These are my impressions of Hong Kong following my first ever trip there. If you are thinking of travelling to Hong Kong I hope this travel guide will be of use to you. Where possible I have included links to sites with relevant information to help expand your research.
The first noticeable thing about Hong Kong, after skimming the ocean and landing at the airport on Chek Lap Kok island, is the architecture. The bus from the airport, across Lantau Island and over to the New Territories, takes you past the many mid-20th century concrete monoliths perched precariously on the coasts with their air conditioning units hanging on to the sides.
Civilian housing seems to come in three forms: grey high-rise flats packing as many people into a small area as possible; small villages on islands and in the New Territories; and fenced-off multi-millionaire villas in the more beautiful areas of Hong Kong.
Within the densely urban areas space is not restricted to shopping alone, you only need to look up to see the grey flats arching above you in varying stages of degradation with neon signs hanging in webs of bamboo.
The two most beautiful types of building belong to the major businesses and the traditional/religious areas. A Chinese pagoda is probably more striking now that it is set to a backdrop of colour-changing feng-shuied fog-piercing offices.
It is difficult to decide whether the housing in Hong Kong is generally delapitated and depressing because people seem uninterested spending most of their lives out on the town, or that people are out so much because their homes are depressing. Probably a bit of both and either way it makes for crowded social cities.
That Hong Kong is so crowded, in fact the third densist populated country in the world, understandably influences the general behaviour of the inhabitants. Holding a door open for someone results in a cold stare more often than a thank you and even the most fragile looking elderly lady will dig an elbow in your ribs to get on an escalator.
So, what do people do in Hong Kong?
- Shop.
- Queue to eat.
- Eat.
- Shop to metabalise the whole chicken, squid, cow, fish, pig and field of rice just consumed.
Eating is equivalent to going out for a drink with friends in the UK. Why then are the people in Hong Kong slim whilst in the UK they are chubby and innebriated? Because they shop all day long in the thousands of small independant stores selling everything you could possibly need at tax free prices.
For any public transport sufferers, Hong Kong is a transport haven. True you will be standing for a lot of the time in the underground system (MTR) and on trams, but the sheer frequency and choices of public transport is astonishing. There is:
- Mass Transit Railway (underground railway).
- Kowloon-Canton Railway (overground railway).
- Tramways (serve the cities).
- Buses (serve the main routes).
- Public light buses (seem to go everywhere).
- Taxis.
- Ferries (including the famous Star Ferry).
- Cable cars (not for the feint hearted).
And what links everything together? The Octupus card. This simple rectangle of plastic, once topped up with sufficient dollars, with a simple swipe allows you onto every form of transport going (as well as getting you into attractions and paying for dinner) with the appropriate amount deducted everytime. Once your Octopus is depleted visit a shop and top it back up. Easy.
Why stay at home and cook for yourself when you can buy a freshly made meal cooked to perfection in minutes for 30HKD? Why? Because if you fancy eating your food at a regular time then you are going to have to queue. But, look around for a shorter queue or wait patiently and chances are you will be rewarded with an affordable delicious meal.
After your evening meal go to Honeymoon Dessert! They have several restaurants scattered around Hong Kong with the original in Sai Kung. You can even impress them with your Cantoneese: "Mongo Pooding" (Mango Pudding!). Try everything and wash it down with a large selection of freshly squeezed juices.
Breakfast can be a difficult meal to conquer in Hong Kong. The locals do not seem to differentiate it from any other meal and are quite content to eat more meat with rice and the most disgusting tea ever tasted (powdered tea or powered milk?). Dim Sum, meat wrapped in glutenous rice and deep fried, though raved about in most travel guides, can be particularly difficult to stomach in the morning. Do not be disheartened though, head to Maxim, Fairwood or Café de Coral and fill yourself up with bacon, toast, baked beans, sausages and other food more agreeable with your morning palette.
What do you do in Hong Kong when you are not shopping or eating? My top ten attractions are:
- Ocean Park - Cable cars, marine life, birds, pandas, rides and great views from the southern tip of Hong Kong island.
- Lamma Island - One of the best hikes from Yung Shue Wan to Sok Kwu Wan with wonderful fresh sea food aplenty (though at tourist prices).
- Disney Land - You are visiting a piece of America in Hong Kong but the amount of rides and performances packed into the small area is great value.
- Ngong Ping - An area of Lantau Island that can be reached via a 3.5 mile cable car journey and contains the Tian Tan Giant Buddha, the Wisdom Path and another Honeymoon Dessert.
- Heritage Museum - Based in Sha Tin with twelve galleries giving a great insight into the historical and modern cultures of Hong Kong.
- Cheung Chau Island - A small island where you can hire bikes and visit a rather underwhelming "smugglers cave". Great views.
- Kadoorie Farm - Demonstrating the value of organic farming and natural environments; the mini bus tour of the mountains offers amazing panoramas.
- Repulse Bay - A lovely beach away from the busy cities and surrounded by upmarket housing. An attractive temple is also here with plenty of statues.
- The Peak - Sitting in a tram being pulled up a mountain at a 45° angle is the fun before the breathtaking views of the harbour skyscrapers. Best visited at dusk.
- Kowloon Walled City Park - An interesting mix of military, colonial and traditional architecture. A lovely collection of statues from the Chinese zodiac.
Discover Hong Kong has a great list of attractions as well.
The weather reporters in Hong Kong have a particularly melodramatic view of what constitutes "wet" or "heavy". Considering that the relative humidity is always high, it is easy to be misled by reports of heavy rain and to consequently brave the day in a fully seam-sealed waterproof jacket with matching trousers. Monsoons do happen, but for the rest of the time rain is a gentle mist that fails to evaporate in the heat because of the humidity.
Pollution is still a problem in Hong Kong with the city air seemingly trapped amongst the density of buildings. It is no wonder that the peaks are so popular with locals and tourists alike.
During my visit in March, the consistent temperatures from day to day, even extending into the night, make for a comfortable experience and you will only be reaching for a fleece as you watch the sun set from the Peak.
