Hong Kong is spectacular, and a particularly special place in the world to me. I raised my children, started my business, and met some of my lifelong friends there.
Hong Kong is made up of 261 islands and the Kowloon Peninsula, the largest island being Lantau, followed by Hong Kong Island.
It is short on space and overflowing with over 7.3 million people. With land at a premium, it has resulted in a high rise building boom to accommodate the population
These high rise buildings have become one of the biggest draws for tourists coming to Hong Kong. Like New York City, the Hong Kong skyline makes for one of the most dramatic photos you’ll ever take. But don’t be fooled! Hong Kong is no “concrete jungle”; it has a vast amount of country park with wonderful hikes..
If you start to feel overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of the city, you can easily escape to Kowloon, Clearwater Bay, or any of the beaches, mountains or islands that Hong Kong has to offer, all within a 40 minute drive, train ride on the MTR or ferry ride.
Hong Kong offers something for everyone; for a bit of history, the Hong Kong Museum of History in located in Tsim Sha Tsui. The Heritage Museum will give you a rich understanding of how the city came to be as it is today, this is located in Sha Tin. The handover to China occurred in 1997, but evidence of the colonial past is still apparent from the English style buses, buildings and tradition of afternoon tea.
Hong Kong is famous for its trams because they were the earliest form of transportation around the city. The tram began operation in 1888, and the Peak Tram will give you views of the skyline and harbour, while the main tram can take you east and west of Hong Kong Island, all the way from the CBD to Causeway Bay.
One aspect of Hong Kong my kids and I miss the most is definitely the food. With Hong Kong dripping in culture, there are innumerable restaurants of all different cuisines. One simply cannot go to Hong Kong without trying Dimsum. Our family favourites for Dimsum are Yé Shanghai in Pacific Place, and Dragon-i in Lan Kwai Fong – it doesn’t get better than that! You can also get picked up from the central pier by water taxi and taken to a number of different seafood restaurants on Lamma Island, most notably Rainbow Restaurant.
If you would rather see the Hong Kong skyline from the comfort of a restaurant or bar, the ICC in Kowloon is a 484m tall commercial skyscraper with bars and restaurants in its top floor. Enjoy spectacular views while having an exquisite meal or cocktail. If you are in town for Chinese New Year or New Year’s Eve, you won’t find a better place to watch the fireworks!
There are plenty of kid-friendly activities in Hong Kong. Ocean Park in Aberdeen is always a winner, along with Disney Land in Sunny Bay for younger children, Ryze Trampoline park, and many more.
For adults; treat yourself to a massage in Happy Foot in Lan Kwai Fong, watch the Nightly Symphony of Lights and ICC Light show, or take the ferry to Macau for a night. There is so much to do in Hong Kong, and almost definitely something for everyone!
Happy Valley Racing on a Wednesday night is an experience truly unique to Hong Kong. If you are a rugby supporter the Hong Kong Rugby 7s in Spring is a festival of rugby with a carnival party atmosphere like no other. As tickets are always hard to come by it is best to do that as a flight package with its sponsor Cathay Pacific.
