Massive, busy, and crowded

If you arrive in Hong Kong expecting pristine Singapore streets, you'll be sadly disappointed. To be clear, this isn't Ho Chi Minh City or Bangkok, but Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated places on the planet (the total population comes in at over 7.3 million). To make matters worse, living quarters in Hong Kong are among the world's smallest, with an average of 470 square feet, according to the South China Morning Post.

That means individuals are escaping their confined home lives on the streets at all hours of the day and night. This is especially true in places like Mong Kok, Tsim Sha Tsui, Central, Causeway Bay, and Sheung Wan, where visitors and locals are crammed together. Avoid trade fair seasons and mainland China holidays like Golden Week if you want to see the city at its least crowded.