Hong Kong is a beautifully executed fusion of both western and Chinese cultures. This was just my second visit, but definitely won't be my last as flying to Hong Kong is the easiest way for me to get to mainland. It's so fascinating that a city located on mainland can be so different from other major Chinese cities such as Beijing and Shanghai. I can find amazing, authentic, and cheap Cantonese/Chinese food but also find "western" things to do too. Architecturally wise, the city is the city of skyscrapers. I've never been to a city where everywhere I look, there's a picturesque skyscraper scene.
Hong Kong is impressively tiny and compact. All the buildings are so close to each other that one small quake would just wreck them.
Hong Kong is such a tiny city. Every inch of space is occupied by skyscrapers, water (the bay), or mountains/hills. The roads are filled with tons of cars, but public transportation is pretty clean and efficient. The sheer amount of skyscrapers really are kind of awe-inspiring. On a beautiful summer day (or evening/night), the view at Victoria bay is quite breath-taking. Part of me wants to go back just to purely see that night scene again. There are enough subway lines to get anywhere quickly and enough ferries to cross the bay or get to other islands. If you get tired of the hustle and bustle of the city, it's easy to visit Lantau island for some real "nature-y" things to do. Visiting the famed big Buddha and fishing village allowed me to see another side of Hong Kong that wasn't completely urbanized.
Where to buy fake and cheap goods.
Hong Kong has some of the best Cantonese food in the region. However, unlike mainland China, the restaurants in Hong Kong seem more franchised and "western-like". There are some weird Hong Kong specials such as macaroni soup (which is 100% definitely not Chinese) and beverages. If I want to find other types of Asian or western food, that is incredibly easy too. Just waltz right into the many shopping marts or side streets and I can find whatever I'm looking for.
The famous big Buddha. Gosh darn it was so hot that day.
In the future I'll have many more chances to visit Hong Kong. I still haven't gotten to fully explore Hong Kong even more, but knowing how packed this city is, I know I'll definitely find a lot of amazing things to do/see/eat.