Travel experience in Hong Kong: in-depth experience of local people's daily life

As someone who just came back from a trip to Hong Kong and Macau, although I did a lot of research before departure, I found that there were many things that were different from what I had planned. In addition, during the trip, some friends asked if I could share travel tips later, so I took this opportunity to sort out my experience of this trip to Hong Kong and Macau and share it with everyone. This article is the first part - Hong Kong travel experience and tips.

1 Accommodation
Because most of the attractions in Hong Kong are concentrated on both sides of Victoria Harbour, it is recommended to give priority to hotels in Sham Shui Po District, Yau Tsim Mong District, Kowloon City District and Hong Kong Island (Central and Western District, Wan Chai District) when booking a hotel. Compared with these areas, Sham Shui Po District and Yau Tsim Mong District are old towns and central areas, so the hotel prices are generally relatively high, and the accommodation conditions of cheaper hotels are relatively poor. Kowloon City District is slightly newer but the number of hotels is relatively small, while the accommodation conditions of hotels in Hong Kong Island (Central and Western District, Wan Chai District) are relatively better, and the surrounding environment is also better. For example, I chose to stay near Causeway Bay on Hong Kong Island this time. The room can see the city view, and there are bus stops and subway stations within 500 meters around, which is convenient for travel.

In short, the housing prices in Hong Kong are expensive after all, so generally cheaper hotels either have smaller rooms or are located in a remote location, so you must consider carefully when making a choice. Personally, I prefer smaller rooms but better locations, because this is convenient for travel, and you can take the bus or subway back even if you play until late.

2 Attractions
Here we mainly introduce the main attractions in Hong Kong by area. The attractions in the same area can be visited in half a day or a day. It should be noted that due to the high cost of Hong Kong's bus and subway crossing the sea (Yau Tsim Mong/Kwun Tong-Hong Kong Island), it is recommended to put the attractions on the Victoria Harbor side together when planning a tour, and try not to cross the sea multiple times.

Sham Shui Po and Yau Tsim Mong Area

Sham Shui Po
Sham Shui Po is considered to be the old city of Hong Kong. There are many delicious desserts and snacks in that area. Friends who like food can go there.

West Kowloon Center
West Kowloon Center has the only indoor roller coaster in Hong Kong. Although it has been discontinued, it should still be unique to see it on the top floor of the mall.

Nathan Road (Mong Kok-Yau Ma Tei-Tsim Sha Tsui)
Nathan Road is the main road connecting Mong Kok, Yau Ma Tei and Tsim Sha Tsui. The scenery along the way is a more representative street in Hong Kong. Friends who have nothing to do can walk along this road or take a bus along the route to the second floor to see the scenery along the way.



Temple Street Night Market
Temple Street is a famous night market in Hong Kong. I heard there are many cheap food there. However, I didn't go there during this trip, so I'm not sure if it's worth a visit. Friends who have been there are welcome to share feedback.

Tsim Sha Tsui
Tsim Sha Tsui is the core commercial district of Hong Kong, with tall buildings and beautiful night views. There are also many large shopping malls nearby, such as Harbour City and K11, which are worth a visit.



Chungking Mansions
Everyone should know the filming location of "Chungking Express", but I personally think that there is no need to visit it except taking photos and checking in at the entrance. It is recommended to just take a look when passing by. In addition, it is recommended not to stay in the hotel above, because the environment is really average.



West Kowloon Cultural District (M+ Museum, Hong Kong Palace Museum, etc.)
This is one of the most culturally rich places in Hong Kong. M+ Museum, Hong Kong Palace Museum and some other exhibitions are all charged, but the prices are not high. It should be noted that the Hong Kong Palace Museum is closed every Tuesday. If you come from Kowloon Station/Elements Shopping Mall, you can walk here from the connecting passage in the mall.



Avenue of Stars
Hong Kong's iconic attraction and one of the best places to see the night view. Needless to say, just come.



