Today we're taking you on a tour of one of Asia's most dynamic cities: Hong Kong
(香港)!
Yes, this is a city of modern skyscrapers and futuristic architecture, but if you scratch
beneath the surface and spend a little time here, you'll discover pockets of tranquility
in the form of incense-filled temples and bonsai gardens, a delicious foodie scene that
features budget friendly Michelin-stared restaurants, mountainous islands that are an easy day trip
away, antique markets full of treasure, and a dazzling skyline you won't soon forget.
Without further ado, let us show you 25 things to do in Hong Kong:
Let's kick things off at the Peak Tram, where the steep 7 minute ride to Victoria
Peak (山頂纜車) gives you some of the best views of the city.
So we just finished riding the tram to Victoria Peak (太平山 - 扯旗山) and now we're
enjoying the free views.
We could be paying more and going up to the sky terrace but we refused because the free
views are good enough.
Yeah, and if you're willing to walk out a little bit from the complex you'll find that
you know the crowds slowly dissipate.
And hey we're just by ourselves right now.
At 552 meters, the Peak (太平山 - 扯旗山) is the highest mountain on Hong Kong Island
(香港島) and its location offers vast views of towering skyscrapers, Victoria Harbour
and Kowloon (九龍) off in the distance.
For more postcard worthy views of Hong Kong (香港), we also visited Victoria Harbour
(維多利亞港) at sunset and then watched as the skies turned from amber to fiery orange.
Another event you should definitely make time for is the Symphony of Lights (幻彩詠香江),
which is a daily music and light show that encompasses both sides of the harbour.
Skyscrapers dazzle with blinking lights and lazer beams, while everyone oooh's and aaah's
from the waterfront.
You can watch the show from either Kowloon (九龍) or Hong Kong Island (香港島),
but I personally prefer being on Kowloon since Hong Kong island has the iconic skyline.
We are currently in the Nan Lian Garden (南蓮園池) which is right across from the Chi Lin Nunnery
(志蓮淨苑).
And again like most parks here in Hong Kong it is super peaceful.
They have soft music playing.
You can hear the birds chirping.
There is beautiful flowers.
There is like a little golden pagoda in the middle of a lake.
So we're going to show you all of that now.
After visiting the gardens, we crossed over to the Chi Lin Nunnery (志蓮淨苑), which
is a Buddhist temple complex that dates back to the 1930s.
What is perhaps most impressive is that the structures were built out of wood but without
the use of a single nail!
Alright guys we have three words for you!
Tim Ho Wan (添好運)!
Tell us all about it.
What is this place?
This is basically one of the best places to try dim sum in all of Hong Kong.
Yes.
It is a Michelin starred restaurant yet it is affordable.
So we're going to go in, we're going to order a lot of food and we're just going to scarf
down some dim sum (x點心 - 点心xx).
Okay.
Oh the joy.
Ready.
Yeah.
Alright guys so we just finished placing our order.
And this is what the menu looks like.
You basically grab a pencil and you tick off the different dishes you're interested in.
The first one has already arrived.
Oh wow.
So we got a little bit greedy because it is like three in the afternoon.
We haven't had lunch yet so we ordered seven different dishes and we're going to be showing
you those once they arrive.
First one is here and this one is the sticky rice wrapped in a lotus leaf.
This is one of our favorite ones.
I love this one.
So let's not waste any time.
Let's just start unfolding this masterpiece.
Wow.
Lots of steam rising.
Ooh!
Look at that.
It is a huge leaf.
It is a huge one.
And there you've got the sticky rice with chicken I believe and a nice mushroom.
So we're going to be sharing this.
Mmmm.
Wow.
So good.
Well what do you think?
I love it.
He loves it.
And there is more food.
Oh my gosh.
So I'm just going to use my hand because it is a little bit easier for me.
But man these are nice and plump.
Yeah.
Everything here is plump and stuffed.
They do not skimp out here.
Mmm.
Mmmm.
What do you think?
There you have it.
There is the barbecued bun.
This is so fluffy.
Oh my gosh.
I know.
It is a lot fluffier than I remember.
Wow.
What about the taste?
Do you like it?
Mmmm.
It is really nice because it is like savory inside but then really sweet on the exterior
so you get both flavors.
It is that contrast that makes it so good.
Mmmm.
So the next on the menu is one of our absolute favorites.
I believe it is called Har Gao and that is basically the almost like shrimp dumplings.
Yeah, they are.
Shrimp in a little wrapper and they are just so good.
Oh my gosh this is a slippery one.
Haha.
Don't burn yourself.
I have a feeling it is going to be really hot.
Those are like freshly steamed.
Oh man.
His eyes are bulging out.
That was a big bite.
Hahaha.
So yeah it is just filled with like so much shrimp and you just bite into it and it is
juicy and it is just so flavorful and tasty.
It is so plump.
It is.
Seriously.
That is the best way to describe them.
Just such plump pieces of shrimp.
