Hong Kong: world’s most exciting city?

on 1 May, 2012 at 09:55

If you want to visit one of the world’s most exciting cities, NYC, Rio or Dubai may be top of your hit list. Well, there’s an awesome metropolis closer to Oz that has excitement, adventure and glamour written all over it.

Hong Kong is about a nine hour flight away from Australia’s eastern cities and yet it’s one of the coolest, buzziest hubs you’ll ever visit.
Touristy must-dos
Like other world cities, just walking Hong Kong’s busy city streets, admiring the towering skyscrapers, flashing neon signs and weaving downtown alleyways, is excitement in itself. But there are also LOTS of things to do in HK. Here are just a few of my must-dos for the city:
Big bus tour – Ok it’s a massive tourist cliché but you know what, a bus tour is a really good way to get your bearings, take in the buzzing atmosphere and admire the soaring buildings. Plus it’s handy to save your feet for the shopping malls…

Giant Buddha – Peace out and escape the busy city streets with a visit to the Giant Buddha, which is located near the airport atop Ngong Ping Plateau. I’d highly recommend catching the cable car up for spectacular views. Who knew HK was so green?!

Beached as… – You might be surprised to know that HK has some pretty cool beaches. So if you’re needing some Lan Kwai Fong hangover recovery time head to Repulse Bay on Hong Kong Island.

Symphony of Lights – Every night at 8pm, Victoria Harbour puts on a dazzling light display. It’s impressive and the best views can be seen along the Avenue of the Stars on the Kowloon waterfront.

Set sail – Nip to Aberdeen on Hong Kong Island and board a traditional Sanpan boat for a scoot around the bay jostling multi-million dollar liners and ancient fishing trawlers.

The Peak – Catch the tram and scale The Peak for a unique view of the city’s super impressive skyline.

I shop therefore I am
With the strong Aussie dollar, now is the perfect time to do some serious shopping HK style. There’s a whole range of shopping options in the city from mega malls to markets, and tailor services to independent boutiques.
Hong Kong has all the big designer brands like Marc Jacobs, Chanel and Shanghai Tang, and, with the current exchange rate you can secure up to 30-40% off Aussie prices. Er hello, is this not excitement enough to leap into a HK-bound plane right about now??! Plus with European chains like Massimo Dutti and H&M you can snag some high-street bargains too.
I’m proud to say I shop it up a storm – here are my top picks for the best retail therapy spots…
Shopping malls:
• The Landmark – Top end designer boutiques including Louis Vutton and Harvey Nics. Located in Central, Hong Kong Island.
• Harbour City – HK’s largest mall jammed with nearly 800 shops – yippee! Don’t forget to wear flats –you’re going to be doing a LOT of walking. Located close to the ferry terminal, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon.
• Elements – High-street stores including H&M, Zara and REISS for some steal buys. Located in Jordan, Kowloon.

Markets:
• Temple St Night Markets – For cheap trinkets, souvenirs, and sunnies, head here after the sun goes down. Located near Jordan MTR, Kowloon.

• Stanley Markets – Chinese artwork and good quality imitation bags and wallets. Word of advice: the best imitation merch is kept off the stall sites so ask your vendor for other options. Located in Stanley, Hong Kong Island.

Dance the night away
No trip to Hong Kong is complete without an exciting night on the tiles. Prepare to dance until the sun comes up and pay for it with a monster hangover the next day.

Party-central can be found in the small laneways of Lan Kwai Fong which is crammed with bars, restaurants and clubs. We start the night in Insomnia. It’s a bit of a HK institution famous for the Pilipino cover band. They’re really good and, erm, so are the mojitos.

Other boozy experiences I’d highly recommend are:
• A martini at Ozone bar in the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Kowloon. Super trendy and a breath-taking view to boot.
• Bubbles aboard floating bar Aqua Luna. A chic, junk boat booze cruise around Victoria Harbour. (The sailing of choice has to be 7.30pm to coincide with the symphony of lights show).
• Sing-a-long drinks at one of the many karaoke dens in Wan Chai.
Eat like a local
Dang – food is good in HK! From yum cha banqueting halls and bustling local markets, to high-end international restaurants, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the number of awesome, and sometimes excitingly unusual, eateries in the city.

Our first foray into Chinese cuisine is Serenade Restaurant on Kowloon’s waterfront. The joint is jammed with local HK folk eating weird and wonderful yum cha. We get a round of jasmine tea, some Tsingtao beers (yum!) and go for a banquet set menu.

Plate after plate of piping hot delicacies swarm the table. The broth prawn and pork dumplings are an instant hit. And the crispy deep-fried spring rolls are delicious. The more ‘interesting’ plates include squid shaped savoury bites, marshmallow rabbits and hedgehog shaped sweet buns. The restaurant has a great buzz and is a must for a visit to the city. Word of warning: you’ll need to book; this place is popular.

Top foodie experiences:
• Learn to make Dim Sum – The Easy123 cooking class in Kowloon is really fun. Get creative and learn to make tasty Dim Sum and fun animal shaped sweet treats. Located in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon.

• Delight in afternoon tea – The fancy pants Peninsula hotel hosts an elegant afternoon tea. It’s gorgeous. Note: heels and a frock are a must. Located Salisbury Rd, Kowloon.

• Eat award-winning dim sum – Street-side eatery Tim Ho Wan is the world’s cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant – go the steamed pork buns, delicious. Located in Mong Kok, Kowloon.
World’s most exciting city?
Over half of the Aussies who visit Hong Kong make a repeat trip. Why? Because it’s an exciting, dynamic city full of contrasts: East meets West, modern glamour versus rustic traditional beauty, sandy beach versus lush mountains to name but a few. Even the most well-travelled adventurer relishes the huge range of experiences the city has to offer.

So does Hong Kong rival other global cities in the excitement stakes? For sure. This unique mega-metropolis has excitement running through its veins, you can feel the fast-beating pulse as you wander the downtown streets. So discover the city for yourself; you’ll be planning a repeat trip before you’ve left the lively alleyways of Lan Kwai Fong.

Glam digs
We stayed at Traders Hotel. It’s situated on HK Island in the Western District, an original part of the city, about a ten minute cab ride from Central. The hotel has a roof top pool, small gym and café. It’s contemporary-minimalist in style with a natural colour scheme of cream and wood.
Whilst the rooms are compact for Aussie visitors they’re chic, really well equipped and come with free wi-fi. We upgraded our room for Club access and complimentary evening drinks.