One Week in Hong Kong

Last November we had the opportunity to visit Hong Kong for about a week. Here are some notable points of our visit I would like to share.

The map below show the position of the tiny Hong Kong on the South China Sea with the vast mainland China to the North.

We stayed in the Langham Place Hotel in Mongkok. It is an excellent hotel at a very reasonable rate right in the heart of Mongkok which is an area bustling with street markets, shops and restaurants. A big plus is that it practically on top of an MTR station. The staff is always friendly, helpful and very professional. The room was great with an nice view of the area (If you want a hotel with a view of the Harbour this is not the hotel for you, but then it will cost you a lot more!). On the top floor is a swimming pool and a luxury spa. One interesting thing for me that there is no floor numbered 4, 14, 24, etc. Presumably the digit 4 is bad luck in Chinese culture. If someone can enlighten me to the origin of this I would really appreciate it.

Hong Kong's rapid transport system is called the MTR and it moves millions of people everyday. With a station next to hotel we found this the most convenient way to get around. The stations are clean, easy to navigate. There are clear maps inside the station so you know which way to exit to get to where you need to go. The whole system is very efficient. We never have to wait more that a few minutes for a train. In stations with connecting lines it was a matter of getting off one train and walking over the platform where the other train was waiting. The platforms has glass doors that open in sync with the train doors making it very safe. I would recommend to stay away from rush hours when the trains could be very full.

One trip we did not make by MTR is to and from the airport, although it is possible it is a much longer and more expensive journey. it was more convenient and cheaper for us to take a bus to and from the airport.

Talking about transportation. One amazingly cheap trip is on the Star ferry from Kowloon to Hong Kong Island. These ferries has been build in the fifties, are still running today and cost only HK$2.20 for an adult. I recommend you take at least one of these trips by day and another by night to enjoy the views of the skyline on both sides of the harbour.

This is highest point on Hong Kong Island behind all the massive skyscrapers. You can get there by taking a very steep cable car which takes up and up until you are above the highest skyscrapers. It is also possible to get there by a local bus. The views from the top are fantastic. We were there in the day, but I believe visiting the peak at night is even more impressive.

You can get to Lantua island by a ferry trip from Hong Kong harbour followed by a bus drive over the island to the Po Lin Monastery. The main attraction one of the biggest Buddha statutes you will ever see on top a steep hill. You reach the Buddha itself by walking up a long stairway. The monastery itself is also very impressive. The smell of burning incense is everywhere.

Hong Kong has more than enough upmarket shopping malls but what is more exciting are the street markets.,

In Kowloon, there is a Jade Market specializing in green jade jewelery and anything else that can be made from the stuff. The ladies market in Mongkok , sells amongst other things cheap "designer" handbags, jewelery, "copy watches". There is also a bird market and a fish market which we did not have time to visit.

In the same area in Mongkok there is a street with about 3 blocks just selling electronics and the very next street is the same but just sneaker stores.

There are plenty of restaurants and not only Chinese food. One night we went to Hong Kong barbeque, not to be confused with an American barbecue. Here you get cook your own food on a gas powered grill built into your table. You select you food bring it to your table and cook it yourself.

Food is also prepared and sold on the street in many places. Since few of these vendors communicate well in English we had to rely on trail and error (or point and pay) and many times you may not be sure what we were eating, but it is usually very tasty.

In desert houses you can get anything from fruit balls and red bean ice cream.

This beautiful site is often overlooked by tourists. The Nan Lian gardens are meticulously maintained providing a tranquil atmosphere and can be visited for free. There is an interesting display of the unique construction method that was used in many Buddhist buildings in China where the wooden beams and supports are all interlocked without using a single nail. The beautiful wooden Chi Lin Nunnery building adjacent to the garden is an example of this type of construction.

This village is situated on the south side of Hong Kong island. A bus ride will take you on a road with many sharp turns over to the quieter side of the island. On the way there we got glimpses some very beautiful beaches. Stanley village is known for its outdoor market where you can bargain for silk dresses and many other products. There are two nice beaches. I was surprised to see very little people on the beaches considering the size of the Hong Kong population. An impressive looking building is the the Murray House, an old government building that was dismantled, moved to rebuild in its present location. There are also several restaurants and bars.

Hong Kong is ideal start for a visit to mainland China. Alas with only one week available all we could manage was a one day trip up to Guangzhou. I will write about that in another hub later.