Farewell Gift for a Colleague Leaving Hong Kong: What to Give When the Team Chips In
Someone on your team has announced they're leaving Hong Kong. The date is set.
Now comes the part nobody discusses at the leaving drinks: what do you actually give them?
Choosing the right farewell gift for a colleague leaving Hong Kong depends on three things: your relationship, the size of the team, and what will mean something after the move. Not everything travels well. Not everything lasts.
Here is what works.
What Works (and What Doesn't) as a Leaving Gift for a Colleague
The standard options — wine, a spa voucher, a restaurant gift card — are consumed and gone. There is nothing wrong with them. They just don't last past the first month in the new city.
A farewell gift for a colleague leaving Hong Kong should hold something specific. Not the tourist version of the city. The version they actually knew: the commute, the weekend hikes, the particular quality of an evening on a Hong Kong ridge.
That narrows it down considerably. Objects that carry a place — a book, a piece of art, something they'll put on the wall in the next apartment — tend to outlast everything else.
What to avoid: generic gifts that could be from any city, consumables that disappear on the flight over, anything that requires delivery to an overseas address. Give it in person, before the last day.
Farewell Gift Ideas for a Colleague Leaving Hong Kong — By Budget
Budget matters, and it shifts depending on whether you're buying alone or as part of a group. Here are options across the range.
HKD 200 to 400 (individual gift, colleague you know casually)
- A set of Hong Kong trail postcards
- A beautifully designed local book on Hong Kong culture or design
- A quality journal or notebook from a Hong Kong stationery brand
HKD 400 to 800 (individual gift, someone you know well)
- A trail art print from Iconic Hikes Hong Kong — available in A1, A2 and A3, these are the first prints to document Hong Kong's trail landscape with the same seriousness usually given to the skyline
- A framed map or high-quality photography book specific to Hong Kong
- A curated food hamper from a local Hong Kong producer
HKD 800 to 1,500 (manager, close colleague, or team group budget)
- The Iconic Hikes Hong Kong book — a coffee table book covering 26 of the city's most iconic trails. For someone who hiked on weekends, it holds the trails they actually walked. For someone who never made it out of the city, it shows them what they should have.
- The book paired with a trail art print of their favourite hike — Dragon's Back, Brides Pool, or whichever ridge they loved
- A premium local experience: a private guided harbour tour, a tasting at one of the city's serious restaurants
The book and prints from Iconic Hikes Hong Kong are available at Bookazine, Lion Rock Press, Kelly & Walsh Pacific Place, The Peak Tower, K11 Art Mall and The Mills — all within easy reach of Central, Tsim Sha Tsui and the main business districts.
When the Whole Team Chips In: Group Farewell Gift Ideas for Colleagues in Hong Kong
Group gifts are harder. Everyone contributes, which means the result needs to look considered rather than assembled by committee.
The most reliable approach: pick one substantial object rather than a bundle of smaller ones. A combined budget of HKD 600 to 1,200 from a team of five or six is more than enough for a gift that stands on its own.
For a colleague who hiked, the book plus a print of a specific trail is a natural pairing. The trail matters — Dragon's Back if they were a regular there, Lion Rock if they loved the cultural history, Brides Pool if they went after the rain. It shows the team paid attention.
For a colleague who never made it to the trails: the Iconic Hikes Hong Kong book works equally well as an introduction to the city they're leaving. It's the version of Hong Kong most people only discover after they move.
Where to Buy a Farewell Gift for a Colleague in Hong Kong Before They Leave
For locally designed, high-quality gifts, these are the shops worth knowing:
- Bookazine — multiple locations including IFC Mall and Pacific Place. Good selection of locally published books and gifts.
- Lion Rock Press — specialist in Hong Kong photography and culture books.
- Kelly & Walsh, Pacific Place — quality bookseller with a strong local and international section.
- The Peak Tower — convenient if your colleague is spending a last weekend up at the Peak.
- PMQ, Central — design-led local boutiques across two buildings in Soho.
- The Mills, Tsuen Wan — heritage building with local design brands and studios.
The Iconic Hikes Hong Kong book and trail art prints are available at all stockists listed above. If you're buying for a colleague whose last week is busy, you can also order online for delivery within Hong Kong at hikeshongkong.com.
For more on what makes a great leaving gift, and how to choose by relationship and budget, read the full guide: Leaving Hong Kong Gifts: The Farewell Present That Actually Means Something.
Frequently Asked Questions: Farewell Gifts for Colleagues in Hong Kong
What is an appropriate budget for a farewell gift for a colleague in Hong Kong?
For a colleague you work with regularly, HKD 300 to 600 is appropriate for an individual gift. For a manager or someone you know well, HKD 600 to 1,200 is reasonable. Group gifts from a whole team typically land between HKD 800 and 1,500 when pooled from five or more people.
What farewell gift should you give a boss leaving Hong Kong?
For a manager or senior colleague, choose something premium and personally considered. A coffee table book on Hong Kong's trails, paired with an art print of a trail they loved, is one of the most distinctive options available — culturally specific, visually strong, and appropriate for a professional relationship. Avoid overly personal gifts or consumables.
Is it better for the team to give one gift or several smaller ones?
One substantial gift almost always lands better than a basket of smaller items. It shows alignment and intent. Agree on a combined budget, pick one standout object, and present it with a card signed by everyone. The gesture carries more weight than the sum of its parts.
When should you give the farewell gift to a colleague who is leaving?
At the farewell gathering, ideally in front of the wider team. This gives the moment its proper weight. If the team is spread across offices, give it at the last in-person occasion before their final day. Avoid presenting it on their last hour — they will have enough to manage.
What Hong Kong farewell gifts travel well when someone is relocating?
Art prints (rolled, not framed) and books travel best. Both are flat, lightweight relative to their value, and carry meaning regardless of where the person ends up. Avoid fragile ceramics, perishables, or anything that requires refrigeration.
The right farewell gift for a colleague leaving Hong Kong is one they'll still have five years from now. Something that holds the city as they knew it. → See the Iconic Hikes Hong Kong book and trail prints.