Time to head across the Pacific! Matt and I are still newbies when it comes to Asia travel. We have only explored a handful of major cities, and while we loved each one of them, I have to say, my favorite destination in Asia is Hong Kong. Matt's never been, but I travel yearly to meet with my company's Asia pricing and sales teams and during each visit, I fall more in love with the city. Hong Kong is easy. Everyone speaks English, all the signs are in English, and the city has a London vibe that feels familiar. Most of the neighborhoods are extremely safe, the train & ferries are exceptionally easy to navigate, and everyone we came in contact with was overly friendly. Throw in all the culture and food that is uniquely Hong Kong, and you have a pretty amazing city!
Tourists in Hong Kong
Hong Kong is made of up hundreds of islands but I've spent most of my time on Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. My office is located in Kowloon so most of my time is spent shopping and eating while navigating the area on foot. My lifelong friend, Kim, traveled to HK with me on a recent work trip and we had a blast exploring more touristy parts of the city.
Most flights from the US arrive in HK in the evening so there isn't much time to explore upon arrival. Kim and I flew United from NYC and arrived late on a Friday night. We were tired from the Transpacific flight and the time zone change so only had energy for a quick walk around Kowloon. I'm a terrible friend and sat in business class (it was a work trip after all) while I left my poor friend back in coach. She had compression socks, a neck pillow and lots of things to entertain herself, so she said it wasn't really that bad, even if the flight was over 15 hours! We took in the view of the Hong Kong skyline (and the Symphony of Lights) before heading back to the hotel for the deepest sleep we've both had in a really long time!
The next morning, we were up with the sun and excited for site seeing. We stayed at the Royal Pacific Hotel and Towers, which has an incredible breakfast buffet, so we started the day (and each day after,) by loading up on traditional Chinese and American brunch fare. After breakfast, our next stop was the Star Ferry Terminal to hop a ferry to Hong Kong Island. The ferry is cheap, reliable, and runs frequently so is definitely the best way to travel across the water. To maximize our travel time, we bought tickets on the Big Bus Tours. While many savvy tourists tend to shy away from tour buses, Kim and I are huge fans of the hop on hop off bus. The bus took us where we wanted to go, on our own time schedule, while allowing us to focus on the sites that were most important to us. I think of these types of tours as prepaid Uber with a loose schedule!
Our first stop on the tour was The Peak. An almost 90 degree angle funicular took us up the mountain to the top of Victoria Peak. If was excessively foggy so we were not able to see the 360 views we were hoping, but the view was stunning nonetheless. The tram ride alone was worth the trip!
Our favorite treat from Hong Kong was purchased at the top of The Peak. Egg waffle sundaes are perfect for Instagram, but are just as delicious as they are pretty to photograph. With that being said, I may have picked the strawberry sundae specifically for the pink accompaniments!
We hopped back on the Big Bus and headed to Repulse Bay. Grand apartment buildings and golden beaches make this vibrant neighborhood one of my favorites in Hong Kong. We didn't have time for lunch this day, but the beachfront restaurants looked like a perfect place to relax with a cocktail and small bites.
One of the most incredible sites in Repulse Bay is the Temple by the Sea. The view of the ornate gods, with the coastline in the background, is truly beautiful. Kim and I spent a lot of quiet time reflecting and being mindful, while exploring every inch of the outdoor temple.
We could have lounged on the beach all day, but there were more neighborhoods to explore! Next stop on our tour was the Aberdeen Fishing Village. Here you can take a sampan ride to experience life as a fisherman. Aberdeen is a floating village of junk boats for local fishermen and their families. The contrast of the old school community and the modern skyscrapers is quite striking. Once the center of trade for the city, the area is responsible for Hong Kong's name, which translates to Fragrant Harbor, thanks to the incense trade that took place at Aberdeen Harbor.
The sun was setting (thank you winter for your 5pm sunsets) so we only had time for one more Big Bus activity. We hadn't spent much time in Central Hong Kong, so decided to park ourselves on the top of the bus and cruise around the most happening areas of the city. The architecture in Hong Kong is unlike anything I've ever seen and the amount of skyscrapers packed into such a small area is unmatched anywhere else that I've visited. We loved being inside the city skyline.
There are so many great bars and restaurants in Central Hong Kong. I used guides from the Collective Gen to help us navigate. (The blog author is an Australian who lived in Hong Kong for many years and has the best lists of things to do in the city!) Such a great way to end our first full day in Hong Kong.
Because I had to be in the office during the week, we packed as much into the weekend as we could possibly handle! On day 2, we again used the Big Bus Tours and it came in handy for jumping the line at all the tourist attractions. I can't recommend these tours enough. Everything was quick and easy and we were able to see more than we would have without the guides.
