui’s mansions

Before Louis Vuitton and luxury malls, Tsim Sha Tsui was known for its “mansions” -- enormous buildings packed with shops, restaurants and apartments.

Chungking Mansions and its fraternal twin Mirador Mansions are certainly the most famous of these. Notorious for counterfeit goods and drug smuggling in the 1980s, they have since cleaned up their act and are now the place to go for good Indian food and Bollywood DVDs.

There’s even a dirt-cheap Nepali bar in the alley behind Chungking Mansions, where it’s easy to strike up a good conversation with the regulars over a cup of HK$5 whisky. It tastes surprisingly good but don’t expect to remember anything the next day.

Not far away, Champagne Court offers a different experience altogether, with a cluster of camera shops on the ground floor and the 1960s-era Star Café in the basement, known for its tomato-and-egg noodle soup.

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Chungking Mansions, 36-44 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
Mirador Mansion, 54-64 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
Star Café, Shop 36, Champagne Court, 16-20 Kimberly Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, +852 2724 4408

One of Hong Kong most historic streets, Shanghai Street.

3. Take a walk up Hong Kong’s most interesting street

Shanghai Street is one of Hong Kong’s oldest and most atmospheric street. An afternoon walk from beginning to end is a fascinating glimpse at a cross-section of local life.

The street begins near the north end of Kowloon Park. As you walk north, you will pass by some of Hong Kong’s few remaining historic shophouses and decades-old family-run shops selling medicinal oils, wedding clothes, cooking supplies and herbal tea.

Before reaching the street’s end at Prince Edward Road, you’ll also walk through the heart of the local Nepali community, a red-light district and the shopping mecca of Langham Place -- check out the dizzying view from the top of the 10-story atrium.

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Mido Café in Yau Ma Tei.

4. Hang out in Yau Ma Tei

Yau Ma Tei is one of Hong Kong’s under-appreciated neighborhoods. Wandering through its narrow streets is a uniquely Hong Kong experience, with several interesting attractions to check out.

Kubrick is an indie-flavored café, bookstore and movie emporium attached to the arthouse Broadway Cinematheque. Not far away, another laid-back spot, the 55-year-old Mido Café, offers 1950s-style decor, Hong Kong milk tea and great views over the Temple Street night market from its second floor booths.

Another local icon is the Yaumati Theatre, which has been saved from years of decay and converted into a Cantonese opera house slated to open in early 2012.

Across the street from that is the Gwo Laan, formally known as the Yau Ma Tei Wholesale Fruit Market, a cluster of fruit shops that comes alive in the middle of the night. Visit around midnight for the film noir experience of wandering through its century-old lanes.

Kubrick, Shop H2, Prosperous Garden, 3 Public Square St., Yau Ma Tei, +852 2384 8929
Mido Café, 63 Temple St., Yau Ma Tei, +852 2384 6402
Yaumati Theatre, corner of Waterloo Road and Reclamation Street.