Hong Kong, Hong Kong S.A.R., China + Add a trip

Staunton Street, Soho

Cute little bar on Staunton Street. Looked for the faded blue wooden door on the left, after the intersection with Peel Street. This bar is a legend in Hong Kong among those in the know. Wicked fruit cocktails. Often packed. Get there early to grab the comfy sofas near the door. The place used to be an antique shop.

Hong Kong has a world of dining to offer. This is a quick guide to what you should try out in general, rather than a comprehensive review of any one restaurant. Furthermore, it honors the mantra of moving “beyond the path of a traditional guidebook.” So I'm skipping ahead of the basics on the subject, i.e. Cantonese cuisine, Dim Sum, etc.

Now to it. As you might expect, you’ll find plenty of Chinese food everywhere in Hong Kong. It's expensive here in comparison to Beijing or Shanghai, not to mention the Chinese countryside, but rather budget-friendly by international standards. In Central or Kowloon, do try the local Cantonese food, such as Dim Sum. But don't miss out on Hong Kong's fledgling display of other Asian cuisine: Shanghainese, Pekinese, Sichuan, Hot Pot, Korean BBQ, and Japanese—just pick your favorite. On a side note, international fast-food chains may take on a different form in Hong Kong. For example, Pizza Hut is not the take-out pizza joint U.S. citizens may be used to, but rather a comfy, nicely lit, sit-down restaurant.

If you’re looking for a plethora of charming restaurants from all over the world, you’ll find them in SoHo close to Central. I especially recommend you try the Nepalese one on Staunton Street.

Another nice area is Knutsford Terrace in Tsim Sha Tsui, an obscure alley packed with super-cozy restaurants, such as the Turkish Merhaba. You might need an informed local to provide proper directions to this area, but finding it is worth some effort.

Quite a ways further up the Kowloon hillls, you'll find the small fishing village of Sai Kung, famous for its fresh, local seafood. This is worth a try if you have more time on your hands.

Unique to Hong Kong, though, are the so-called “Private Kitchens.” These are something of a phenomenon: unlicensed, hard-to-find restaurants—often in rebuilt apartments—sporting up to 10-dish meals, including local seasonal specialties, and requiring reservations 1–2 weeks ahead. The mystique, food, and personal service make private kitchens marquee experiences of Hong Kong. There’s one called Yellow Door Kitchen on Cochrane Street in Central, and at least one in Wan Chai.

Hong Kong Gold Coast

If you will spend more than a week in HK, you may want to spend some time in the area around HK Gold Coast (Bus 962 from Causeway Bay via Wanchai, Central by Citibus). On the bus, one can see the 2 beautiful bridges of HK. Around the sunset time (around 5:30pm-6pm in winter, around 7-7:30pm in summer) , the view will be the best when lights are on. There are 5 beaches linked together. Walking along the beaches you will arrive at 'Three Saint' village, where you can find a lot of local hawker stalls serving different type of local cuisine and fresh seafood. I am still exploring, whenever my sister and I have more time. ;-)

TST

If you're be spending a lot of time in Shenzhen, stay at the Royal Park Hotel in Shatin. It's about 30min to the border vs 1 hour from Tsim Sha Tsui(TST).

Don't stay at the Kowloon hotel for any long time period, the rooms are tiny. barely wide enough to roll in a small suitcase.

BP Intl Hotel is a hostel like hotel. It's got private rooms for cheap, they're a basic clean room. The A-21 airport bus runs 1/2 block away as is the MTR. I have seen 4 people in rooms with bunk beds, but I have always had a private 1-2 bed room to myself.

Luxe Manor Hotel is a funky place 1/2 way between TST and Jordan, it's not that close to the MTR (subway) but it's in a good exploring area.

The Langham is good hotel near the ferry port, it's about 3-4 block walk to the MTR, but is perfect if you're spending a lot of time on HK Island or walking around TST.

Langham Place Hotel in Mong Kok is an excellent hotel. Best Hotel I've ever stayed in. Superb service, modern, floor to ceiling windows, good price for 5 star ($200USD), located next to Langham Place Mall, and on top of Mong Kok MTR station.

Go to the Intercontinental if only for drinks, to sit in the bar and watch the skyline and boats go past. There's a HKD$200 minimum to sit there, but I've never been called on it.(plus 1 double whiskey will take care of that cost)