They're still thinking about the dim sum. They watched the skyline from the Star Ferry and felt the scale of it. They walked through Mong Kok at night and loved being completely overwhelmed. Hong Kong operates at a density and pace that most cities can't match, and the people who love it tend to love it specifically for that reason. The sensory overload is the point. Here's how to buy for them.

For the Hong Kong Nerd

Richard Hughes' "Hong Kong: Borrowed Place, Borrowed Time" is a classic account of the city from a correspondent who knew it deeply. For a more contemporary perspective, books on Hong Kong's architecture and urban density, particularly the residential towers and rooftop culture, give context to what makes the city visually unlike anywhere else. Dung Kai-cheung's "Atlas: The Archaeology of an Imaginary City" approaches Hong Kong through a fictional but deeply local lens that resonates with people who got under the city's surface.

For prints, the Hong Kong night skyline photographed from Tsim Sha Tsui is among the most striking cityscapes in the world, and a high-quality large print suits the right wall perfectly. A vintage Hong Kong Star Ferry or tram poster from Etsy also works well as a piece of transport nostalgia.

For the Hong Kong Food Lover

Dim sum cooking classes are available through Airbnb Experiences and cover the har gow, siu mai, and char siu bao that most people spent their Hong Kong mornings eating. A Cantonese cooking class more broadly is a strong alternative. For a smaller gift, a quality Chinese tea set with a selection of pu-erh and oolong teas reflects the city's deep tea culture and is something they'll use regularly.

A dim sum basket set, a bamboo steamer, and a good Cantonese cookbook is a practical and specific combination for anyone trying to recreate the yum cha experience at home.

For the Hong Kong Obsessive Planning Their Next Trip

Hong Kong rewards return visits at different times and in different moods. The Lantau Island side is a completely different experience from Kowloon, and most people have barely touched the outer islands. The ConciseTravel Hong Kong guide helps them plan the next trip with the city's full geography in mind rather than defaulting to the same districts.

An Octopus card top-up or a Hong Kong day pass via Klook sorts transit. For a travel accessory, a minimalist nylon travel bag from a Hong Kong-based brand or a slim card wallet in a bold colour plays to the city's aesthetic: functional, dense, vivid.

Hong Kong obsessives have been to the edge of the map and liked what they found. Give them something with the same ambition.