I think it goes without saying that Tim Ho Wan (添好運) is one of our favourite places
for dim sum (點心 - 点心), and it's worth seeking out if you're ever in Hong
Kong (香港)!
So next up we're going to watch the Noon Day Gun (午炮).
And I have to admit the first time I heard about this attraction I had no idea what it
was.
Sam actually mentioned it to me last time we were in Hong Kong like three years ago.
And I just thought Noon Day Gun (午炮) was a name.
To me it sounded like Chinese.
But apparently it is a gun that they fire during the day at noon so we're just waiting
for that to happen right now.
Getting here is a little tricky.
I wish I could give you instructions.
Um, basically you can probably see the Excelsior Hotel behind me.
The Excelsior.
Um, you need to go down some tiny side alley and then cross through a tunnel.
Um but yeah it is a little bit tricky to find it.
We went into like three buildings before we found the right place so you may have to ask
around to find it.
Um but yeah we're here.
We're going to watch this gun be fired.
Woah!
Well Sam after all of these years you finally got to see the Noon Day Gun again.
How was it?
Yeah, it must have been like six or seven years ago that I got to experience this.
Well my biggest tip for this is when you come here make sure you plug your ears just before
the shot.
Yes!
It is some kind of loud.
And it almost makes you like shake.
That is how loud it is.
It is really powerful.
Yeah.
It is scary.
It is a powerful blast.
And it is a very short ceremony.
Like he just rings the bell, fires the gun and off he goes.
And then you can come in and check this place out.
For thirty minutes.
You can go and take some pictures of the gun and just walk around.
It is pretty cool.
Another fun thing to do in Hong Kong is to ride the double decker trams (香港電車).
This was one of the earliest forms of transportation in the city, and riding them through the modern
financial district feels a bit nostalgic.
If you're really looking for something memorable, you can actually hire a party tramway and
celebrate with music, drink, and stellar views as you cruise through the city.
We are currently making our way down Upper Lascar Row and this is the place to buy souvenirs.
There is also some construction happening so it is bit loud.
But basically the street is lined with shops that sell really high end antiques and then
on the street you have like these little tables where you have old trinkets and just things
that would make really cool souvenirs but also have a history behind them.
So it is worth checking out for sure.
I haven't picked up anything but I do see things that interest me.
It is just I don't have a home and I don't have room in my suitcase.
If antiques aren't really your thing and you're looking for something a bit more
modern, Causeway Bay (銅鑼灣) is full of malls, department stores, and fashion boutiques.
So today we are going in search of free views of Hong Kong . Always like free stuff.
So we're here at Central Plaza (中環廣場) and apparently on the forty sixth floor there
is a skydeck.
So we're going to be checking this out for the first time.
We've never done this in Hong Kong before.
Let's do it.
So look at this.
We get three hundred and sixty degree views of Hong Kong from this building and no one
is here.
And it is free.
More people should know about this place.
Seriously guys.
Free views of Hong Kong all to yourself.
So this is a bit of a quirky attraction to be listing, but not every city offers the
opportunity to ride a series of escalators instead of walking up hills.
The Central–Mid-Levels escalator (中環至半山自動扶梯) is the longest covered escalator system in
the world, so it's worth experiencing at least once.
Just know that there is no escalator going down, so you'll have to take the stairs.
Man Mo Temple (文武廟) dates back to 1847 and it is dedicated to the God of Literature
and the God of War.
For a little trivia, this temple was once popular with students looking to succeed in
the civil examinations of Imperial China.
We are currently inside the Man Mo Temple (文武廟) and it is thick with incense in
the air.
I don't know if you can actually see it.
But is almost burns your eyes a little bit yet it looks magical at the same time.
So it is a weekend in Hong Kong.
Tell us what are we up to?
Yeah, it is time for some nightlife in Hong Kong.
We're at Lan Kwai Fong and this is probably the most popular nightlife area in the city.
We're not exactly going to paint the town red but I think we'll get a beer or maybe
a glass of wine.
So I'm the kind of person who would rather be at home in bed reading a book on a Sunday
night but apparently that is considered lame.
So somebody insisted we check out the nightlife.
That is all kinds of nerdy.
All kinds of nerdy.
So here we are.
The funny thing is it is like seven thirty PM right now and we're super early.
Yeah.
It is going to get hopping around nine or ten.
By which time we'll be back.
We'll be sleeping by then.
Back in the hotel.
But anyways cheers.
What did you get?
Ah, I got red wine.
And I got gin and tonic.
Salut.
If you're looking to get out of the city and a little closer to nature, you can ride
the aerial tramway (昂坪360) to Lantau Island.
Once you're there you can visit the Po Lin Monastery (寶蓮禪寺), and also visit the
Tian Tan Buddha (天壇大佛), better known as the Big Buddha.
So one thing to keep in mind is that if you visit the Buddha in the morning it is backlit.
So if you're a photographer and you want to be able to take some good shots from the front
you may have better luck in the afternoon.
Otherwise this is what you'll get.
Time for a little update.
Yeah, so we've had a busy day exploring Hong Kong.
