General: Hong Kong > Reviews > Holidayer's Paradise

Author's product rating:   

Value for Money
Shopping
Nightlife
Ease of getting around
Family Friendly

Advantages:	You can haggle more or less anywhere, fantastic views, cheap goods, good transport system
Disadvantages:	No cosumer rights, durian fruits( ! ), humid

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

I've only been to Hong Kong thrice in my life (only?!) but the most memorable time was the November of 2001. This was due to a few factors such as i was 18 at the time (the last times I went I was 9 and then again when I was 11) and I went predominantly for my cousin's wedding.

Hong Kong is usually very hot throughout the entire year. This is good news for all you lobsters out there! But seriously folks, here's the main points of interest:

(SHOPPING)

There are many market stalls in hong kong, which sell a broad range of souvenirs and clothes. Believe it or not, it's actually cheaper to buy new clothes than it is to get them washed at the launderette. Many small shops also offer a clothes altering service where you can leave your new trousers with them for a day (or pay $50hk and go back in 30 minutes) and they'll take them up to the required length.

A great place to try shopping (and haggling, believe me, it works almost everywhere) is Tai Po and Temple Street night market. Temple Street is the best place to shop during the warm evenings and is situated in Kowloon a short walk from the tube station. This is the best place to shop for counterfeit watches (my Calvin Klein watch was only $25hk [about £2.30] and still works! Furthermore, it looks like my friend's real macoy!), cheap computer games and miscellaneous junk that simply looks cool but you know you don't really need!

Before Temple Street night market opens (it's open from the early afternoon until well into the night), Tai Po is a good district to shop. With many cheap electronic goods at a fraction of the price you'd find them in the UK, this is a haven for cheap DVDs, VCDs and mobile phones. The array of food stalls and quaint little cafes at both of the aforementioned locations makes eating out fast, cheap and easy.

Temple Street Night Market is located in Tsim Sha Tsui. If you catch the train/underground to Central and then make your way to the Star Ferry, you'll be greeted with the core of Hong Kong's shopping district.

One thing I would like to warn you about before making any big purchases however, is the fact that you have no consumer rights in Hong Kong so be wary if someone tries to sell you an expensive stereo or camera as you may find that they will con you, and they WILL try!

The other main thing is, always haggle! 8 out of 10 places will allow you to pay at least 10-15% less than the ticket prices, but then, maybe the jack the price up knowing that people like to haggle! Who knows?

(ACCOMADATION)

Unfortunately, my area of expertise on this area is not as broad because the first two times I went to Hong Kong, I stayed with various family members. The previous time, however, I had the pleasure of staying in the Royal Plaza Hotel in Mong Kok. This is a five star hotel and the facilities it offers are absolutely amazing! There are four floors of shops built into the hotel itself, as well as a food court and various restaurants dotted around. The hotel even has its own underground tube station as well as a fleet of limos (and taxis for more inconspicuous patrons) outside and a guest only restaurant (accessible with you room card).

The rooms are fantastic and are sumptuously cleaned every day with fresh sheets. Each room comes with a mini-bar, television, telephone and en-suite. For the businessperson, there is also a marble desk complete with ornate desk lamp and internet connection point. Of course, to hook up, it costs extra, but the little touches in the room makes it worthwhile.

The particular floor I stayed on also housed the gym, sauna and massage parlour as well as a beautiful balcony that spanned the entire exterior of the 8th floor. Fountains and flower gardens adorn this mini heaven as well as rose arches and more marble in the form of tiles. I remember one particular day when I looked out of the window and there was a wedding on progress! Yes, it's THAT breathtaking!

The staff are formal, friendly and polite and there is a wide range of food from the restaurant for guests only. Multilingual staff who speak Cantonese, Mandarin and English provide the guests with excellent service and a general friendly atmosphere.

(FOOD)

One of the things you simply MUST sample when you go abroad is their diverse range of food. Hong Kong is no exception! Although food can be found relatively cheaply, this doesn't impair on its quality. Some of the best tasting food can be found on the side of the street in the form of vendors. They mainly sell "yohw ja gwai" which literally translates into the English langauge as "deep fried Englishman/ghost", as well as an assortment of meat on sticks.

Perhaps the strangest thing I have tried food wise is snake soup. I know what you're thinking, mainly because I thought that too before eating it! However, I seriously recommend that you try some before turning away and running for the hills. Seriously, it's SO nice! :-P Speaking of nice food, ostrich meat (which, by the way, does NOT taste like chicken! It's succulent, tender and oh so juicy!) and quail are lurvly! If you are not a big fan of seafood, I suggest you stay away from the crocodile (tastes like fish) but shark fin soup is not only considered a delicacy in Hong Kong, but it's extremely tasty, and this is from a sea food hater's point of view!

