Travel to Hong Kong – Episode 636

Hear about travel to Hong Kong as the Amateur Traveler talks to Marianne Rogerson from mumonthemove.com about the city where she lived for 4 years.

Marianne says, “For me, Hong Kong is one of those big cities that everyone should visit once in their lifetime. I think it is up there with Paris, London, New York. Hong Kong should definitely be on that list too. It’s a really exciting city. It’s got a buzz. It’s exotic. It has amazing food. Sure, it can be kind of crazy and chaotic, but for me, that’s part of its charm. There is also another side to Hong Kong that a lot of people don’t know about and that is that it has a lot of little beaches to explore and it has a lot of country parts with amazing hiking trails.”

 Marianne gives us an itinerary that explores the main city on the island of Hong Kong but also gets to Kowloon and out to some of the other islands. 

She starts us at The Peak which is a viewing platform on the mountain in the middle of Hong Kong Island. It is the most popular tourist attraction in Hong Kong. The photo at the top of the show notes would be taken from the Peak. There is an easy walk on a loop at the top as well as a chocolate museum.

The best way to get around is on the old rickety trams from the 1950s that run the length of Hong Kong Island. The best seat in the house is upstairs in the front.

Hong Kong is very hilly. The mid-levels is where many people live and you can access it via the mid-level escalator. The escalators run downhill in the mornings and uphill after around 10 am. You get a great view from the escalator. SOHO (South of Hollywood Road) is about halfway up and has a number of cozy wine bars and restaurants with great nightlife.

Kowloon is more chaotic and staying there is the “quintessential Hong Kong experience” according to Marianne. Kowloon also has the best views. The best way to get between Kowloon and Hong Kong island is to take the Star Ferry which is super cheap with great views. Take it once during the day and once at night.

Marianne recommends a trip to Lantau Island to see the giant Buddha. The way to get to the Buddha is a cable car with a stunning view. She also recommends a stop at the oldest fishing village in Hong Kong called Tai O. It is known for its houses on stilts and pink dolphins. 

We also talk about a trip to a couple of the 200 islands around Hong Kong. One of the most popular ones is Lamma Island which has really good seafood restaurants. You can get there by public ferry. Marianne also likes a trip to Po Toi.

Hong Kong has streets with antique shops and art galleries, shops with Mao-era souvenirs, a flower market, a jade market, a bird market, and a goldfish market. It has street markets like the Lady’s Market or the Temple Street Night Market where you can buy your knockoff handbags or “Galvin Klein” underwear.

We eat our way through Hong Kong including dim-sum at Maxim’s Palace and food eaten on plastic stools at a night market. She also takes us to markets with strange foods that you might prefer to photograph than eat.

For practical tips, Marianne recommends getting an Octopus card to access public transportation and even get a sandwich from shops near the subway. 

Hong Kong is a great gateway to Asia, it is Asia with English subtitles. See if you don’t fall in love with this vibrant delicious city as well.

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Show Notes

Mum on the Move
Hong Kong
Discover Hong Kong
Kowloon
The Peak
Octopus Card
Lugard Road
The Chocolate Museum
Dim Sum
Maxim’s Palace
Hong Kong Tramways
Western Market (Sheung Wan)
Cat Street
Man Mo Temple
SoHo
Star Ferry
Ladies’ Market
Flower Market
Temple Street
Tsim Sha Tsui
Hutong
Ozone Bar
Aqua Luna
Dukling
A Symphony of Lights
Kowloon Walled City Park
The Big Buddha
Ngong Ping 360
Po Lin Monastery
Tai O
Dolphin Watch
Lamma Island
Lamma Rainbow
Po Toi
Lunching on Po Toi
Hong Kong Disneyland
Ocean Park
Hiking Trails
Big Wave Bay
Hong Kong Sevens
Stanley, Hong Kong
Sai Kung
Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery
Little City Trips
Ten Unique Hong Kong Experiences

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