Hi guys

Just a little review on Hong Kong. Throw back to: The 12th of February & it was damn cold! We literally wore layers of our summer clothes underneath our jackets we fortunately carried with from home.

With so much to do, in so little time only 3 Days in Hong Kong we were cut short. Lucky for us we were pretty much clued up, from all the stories of my parent’s trip to HK a month ago.

Hilton Garden Inn Mongkok

A 5 star hotel for HK when it comes to the interior. The room space was tiny, but than again most hotel rooms in HK are really compact. Honestly, coming from those spacious suites in Bali, we felt spoilt! Facilities pretty basic. The gym just had 3 treadmills & weights…but who wants to run, when you have a whole city to run around in. The Breakfast lounge has a standard buffet. Staff were quick to help at any request. The pool is soon to be opened on the rooftop

While we might have missed the “Suite life” , it  was a blessing in disguise, which kept us out of the hotel & running through the city streets like backpackers. If you more of the adventure junkies like us, the best way to see the city is on foot, so firstly get yourself the city map or use offline GPS on your phone & it’s going to an awesome time.

We planned our days according to our personal choice & interest of where to go & what to do. Below is what I recommend to do, for those travelling for the first time to Hong Kong.

Transport:

Uber is cheap compared to the local taxi from & to the airport. In the city we took the metro to every major stop & from there walked our way through. We nailed the steps those days.

Things to do in HK:

• Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade on Nathan Road (we still trying to pronounce Tsim Sha Tsui correctly)

• Star Ferry The ultimate experience to discover the beauty of Hong Kong. From Tsim Sha Tsui train station we took a walk to the Victoria Harbour & boarded the Star Ferry across to Central district of Hong Kong. From there one can take a tram or the double decker bus to Victoria Peak, we opted for taking the bus up with the view of the sunset on the city & return with the tram, experiencing both.

• Victoria Peak One of those “must see” places! During day sure not so crowded but after sunset it does get as it’s the best time to see the sunset on the one side of the mountain & on the other the skyline with all the lights. Feels like you in a movie scene, the stunning colours on
  the buildings really is amazing.

• Hong Kong skyline stunning during the day as well as night when lit up. The evening light show to music was spectacular, the views from Kowloon & from Hong Kong Island are both spectacular.

• Disney Land Stepping into the world of Disney is always an exciting one. The Disneyland at Hong Kong is no different and in fact you tend to spend less time queuing here than the other Disney parks around the world. Yes it’s not the biggest of the Disney parks, but it’s great for a day visit. The Toy Story land is fantastic, great design and you feel like a big kid. Make sure you stay for the ‘Paint the Night Parade’ which is simply Disney at its best.

Shopping:

• Nathad Road: A lengthy road stretch out across Kowloon with all the brands at afforadable prices
• Sneaker Street, Fa Yuen Street Mongkok (Kowloon)
• Ladies Market,Tung Choi Street Mongkok (Kowloon)
• Golden Computer Arcade
• Wholesale Fruit Market, Canton Road Yau Ma Tei (Kowloon)
• Fa Yuen Street (Sports Wear Street)
• Harbour City
• Times Square Shopping Centre, Causeway Bay
• Fashion Walk

Food:

Halaal food was rare, but on Nathan Road there are a few Indian, Pakistani & Turkish restaurants just beware to stay away from those eating places that serve alcohol.

Over all, in my opinion about 3-4 days in Hong Kong is enough, unless shopping is your main objective than you will need a day or two extra.

Chef Tasneem Saith