Hong Kong Travel Tips
This is a catch-all category for information on how to get here, accomodations, how to get around, where to find stuff and how to ask for it. Some of this information is often only known by locals. Hopefully, these tips will make your visit or stay more interesting, exciting and satisfying.
Cheap Thrills in Hong Kong
From the elegant afternoon tea service at the Peninsula Hotel, to designer shopping in Central, to family dim sum at Maxim’s; Hong Kong has a deserved reputation of being high class and expensive. However, it isn’t necessary to have Jackie Chan’s budget to enjoy Hong Kong, especially if you’re traveling with kids who would rather be on the move than sitting through a multi-course meal. In fact, many of my family’s favorite moments involve flinging ourselves on something that moves, which in Hong Kong, is usually free or cheap.
Get the wind blowing through your hair and ride the upper deck of Hong Kong’s historical trolleys. For only 25 cents you can experience the thrill of a high level ride through the Admiralty and Central districts. Riding in the top of a double decker bus, (especially at night) is a perfect way to get an overview of the streets and be dazzled by the lights. Buses going up Nathan Road from Tsim Sha Tsui have an especially scenic route.
Date: April 22nd, 2008 |
1 comment
BootsnAll is Having a Party - and You’re Invited
When you can’t be traveling in exotic destinations, the next best thing is to talk with other travelers about exotic destinations. This is precisely why we at BootsnAll get together each year and invite people to join us - and it’s why we’re inviting you, too!
WHAT: BootsnAll Holiday Party
WHEN: Saturday, December 1, 2007 from 7pm until 11pm
WHERE: Lucky Labrador Beer Hall, 1945 NW Quimby St., Portland OR 97209
Our annual holiday party is a great chance to meet up with other like-minded travel enthusiasts to share information and swap stories. It’s also our opportunity to say “thank you” to all the …
Date: October 25th, 2007 |
No Comments
Hong Kong’s Best Hostels
When you’re looking for a place to stay in Hong Kong, staying in a hostel is usually the cheapest way to go. And sleeping cheap means you’ll have a little extra money for all that high-powered shopping or fancy dining you’re planning to do while you’re there! After all, this is Hong Kong, city of boutiques and famous restaurants - neither of which require that you spend an arm and a leg on an expensive hotel room.
But how do you know which are the best hostels in Hong Kong? Well, this new list …
Date: September 14th, 2007 |
No Comments
Lights Out in Hong Kong
Tonight’s the night for Hong Kong’s lights Out” campaign to focus attention on the deteriorating air quality in Hong Kong.
Not everyone is participating, though. Chief Executive Donald Tsang has opted out because he says it “could give adverse publicity to Hong Kong…” This means the Symphony of Lights will go on as usual at 8:00 PM.
Those participating will turn their lights out for three minutes at 8:00 PM in order to draw attention to the pollution issue in Hong Kong. I’m not sure that just stepping outside and taking a deep breath won’t do the job but activists will be …
Date: August 7th, 2006 |
No Comments
Good News and Bad News
Depending on how you look at it, both items could be good news.
In the same spirit that moves Warren Buffet and Bill Gates, the Liu family of Hong Kong announced that they are not going to sell the family 3 hectare garden in Kowloon to a developer as was originally planned but instead will set it up in a trust so that it can be made available to all.
This is good news for all the people of Hong Kong who are concerned at the continued development of both sides of the harbor. There must be some balance between development and …
Date: July 13th, 2006 |
No Comments
Tuen Ng Festival (Dragon Boat Festival)
Tuen Ng Festival or the Dragon Boat Festival is a traditional Chinese festival held each year on the fifth day of the fifth month on the Chinese calendar. In western date, that would be June 8 in 2008.
Origins
There are many findings about the origin of the festival. Legend has it that the patriotic scholar-statesman Chu Yuan committed suicide (by drowning) to protest against the emperor. People respected Chu Yuan and when they heard that he had drowned, they jumped on boats to search for him. As they failed to find him, they started to hit the drums and make a lot of noise to scare the fish so that they won’t eat Chu Yuan. Also they tossed cooked rice in the river so that the fish won’t eat the poor man’s body. They started to wrap the cooked rice in bamboo leaves which evolved in today’s rice dumplings.
Date: February 7th, 2008 |
No Comments
Globe Trekker Hong Kong TV Programs On Demand
What’s the best way to “visit” Hong Kong without actually getting on a plane? The answer is simple - seeing a travel TV show about Hong Kong. You feel like you’re there, and, if you’re planning a trip, it allows you to get a better feel for the place than photographs or guidebooks ever could. And with the new GlobeTrekkerChannel you’ll be able to watch programs about Hong Kong (and lots of other destinations worldwide) at your leisure.
The GlobeTrekkerChannel already offers more than 350 hours of excellent programming, and more is on …
Date: September 19th, 2007 |
No Comments
Food Is All in Hong Kong
I recently attended the Hong Kong Food Expo at the Convention Center.
My wife, Pam, and I intended to go on Sunday afternoon, thinking it would be a pleasant way of killing a rainy PM, snacking our way around the hundreds of exhibitor booths.
WRONG! The crush to get anywhere near the entrance was such that we decided to hit the nearby Pacific Coffee outlet and have a light lunch.
The next day, which was the last day of the Expo, I decided to see what all the excitement was about. I figured since it was Monday and the last day the crowds would have diminshed considerably.
Date: August 23rd, 2006 |
1 comment
Back in Hong Kong: Missed the Chaos
Hong Kong was visited by a typhoon, Prapiroon, which threw the air traffic situation into total chaos. Hundreds of flights were cancelled or diverted. Thousands of people spent the night at the airport.
The Hong Kong Observatory hoisted a number 3 signal instead of a number 8. Their criteria had to do with the wind force at Victoria Harbor. So even though the winds did not reach 100 KMH there they were over 200 KMH at the airport. Times have changed since the current system was installed in 1917. Boats are not the major concern, anymore. In true bureaucratic fashion the Observatory said they acted just as they were supposed to without acknowledging that following the rules to the letter put people’s lives in danger and helped create a mess at Chek Lap Kok Airport.
Date: August 6th, 2006 |
No Comments
Promenade and Avenue of the Stars Re-opening.
Last night, while on the way to a Hong Kong Philharmonic performance, we stumbled into a new attraction next to the Cultural Center.
It’s a 10 minute water, light and music show and was truly amazing. One of the effects is to project messages and pictures on to a thin sheet of water so that the message moves and disappears as the water falls. The show we saw was at 7:30 PM. As far as I know the schedule has not been published.
The Cultural Center From Victoria Harbor
Date: July 9th, 2006 |
No Comments