Now it is time to go back to our apartment and this is our favorite way of getting around
the city.
Is taking the Star Ferry (天星小輪).
Star Ferry (天星小輪).
In my opinion it is like iconic transportation in Hong Kong.
You've got to do it.
It is cheap it is fun.
You can cross Kowloon to Hong Kong Island or vice versa.
And it is just something we look forward to doing every time we visit Hong Kong.
And the views.
If museums are your thing, you can always pop into the Hong Kong Museum of History (香港歷史博物館)
in Tsim Sha Tsui, which looks at Hong Kong's history and cultural heritage.
The permanent exhibition is free of charge.
So right now we're visiting Hong Kong Park (香港公園) and this is one of the coolest
parks in the city because you are surrounded by skyscrapers yet you can hear the sounds
of nature.
They have streams and waterfalls and you can hear the birds chirping and there is palm
trees swaying so it feels very peaceful but you can still see that Hong Kong is a very
modern city and it is not that far away.
Inside the park they also have this huge walk through Aviary.
Um and yeah they just have birds flying freely.
One just nearly hit someone in the head.
And it is pretty cool.
They have over six hundred birds in here.
Another cool park you can visit is Kowloon Park (九龍公園), which offers a serene
escape on the other side of the harbour.
For a bit of a splurge and some sugary treats, we would recommend indulging in afternoon
tea.
We went to Lion Rock inside the Royal Plaza Hotel.
Alright so I'm so excited the tea is here.
And we each get our own pot.
And seriously there is probably like three cups in here.
And they've already poured one.
Yours is like the chocolate truffle?
It is the chocolate mint truffle.
I don't even know.
Oh my gosh.
The order.
But it smells amazing.
That seems like a bit of a fancy pants tea.
Yeah, it smells like melted chocolate with mint?
Does it?
I can't say I smell the truffle but I'm not that familiar with truffle so.
Mmmm.
That is nice.
The flavor itself isn't very strong but it is more the aroma that you get before you
drink it.
And like you don't need any sugar or milk with this.
It is just so good.
I love the way it smells.
It smells like the holidays.
We are both so giddy right now.
The tower of heavenly delights has arrived.
Low and behold.
So let's see what can we choose.
So we're going to start from the top and work our way down.
So we have some scones, some chips with crab meat I think.
This looks like a mini quiche and then we have mini burgers.
Mini sliders.
What is on the second level?
Well, we'll get to that later.
But first let's eat from the top alright.
And I have a major sweet tooth so I'm starting with the scone.
I'm just going for it.
Why waste any time.
So there we have it.
There is the little scone.
Going to cut it in half and I've got some jam here.
And I'm really hoping this is clotted cream and not butter.
But it might be butter.
I think it may be butter.
Would that be the saddest thing ever?
With butter.
It is a little sad but I will survive.
Hahaha.
It is not England so that is okay.
And then some jam.
Oh yeah baby.
This is what I came for.
The scones that is my favorite part of the whole afternoon tea experience.
So if you don't want your scone Sam I will take it.
Oh, I'll have my scone.
I'll gladly relieve you.
No worry about that.
This is like one bite.
Mmmm.
Oh man.
That is how it is done.
So I think I have something that might be a mushroom tart.
It has a very um flaky exterior and it looks like mushrooms on top.
So there we go.
I don't know if I should do it in one bite or two.
All in one bite.
Oh my gosh that is a huge one.
One bite.
You can handle it Sam.
Oh, keeping things classy.
Mmmmm.
We'll give you a second to chew it.
And search for your words.
So food doesn't go flying everywhere.
Right.
That would be a civilized way of doing things.
So if you've ever had like a thick mushroom creamy soup before it tastes like that.
And then it just aww the pastry is so buttery and flaky.
And you just bite into it and it just disintegrates in your mouth.
Oh la lah.
And you're rolling that mushroom around it is just aww that is nice.
Rolling it around huh?
Rolling it around on your palette.
Mmm.
And you get the idea.
It was an hour of om nom noms!
This evening we're taking part in Sam's favorite activity.
Shopping!
Oh yeah.
Shopping.
No, we're headed over to Temple Street Night Market and we're just going to check it out
and see what is happening out there.
The market (庙街 - 廟街) itself stretched for several blocks and offered all kinds of
clothes, purses, souvenirs and random knick-knacks.
We also spotted some street karaoke happening in the area.
Lastly, let's talk about transportation.
The most effective way to get around Hong Kong is by MTR (港鐵).
If you're going to be here a few days and you don't want to pay for individual tickets
each time, you can get an Octopus card (八達通) and also save on the fare.
As a final piece of advice, try to avoid travelling in Hong Kong (香港) during rush hour.
You'll either feel like a canned sardine on the subway, or be left behind on the platform
like a beached whale because there's no more room.
And that's a wrap for Hong Kong (香港).
We hope that you enjoyed this travel guide and that it gave you a few ideas of things
to do and places to visit on your own trip.
