This April I was lucky enough to build two days in Hong Kong before my big China adventure. While I was there, I kept a list of the things I loved and the things I loved a little less. Here is a summary of Hong Kong.
Does Well
Green Spaces
Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated places in the world. And yet I was impressed and surprised by the amount of green space I saw throughout the city. There are large parks and botanical gardens throughout the concrete paradise. Not to mention, Victoria Peak, which offers miles of hiking trails and the feeling of being in the wilderness right at the heart of the city.
Egg Waffles
After I said I was visiting Hong Kong, I was instructed by multiple people to be sure to try the egg waffles. At first, the sound of egg on a waffle wasn’t overly appealing, but when I learned that its more of a bubbly, better pancake, I was onboard. Served alone, or with cream, fruit or icecream, these are the perfect breakfast lunch and dinner. I won’t lie, I definitely had three in one day on my last day in Hong Kong.
Metro
Getting public transport abroad can be intimidating. And getting public transport in a country where you can’t even guess the language is worse! But The Hong Kong metro is easy to understand and hyper efficient. Check out the map for where you want to go, then just select it on their touch screen ticket machines. While on board an LED light will count you down to your stop. The metros are by far the easiest and fastest way to navigate Hong Kong.
Does Not So Well
Room Size
I heard about the space in Hong Kong before I arrived, but nothing prepared me for my single room where I could touch both walls lying in bed. The toilet and shower shared a cistern which made for an interesting squat experience and the door barely opened into the room. All in all, if you’re staying budget in Hong Kong, don’t expect a lot of space.
Cost of Living
In line with room size, the cost of living in Hong Kong is incredibly high. It is rated the most expensive place to live in Asia. I found it manageable to spend a few days there, but speaking to friends who live there I could never afford property. According to Transferwise, the cost of living in Hong Kong is comparable to London, and higher than Sydney.
Crowds
As with almost everywhere I’ve been in Asia, Hong Kong has a major crowd issue. As I mentioned above, it is one of the most densely populations places in the world. So despite the green spaces, you can’t ever walk far without getting trapped in a crowd. I found the volume of people rather overwhelming in Hong Kong, another reason I would struggle to live there.
Hong Kong Hot Tips:
Language: Officially Chinese, but you can survive on basic English
LGBT: To be LGBT is safer than the rest of China, but not legally protected.
Best spot: Victoria Peak
Top Tip: Although it does rain a lot in Hong Kong, you may be tricked into believing it is when it isn’t. The AC units hanging from every floor of every building provide ongoing drips that caught me out more than once!