Hong Kong Museum of Art/Hong Kong Space Museum
Both buildings are next to the Avenue of Stars. The Museum of Art is free, while the Space Museum requires tickets but the price is very cheap. If you have time when you walk to the Avenue of Stars, it is recommended to go in and take a look.



Star Ferry
The Star Ferry is the cheapest cross-sea public transportation in Hong Kong. Compared with taking a cruise around Victoria Harbor, taking the Star Ferry is a more affordable and more affordable choice. The Star Ferry has two routes, Tsim Sha Tsui-Central and Tsim Sha Tsui-Wan Chai. Generally speaking, it is recommended to take the route to Central because the commercial facilities there are more complete. In addition, the Hong Kong Ferris Wheel is also next to the Central Pier.



Wong Tai Sin District

Chung Hung Estate
Famous for its rainbow-colored apartment building, it is also one of the most popular check-in spots in Hong Kong. Although the colors are not as bright as the photos on the Internet, it is still beautiful. The photo spot is the rooftop court of Choi Hung Estate. You can take the subway or the bus to Choi Hung Estate. I personally think that if you are not in a hurry, you can take the bus. It is quite interesting to go to the second floor to see the street scenes along the way.



Ping Shek Estate
Ping Shek Estate is next to Choi Hung Estate. It is mainly a square-structured apartment building and is also one of the most popular check-in spots in Hong Kong.

Wan Chai District

Golden Bauhinia Square
A landmark attraction in Hong Kong, it is close to the sea. You can check in and walk along the coast to see the scenery.



Causeway Bay
One of the core business districts in Hong Kong, you can eat and shop around here.



Victoria Park
Next to Causeway Bay, it is a relatively large coastal park. You can go there to walk around after having a meal in Causeway Bay.

Central and Western District

Kennedy Town
I personally feel that this place has the most beautiful street view in Hong Kong, and the Golden Cinema is also located here. When you come here, you can find a coffee shop to drink coffee and enjoy the sea view and street view.



The University of Hong Kong
I heard that the University of Hong Kong is now open to the public. Since it is the highest institution of learning in Hong Kong, it is necessary to come and see it. In addition, the University of Hong Kong also has an art museum to visit.

Mid-Levels Escalator
It is also one of the filming locations of "Chungking Express". It doesn't feel very distinctive, but you can come and see it if you have nothing to do.

Lan Kwai Fong
Hong Kong's nightlife area, you can come and take a look at it at night if you have time.

Hong Kong Ferris Wheel
Located next to the Central Pier, the price of 20 Hong Kong dollars per person is still very worthwhile. Generally, you can take 2-3 rounds, which takes about 15 minutes. It is recommended that friends who go there buy tickets online in advance to save time queuing for tickets. When queuing, pay attention to the two queues for buying tickets and checking tickets. Don't queue up in the wrong place.



Peak Tramway
A very unique means of transportation to the Peak, but there are usually long queues, especially in the evening. It is called a cable car, but it is actually a tram, which is transported by rail without cables. Maybe the traditional impression is that cable cars are used to going up the mountain, so we are used to it. There are two points to remind you. First, you can buy tickets for the cable car on the Peak in advance online (third-party platform, it is recommended to buy a combined ticket including the Sky Terrace), so as to save time queuing for tickets. When queuing, pay attention to the ticket purchase and ticket inspection lines, and don't queue up in the wrong line. Second, if there are too many people taking the cable car to the mountain, you can take the bus to the mountain. Generally, there will be fewer people taking the bus.



The Peak
A place with a panoramic view of Hong Kong, it is worth a visit. There is a Peak Garden on the top of the Peak, but it takes about 20 minutes to climb to it. Friends with good physical strength can climb up to take a look. The Mount Austin Recreation Area on the way (actually a small park) is also very unique. The Peak Tower Sky Terrace on the top of the mountain is still worth going up, because it is the best place to have a panoramic view of Hong Kong, but you need tickets. It is recommended to buy them online in advance, and they may be sold out on the day. There are two ways to go up and down the mountain, take the cable car or take the bus. It is recommended to take the bus if there are too many people taking the cable car.