We know we only covered a small fraction of everything Hong Kong (香港) has to offer,
so if you have any other suggestions of things travellers should experience, feel free to
share those in the comments below.
Wishing you happy travels and until next time!
Alright guys, so in today's video we are going to be sharing some travel tips for Hong Kong
and also letting you know how expensive is Hong Kong?
Yeah, how expensive is Hong Kong?
I think we all know the answer to that.
Yeah, it is quite expensive but there is also some really cool aspects about Hong Kong (香港)
almost unlike any other city we've visited.
There is a plethora of free things to do and budget eats.
Budget eats and also transportation is really cheap.
But we're going to break everything down and let you know the costs for Hong Kong.
Okay so first up let's get started with transportation from the airport in to Kowloon (九龍) or
Hong Kong Island (香港島).
Right and like our last travel tips video we've got our notes on our computer so you'll
see us looking down from time to time.
We just don't want to miss anything.
Alright, so the first point we have is arriving by Airport Express.
And that is what we did getting in to Hong Kong.
It is like this really fast train that takes you right in to the city.
You can get off at Kowloon (九龍) or you can go all the way to Hong Kong Island at
Central station.
And it super efficient, really fast, very comfortable.
Um, in terms of the price so you're looking at a $100 Hong Kong dollars all the way to
Central or you're looking at $90 Hong Kong Dollars to Kowloon station.
So that is about $11 to $12 USD dollars.
Something else important to know is that they have free porters to help you bring on your
luggage.
Fancy.
We didn't take advantage of that service.
No one helped us with our bags.
No but if you do have trouble getting your bags on to the train there is someone that
is apparently available to help you do that.
Good to know.
That is really good to know.
Um, an even cheaper option is the buses.
And there is a bus called the a bus system called the Cityflyer and this is how we got
back to the airport.
From the city to the airport when we were leaving.
Yeah and prices can range anywhere from 10 Hong Kong Dollars to 48.
Ah, it is going to be closer to the forty eight range if you're leaving anywhere from
the centre of Hong Kong (香港) which is what we did.
And you're looking at like five to six US bucks for that.
This is also quite a comfortable way to get to the airport.
I remember I think it was air conditioned inside.
I fell asleep so I don't remember much.
Yeah, I mean they have a little section for you to put your luggage and yeah uh as long
as there is not a lot of traffic then it is a fairly efficient way to get from the airport
to the city or vice versa from the city back to the airport.
So we can also recommend doing that.
Especially if you want to save a little bit of money.
And the last option that we have here is taking a taxi.
Oh man.
And that is going to cost you a lot.
That is anywhere from 250 to 350 Hong Kong dollars.
So you're looking at around forty maybe fifty US bucks to get you in to the city.
And I guess the only time we'd recommend taking that is if you were in maybe like a super
rush.
Something like that.
But otherwise why wouldn't you take the first two options.
Save some money guys.
So for accommodations you have a few different options but we're going to tell you right
now it is going to be pricey.
This is probably the most expensive city in all of Asia for accommodation.
And you're not going to get a whole lot of space.
If you watched our Hong Kong hotel room tour there is a shot where Sam is like touching
the two walls.
It was tiny.
And like the beds were tiny as well.
You kind of feel like a giant when you're in a typical Hong Kong hotel room.
You do.
But anyways your best bet if you're traveling on a budget would be a hostel.
So how much would you say that is.
So the dorm rooms can be anywhere from about 17 to 30 US dollars and the price range reflects
on where you're staying and also the quality of the hostel.
Yeah.
So that is about as cheap as it gets.
Also you can sometimes get like a really cheap flop house.
What we call a flop house at that price.
Which technically is your own room but it is almost like it is so small it is almost
like a closet.
Yeah.
So you're not going to get a tonne of value at that price range.
That is just like the rock bottom price for accommodations in Hong Kong (香港).
So the next step up would be kind of like a budget or mid-range hotel.
And that is what we did.
Yeah.
For our visit to Hong Kong (香港).
Yeah.
And well you paid.
Tell us the price.
Yeah, I think we were paying around sixty or seventy US dollars.
And it was the nicest place we've ever stayed in Hong Kong.
But it was super tiny.
Nice.
What was really cool about our particular room is that it had a really good shower.
Yeah.
But everything else was really small.
Our bed was super tiny.
Our desk was like almost a bit of a joke.
Like I could barely sit down on the stool.
But um yeah this is what you're going to pay and it is usually about 40 US dollars all
the way up to a 100.
So we were still on the lower range of that scale.
I think our room was typically around 80 dollars but we found it on special so it had a bit
of a discount.
But still you don't get a lot of space for that amount of money.
Yeah, I don't think you really start getting like typical small hotel space until you're
spending at least probably over a 100 US dollars.
So yeah.
It is very expensive.
Yeah.
So the next option would be to do a luxury hotel.
A luxury hotel.
Yeah, how much would that be?
100s of dollars.
Thousands of dollars.
Well over two hundred and probably like anywhere from two hundred to five hundred to six hundred
US dollars.