First up was the Ngong Ping Cable Car. Our Big Bus Tour included a glass bottom car and I can not imagine the ride without being able to see the world below. I'm afraid of heights so was a tad nervous as we ascended into the sky, but the view was unbelievable and totally worth my fried nerves.
After a 1/2 hour cable car ride, we were dropped in Ngong Ping village, home of the Big Buddha and the Po Lin Monastery. The most incredible site is flying high over the mountains and seeing the Buddha come into view. Even as a relatively new sites in Hong Kong, it is very popular with tourist from all over Asia and the rest of the world. Built in 1993, Tian Tan Buddha was remarkable in size and stature. We felt a sense of peace as we walked around the massive monument.
The Big Buddha sits high above Po Lin Monastery and the entire area feels very peaceful and spiritual. We wondered the grounds for hours and we amazed at the beauty and tranquility.
The last stop on our Big Bus Tour was Tai O fishing village. We cruised the canals on a typical fishing boat and walked the boardwalks around the village. The houses are hundreds of years old and owners cannot buy and sell the huts. The stilt houses can only be passed on from generation to generation and if the family lineage dies out, the huts are returned to the government. We were flabbergasted thinking about the history and tradition and the living conditions in these stilted structures.
The town is packed with stalls selling live, fresh, and dried seafood. What else would we expect from an old school fishing village!?
Kim and I stayed in Hong Kong for another 5 days and even though I had to be in the office each day, we were able to check-off most items from our must-see list. One of the highlights of the week was afternoon tea at The Peninsula Hotel. The lobby is absolutely gorgeous and the tea and canapes were delicious. Of course we splurged and added champagne to our celebration. Afternoon Tea at the Peninsula in Hong Kong has been a bucket list item for me for quite some time. I was thankful to have Kim visiting HK with me to finally check this activity off my list.
Another one of my favorite spaces in Kowloon is the Kowloon Park. The park reminds me of Central Park in NYC or Lincoln Park in Chicago. There are playgrounds, ponds, covered walkways and so many places for relaxation or fun. My favorite time to visit is in the morning when everything is quiet and you can often see elderly men and women doing tai chi.
Perfect for an after work activity, the night markets in Kowloon are quite an experience. Stall after stall of knickknacks, kitch, and souvenir crap, my favorites are the Ladies' Market & the Flower Market. Stock up on blue and white dishes, erasable pens and little Chinese New Year change purses.
Last but definitely not least, my all time favorite thing about Hong Kong is THE FOOD! Matt and I are huge dim sum fans and there is no better place in the world for soup dumplings. I have to admit, Kim and I didn't try too many hole in the wall local restaurants, but HK is home to 3 of my favorite dim sum worldwide chains, Din Tai Fung, Tim Ho Wan, and Crystal Jade. All three are Michelin starred and freaking amazing. The food is cheap and bites are small so order all the food. I recommend pork soup dumplings, hand-pulled noodles in spicy broth, baked bbq pork buns, and sweet & sour soup. I'm drooling as I write this and will try to convince Matt to take me to Tim Ho Wan in NYC tonight :)
I've been to Hong Kong since this trip (the summer is so so hot) and while I love the city vibe anytime and really enjoy dinners & drinks out with my coworkers, nothing will compare to this trip where I experienced one of my favorite cities with one of my best friends! As I write this post, Hong Kong is under a lot of distress as the riots continue on after almost 6 months. Are hearts are with all my coworkers and everyone in the city that is fighting so fiercely for their freedom. My heart breaks for such an incredible city and everyone affected by the protests.
Love you lots, HKG.
Erin
Most flights from the US arrive in HK in the evening so there isn't much time to explore upon arrival. Kim and I flew United from NYC and arrived late on a Friday night. We were tired from the Transpacific flight and the time zone change so only had energy for a quick walk around Kowloon. I'm a terrible friend and sat in business class (it was a work trip after all) while I left my poor friend back in coach. She had compression socks, a neck pillow and lots of things to entertain herself, so she said it wasn't really that bad, even if the flight was over 15 hours! We took in the view of the Hong Kong skyline (and the Symphony of Lights) before heading back to the hotel for the deepest sleep we've both had in a really long time!
The next morning, we were up with the sun and excited for site seeing. We stayed at the Royal Pacific Hotel and Towers, which has an incredible breakfast buffet, so we started the day (and each day after,) by loading up on traditional Chinese and American brunch fare. After breakfast, our next stop was the Star Ferry Terminal to hop a ferry to Hong Kong Island. The ferry is cheap, reliable, and runs frequently so is definitely the best way to travel across the water. To maximize our travel time, we bought tickets on the Big Bus Tours. While many savvy tourists tend to shy away from tour buses, Kim and I are huge fans of the hop on hop off bus. The bus took us where we wanted to go, on our own time schedule, while allowing us to focus on the sites that were most important to us. I think of these types of tours as prepaid Uber with a loose schedule!