Two major theme parks, Hong Kong Disneyland and Hong Kong Ocean Park
I believe everyone is familiar with these two theme parks. There are not many here. Friends who want to go can go and have a look, but it is estimated that one theme park will take a day to visit.

3 Food

Here I will introduce the Hong Kong food restaurants that I have collected and checked in, mainly by area. It is recommended to search for the specific address and business hours through Google Maps.

Sham Shui Po District
Check-in restaurant: Gonghe Bean Products Factory
Address: 118 Beihe Street, Sham Shui Po
This dessert shop mainly sells bean desserts and some snacks, and the taste is still very good.



Favorite restaurants:

Greenwood Dessert
Address: 77, 79 Un Chau St, Un Chau

Low Sam Kee Noodle House
Address: G/F, 80 Fuk Wing Street, Sham Shui Po

Wai Kee Coffee Noodles
Address: 62 & 66 Fuk Wing Street, Sham Shui Po

Hop Yik Tai Snacks
Address: 121 Kweilin Street, Sham Shui Po

Sun Heung Yuen (Kian Kee)
Address: 38A Kweilin Street, Sham Shui Po

Cooking at the Kitchen
Address: 31-33 Shek Kip Mei Street, Sham Shui Po

Tim Ho Wan Dim Sum Specialty Shop
Address: 9-11 Fuk Wing Street, Sham Shui Po

Yau Tsim Mong District

Check-in restaurants:
Chi Kee
Address: 52 Lok Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
A restaurant that mainly sells noodles. Its signature dish is wonton noodles. The soup is very fresh and the noodles are relatively elastic. It is still good.



Favorite restaurants:

Yi Tung Restaurant
Address: European Asian Bank Building, 1/F & 2/F, Nathan Rd, Mong Kok

Tim Ho Wan Dim Sum Specialty Shop (Olympic)
Address: Shop G72A-C, G/F, Olympian City 2, 18 Hoi Ting Rd, Tai Kok Tsui

Fat Sister Snacks
Address: 55 Dundas Street, Hung Tat Building, Mong Kok

Jia Jia Desserts
Address: 29 Ning Bo Street, Jordan

Mai Man Kee Noodle Shop
Address: G/F, 51 Parkes St, Jordan

Australia Dairy Company
Address: 47 Parkes Street, Jordan

Jenny Bakery Tsim Sha Tsui
Address: Shop 24 Ground Floor & Shop 42 1st Floor, Mirador Mansion 62 Nathan Road G24 Ground Floor & Shop 42, 62 Nathan Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui

Lan Fong Yuen
Address: 44 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

Wah Sao Ice House (Tsim Sha Tsui)
Address: Shop G7-G8, G/F, 8 Minden Path, Tsim Sha Tsui

Wan Chai District

Check-in restaurant:
Wah Sao Ice House (Wan Chai)
Address: 272 Jaffe Road, Wan Chai
Come here for breakfast, and feel that their breakfast (bread/toast) is better than noodles, and the taste is okay.



Tsui Wah Restaurant
Address: Shop 1-3, G/F, 1-5 Sugar Street, Causeway Bay Commercial Building
A fusion of Chinese and Western cuisine, the food is delicious.



Favorite restaurants:

Putian
Address: 7/F 7A, Lee Theatre Plaza, 99 Percival St, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong Island, HK

Bridge Under Spicy Crab
Address: Golden Jubilee House, 1/F, 391 Lockhart Road, Causeway Bay

Ho Hung Kee Noodle and Congee Specialist
Address: Hysan Place, Hennessy Road, Causeway Bay

Central and Western District

Check-in restaurant:
Tim Ho Wan Dim Sum Specialty Shop
Address: Shop 12A & 12B, Level 1 MTR Hong Kong Station, Central
If you haven't tried Cantonese dim sum, you can try it, but if you have tried restaurants like Dim Sum, you can give it up because this one is really not as good as Dim Sum, and the fried food is a bit greasy.