Depending on location.
Yeah, if you want to live it up you definitely can in Hong Kong (香港).
Woo!
And then the other option would be to do an AirBnB or an apartment rental.
And between the thirty five and eighty dollar range you can usually get a room in someone's
house.
Um, closer to the eighty dollar range sometimes you can get a really small room but it is
almost more like a hotel size.
Like a tiny hotel.
But then if you're bump it up to the 80 to 200 dollar range sometimes you can get a whole
apartment or a studio.
Something like that.
So that is something to consider.
We didn't do that on our trip but maybe in hindsight that might have been a good idea.
So another place that you could consider staying in as a traveling on a budget is the infamous
Chungking Mansions.
Hahaha.
Ooh.
Yeah.
Um, that place is scary.
That place is it is kind of this sort of rundown building it is near the Tsim Sha Tsui (尖沙咀)
area of Kowloon (九龍) and um yeah it is also a good place to get a curry.
You can get some really good Indian food but I remember a few years back we were looking
at rooms in there and it is like dark and damp and run down and super sketchy characters
outside.
Yeah but that is about as cheap as you're going to get.
Yes.
If you're looking for excellent.
If you're looking for ultra hardcore backpacker beeline it to there.
Yeah.
But some other cool areas also on Kowloon (九龍) to consider is Mong Kong.
It is a really cool busy area.
You're nearby a lot of really good night markets.
Lots of good restaurants.
The Ladies Market.
Yep.
Yep.
And also the Temple Street Night Market is nearby too.
And if you want to go to Hong Kong Island (香港島) there was one time it was before
I met you where I stayed at a hostel at Cow's Way Bay.
Cow's way?
Cow's way bay.
Causeway Bay.
Not Cow's Way Bay.
Causeway Bay.
So next up let's talk about transportation around the city.
And Hong Kong is a place where you have like so many different types of transportation.
You've got the ferry, you've got the subway, you have double decker buses.
So plenty of options that is for sure.
Trams.
You've got it all.
You've got it all.
And the card that you're going to want to pickup to travel on all of those options is
the Octopus Card.
You can pick it up right from the airport and I think it is called the Octopus card
because of the what the eight arms.
8 arms.
Are there 8 modes of transportation in Hong Kong?
I think so.
I think that is what it is.
I don't think I could list all 8 of them.
Me neither.
Anyways yeah you can pick it up right at the airport.
Um, and then it is one of those reloadable cards that you can just deposit some money
on it and it makes transportation so much more efficient because there are certain modes
of transportation in Hong Kong where if you're paying by cash or coins you need the exact
fare.
Or you won't get anything back.
Yeah.
No change.
Right.
Right.
So if you have the Octopus Card you avoid that.
And it is also a really versatile card in the sense that you can use it for some museums,
you can use it in certain convenience stores.
Apparently you can use it in McDonald's.
We didn't try that there but yeah it is one of those really highly versatile transportation
travel cards.
Well worth getting.
So the transportation we actually ended up using the most especially when we were pressed
for time was the MTR.
Which is Hong Kong's metro subway system.
And it is an awesome way to get around.
It is cheap, it is efficient, it is clean.
It can be extremely crowded during peak times.
Oh yes.
So try to avoid rush hour.
Otherwise you are like a sardine squeezed into a can.
Uh huh.
Literally.
And there was times where it was just so full we couldn't get on.
We couldn't get on.
Like the train just left and we were waiting for the next one.
So had to try the next one.
Yeah.
So that is what the experience like is there.
And moving on from there.
So we talked a bit about the trams.
Now this is probably in terms of like ground transportation this is my favorite way to
see Hong Kong (香港).
The double decker trams.
And this is on Hong Kong Island and they are just so cool.
It is just such an iconic and old fashioned of getting around the city.
Especially if you can go up to the second level.
And so the thing to note here is that you enter through the rear and your fare is paid.
You pay your fare when you're actually exiting the tram.
After your ride.
So that is kind of cool.
Um, so yeah definitely try to go up to the second level.
Sometimes it can be a bit crowded on there as well.
So if you see one that is really packed maybe let that one go by and hop on the next one.
And in terms of the price there is a flat rate of Hong Kong dollars two dollars and
thirty cents which in US dollars is about thirty cents.
So it is ridiculously cheap to go on here.
Um, this is somewhere where you'd want to pay with your Octopus Card or have exact change
because they don't give change back on here.
So another form of transportation you can consider in Hong Kong is the Peak Tram that
takes you up to Victoria Peak where you get some amazing views over the city.
Yeah.
But that is actually a sightseeing attraction so we're going to mention that later.
Yeah.
And let's move on to Sam's favorite modes of transportation.
My absolute favorite.
The ferry!
Yes, the Star Ferry going from Hong Kong Island to Kowloon crossing Victoria Harbor is just
so so cool.
Apparently, this is been in operation let me see here.
I had it written down.
So it has been going for over a 120 years.
So it is it is I've mentioned this in our city guide.
Like our things to do guide.
