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.
Ten Things to do in Hong Kong, #8
Get In or On the Water
It’s easy, in the urban crush, to forget that Hong Kong was, at one time, almost completely made up of small fishing communities. The sea is very much a part of Hong Kong’s history and its present.
Two months ago I posted an item on Hong Kong’s beaches and how much cleaner they were than 20 years ago. I’ve also talked about riding the ferries to see how much of Hong Kong’s commercial life depends on the sea. I’ve mentioned how interesting it is to ride the water taxis in Aberdeen harbor to get a sense of how the thousands of boat people live.
Hong Kong Water Sports Center
Date: July 8th, 2006 |
2 comments
Marching for Democracy or Not!
Yesterday, July 1, was the 9th anniversary of the British hand-over of Hong Kong to the Chinese government. It was marked by two very different celebrations.
Date: July 2nd, 2006 |
No Comments
Ten Things to do in Hong Kong, #6
Bet!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If you haven’t been to the horse races in Hong Kong, you have missed something special. I particularly recommend the Happy Valley track on a Wednesday night.
The ponies run only two days a week in Hong Kong. On week-ends at the new track in Sha Tin - usually on Saturday, sometimes on Sunday or a holiday. The mid-week meeting is usually Wednesday evening at Happy Valley, where the first race was run in 1847.
Happy Valley Race Track
Date: June 28th, 2006 |
2 comments
Ten Things to do in Hong Kong, #5
Drink!!!!!!!!!
I don’t necessarily mean alcohol.
There are two types of venues that seem to attract local people. One is the teahouse. Teahouses come in all shapes and sizes and can be found in most every neighborhood. They serve herb teas. Many, but not all, of the teas are intended to help drinkers improve some aspect of their health. Some are just meant to provide a pleasant break in the day. Unfortunately I don’t know what does what for what? If you are curious, check out Dr. Chen’s Herbal Tea Website. The only one I’ve really spent time at is in the Hong Kong Heritage Museum. The shops are usually quite small with low stools for sitting. Some serve snacks or dim sum. If you are at all adventurous check one out.
As a side note, if you are interested in the history of tea and teaware the Flagstaff House Teaware Museum in Central is worth a visit. It is also the oldest colonial building left standing in Hong Kong so if you are into architecture, it’s also worth seeing.
Date: June 23rd, 2006 |
No Comments
Ten Things to do in Hong Kong, #3
Eat!!!!!!!
I’m not talking about dining at your hotel or at the over-priced tourist traps or eating Western fast food or pub food to accompany your beers. I’m talking about eating the same kind of food the locals do.
I’ve written a number of postings about restaurants in Hong Kong but I’ve not really covered local, inexpensive Cantonese cuisine. I am certainly not an expert but after fourteen years, I’ve picked up some rules of thumb. One thing I know for sure: food is very important to Hong Kong people. The normal person to person greeting isn’t, “How are you?” but rather, “Have you eaten yet?” (Actually, “Have you had your rice, yet?”)
Date: June 19th, 2006 |
No Comments
Ten Things to do in Hong Kong, #7B
This is a continuation of Ten Things to do in Hong Kong, #7A:visiting the outer islands.
I wish my wife, Pam, was writing today’s posting since she knows so much more than I do about the outer islands. She’s a hiker so she and her friends have explored many of the smaller inhabited and uninhabited islands.
Peng Chau Island Near the Ferry Terminal
Date: July 4th, 2006 |
No Comments
Ten Things to do in Hong Kong, #7A
Visit!!!!!!!!!!
“Visit what?” you ask. Well, not the usual tourist traps but rather the outlying islands, 221 of which are uninhabited and a number of which are barely inhabited.
I’ll start with the three most popular and then talk about the others in a subsequent posting.
Lantau
Lantau is the largest island in the territory and the most visited. It is the home of Chek Lap Kok Airport, Disneyland, Po Lin Monastery and its 110 foot high sitting Buddha, the soon to be opened Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car Ride, Tai O with it’s stilt housing and Discovery Bay, an expat dominated enclave. But don’t think it doesn’t have its secret places where you are unlikely to run into many other tourists.
Tai O Village on Lantau Island
Date: July 1st, 2006 |
No Comments
Pollution, Rent and Salaries in Hong Kong
In Sunday’s South China Morning Post I was not surprised to read that Western expatriates were asking for a premium to move to Hong Kong. This was particularly true if they were already based in Singapore.
Two reasons were given: pollution and high rents. Now that the SARS crisis has faded into a distant memory and the 1997 property price collapse is ancient history; rents, especially at the top end, are rising faster than a North Korean rocket. That is not even taking commercial and retail shop rents into account which are also moving up very fast.
Date: June 25th, 2006 |
1 comment
Ten Things to do in Hong Kong, #4
Ride!!!!
“Ride what?” you ask. Let’s start with one of Hong Kong’s icons, the Star Ferry. For HK$2.30 (US$0.30) or free if you are over 60, you can ride the ferry back and forth across the harbor. As long as you don’t get off, you can make the trip as many times as you wish. You better do it soon, though. At the rate the government is filling in the Harbor, the Star Ferry may soon be a memory.
The Star Ferry
Date: June 19th, 2006 |
No Comments
Shopping and Pollution in Hong Kong
At the risk of sounding less than humble, I noticed in today’s South China Morning Post that there has been verification of what I wrote in two of my recent postings.
One headline stated, “Hong Kong the world champion at sport of shopping.” The article went on to point out that an ACNielson study found Hong Kong had the highest concentration of “recreational shoppers,” those who shop for entertainment rather than necessities. The percentage is an astounding 93%, tied with Indonesia for highest in Asia. The regional average was 84% compared with 68% in the U.S. As I said in my recent posting Hong Kong people would run away with a Shopping World Cup.
As a member of the 7% minority I am at a loss to understand why this is true. Perhaps some of you readers have an idea or two. Maybe people just want to get indoors and away from the air pollution.
Date: June 16th, 2006 |
No Comments
