Exotic Hong Kong

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Overview

Deep in thought Photo - Hong Kong, China

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A breathtaking setting spread around a magnificent harbor, Hong Kong is a heady mix of east-meets-west, towering skyscrapers jostling for space, narrow atmospheric laneways, towering mountains and a long interesting history. No matter where you decide to stay, you will visit the other parts of the city.Down along the harbour on the Kowloon side is a great boardwalk to stroll along and visit the “Avenue of the Stars” and have your photo taken with some homegrown names like Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee, well, statues of them in any case. The harbour is also the prime spot to watch Hong Kong’s nightly light show where, at 8pm, many of the skyscrapers light up with a synchronized symphony of lights...Read More

A breathtaking setting spread around a magnificent harbor, Hong Kong is a heady mix of east-meets-west, towering skyscrapers jostling for space, narrow atmospheric laneways, towering mountains and a long interesting history. No matter where you decide to stay, you will visit the other parts of the city.

Down along the harbour on the Kowloon side is a great boardwalk to stroll along and visit the “Avenue of the Stars” and have your photo taken with some homegrown names like Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee, well, statues of them in any case. The harbour is also the prime spot to watch Hong Kong’s nightly light show where, at 8pm, many of the skyscrapers light up with a synchronized symphony of lights that is fabulous to see.

I really enjoyed just wandering around the back alleys without a sign in English to be seen and peeking in the cramped, old-fashioned shops, watching the locals going about their everyday trade.
Who knows what treasures could be hidden away, lost over the years past?

Kowloon Park is a nice green space to stroll and escape from the crowds and traffic. It is over 13 hectares and boasts a huge range of facilities including a large pond, a Chinese garden, and a large swimming pool and sports center. It is also a tremendous spot to observe the locals, many of whom socialize here or indulge in some tai chi or board games.

A ferry ride on the harbour is a must do on everyone’s itinerary, and for a very good reason, as it is amazing. You can do this via the normal ferry service or, as we did, by accident we took the “tourist” Star Ferry Harbour Tour on a complete circuit around the harbour hopping off when we wanted and reboarding when ready. It was actually a good result as the ferry wasn’t crowded so we could make the most of the views and it also included afternoon tea as well. With a cost of HK, the ticket was valid from 11:05am to 5:05pm, so it gave enough time to explore each stop around the harbour. After all our walking, this was a welcome respite.

Quick Tips:

Another must-do is the bus trip to Stanley. The town itself is not the attraction, but the trip there. Take the old-fashioned double decker bus and sit at the top to receive fantastic views as you wind your way around the twisting road. You may find yourself holding on for dear life without even realizing it. When in Stanley, there are some great restaurants for a leisurely lunch. There are also some markets, but they are extraordinarily overpriced.

Back in Kowloon, there is a huge range of top-end shops to be found in the glitzy shopping malls.

If these are not your style, or your budget doesn’t stretch that far, opt for the Markets. We found that the shopping was good but the range of some goods, such as watches, was not as wide as other Asian shopping hubs.

The main tourist area near the harbour is just filled with cameras and shops with huge flashing neon signs trying their best to lure another shopper in. If you are going to buy, before you commit, pop into one the cafes with internet connection and check the prices online first just to make sure that your price is on par, as haggling is a way of life here and there’s a good chance you might pay more than you should!

We happened to visit Hong Hong Island on a Sunday. I have never seen anything like it. Thousands of predominantly Filipinos sitting on the ground in every available space meeting with friends, picnicking, or just relaxing. The roads were even closed to accommodate them all. Talk about keeping the economy running.

We visited in mid-June and arrived in the middle of the worst thunderstorm in forty years and it was cloudy or raining the entire time. Not a problem when it came to shopping, but a bit of interference for sightseeing.

As a result, we had to skip some of the most well known attractions, such as the cable car ride up to the Peak. It was so mist shrouded there would not have been a hope of seeing anything.

Something to keep in mind as to when you plan your visit.

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BP International

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Hotel

Night Photo - BP International, Hong Kong, China

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We opted to stay at BP International, a.k.a. Scout’s Headquarters. Don’t be scared off by the thought of being surrounded by a million Scouts on Jamboree, they have their own entrance, reception, elevators, and are limited to certain floors of the hotel.The hotel is in a great location close to the subway and shopping. The Lobby was something you would expect in a ritzy hotel with a huge airy atrium and lots of chrome and glass.Our room was a good size considering space is at such a premium and the fittings were modern and, most importantly, the bed was really comfortable. I was taken with the space-saving bits like the hidden cavity in the desk, open ...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on April 28, 2007

BP International
8 Austin Road Tsimshatsui
Hong Kong
+852 2376 1111

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Eating Tips

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Restaurant

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If like us you spend so much time shopping and eating is due to necessity to keep going try Yoshinoya, a franchise that offers healthy food with fast food service. A bowl of rice, marinated chicken or beef or similar and a big helping of super fresh vegetables. Order at the counter and your food is served in a big bowl within minutes and really tasty too. Dinner for two $50 HK dollars, just over $5. In fact this little restaurant became our staple food stop during our stay.There are some great cafes like Starbucks or the Pacific Coffee Company that has some great bakery items for a quick lunch and also offer free Internet access for 10 or 15 minutes while you sip your coffee. Long enough ...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on April 28, 2007

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Ladies Market

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Attraction

Hong Kong Harbour Photo - Ladies Market, Hong Kong, China

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The Ladies Market is a definite one not to miss. With stall after stall of kitsch souvenirs and every imaginable thing you could desire such as handbags, watches, T-shirts, DVD’s, jackets, Cheongsam dresses, Mahjong & Chess sets and the list just goes on and on.Copyright pirating is taken seriously here, especially when it comes to handbags and watches. Clothing doesn’t seem to be quite as stringent. My racing mad nephew was lucky enough to receive a Holden racing jacket that would cost $100’s of dollars at home but cost me a fraction of that.If you have your heart set on a “designer” label handbag, wallet or watch it is still possible, pick your mark and they will take you up one ...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on April 28, 2007

Ladies Market
Tung Choi Street
Kowloon, China

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