I think it is the most iconic way of seeing Hong Kong.
I believe it is an eleven minute ride and if I look at my notes here it is only like
between two fifty and three forty Hong Kong Dollars.
So you're talking like between thirty and fifty US cents to get on a ride.
So it is just so cheap.
It is such a fun way to experience the harbour and also the skyline in Hong Kong.
Especially cool if you get on the Star Ferry during a Symphony of Lights laser show.
Or at sunset.
Yes, or at sunset.
And um you know what it can be crowded during the rush hour but I find like during the middle
of the day it is usually not very crowded at all.
But even if it is crowded it is still something we recommend taking for sure.
So now let's talk about free attractions in the city.
There is quite a bit that you can do for free around Hong Kong (香港).
So first up we would recommend checking out a Symphony of Lights and this is like a music
and laser light show on the harbor.
And it takes place both on Hong Kong Island (香港島) and Kowloon.
Yep.
But I would recommend being on Kowloon looking out to Hong Kong Island because they have
a really cool skyline.
And it just looks amazing once the lights come and it all starts flickering and flashing.
It is really cool.
So some other really cool free things to do in Hong Kong and this is really awesome because
the museums.
At least three museums are free on Wednesday.
Oh.
So the ones that you can go in to for free on Wednesday are the Hong Kong Heritage Museum,
the Hong Kong Science Museum and the Hong Kong Museum of Art.
So keep that in mind if you're going to be there.
If you're going to be in Hong Kong for a whole week maybe plan your museum day on Wednesday.
So for some great free views of Hong Kong we recommend going to Central Plaza.
You can go up to the 46th floor which is called the Sky Lobby and there was hardly anyone
there when we went.
Like we were what maybe there was one other person.
Yeah.
Seriously.
And you get incredible views looking out over the harbor and you can see the other really
tall buildings and you get a great view of the skyline.
It is awesome.
You can actually get 360 degree views.
You can walk around in a circle and it is all like glass windows from floor to ceiling.
And you don't have to pay.
I can't believe it is not more popular.
It is really worth visiting.
Yeah, it is really underrated.
I would say it is the most underrated thing we did in Hong Kong.
There is hardly anyone there when we visited in the morning.
Alright, so moving on to something else that is free there is a lot of really cool parks
you can visit in Hong Kong for free.
Two of our favorites were Hong Kong Park which is a really nice park on Hong Kong Island.
There is an aviary there is just a lot of really nice places to walk around.
It is really lush, really green.
It is kind of like this tiny little oasis escape in the middle of the city.
It is kind of in the heart of the city.
And then the next one we really liked was Kowloon Park which was on the side of Kowloon
which is where we were staying basically.
That is another really nice park.
It is very big and very spread out.
Um, highly recommend going for a walk there.
So something else you can consider doing in Hong Kong is hiking.
There are a lot of different hiking trails.
One of the most famous being the Dragon's Back.
Another place we really enjoyed visiting that was absolutely free except for getting there
was the Tian Tan Buddha and the Po Lin Monastery.
Admission to those two places is completely free to visitors.
You just have to pay to take the cable car there.
Right.
Or if you want to go an even cheaper route and I did this several years ago, you can
take the bus up there.
And you don't have to wait in line for that unlike the cable car.
Okay, the next one that we have here is the Temple Street Night Market.
So obviously if you want to eat or shop you're going to pay some money but if you just want
to take it in you can walk through the market for free.
Um, the Noon Day Gun.
This was the one attraction that I really wanted to do in Hong Kong (香港).
I don't know why I liked it so much.
It is a little bit quirky.
Just every day at noon they fire this off.
It is basically near Causeway Bay.
And you have to go underground to get to there.
You have to go through like an underground parking place.
So two other places that we really enjoyed visiting were the Chi Lin Nunnery and the
Nan Lian Gardens and the two are located right next to each other.
They have beautiful gardens with like bonsai and waterfalls and lakes and it is just really
quiet.
Really pleasant.
They play soft music while you're walking through the gardens.
It is very tranquil.
It is just a lovely place to go for a stroll.
Yeah.
And finally so we've done ten things here.
10 free things!
It is the Avenue of Stars and unfortunately this is under construction at the moment.
They are renovating.
Hopefully by the time you visit it will be open again.
And this is where you can see like the iconic Bruce Lee statue.
Yeah and it is basically an area along the waterfront so you also get great views of
the city from there.
So we've talked about free attractions and now we're going to tell you about some attractions
that you're going to have to pay for but these are iconic experiences in Hong Kong so you'll
most likely want to dish out those bills.
Yeah most definitely.
So the thing we recommend doing the most obviously is taking the Peak Tram up to Victoria Peak.
And that is like such a steep tram ride.
It is like oh my gosh.
It is like a rollercoaster.
You're like lifting back.
Seriously.
Yeah, exactly and in terms of the price I have it written down here.
So if you just do the Peak Tram only and not the observation deck which is what we did.
You can get some really good free views when you go up top.
