Hong Kong was never on the top of my list of places to go.  However, I knew I had to jump at the chance to visit when a presentation I submitted at the Hong Kong Speech and Hearing Symposium was accepted.  When my friend and former roommate, Marisa, decided to go with me, I was so excited to start planning.  Thankfully we had friends (thanks Melissa, Neha and Mark!) that were able to give us lots of suggestions and tips, which helped to make the trip even better than it would have been.

Accommodation

Dorsett Tsuen Wan
This was our original hotel.  It was a very nice hotel, but because it was in the New Territories, it was just too far away.  Having realized this prior to the trip (thank you Melissa!), we decided to only stay 2 nights, then move to another location.  The hotel has a shuttle that will take you to the MTR station nearby, but an Uber to Kowloon or Hong Kong Island is less than $20 USD and much easier.  The rooms are very small, but clean and updated.  Breakfast was not included, but there is a 7-11 next door where you can get snacks, bottled water, etc.  There was a pool and a spa, however we didn’t take advantage of due to lack of time and warm weather.  If you don’t mind Uber-ing or waiting for shuttles to take you to the MTR station to get around, this my be a good option for you.  However, if you want a central location, look elsewhere.

Butterfly on Waterfront
We moved to Butterfly on Waterfront after our 2 days in the New Territories.  It was a much better location for us to be able to get around Hong Kong Island.  It is near the waterfront, but in a little bit of an industrial area.  Rooms are tiny and could use a face lift but it sufficed for us.  Breakfast was also not included, but there are lots of coffee shops nearby.  It was a 4-5 minute walk to the Sai Ying Pun MTR Station which will then connect you anywhere you need to go.  Our room had a view of the harbor which was lovely.

One interesting thing about both of our hotels was, that each room comes with a smart phone.  You can use it as an actual phone or as a WiFi hot spot for your own phone while out and about.  Unfortunately we couldn’t figure out how to use the hot spot, and were too afraid of losing the phone if we took it out of the room, so it didn’t do us much good.   But may be a great perk for someone who is better with technology.

Grand City Hotel
We stayed at Grand City Hotel on our last night in Hong Kong, after returning from our time in Vietnam.  All I can say is, do NOT stay here.  Online it looked great, but, wow, was that misleading.  This has to be one of the worst hotels I’ve ever stayed in.  The room looks like it’s straight out of a 1970s horror movie.  Drab brown carpets, walls, and curtains.  And the bed was the worst bed I’ve ever slept in.  It literally felt like I was laying on a piece of thin cardboard placed over the bed springs.  Also there were holes cut out of the bathroom door, so there was no privacy, which is just plain weird.  The location is really the only thing this hotel had going for it, as it’s close to the Sai Ying Pun MTR stop.  It was a bummer to end such a great trip at such a crap hotel, but it made me even more grateful for the other places we stayed.

Getting Around

Getting to Hong Kong is a trek (a 16 hour flight), but once you are there, it’s very easy to navigate.  The MTR is an amazing public transit system.  It’s so clean and easy to navigate.  People were civil and not disgusting monsters like you tend to see in NYC.  You can easily get to and from almost anywhere.  You need to buy an Octopus card for entering and exiting, and the fare is dependent on how far you travel.  You can also use the Octopus card for purchasing things in other places besides the MTR (like the airport), if you end up with extra money at the end of your trip.  You can also return your card and get the $50 HKD deposit back if you have time and won’t need it again.

If taking public transport isn’t your thing, fear not because getting a car is also super easy.  There are tons of local metered cabs everywhere you go.  The cabs were really cheap in comparison to NYC, however they are cash only, so be prepared.  Uber is also available in Hong Kong, although it isn’t 100% legal from what we were told.  Although it’s a “grey area,” it’s widely used and available, and a great, cash free option.

Food and Drinks

Dumpling Pro
This was our first meal in Hong Kong and it was perfect.  I had the best cold noodles with sesame sauce I’ve ever had.  Marisa had egg and tomato dumplings, which sounds weird, but were really good.  This place set the bar high for the rest of our meals in Hong Kong.

Ho Lee Fook
Multiple people recommended we eat at Ho Lee Fuk.  I think the name gets lots of people through the door, but the food was incredible and keeps them coming back.  This was my favorite meal in Hong Kong.  It’s a hot spot and the wait can be a couple of hours during prime dinner hours, so make a reservation if you are able to plan in advance.

Din Tai Fung
My first time eating soup dumplings AND my first time at a Michelin Star restaurant.  The soup dumplings were really yummy and dirt cheap for a Michelin Star restaurant (less than $15 USD).  It was very strange to us that so many nice restaurants are inside malls in Hong Kong, but it’s a thing.

