[Closed] What should i do in Hong Kong?

What time of year and where are you staying?

Food! Almost too many good places of recommend! Whereabouts will you be based?

Walk and look - Red Markets, The Peak, etc

Wan Chai - drink and rock in Amazonia
LKF - you know you'll end up there

Trip to the beach at Stanley, perhaps? Cold beers at Smugglers (Philipino San Miguel FTW![img] [/img]

Oh, and the food....

The Red bus tour tour is good and you get the mountain top railway in with it.

Spending a small fortune getting drunk in Wan Chai? Although if you're going for work the people you're meeting there may fork out for as much drink as you can stand.

Bruce Lee statue is cool, the ferry across the bay is decent for the sights, particularly at night. TST as a place just seems to be full of people offering "copy rolex" on every corner.

You can apparently get shirts and suits made up cheaply but I've never done it myself.

Oh and on certain nights of the week you get OAPs ballroom dancing on some of the pedestrianised streets.

Ladies market is full of tat. If you want any hooky clobber head over the border to Luo Wu station shopping centre and be prepared to haggle.

The peak has decent views for a visit too.

nickdavies - Member
What time of year and where are you staying?

March, not sure yet. Not Hong Kong Island or downtown.

re. getting drunk - i don't drink.

Eat! Eat! Eat!

Shop! Shop! Shop!

Sit and watch the world goes by!

Relax! 😆

I'd love to go back again! Was there in 1991 and loved it; the sights, the smells and the general atmosphere - wonder how much its changed since handing back to China.

My main piece of advice would be to get a decent flight.
1. If work aren't offering business class you want a day off after the flight. And a better employer 😈
2. Get a flight out of the UK as late as possible. If you need to change flights, try and do it in Western Europe. With luck you get a long flight that starts around midnight that you can sleep most of the way through.
3. If you have to change flights outside of Europe, go with Emirates.
4. Take a pair of boxers, socks and a t-shirt in your hand luggage.
5. Get some nice earplugs to help sleeping on the plane. You'll get some on the plane with an eye mask, but decent earplugs are much comfier.

If you wake up at 4am, go to the hotel gym, exercise and go and have breakfast. Gets any last bit of jet lag out of your system.

househusband - Member

I'd love to go back again! Was there in 1991 and loved it; the sights, the smells and the general atmosphere - wonder how much its changed since handing back to China.

I think the ZM bureaucratic Chinese killed off street food ... very very sad.

Plenty of good street food still around.

It is certainly changing, though. Not necessarily for the best.

The young HKers hate, and I mean vehemently hate, mainlanders. It's an increasingly febrile place.

Haven't been for about a year, though.

Things I like doing
Cable car to the big Budda
The Peak
Walking around TST
Walking around shopping on the island
A trip to Luo Wo for "cheap" Stuff
The Sky 100 has some great views on a nice day
A look round Wong Tai Sin Temple is interesting.
The ferry
Just have a wonder around there is loads to see and do those are just a few.

If I went to HK, first thing I'd do would be BigDummy 😉

Try wooloomloo in wan chai great food but amazing views
And ozone bar for the views again.
Macau is good if something is on... I was there for the races a few years ago and the place was crazy. Possible no so good when a normal week.

@scaredypants - I've done BigDummy, slightly disappointing in retrospect.

Surf's pretty good at Big Wave Bay, can be busy at weekends tho

Coke and hookers.

I found a bloke who hired bikes, and guided, and spent a day riding some great trails with great views 🙂

@scaredypants - I've done BigDummy, slightly disappointing in retrospect.

I think that was just after my last visit. Sorry about that.

Get on a plane to Palawan and never return?

March is a nice time to go, usually good weather not to hot and wet. Not on the island and not down town I assume means a bit further north, I'd probably look at hiring a mtb and a guide for a day up north. Something I've always wanted to do but never had chance. I think stevomcd of this parish is the man to ask about that.