Our first stop on the tour was The Peak. An almost 90 degree angle funicular took us up the mountain to the top of Victoria Peak. If was excessively foggy so we were not able to see the 360 views we were hoping, but the view was stunning nonetheless. The tram ride alone was worth the trip!
We hopped back on the Big Bus and headed to Repulse Bay. Grand apartment buildings and golden beaches make this vibrant neighborhood one of my favorites in Hong Kong. We didn't have time for lunch this day, but the beachfront restaurants looked like a perfect place to relax with a cocktail and small bites.
We could have lounged on the beach all day, but there were more neighborhoods to explore! Next stop on our tour was the Aberdeen Fishing Village. Here you can take a sampan ride to experience life as a fisherman. Aberdeen is a floating village of junk boats for local fishermen and their families. The contrast of the old school community and the modern skyscrapers is quite striking. Once the center of trade for the city, the area is responsible for Hong Kong's name, which translates to Fragrant Harbor, thanks to the incense trade that took place at Aberdeen Harbor.
The sun was setting (thank you winter for your 5pm sunsets) so we only had time for one more Big Bus activity. We hadn't spent much time in Central Hong Kong, so decided to park ourselves on the top of the bus and cruise around the most happening areas of the city. The architecture in Hong Kong is unlike anything I've ever seen and the amount of skyscrapers packed into such a small area is unmatched anywhere else that I've visited. We loved being inside the city skyline.
There are so many great bars and restaurants in Central Hong Kong. I used guides from the Collective Gen to help us navigate. (The blog author is an Australian who lived in Hong Kong for many years and has the best lists of things to do in the city!) Such a great way to end our first full day in Hong Kong.
Because I had to be in the office during the week, we packed as much into the weekend as we could possibly handle! On day 2, we again used the Big Bus Tours and it came in handy for jumping the line at all the tourist attractions. I can't recommend these tours enough. Everything was quick and easy and we were able to see more than we would have without the guides.
First up was the Ngong Ping Cable Car. Our Big Bus Tour included a glass bottom car and I can not imagine the ride without being able to see the world below. I'm afraid of heights so was a tad nervous as we ascended into the sky, but the view was unbelievable and totally worth my fried nerves.
After a 1/2 hour cable car ride, we were dropped in Ngong Ping village, home of the Big Buddha and the Po Lin Monastery. The most incredible site is flying high over the mountains and seeing the Buddha come into view. Even as a relatively new sites in Hong Kong, it is very popular with tourist from all over Asia and the rest of the world. Built in 1993, Tian Tan Buddha was remarkable in size and stature. We felt a sense of peace as we walked around the massive monument.
The Big Buddha sits high above Po Lin Monastery and the entire area feels very peaceful and spiritual. We wondered the grounds for hours and we amazed at the beauty and tranquility.
The last stop on our Big Bus Tour was Tai O fishing village. We cruised the canals on a typical fishing boat and walked the boardwalks around the village. The houses are hundreds of years old and owners cannot buy and sell the huts. The stilt houses can only be passed on from generation to generation and if the family lineage dies out, the huts are returned to the government. We were flabbergasted thinking about the history and tradition and the living conditions in these stilted structures.
The town is packed with stalls selling live, fresh, and dried seafood. What else would we expect from an old school fishing village!?
Another one of my favorite spaces in Kowloon is the Kowloon Park. The park reminds me of Central Park in NYC or Lincoln Park in Chicago. There are playgrounds, ponds, covered walkways and so many places for relaxation or fun. My favorite time to visit is in the morning when everything is quiet and you can often see elderly men and women doing tai chi.
Perfect for an after work activity, the night markets in Kowloon are quite an experience. Stall after stall of knickknacks, kitch, and souvenir crap, my favorites are the Ladies' Market & the Flower Market. Stock up on blue and white dishes, erasable pens and little Chinese New Year change purses.
I've been to Hong Kong since this trip (the summer is so so hot) and while I love the city vibe anytime and really enjoy dinners & drinks out with my coworkers, nothing will compare to this trip where I experienced one of my favorite cities with one of my best friends! As I write this post, Hong Kong is under a lot of distress as the riots continue on after almost 6 months. Are hearts are with all my coworkers and everyone in the city that is fighting so fiercely for their freedom. My heart breaks for such an incredible city and everyone affected by the protests.
Love you lots, HKG.
Erin
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