Hong Kong is busy, expensive, overcrowded but lots of fun. I can’t say that I will be racing back to Hong Kong any time soon but I am glad that I have been.
This is defiantly an expensive city so I would suggest overestimating your spending money before you go. Not the place I would head to for a “cheapie” holiday, which are totally valid and some of the best holidays. Lets face it we don’t all just have endless funds to drop while travelling…if only right?
Anyway moving on from the money side of things, this a beautiful city but very much a city! I think the point of going to Hong Kong is to embrace the culture and with that comes the business and crowds. You can defiantly find little gaps of peace though.
One of the best thing to do is catch a ferry across Hong Kong Harbour, a practical way to get across it and a nice break from the train system. The ferries remind me of the old ferries in Sydney Harbour.
Also a classic is heading up the Peak (centre image below). You get some really scenic views of Hong Kong but head there early, the line for the tram gets insane! I mean obviously, I think I have already covered how many people there are. So we headed there just before it opened and go onto the second tram of the day, this was great because the Peak itself wasn’t crowded and we got to walk around in peace.
Next on my list is visit a temple, I really love to immerse myself in local culture when travelling because there is no better way to see a place. Below are pictures from Man Mo Temple on Hollywood Road. This is one of the oldest traditional-styles temples in Hong Kong and was built-in the colonial era in 1847. This temple in nestled in and surrounded by sky scrapers.
There are over 600 temples in Hong Kong ranging in various religious beliefs, so there is something for everyone.
If you are looking for some peace in the busy city head to Kowloon Park, right in the centre of Tsim Sha Tsui. This once military fortress that was handed over to the public in 1970 is filled with lush gardens. My mum and I took a walk and found some local performance’s that were super fun to watch.
You have to go to at least one night market while you are there, they are super busy but super fun. I cannot for the life of me remember the name of the market we went too – my sisters local friend took us to a few and this was a few years ago now. There are so many, you can look up some recommendation or ask a local.
I had never been to a Disney Land or World before so I took this opportunity to go. OMG does your inner child come out or what! I have no shame in loving Disney in my 20’s and this was one of the best days I had. Not sure why but there were no crowds…like none. I think my longest wait for a ride was 5 minuets, which is basically unheard of. There were quite a few people but a lot of families with young kinds that couldn’t go on the ride I was interested in.
We spent the whole day there, if you are planning to go just commit a day. We were exhausted after. It’s only a short train ride from the city and the trains run very consistently so getting there is easy.
Another one (not pictured) is the Hong Kong Ocean Park, much smaller and we only spent a half day there. I think it would be really good for families with younger kids.
Chi Lin Nunnery and Nan Lian Garden cut through Diamond Hills expansive sky scrapers and high-rise apartments with beautiful traditional architecture and gardens. Chi Lin Nunnery was established in 1934 and renovated in Tang dynasty style (AD 618–907) in 1990, the Chi Lin Nunnery is a large temple complex of elegant wooden architecture, treasured Buddhist relics and soul-soothing lotus ponds. The Nan Lian Gardens is a public space that were also designed in the Tang dynasty style and span over 3.5 hectares.
We visited here on our last day in Hong Kong at it was such a beautiful a peaceful way to end out trip. the gardens are serene and easy to while away a day in.
Food time! I thought about doing a whole post on restaurants but it has been a few years since I visited so I am unsure if any of my recommendations would still be open. My top pick is a Korean BBQ called 7080, we went back multiple times because it was just so good! I love food so we went to lots of different restaurants but this is the only one that I am certain is still open.
Fashionable Flavours 