If the weather is nice climbing Victoria peak is pretty much the obligatory HK thing to do, view isn't great if you get an overcast day. Lantau island is worth a visit you can see the Buddha and the monastery there. If you've got a Sunday evening flight back Lantau works well to do as you can checkin your bags in town then go to Lantau then the airport. Stanley market is fun to get lost in for an hour or so. If you did a day on the island head back on the star ferry at dusk and watch the harbour light show from Kowloon side at 8.30 then you could head up to the night market north of tsim tsa tsui on the way back. Just watch your pockets as you get up towards Mongkok after dark.

No drinking rules out a night in wan chai, but that's not always a bad thing! You can do it without beer, if you're into music then as flashy mentions Amazonia is good and round the corner from that is the wanch - take earplugs everything goes to 11 and it's about the size of your front room. If you're going to HK with work you'll probably do a few nights in wan chai, I'm sure your colleagues will show you the sights...

Back out end of Feb early March myself not been for 12 months which is my longest hiatus for many years.

Tom_W1987 - Member

Get on a plane to Palawan and never return?

You will not return because Abu Sayaff, ISIS affiliated, will kidnap you ... seriously ... don't! 😯

Go riding!

Tai Lam has a few fun trails. Sounds like some really good tech stuff out on Lantau Island too.

Steve from MTBHK is geared up for people on short trips like you and wanting to go for a few hours' blast, and he'll sort you out with a bike, and pick you up from somewhere central-ish.

http://www.mtbhk.com/mtb_hk/mtb_guided_rides.html

CaptJohn, hit us up if you want some riding. It's not worth travelling around the world for, but it's entertaining enough.

🙂

You've gotta love STW, it can read minds! I'll be arriving in HK in one weeks time for a 5 day visit. First time in about 25 years. Some nice suggestions there. Thanks for the tips 😀

Go for a Chinese.

Much of above. Went for a looooong weekend at end of November. Loved it.

If you go to the peak, go for a wander up to The gardens then do Governors walk - nice circuit and much quieter than other paths.

Lantau was ace - boat from central, bus to monastery and cable car back to metro station. Wasn't too enamoured with Kowloon but loved HK island. Also mid levels escalator and dried fish district, and HK park in Central. Do some team rides. Star Ferry is also amazing and about 25p for a crossing.

Get an octopus card, makes travel so much easier. Works on everything and you can buy stuff in convenience stores. It's not a big place, we went to Lantau and were back on HK island by mid afternoon, which frees you up to do something else.

And the food. By Christ, the food!

For flight, late flight from Western Europe plus a few drinkies and a film. Noise cancelling earphones were a godsend, enabled us to get a decent amount of sleep in WT+ (BA premium economy - was our own money!). Just make yourself stay up to normal time, then get up at normal time - we were actually not too disorientated.

Don't bother with Stanley, expensive, crap, and tacky. Fully of stero typical ra ra expats. Aimed at the gweilo.

The new territories has some good hiking. Sai Kung is worth a visit. I think it was Tuen Mun where you van buy fish from one side of the road and get it cooked over the otherside.

It you are prepaired to pay for a visa (single entry can be bought at the boarder) the market just over the board in Shenzen is worth a trip.

P.S. Not drinking in HK is no issue, it snot a plac eyou feel "out of the loop" by not drinking ime, the only exception may be some areas of central.

Lok Cha Tea Shop in Hong Kong Gardens is always my highlight (dim sum and tea).

Mostly I just wander the streets soaking it all in. It's remarkably safe.

Public transport is cheap as chips, so Peak Tram (don't bother with the 'add-on's') and harbour ferry are must-do's. I like walking back down from The Peak and then getting a taxi once you hit mid-levels to eat in SoHo.

Photos from last trip here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/tryingtimes/sets/72157661325294171

Lok Cha Tea Shop in Hong Kong Gardens is always my highlight (dim sum and tea).

You will not return because Abu Sayaff, ISIS affiliated, will kidnap you ... seriously ... don't!