Jenny Cookies Smart Bear
Address: G/F, 15 Wing Wo St, Sheung Wan
Authentic Jenny Bear cookies, tastes pretty good.



Favorite restaurants:

Lin Heung Kui
Address: 40-50 Des Voeux Road West, Sheung Wan

Kiu Kee Beef Brisket
Address: Ground Floor, 21 Gough St, Central

Lan Fong Yuen
Address: 2 Gough St, Central

Yi Lok Roast Goose
Address: G/F, 34-38 Stanley Street, Central

4 Travel

Hong Kong's main public transportation modes include subway, bus, tram (ding ding car), ferry (Star Ferry), among which tram ticket is the cheapest, one ticket is 3 Hong Kong dollars, but tram only runs on Hong Kong Island and has no air conditioning. Compared with tram, subway and bus fares are higher, but the speed is also faster. Among them, subway fares are more flexible, while bus fares are relatively fixed. It should be noted that Hong Kong's main public transportation modes include subway, bus, tram (ding ding car), ferry (Star Ferry), among which tram ticket is the cheapest, one ticket is 3 Hong Kong dollars, but tram only runs on Hong Kong Island and has no air conditioning. Compared with tram, subway and bus fares are higher, but the speed is also faster. Among them, subway fares are more flexible, while bus fares are relatively fixed. It should be noted that the cost of taking public transportation across the sea in Hong Kong is relatively high, and it costs more than 10 Hong Kong dollars for a one-way trip. Hong Kong public transportation adopts a tiered ticket system. Generally speaking, the fare is relatively higher at stations close to the starting station, and relatively lower at stations close to the terminal. It is not charged according to the actual distance you travel. In addition, if you take a cross-sea bus line, you still need to pay a relatively high cross-sea fare even if you get off without crossing the sea.

In Hong Kong, you can use Alipay to scan the code to take the subway and tram, but some buses and ferries do not support Alipay to scan the code to take the bus. Therefore, it is recommended that friends who travel frequently apply for an Octopus card. You can apply for an electronic NFC card on your mobile phone by downloading the "Traveler Octopus" app (the exchange rate for mobile phone processing is relatively uneconomical, but it is convenient to apply), or you can apply for it offline at the service counters of various subway stations. The Octopus card can be used in most offline payment scenarios in Hong Kong, including public transportation, convenience stores, restaurants, cinemas, etc., which is very convenient. In addition, friends who travel frequently by subway can also consider purchasing a subway all-day pass at the service counters of various subway stations.

When traveling in Hong Kong, it is recommended to use Google Maps first, but it should be noted that the bus data on Google Maps is not real-time data, but planned data. When searching for routes using Google Maps, different results may be obtained for the same route at different times. It is recommended to take screenshots and save the search results each time you search, and compare multiple results to choose the bus that arrives first. In addition to using Google Maps, you can also use Apple Maps as a supplement, because Apple Maps provides real-time bus information, but the number of bus route plans generated is less than Google Maps, so it is recommended to use these two map software in combination when actually traveling. In addition, Hong Kong also supports taxi calls, which require downloading the "HK Taxi" app and registering before use.

5 Movies

Watching movies was one of the important things to do during my trip to Hong Kong. I spent two days watching movies in seven different theaters. When checking the schedule of Hong Kong theaters, I recommend a very useful app, "HKMovie", which can check the schedule and ticket information of various theaters in Hong Kong. When buying movie tickets, you can buy them on the official website/app of each theater. If you watch a lot of movies, you can also consider getting a membership card of the corresponding theater, which will give you coupons and discounts. This time, I got memberships of four theaters: Emperor Entertainment Group, Broadway, Golden Eagle, and CinemaCity.