Good Hope Noodle
This was a Michelin recommended restaurant not too far from the Ladies Market.  The food here was spicy and good, but the actual restaurant left something to be desired.  The tap water we were given had hair in it and there was no toilet paper or napkins in the entire restaurant.  But I think it’s a legit local restaurant, so if you are a foodie and can look past the other stuff, I think it would be worth it.

Yardbird
A trendy chicken restaurant, that was also recommended by several people.  However, we felt it was a little bit overrated.  Maybe had we tried a variety of chicken (I ordered the chicken breast) it would have been more interesting, but I was underwhelmed.  The brussel sprouts, however, were delish.  The vibe is very Brooklyn hipster.

Bistro Manchu
We stopped here for some traditional Chinese food and were pleasantly surprised by how good it was.  I went for classic Kung Pao chicken and Marisa had tofu.  Both were really tasty.

Lucky Desserts
We stopped in for a sweet treat and to try the Asian delicacy, durian.  My mango dessert was delicious, however Marisa’s durian dessert was awful.  Not the dessert specifically, but just anything with durian is the worst.  Durian smells and tastes like BO.  Try it if you must, but I’ll be surprised if anyone actually enjoys it.

WTF
A tapas bar with nice, cheap cocktails.  The menu sounded great, but we were waiting for our table at Ho Lee Fuk, so didn’t get any food.  But what we saw people eating looked good.  This block has some good restaurant names that really make you want to stop in, just to say you did.

F.A.B.
FAB, or French American Bistro is a great stop for a cocktail in SoHo.  It’s right at the foot of the escalators, and opens up to the street for good people watching.

Winston’s Coffee
Our local breakfast stop.  It’s also a Brooklyn hipster vibe, but had really good coffee, pastries and breakfast sandwiches.

Scarlett Wine Bar
Great happy hour with a nice variety of wines.  Opens up to the street so also good for people watching.

Ozone
The highest bar in the world.  It’s located on the 118th floor of the Ritz Carlton hotel in Kowloon.  The best truffle popcorn I’ve ever had, to pair with your $24 drinks.  It’s crazy expensive, but worth it for the amazing views.

General Tips
-Hong Kong is CROWDED.  And me saying that while living in NYC says something.  Be prepared.  I felt like I was in Times Square all the time.  Particularly in Kowloon.  Hong Kong Island felt slightly better but there are still people everywhere.

-Chinese is the primary language in Hong Kong, however as it was formally a British colony, many people also speak English.  We managed to get by without knowing any Chinese.  The only difficulty was with the local cab drivers, but as long as we had a map to show where we were going we managed just fine.

-We found that many of the traditional Chinese restaurants only serve food, no alcoholic drinks.  Some restaurants only had 3-4 drink options, period; water not always one of them, which was super strange.  Mostly the options were coke, soy milk, and tea.

-I’m not sure if it was just when we were there, but each day around sunset it became very foggy.  If you are planning on going somewhere for the view, maybe go before sunset or wait until dark to get the best pictures.

-Cash is a must have.  Many restaurants and all of the local cabs are cash only.  You could take out around $100-200 USD to start, and depending on how long you stay, may need to get more.  The conversion when we were there was around $7 HKD to $1 USD so everything seemed super cheap when you divided it by 7.

-Take a regular cab within Kowloon or within Hong Kong Island because it’s very cheap.  However, if you are going between the two, you are better off taking an Uber.  The local cabs charge you extra to pay for the driver to get back to the side where they picked you up, so it ends up costing more.  We also found Uber to be cheaper to and from the airport.

-Kowloon side felt more local and authentic China than Hong Kong Island.  There are lots of great restaurants and bars in both places, but many of them in Kowloon I would consider “hole in the wall.”  But sometimes the hole in the wall places are the best, so they are worth checking out.

-Bring your own napkins, toilet paper/wipes, and hand sanitizer everywhere you go.  Many restaurants and attractions don’t have any of them and you’ll be sorry to not have them when you really need them.

-Squatty potties are a thing and they are not easy to use.  Some of the bathrooms are just a hole in the floor with marks for where to put your feet, for the most successful squat.  I wish you luck.

 

 

Hong Kong is a great trip to take you out of your comfort zone, but still provides a western feel if and when needed.  It’s a huge, busy city with tons to do, but also has plenty of ways to retreat in nature.  You’ll be amazed by the views, eat and drink at some fantastic restaurants, and experience a culture very different from the US.  Although it wasn’t originally on my bucket list, I’m so glad I had an opportunity to go and experience it .  For someone who hates flying to tell you it’s worth the 16 hrs in the air, then you know it’s true.  Go see for yourself, you won’t be sorry!