Palawan is fine. Just don't go right down south on the side that faces Mindanao - much safer than Egypt/Morocco etc etc and people seem happy to go there.

Has anyone mentioned the food yet?

Got to do the street market - food is fantastic, plastic chairs but great food. laser shows pretty cool at 8pm across the bay and great to take the tram up to the top of the island. Enjoy.
Business class emirates if you can - the bar on the A380 is fun

BillMC - Member
Go for a Chinese.

Stone him/her!

Go for Cantonese/Hakka or Hong Kong-nese ... Not Chinese. 😛

Tom_W1987 - Member

You will not return because Abu Sayaff, ISIS affiliated, will kidnap you ... seriously ... don't!

Palawan is fine. Just don't go right down south on the side that faces Mindanao - much safer than Egypt/Morocco etc etc and people seem happy to go there.

They are expanding their geographical reach so it's too close for comfort especially when they see high value white man/woman ... They usually come in a 12 feet high powered narrow speedboats that grab and run then ask for major ransom to fund their cause or head off.

3. If you have to change flights outside of Europe, go with Emirates.

Or, if you take migraines and may want cocodamol, sack that and go via Singapore (see also if you want a transit that doesn't absolutely suck). I speak from experience of shepherding a very broken and upset newlywed wife through Dubai airport scrums. Been to Changi myself and the difference is night and day.

As for HK, if eating chinese go for pork if you normally do chicken, it tastes better than here and the chicken they use tends to be on the bone and skin which isn't to everyones taste.

laser shows pretty cool at 8pm across the bay

Lol, symphoney of light.

Star Ferry is always fun, Peak is a must see (the restaurant at the top is nice after dark), the aviary that may be in Hong Kong park or the one neext door? Plus plenty of temples and gardens out in Sha Tin, Prince Edward and such.

As mentioned it's very safe, we used to cut about the streets at all hours and it was always busy with nobody bothering you. Depending on your flight you can also check in at the main train station.

Another vote for the sky 100, but try and time it so you are up there as the sun sets.

You must also do an evening ride on the trams a great way to see HK and it not expensive.

The escalator that takes you up forever, not sure where it is (slightly drunk) was great fun.

Just go explore, one of the safest cities to walk round day or night I have ever been to.

I am back there in Feb 🙂

The escalator that takes you up forever, not sure where it is (slightly drunk) was great fun.

Wasn't the temples in Sha Tin was it? Or possibly in the city, Central or Admiralty? City on a weekend is eerie, like something from The Omega Man. Till you turn a corner and find a couple of hundred women sitting gabbing, then it's just surreal.

The Peak Lookout restaurant was the one we went to, was a great night despite mixed reviews on tripadvisor

Re flights, why on earth do anything with a transfer when direct is available?

Till you turn a corner and find a couple of hundred women sitting gabbing, then it's just surreal.

Domestic staff on their day off. Usually on the covered bridges, out of the sun and/or rain. They tend to gather in groups that correspond with their 'home' towns or villages. If you look closer, there's also a hierarchy among each group. It's fascinating.

Re flights, why on earth do anything with a transfer when direct is available?

OP plenty of good advice, if you are going in March check dates of 7's rugby to either take part (not the same sober) or avoid.

Food, yes real dim sum and crispy duck
Peak plus ride a tram or two
Look round some markets, try and find as local as possible
Take ferry to/from Kowloon, it isn't the ramshackle local place it was 30 years ago but parts still interesting, have a snoop around the Peninsular Hotel ?
Consider boat/junk trip inc to the seafood places "round the corner" (excuse me I've forgotten the names)

As with BigDummy, if you want to get some riding in, and this time of the year is probably the best for temperature (though a bit wet at the moment), hit him up.
If you have any questions about where to eat and shop, feel free to email me, its in the profile.

Nice timely thread. I'm off to Hong Kong tonight for a week!

I go twice a year and I enjoy my time there. As everyone says great food!

Thanks for the advice all, i've got some research to do on what to try and fit in!