On a recent work trip to Hong Kong (home to 7.4 million people), I had the pleasure to discover the country wasn’t all concrete and steel, but actually quite verdant. We stayed in the green hills of Sai Kung (at the quite expensive but gorgeous WM Hotel at HKD4,000/night) about half an hour bus ride away from Hong Kong city. The hotel was on the coast and next to some lovely seafood restaurants.
Hong Kong is not a concrete jungle
Hong Kong is greener than I thought! There were beautiful sceneries with ample public amenities (i.e. decent toilets) and a forest reserve near to where we stayed where you can run the hills.
Other reasons why I recommend a visit to Hong Kong:
⁃ Ample water sports – from kayaks and stand up paddleboardings near our hotel, to wake surfing or wake boarding behind a boat, the locals seem to love their sports. There was a public pool in Sai Kung which was quite popular.
⁃ The night life is bustling. We took a HKD20 (about MYR15) bus trip into town and saw the busy shopping and eating streets of Mong Kok and Tsim Sha Tsui. If you get to the nearby waterfront in time, you will see a beautiful light show on the river and opposite banks of Hong Kong island, called the Symphony of Lights. You can take a HKD6.50 trip from Star Ferry terminal, across the river on one of the colorful boats. Truly breath taking.
⁃ So much history. Once you cross to the island, you can walk the hilly old streets of Central district, catch the world’s longest escalator up the hill, climb Mt Victoria or stop at the various pubs and restaurants in Lan Kwai Fong for a drink.
– Fantastic food. Being half Chinese, maybe I’m slightly biased but I love the food in Hong Kong. So much variety and yummy morsels to try.
⁃ Gentle winters. Summers can get pretty hot and humid, but winters (from October onwards) can be very pleasant, especially going from Malaysia. I’m told locals never have to wear more than a t-shirt and a light jacket in winter.
⁃ Short trip away. Just 4 hours from Kuala Lumpur, it’s a pretty easy flight to catch.
Food to try when at Sai Yeung Choi Street would be chou dou fu (stinky tofu), xiao long bao (yummy soup inside), pineapple buns & of course all the other dim sum delicacies.
We also heard great things about Lantau island near the mega sized airport (some attractions whilst there include a cable car journey, a historical tour, a giant Buddha, Disneyland Hong Kong and premium outlets), Aberdeen Fishing Village boat tour (where you travel in a small fishing boat from eatery to eatery while you explore the little area), 1-hour hike to Lion Rock & Clearwater Bay trails (amazing view points apparently).
Not a cheap trip away as the costs are more similar to a western country, (I’m from a South East Asian country so the costs were quite painful) but definitely worth a go. Recommended to do your research beforehand especially for any closures or discounts – enjoy!
If you’re looking for a theme park experience in Hong Kong, read our article of Ocean Park Hong Kong for tips!
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