For picky diners, there are a plethora of Macdonald's and KFCs (rah!) around and the prices are very reasonable in these fast food outlets. TIP: Try the Orea McFlurry! Mmm... :-P Very nice!

A word of warning, make sure you only drink bottled or sterilised water... I learnt the hard way! Also, try to avoid fruits that smell like raw sewage (otherwise known as durian fruit or "luh leen". You can't really miss them, they have a hard, green, spikey outter shell and stink!) They've been banned from hotels across Hong Kong because they really do smell THAT bad! Personally, I think that they taste vile, but they are also considered a delicacy by some too! You either hate it or love it! My mum loves it! Eew!

(THINGS TO DO)

No trip to Hong Kong would be complete without visiting Victoria Peak which is just over 550 metres above sea level. You can get to the top on the tram and the journey takes roughly 20 minutes. From the top of the Peak, you can take in some breathtaking views and even have your photo taken with you and up to six or seven others superimposed on a Hong Kongian backdrop. The most popular seems to be that of the Royal Back of China at night. Quite simply because it's amazing, but more on that later.

The top of the peak provides coin operated telescopes like all good attractions. As well as this, there is also an internet café where you can send your jealous friends e-mails about how lovely the view is and they also serve some of the best coffee I've had in years. There is something for everyone on top of the Peak as there are also gift shops and a Madam Tussaud's waxwork museum and a Ripley's Believe It Or Not.

As mentioned earlier, the Royal Bank of China is the most noteworthy bank in the world. Many Chinese films have featured the Bank in one way or another and the Bank is to Hong Kong as the Eiffel Tower is to France. This can be found just a short walk away from the base of Victoria Peak and the unique structure of the building, with its huge triangular windows, makes it a point of interest worth mentioning.

Lan Tau Island is the home to the Tian Tan Buddha. The Buddha statue is the world's biggest outdoor bronze statue! You are probably getting used to me saying this now, but the views are amazing up there! Once you finally make the trek to the top of the 270 steps that is! This year marks the 10th birthday of the statue and construction began 20 years ago! The Buddha was designed to be viewed at a low angle i.e. from the bottom of the stairs to represent the power and superiority that it holds. However, the raised hand also connotes a welcoming tone so don't feel guilty about invading Buddha's space.

The Buddha statue houses a museum and a gift shop inside. The museum is spilt into three parts, 'The Hall of Universe', 'The Hall Of Benevolent Merit' and 'The Hall of Remembrance'. A holy Buddha relic is just one of the wondrous things that you will see in the museum.

Finally, Ocean Park is also a recommended place to visit if you find the time. It is situated in Aberdeen and the most striking thing about it is the fact that the theme park is built on two separate mountains joined by cable cars. As you can probably deduce from the name of the park, Ocean Park is the home to many marine animals ranging from dolphins to seals. The shear novelty of going to a theme park built on a mountainside may be enough to convince you to go, however, the views, well, you know!

(GETTING AROUND)

TAXIS

Taxis are split into three categories in Hong Kong. They come in three colours and each colour corresponds to a specific region. The red taxis are allowed anywhere in Hong Kong, however green and blue ones are restricted to certain areas by law, these areas are the New Territories and Lantau Island respectively.

OCTOPUS CARDS (APPLICABLE ON BUSES, TRAINS, UNDERGROUND TRAINS AND VENDING MACHINES[!])

These cards work in the same basic ways as a pay as you go phone would in the UK. That is to say that you can obtain a card and top it up with HK Dollars as you see fit. The way in which they work is ingenious! As you go into an underground station or train station, you are met with the usual turn pikes, however, as well as a slot for putting in a bog standard ticket like you normally would, there is also a panel on top. Basically, you place your Octopus Card on the panel on one end and again on the other and ta dah, the amount is deducted from your card! The logistics of it are unclear but I think that the first turn pike logs the date, time and place you began your journey and the other turn pike figures out how much you owe depending on your destination.

These clever little cards also work on (some) buses and even vending machines! You can top them up pretty much anywhere, but the main place would be at any station situated more or less anywhere as train stations are plentiful in Hong Kong. I challenge you to walk for any more than 10 minutes are not come across one! A lot of shops also offer a topping up service and you can even set up a Direct Debit if you plan to stay in Hong Kong for a while.

What's more, magnetic strips of the other cards in your wallet or purse do not interfere with the shear brilliance of these cards and the technology involved. You can slap your handbag, wallet or purse with the card inside it against the panel in roughly the position where your card is and the card reader will pick it up. I remember a really funny incident once when a guy got onto a bus and he had his card in his back pocket, the solution, he pressed his butt cheek against the panel, and it worked! :-D

(OVERALL)

In conclusion, if you're ever stuck for a new holiday destination, Hong Kong offers great food, great views, cheap goods and all around fun! You can also pop over to mainland China for the day but you'll need to obtain a visa from the immigration office.