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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
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Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Hong Kong & Japan
Hey!
So I'm more just AW/Sharing. We just booked our Graduation Trip - 7 days in Japan (we lived there for 2 years and want to revisit old haunts and make it to a couple of places we didn't make it to) and 7 days in Hong Kong.
I'm so fricking excited for fun hiking, great food, fun drinking, karaoke.
Any suggestions?
Re: Hong Kong & Japan
Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.
Mark Twain
My Travel Blog
Where in Japan? As you know, it's a big country. I don't know where you haven't been, so I don't know what to suggest
I will say that Hiroshima was one of the most powerful experiences I've had. I didn't make it there when I lived in Aomori, but it was my priority on a return trip last year. If you haven't explored Hokkaido, that might be worth a trip instead of sticking to the large cities most people get to. Did you ever stay in a traditional rural ryoken? We lived in the sticks, so we went to a lot of places most people don't bother going to, but if you lived there, you've probably already gone to the popular spots, so I can give you suggestions I don't give to most people who are there for a first trip.
As for Hong Kong, I spent 5 or so days there a year ago. Often the air quality was pretty poor, so that makes for less than exciting hiking. I did go to the island with the buddha (Lantau I think?) and took the really long tram ride. That was kind of awesome, even with the haze. I had knee problems so didn't hike up to the top, but it was still a cool place. You can also hike there instead of taking the tram.
Definitely take a day trip to Macau. There's so much more than just casinos. I took the free shuttle to the Lotus hotel from the ferry and then just walked everywhere, up hills, to ruins, along windy colonial streets to crazy incense filled temples. There are 2 michelin restaurants in Lotus, but there's also really good food elsewhere. I had dinner at the officer's club which was traditional Portuguese.
Since I was living in Korea when I visited HK, I was more interested in finding good European food rather than having a real HK experience. I was kind of over the whole rice/noodles meal, and I don't eat much meat. So, I have recs for things like Greek or tapas. Basically, I wandered along the mid-levels until I saw something I liked. Oh, there was an awesome bar with fantastic spiced wine that I spent 3 nights drinking at. I'll have to try to google the name. I can picture it, but that doesn't help you.
Anyway, ask more specific questions and I'll check back.
7 days is going to be plenty for Hong Kong. We spent 7 days there and actually felt like we were running out of things to do.
I agree about the daytrip to Macau!
Also, take a half day and visit one of the smaller outlying islands. We chose to check out Cheung Chau, and it felt so quiet and quaint, compared to the bustling city just a short ferry ride away.
One of the things we didn't get around to doing and wish we had was to visit one of the Hakka villages in the New Territories. I still regret that we spent so much time in HK and didn't get around to doing this.
We did spend one day at HK Disneyland, because XH had never been to Disney anywhere. He had a lot of fun, but I thought it was kind of boring. Honestly, I thought the Disney themed subway line and the English/Cantonese/Mandarin triple translations everywhere were the best part. Aside from the concession stand options, there's very little Asian theming to distinguish it from any other Disney experience, because the big draw of the park for the local and Chinese tourists is its "American" experience. Unless you're a huge Disney fan, I would skip it.
Also, here is my standard C&P blurb for Hong Kong:
The British influence can be easily recognized in street and place names as well as the decidedly British accent in public announcements and even by some English-speaking Chinese residents. Additionally, the British rule helped protect Hong Kong from the Chinese Cultural Revolution, which means that Hong Kong still has a lot of traditional Chinese culture that is missing in mainland China. For example, the temples in Hong Kong are much more ornate than those on the mainland.
The Chinese dialect spoken is Cantonese. Many people speak English, especially in tourist and shopping districts, and some are absolutely impeccable. However, many of the people in more traditionally Chinese or remote areas speak much less or even none.
Hotels in Hong Kong tend to be quite expensive. There are a lot of guesthouses for budget travelers, and while they can be a bargain, they're often extremely small and some are of dubious reputation, so be sure to do some research first.
When we went, we stayed near Causeway Bay, and really enjoyed the area. It's a very commercial shopping district, so there were plenty of restaurant options, and the stores stay open reasonably late, so we felt quite safe walking around in the evening. Although it's not the most central location, the MTR provided quick and convenient access to the rest of the city. Many people stay on the Kowloon side, but I actually felt that it was more convenient to be on Hong Kong Island, since more of the sights we wanted to see were on Hong Kong proper.
I highly recommend picking up an Octopus card, which is the local prepaid cash card. It can be swiped to conveniently use any of the public transportation (at a discount), even the ferries on the remote islands. Additionally, most vending machines and shops in the MTR stations accept it as a form of payment, as do many convenience stores.
As for things to do/see...
- Take the Peak Tram up to Victoria Peak for a fantastic view over the city. Try to do this on a clear day if you're lucky enough to get one.
- Ride the Star Ferry between Hong Kong Island and Tsim Sha Tsui if it's running. Despite its long history, the city has been considering closing the ferry and has, I believe, reduced service in the last few years.
- Walk along the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront for the view of Hong Kong Island, and check out the campy Avenue of the Stars to stand in the footprints of Jackie Chan or Bruce Lee. In the evening, check out the world-famous light show.
- Wander around Central to see the impressive skyscrapers and elevated sidewalk system that weaves its way in and out of surrounding buildings.
- Dine at a good authentic Dim Sum restaurant, and marvel at the artistry and variety.
- Take a stroll through some of the more traditionally Chinese shopping districts near Central. See the traditional Chinese medicine shops and interesting food markets. Also, go visit the attractive Man Mo Temple.
- Head to the southern side of Hong Kong Island for a different perspective. Check out Stanley Market and Aberdeen, where you can hire a sampan for a boat tour around the harbor and then dine at one of the massive floating restaurants. Unless you're queasy about seeing your food while it's still alive, opt to head downstairs to the tanks and pick out your own seafood when you order.
- Spend an evening bar-hopping or people-watching in the popular nightlife district of Lan Kwai Fong.
- Ride from Central to Mid-Levels on the escalators. Check out the shops and cafes that line the steps as you walk back down (the escalator only runs one way, so it only heads down during morning rush hour).
- The popular Temple Street Night Market sells a wide range of knick-knacks, sundries, and junk. