11 Reasons to Visit Hong Kong
1. Exciting
Flickr/Guowen Wang
Happening now is the Hong Kong Cultural Celebrations til the 7th May. Hong Kong is always exciting with a lot of attractions. Along the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront is the Avenue of Stars. It consists of 4.5 metre-tall replica of the statuettes and the monument to its stars like Bruce Lee with a 2.5metre bronze statue. Jackie Chan, Michelle Yeoh and other lumineries as well as a large replica of 2008 Summer Olympics torch is on permanent display. Get to see the cinematic history on inscriptions printed on nine red pillars. There is a harborside walk where you can see the best views around Hong Kong Island’s famous skyscrapers. The Peak, Ocean Park, Hong Kong Disneyland.
2. Breathtaking Peak View
Flickr/Rayed AlFaraj
The Peak offers a fantastic panoramic view over the city and spectacular views of the harbours. Reaching the peak via the 120-year-old funicular railway can be interesting. The marine and mammal Ocean Park is also oceanarium, amusement park and animal theme park. Explore the Summit that consists of the Marine World, Thrill Mountain, Adventure Land, Polar Adventure and the Rainforest or the Waterfront, which consists of the Aqua City, Amazing Asian Animals and the Whiskers Harbour.
3. Magical For Your Children
Flickr/Mel Mijares
Located on the reclaimed land in Penny’s Bay on Lantau Island is the Hong Kong Disneyland. Here you can explore the Main Street, USA, Adventureland, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, Toy Story Land, Grizzly Gulch and Mystic Point. If you have young children visiting the Disneyland Hong Kong, you are recommended to stay at a Disney resort and do the character breakfast. Personal attention is given to your children as the characters spend 2-5 minutes at your breakfast table.
Try the most sought after Winnie the Poo rides and the Buzz Lightyear ride which is fun for both adults and children. Go to the park earlier and stay late for the magical fireworks. Bring some refreshing fruits as the snacks there are unhealthy and expensive. If you want to watch the parade, go 15 minutes earlier to secure a good spot. Allocating two days for the park might be a good idea, more time to go also for roller coasters like Space Mountain and Big Grizzly Mine cars. The 3D Mickey’s Philarmagic movie and shows are great: the Golden Mickey and the Lion King. You can avoid the hassle of standing in the line at the park by buying your tickets through the Disneyland resort.
4. Endless Shopping
Flickr/Roland Wich
5. Mongkok Night Scene
Flickr/Kwong Ng
Mongkok offers street snacks, dessert shops, book cafes, gyms, manicure parlors, night markets that opens til 1am. Langham Place is an uber chic cool shopping mall with cult and high street labels. The other is New Town Mall at Agryle Centre. Competitive prices on four levels of fashion products from accessories to apparels, lingerie to toiletries. The way to shop in Hong Kong is to bargain. Ladies Market stretches across a few streets is a fun strolling experience. Lots of little accessories, mobile casings and counterfeit commodity.
6. Causeway Bay
Flickr/Kevin Lau
Causeway Bay offers more sophistication in shopping: Time Square and Sogo, Island Beverly and Jardine’s Crescent. Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon is a classier Mongkok, so less crowded. Harbour City has all the fashion giants, international and local brands, mainstream labels. This is also a food paradise. The One is Hong Kong’s tallest retail complex with premium supermarket and beauty bazaars, Kimberley Road for Brides and Grooms-to-be. Tung Chung has Citygate Outlets which only opens at 12pm. It is a mall of discounted goods of past season merchandise.
7. Temple Prayers Answered
Flickr/barnyz
In the north of Kowloon on the southern side of Lion Rock is Wong Tai Sin Temple which is a 18000 square metres Taoist shrine dedicated to the Great Immortal Wong. It is famed for ‘kau cim’ and many prayers are answered 有求必应. Worth to see is the Nine-Dragon Wall modeled after the one in Beijing. There is also a Three-Saint Hall dedicated to Guan Yin, Lu Dongbin and Lord Guan. Grand red pillars, goodlen roof with blue friezes, multi-coloured carvings, yellow latticework. Other sights include The Grand Hall, Good Wish Garden and the three memorial archways.
8. Dim Sum!
Flickr/John3000
You must eat Dim Sum in the teahouses. This has been a charming Cantonese custom originally, called “yum cha” Chinese tradition, the atmosphere is with clattering of trays, people calling out their orders and most of all, large groups of people talking at each table. Drinking tea in the olden times was a practice. Teahouses are to accommodate weary travelers journeying along the Silk Road and exhausted rural farmers who worked after long hours in the fields seek longingly for a relaxing conversation.
Today, the goodness we discovered is that tea has the ability to aid in digestion and cleanse the palate. What was known as ‘Small eats’ like Jiaozi in Beijing, Pearl balls in Shanghai and Spicy Huntuns (Wontons) in Szechuan province are creatively combined all in the dim sum session. Sipping tea and feasting on innumerable assortment of delicacies, this name ‘Dim Sum’ means to “touch your heart”.
Touching your hearts with a variety of dumplings and steamed dishes. Presented so beautifully just like finger food goodies and Hors d’oeuvres of hot and cold delicacies. There are assortment of sweet and savory dishes and culinary creations by the chef: meatballs to sweet cakes. It usually starts serving from 6:30am til mid-afternoon, so a mid morning meal called it brunch with these steam or deep-fried dishes.
9. Glorious Food Tour
Flickr/John3000
What to try at best:
Steamed pork spareribs with Hoisin Sauce
Char Siu Bao (steamed buns with roast pork)
Har Gau (shrimp dumplings with translucent skin)
Deep fried mini spring rolls
Potstickers
Sesame Seed Balls
Shrimp Toast
Shu Mai
Wu Gok (taro turnover)
Taro Croquette
Shrimp dumplings wrapped in seaweed topped with a dollop of salmon caviar
Flower Scallion Rolls (Hua Juan)
Steamed Chicken’s Feet
10. Real Egg Custard Tart Desserts
Flickr/Robyn Lee
Tasting the real and truly original Egg Custard tarts, Mango Pudding, Almond Pudding. The entire food scene is of servers push around on carts; steamer baskets steaming off their frangrant dishes. To order and how dim sum is served, a good tip is the lighter steamed dishes first, then exotic then deep-fried then dessert. Other items to eat in Hong Kong is Seafood, Chinese Barbecue, Late night eats. A Food Tour especially to the Quarry Bay as this is a delicious thriving district. Taste what Hong Kong’s best Chinese bakeries are offering and also seaside dining.
11. Yau Ma Tei - 6 Spots Shopping
Flickr/briyen
Lots of shopping at Yau Ma Tei 6 spots beginning with Kubrick at 3 Public Square Street, Hong Kong International Hobby and Toy Museum at 1/F, 330 Shanghai Street. Bruce Lee Club that pays homage to all things Lee at 530 Nathan Road. Check out the Mido Café at 63 Temple Street. Finally, if you like stickers, cards, key chains, jewelries or sunglasses, 446A Nathan Road Life History is the newly opened store for such funky knickknacks.
For this year 2014, there is an Entertainment Expo Hong Kong, Queen Elizabeth II Cup, Le French May, Art Basel, Asia International Arts and Antiques Fair, Hong Kong Halloween Treats and Hong Kong Wine & Dine Month.
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