It is going to cost you for a return ticket 45 Hong Kong Dollars.
So that is just under 6 US dollars.
So it is actually not that expensive and it is something that we highly recommend.
Although it can be quite crowded lining up to get on it.
Yes.
So be prepared to wait a bit.
And if you don't want to if you kind of want to beat the crowds then don't go right at
night because that is probably the most popular time.
Also it is really popular on the weekends.
So considering going on a weekday maybe mid-afternoon before yeah sunset.
It would be really good time to go.
So now we're going to move on to our favorite part.
The food and the eating and what should you eat.
So first up we're going to recommend a really well known restaurant.
Tim Ho Wan.
They specialize in dim sum and they are a Michelin Star restaurant that is surprisingly
affordable and the food is amazing.
Yeah, and I just have to mention sorry for the construction noises.
There is some building going on.
Ah but yeah we'll just roll with it.
Roll with it.
But yeah Tim Ho Wan is really cool because it is affordable dim sum Michelin star quality
and there is several locations so definitely check it out.
But also don't be afraid to check out your local neighborhood dim sum place because dim
sum is just awesome in Hong Kong and we ate it at several different restaurants while
we were there.
Yeah, we found a little local spot that actually had discounts if you ate mid-morning and mid-afternoon.
Yeah, so it was like 15% off.
15% off.
Sometimes our bill would be just like over 10 dollars for the two of us.
Yeah, for a lot of dim sum.
Yeah, so it is cheap.
It is affordable, it is delicious.
Oh man is it ever good.
But aside from dim sum there are other cool foods that you can try.
So what else?
So in terms of other things you can have congee which is juk.
It is kind of like a juk for breakfast but you can also get it anytime of day.
So a juk is a porridge.
You used a Korean word.
Hahaha.
Why is he speaking Korean?
Yeah, I don't know why.
But then you can also get roasted pork over rice which is also really delicious and there
is also really nice baked goods.
Like there is something called wife cake and then of course the iconic Hong Kong egg tarts.
So yeah there is a lot of really good foods to try in Hong Kong.
That is just a few of them.
So now let's talk about a fancy meal.
Not on this last visit but a few years ago we went out for afternoon tea at the Peninsula
Hotel.
Oh my.
Yeah.
That was not a good day for Sam because they do not allow you to make reservations.
So we probably stood in line for two and a half hours and Sam was sulking and then he
refused to come on camera and make a video about it.
Yeah, I lost my cool that day.
I mean it is a really awesome thing to do but you really need to be prepared to wait
for a while.
Yeah.
And it is the most famous place to have tea in Hong Kong and it is cool.
I mean it is popular for good reason.
Yeah, I mean it is a beautiful setting.
But.
It is a beautiful hotel and they have classical music.
Like there is people playing the harp and the violins.
So it is fancy but long wait times and it is expensive.
Right so I'm going to talk about the price right now.
So for two people currently it is 658 Hong Kong Dollars which is roughly about $85 US
dollars.
So you're looking at tea.
You're looking at over $40 dollars per person.
It does come with a generous amount of finger sandwiches and yummy snacks but yeah it is
not cheap.
There is an alternative.
There is a lot of alternative places to have tea in Hong Kong.
And the place we ended up going to recently was a place called the Lion Rock.
So what we did is we called them up for a reservation the same day that we went which
is incredible.
And we arrived on time, we were able to sit down right away and within minutes we were
served our tea and we had really amazing set of sweets and savory foods as well.
And that one was quite a bit cheaper.
I have the price here.
428 Hong Kong Dollars for two people.
Knock.
Ready.
And we are back.
They came knocking to clean our rooms so we've actually been gone a few hours.
We had lunch.
Lunch.
Met up with friends.
We had a little siesta with friends.
The lighting has changed.
So we're not going to pretend we're just rolling seamlessly.
Anyways, we were talking about tea.
The price.
The price.
Afternoon tea.
Right so the price of afternoon tea we were talking about at the Lion Rock and yep that
is 428 Hong Kong Dollars for two people.
And that is basically $54 US dollars so about $27 or $28 per person.
Yeah, it is cheaper.
A lot more affordable than the Peninsula we can tell you that.
Yeah, the advantage are it is cheaper and more affordable and you can make a reservation,
arrive and have it exactly at the time you booked.
That is really nice.
So next up we're going to talk about things we loved about Hong Kong.
Yeah and there is quite a bit we loved about Hong Kong (香港).
So the first being all of the free attractions.
And we've already listed ten of those so we won't ramble on about that.
But Hong Kong is just a city where almost most of the things we ended up doing ended
up being free.
Yeah and it kind of balances out nicely because accommodation is going to eat up a big chunk
of your budget.
Yeah.
But then you can go sightseeing and not necessarily have to spend a lot of money.
Yeah, you could literally plan the whole day just around free activities.
So that is pretty awesome.
Okay, next up.
Second, dim sum.
And I wrote in my notes dim sum is amazing.
Haha.
And it is.
Haha.
I don't know what else to say beyond that.
