Hong Kong

Overall Review:

Hong Kong is an oasis of Europe in the heart of Asia. It is a unique mix of East and West which makes it absolutely distinctive from all other places in the world. Whether you are a businessman or a shopaholic you will find your perfect spot here! Despite its small territory, Hong Kong has a high level of development and is way ahead of Mainland China. Once you are in Asia do not miss your chance of visiting this megacity!

What I liked the most: Ngong Ping Village where the Big Buddha statue is located. It was just fascinating as the whole place was full of spirituality. And also HK Trams are the best :)

What I disliked the most: since Hong Kong is really small, all the accommodations are quite tiny which is quite inconvenient sometimes!

General Tips:

• The easiest way to get to the city centre is to take a bus. It’s cheap and you will have the chance to explore the city from the very beginning.

• The accommodation is really expensive in Hong Kong, but be careful once you find a cheap one. I had a bad luck with finding one of the cheapest hostels in HK in Chung King Mansion. It was super cheap but I was afraid for my safety every time when I had to be back in that area.

• HK has an exceptional advantage of a check-in from the city centre. It can be really useful when your flight is in the evening and you still have a day in front of you, so you can just get rid off your luggage and enjoy your time!

• There is a tea time set in most of the restaurants which is around 4-5 pm during the daytime. You can get a good deal with a cheaper price :)

• It’s a nice idea to find some locals through Couchsurfing as they will make your trip much more fun!

• There is also a good website called KLook (https://www.klook.com/signin?signin_jump=%2Fpay) where you can purchase entertainment tickets online or get some free vouchers for places.

• Since the drinks are really expensive in the clubs locals get their alcohol from 7/11 shops which are everywhere in the area of Lan Kwai Fong.

To see:

Despite it’s small size, Hong Kong is full of sightseeing places and here are some of them:

• Victoria Peak (the hill from where you can have the amazing view of the industrial jungle)

• Victoria Harbour & Symphony of Lights

• Tian Tan Buddha (it is located in Ngong Ping Village and it is the biggest statue of Buddha in the world)

• Nan Lian Garden

• Lan Kwai Fong (the area full of bars and clubs)

• HK Disney Land (I haven’t been there but it is widely popular)

• Shopping Outlets

• Ladies' Market (you can also check the fortune tellers sitting next to the market)

To eat:

Hong Kong cuisine is really diversified offering a huge range of delicacies. Since I have stayed there only for 3 days I could only try those must-eats:

• Dim Sum

• Fish balls

• Congee

• Egg Waffles

• Egg Tarts

• Medical Tea sold in the streets

You can also check out those websites for finding the best dining place for yourself:

http://www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/dine-drink/index.jsp

https://www.openrice.com/en/hongkong

To spend:

Hong Kong is expensive and inexpensive at the same time. When it comes to accommodation you should better go off the general “budget” as even the cheapest places are more pricey compared to the other cities. However, the prices for food and transport are more or less affordable. If you are also in for some shopping, then get ready to spend around 400-500$ for 3 nights (including accommodation, 3 times meal per day and transport).

Please note that the above mentioned amount of money is only estimated cost and your actual trip expenses might vary depending on your interests and choices.