The forgotten beauty of Hong Kong that belies madness and mayhem of iconic city

It would be easy to get lost in the bright lights of Hong Kong.The buzz felt throughout the city is matched only by the humidity - and both can leave your head spinning but, strangely, wanting more.Take a walk down any street in the Central district and you're met with a sweet concoction of trendy new bars, brightly coloured old street markets, designer shops and bamboo scaffolding that makes your palms sweaty just to look at.To the novice tourist, it is, at times, hard to figure out which century you've stepped into.But that's the beauty - there's plenty for everyone.READ MORE: The ultimate guide to Hong Kong for first-time visitorsThings to do in Hong KongMichelin-star restaurants sit storeys high in 21st century tower blocks, while street-level coffee shops are popping up by the day.Venturing inside the Don Don Donki supermarket is like falling into a Willy Wonka fairytale on steroids.Across the harbour in Kowloon you'll find traditional noodle shops - also Michelin star winners - not far from the famed ladies' markets and fruit stalls.A half-hour drive to Sai Kung offers fishing village vibes where diners can view the various catches of the day before sitting down to feast on them.READ MORE: The best day trips from Queenstown for an epic New Zealand adventureBack at Central, the Happy Valley horse racing track sits smack bang in the middle of the city, surrounded by high-rises that provide a surreal luminous background to the action on the track on race night.It's where you'll find thousands of uni-aged revellers - from all across the globe - gathering on a Wednesday before filing out to fill the bars and clubs.There is always something to do - always a party happening somewhere in the city for anyone searching for a good time.But the real beauty of Hong Kong can be seen when venturing outside the city centre.The electricity of the business district gives way to breathtaking landscape that belies the chaos just a few kilometres down the road.The towering green mountains can first be seen when flying into Hong Kong airport on a Qantas Airbus A330.Hong Kong has changed dramatically since Qantas first started flying there from Australia 75 years ago, but the mountains bordering the city remain largely untouched.These days passengers won't be gripping their armrests as the pilot navigates the plane between buildings to land at the once-iconic Kai Tak Airport.Kai Tak - having sat barren for two decades - is currently being reimagined into a sporting precinct.The new international landing strip is much further out of town but provides a memorable introduction to Hong Kong in a different way.READ MORE: What it's like hitting the ski slopes with some of Australia's best OlympiansThere are other ways to enjoy the views from up high - you can catch a cable car to the top of Victoria Peak, or do so at ground level by hiking one of the many trails that weave through the hills.Fitness freaks attempt to run the four longest trails - totalling 298 kilometres - in an annual ultra-marathon.No, we did not attempt this ourselves and no, we do not recommend attempting it.Best time to travel to Hong Kong There isn't a peak season for travel to Hong Kong, like there is for other destinations - it's a buzzing city year-round. Qantas operates flights to and from the city from Australia every day.To avoid the worst of the heat and humidity, avoid visiting in July or August. The months with the mildest, most comfortable temperatures are March/April and October/November. July through September is also a time to avoid if possible, as this is peak typhoon season and your travel plans could be disrupted by storms.Hong Kong may not be top of every Aussie's travel to-do list but, in less than a 10-hour flight from Sydney, it's well worth the trip. The writer visited Hong Kong as a guest of Qantas.