It is just such tasty food.
It is cheap.
And it is just all over Hong Kong.
And you know what with dim sum you can eat it anytime of day.
Right.
We were having this for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Sometimes it is like a mid-afternoon snack.
Let's get dim sum.
Yeah, exactly.
It is such a versatile meal.
You can have it for lunch or you can have it as a snack.
Exactly.
And we ate it a lot.
Okay number three.
Most diverse and interesting options of transportation in any city we've visited.
Like I can't think of any other city where you can take a ferry, where you can take a
tram, where you can take the metro, where you can be in a cable car or you can take
a steep peak tram going up.
It is just options galore and everything is really efficient.
Everything is cheap and affordable.
And that is what is awesome about Hong Kong is it is so easy to get around and there is
so many different options you can choose from.
My suggestion would be to try them all.
Especially the tram and the star ferry.
Another thing we loved about Hong Kong is the views.
Like I think this is a city that has such an iconic skyline.
Yeah.
Especially at night when the lights come on.
It is really amazing.
Yeah, it is cool and if you keep revisiting the city it is always changing.
There is always a new building.
Skyscrapers.
Yep.
Yeah, it is amazing by day and also by night.
So and from different vantage points.
It is really cool from Victoria Peak and it is great on Kowloon where you can see like
the laser and a Symphony of Lights show.
Like there is just so many different cool vantage points where you can see the skyline
and like we mentioned it is totally iconic.
So number five, Hong Kong is a dynamic city and there are not too many comparisons.
Like it is just an assault on the senses.
Exactly.
And there is just so many people, there is so much going on in terms of transportation.
It is just a very exciting city.
You can feel the pulse of the city almost anywhere all the time.
Anytime of day.
But you know what?
That can be a good and a bad thing.
So now this is going to be our transition into things we didn't necessarily love about
Hong Kong.
And there were a few.
So I would say number one for me is the crowds.
There are certain areas in the city or certain times of day where it can feel quite claustrophobic.
Yep.
And we've also been in Hong Kong before during holidays and festivals.
Ooh.
Celebrations.
Yeah we were in Mong Kong and like there was times where we would look out our apartment
window and we're not going to even bother going out.
Yeah.
It just looked like ants scurrying across the street.
Yeah at night.
And as an example I remember a few years ago we decided we wanted to go to the movies on
a Friday or a Saturday night.
It was probably like six or seven PM so we thought oh we'll just walk over to the movie
theatre and buy a ticket.
And we got there and everything was sold out.
For the whole day.
For the whole night.
Nothing.
It is a place where there are so many people that sometimes you need to actually like make
reservations and bookings in advance if there is something you really want to do.
Yeah, exactly so it is a bit of a double edged sword.
You can get swept up by the excitement of the city but is also can be overwhelming especially
when you're feeling a little rundown or a little tired.
Maybe a little sick.
All the crowds can be really overwhelming.
Okay so the next thing is uh I'll just perfectly blunt it is some of the worst value accommodations
you'll find in Asia.
For what you spend like you're just getting very cramped type of quarters and unless you're
willing to splurge and Hong Kong might be the city that if you've been if you have the
resources to splurge it might be worth it.
Yeah.
Because we don't.
You really pay for what you get and at our price range that we paid.
It is quite a bit higher than what we paid in a lot of other cities in Asia.
We had paper thin walls, we could touch our walls.
Babies crying at night.
Couples fighting.
We didn't have one good sleep to be honest because there was babies crying at night and
then there was construction during the day.
So that was a it weared on us over time.
The accommodations.
And the last thing is that uh nightlife and fine dining can get a little bit pricey.
And you would expect that in a big developed city like Hong Kong.
So I just like if you're going out for drinks it is going to be pricey.
It is a lot cheaper to get your drinks from a convenience store and have them at home.
Yeah but I would still experience the nightlife.
At least once.
I think it is a city that you have to experience at least once in your life.
It is truly impressive.
It is amazing and it is just so iconic.
So I would say go to Hong Kong but maybe save up your cash so you can actually have fun,
stay in the types of hotels you want to and maybe splurge on a few experiences and really
enjoy it.
And if you're someone that doesn't have enough money for like a more expensive accommodations
than just plan to be out most of the day.
You don't want to spend a lot of time in your room.
If it is that small.
Yeah.
Anyways we recommend going to Hong Kong.
We loved it.
We've been there many times and we will probably be back in the future.
So those are our tips for Hong Kong.
We hope you found some of this information helpful.
If there is anything else you want to know about this city maybe leave us a question
in the comments below and we'll try to answer that.
Exactly.
If not if you're a local feel free to answer those in the comments.
Because yeah we are just visitors and the local perspective is always better.
So yeah signing off and do visit Hong Kong if you get the chance.
See you later.
Ciao.
For more infomation >> Loremaker's Guide to the Galaxy : Le système Hades - VOSTFR - Duration: 9:29. 
For more infomation >> Del Mar - Breeders Cup Track Guide - Duration: 2:01. 
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét