Hong Kong: Who's been there?

[bluntman]

Do you have any suggestions as to what to do, where to go and what to see? I will be staying there for a couple of days at the end of January. How is the weather there that time of year? Any tips would be appreciated.

[Cardinal Fang]

Just out of curiosity, how long is an actual flight to Hong Kong including stops? I've heard that it can differ up to 2 hours depending on where you stop over. Is this true?

[CanadaGTO]

I spent 2 days there when I went to Asia for work. Great place to hang out. I spent most of my time shopping kowloon, man you can find almost anything there. For food, I'd recommend having a local show you some of their small family run restaurants, though you can't walk down a street without passing one every 25 feet it seems. Be sure to hang out downtown for an evening, it's just like you'd picture it with the neon and people...... great times ::)

Patrique

[CanadaGTO]

Just out of curiosity, how long is an actual flight to Hong Kong including stops? I've heard that it can differ up to 2 hours depending on where you stop over. Is this true?


From Toronto you can either go through Alaska or Vancouver..... Can't remember the exact flight time though, I was enjoying myself too much in Cathay Pacific business class...... ;D

Patiruqe

[bluntman]

We're taking Cathay Pacific as well (Toronto > Anchorage (refueling) > Hong Kong > change planes and onwards to Manila).* On my last trip from Manila I was in Cathay's Business Class all the way back to Toronto.* The 17 hour flight from Hong Kong to Toronto didn't seem as long that time.

I take it people do speak English there being a former British colony.* Is crime even a factor (pick pocketing)?*

If I enjoy Hong Kong as much as I am hoping to, I think I may return and hit Tokyo as well. Anyone been to Tokyo?

[CanadaGTO]

We're taking Cathay Pacific as well (Toronto > Anchorage (refueling) > Hong Kong > change planes and onwards to Manila). On my last trip from Manila I was in Cathay's Business Class all the way back to Toronto. The 17 hour flight from Hong Kong to Toronto didn't seem as long that time.

I take it people do speak English there being a former British colony. Is crime even a factor (pick pocketing)?

If I enjoy Hong Kong as much as I am hoping to, I think I may return and hit Tokyo as well. Anyone been to Tokyo?


Our Cathay flight originally was supposed to stop in Alaska as well, but they changed it to Vancouver. I found a lot of the people in Hong Kong spoke English, but not all, should not be too much of an issue though. From what I could see crime was a non-issue, but take regular precautions. If possible, have a local take you around, not so much for safety reasons, just so you don't get lost :)

Manila, that rings a bell, that was where I went for work..... 2 weeks in Subic.

Patrique

[Chuckie]

The weather should be good.. i don't think it's typhoon season in hk yet.
The flight is about 17-19 hours. I've taken cathy pacific with a stop in ankorage and united with stop overs in mainland U.S. Cathy Pacific is the way to go if you got the money.. =)

I don't know about the proficiency of people's english in hk. I believe it's taught in schools but if they are anything like my cousins in hk, communication may prove difficult. However they aren't people who work in the tourism industry which i suspect would have a much better command of the english language.

-Chuckie
Enjoy your time in HK, try not to suck in too much of that polluted air.

edit: Places to visit: Disney land, Ocean park, Peak tower, Temple street maybe
The night life in hk is pretty interesting I think.

[McGuyver_3]

Do you have any suggestions as to what to do, where to go and what to see?* I will be staying there for a couple of days at the end of January.* How is the weather there that time of year?* Any tips would be appreciated.*




been there for like 2 days we moved around asia for christmas break 2 years ago it was beautiful couldnt remember the names of the places i went to but it was amazing. My dad knew coworkers in Hongkong who showed us around. He also took us to China(from where we were about an hour train ride and cheap cheap shopping was amazing)
Sorry couldnt be much more help to you but thought i would share

[ArManI]

just went HK last summer, i stayed in a hostel \(www.hostelworld.com) for about $20CAD/night (2 beds for 2 ppl), it is at Kowlong and right cross street of the subway entrance.
i even bumped into a couple canadians from vancouver~
really convenient. kowlong is the local night market area and Hongkong island is the downtwon modern shopping mall area.
u should go to both places to experience the different life style in HK.
i had great fun there, actually i went 3 times in 2 months cuz there're so much thing to shop (i stayed 4 months in asia, hongkong, taiwan, shanghai, thailand...)
make sure u BARGGAIN when u shop... the price can differ up to 50% (selling for $20, and buying for $10 after bargain~ LOL)
i even helped a Vancouver canada borned chinese (CBC) to bargain ( i speak cantonese, he speaks only english and at kowlong, local ppl doesnt speak english... ppl in HK island speaks english most likely) a set of dolls and get 30% cheaper
man i had lots of good memories over there
have fun and good trip!

[bluntman]

Sounds great everyone! I'm getting more and more excited about that portion of my trip...I just wished it was more than 2 days. :(

[royroy]

hey guys.. i m actually from hong kong =P n i usually take the flight back n fore 3 times each year... really really long ass flights.. n i can't stand them anymore(17-20) lol i can actually teach u some counter jet lag tricsk.. but i wouldn't post it here.. lol..... however.. i can recommand you different places if you want to know.... for autos accesories.. you should go to Mong Kwok.. if you r taking the MTR.. get out exit E or the "woman street" exit.. n there r a few accesories stores behind the sneakers stores...... i got my angel eyes back there.."$750 hkd" which is ard $100 bucks here... i have personally tried to look for mazda 3 stuff.. but all i can tell u.. ppl there drives nice cars.. dun b shock if u see SLK 55 AMGs.. lol i m serious.. i have looked into HK.. n they dun have the Mazda 3 GT...n u will not see 3s everywhere... i have tried to look for those aluminium door steps.. but i dun seem to see them anywhere... the price is almost about d same amount the shops... i think PIAA HID bulbs r ard 500bucks HKD.. which they sell for 100bucks here -.-.... if you wanna go shopping.. like clothings and electronics.. you can go to TSIM SA TSUI or Causeway bay... when you go to HK.. u might not b used to the crowd n stuff.. coze i m telling u.. HK is packed -.- if u wanna ask any question... just PM me...
ps... i can tell u.. if u r lost... take the taxi... is cheap n efficient.. but might cause u traffic!!

[jaguar]

Born in HK as well... actually I went to HK in May.

- For cheap clothing, shoes, whatever go to Mong Kwok station. Check out the ladies market. They only call it ladies market but they do sell men's stuff there and you can bargain with the people there.

-Macau (must travel by Ferry) where its mostly casinos there and setup like Vegas. You can get there by taking the MTR to Sheung Wan station.

- Nightlife go to Central station on the MTR. Lan Kwai Fong is the place to go once you get out of the station.

- Happy Valley Racetrack (horse racing) if you feel the need to do some gambling :). Its also worth checking out as well even if you dont gamble. You can get there by getting off Causebay Station on MTR.

- HK Peak @ night. Great birds eye view of the whole city.

- Ocean Park (equivalent of Marine Land).

The weather is pretty good over there in January. Not too hot and not too cold for us Canadians (but cold for HK residents :). Dont worry about the language barrier. I went to Japan in May as well and I had way more problems there with English than in HK.

[doughboyr6]

Do you have any suggestions as to what to do, where to go and what to see? I will be staying there for a couple of days at the end of January. How is the weather there that time of year? Any tips would be appreciated.

i was born in HK, moved to canada at 7 and been back 2x in the past 6 yrs....

i'm very much a tourist as well when i go back. I can't read/write, i can only speak which still helps. I was with my family on both occasions, so i can't say where to go or hit up cuz i never got to cruise on my own. I just went whereever they went....

i was there in january 2 yrs ago, and the weather was ok....their winter is like 16C, but very very humid. You would walk out of the shower clean/refreshed and start sweating again....just imagine their summer....way worse.

i've always compared HK to the Asain equivalent of NYC....same pace/style of life, but just a different race.

downtown is amazing for shopping...there's a mall with 11 stories i think and there's a kick ass thai resturant buffet at the top floor of that mall, amazing food. there are little sub parts where they are known for particular things, like NYC, there's the bronx, manhattan, Harlem,...etc each has its own distinctive flavor....some places i would stay away of course.

there's (wong kwok)? which is an area great for shopping and electronics....prices will be pretty good and the thing will be lightyrs ahead...just make sure the power conversion works when you bring it home.

make a trip to the mountain top at night, the view is unbelievable.

and there's a place in downtown work district (forgot what its called, but its famous, i think its Lan Quai Fong) and there are a bunch of pubs that a lot of foreigners like to hang....could meet a lot of cool people from all over the world.

flight is long, about 16-19 hrs i think, depending on tail/head wind....both times for me, i stopped over at B.C.

lots of food/resturants like mentioned...but best to have a friend/local take you around.

..some people speak english...not well....if you're in the more downtown business areas, it'll be more common and more fluently used.

crime, hardly a factor....dont forget, chinese people are timid people by nature (IMO anyway), we don't really have that much killings/shootings/robberies/rape...etc. But we can be pretty sly/trickery....so becareful, because if they know you're a tourist, they'll take advantage of you...keep an eye on your belongings, keep it close....i've herd in the past men liked to keep wallets in the back pocket and pickpocketers (sp?) would use a blade and slit the bottom seam and take your wallet....so keep it in your regular front pocket.

certain places are better than others, you be the judge. When i went to NYC, i stayed my ass out of the bronx/harlem. Although a mistaken bus ride accidentally brought me to Harlem....i was scared S*&Tless....hopped back on the next down back.

definately buy their bus/transit pass thingy, greatest invention ever, make sure to ride their buses, AC/d and with TVs, double deckers

look out for knockoffs....lots of them...but then again, some of them are legit, but from a back of a truck, use your own caution....if you're a tourist, they'll take advantage, you can always bargain....

man, after typing all this, i just realized 1/2 the crap i wrote was already mentioned in other posts....lol

[Nextmod]

ya born in HK, its going to be pretty cold in Jan (in the morning) they dont have central Heaters at their homes usually so its freaking cold in the morning.

[bluntman]

How cold is cold?

[royroy]

How cold is cold?

not lower then 10 degrees

[bluntman]

How cold is cold?

not lower then 10 degrees


Well that's not cold at all!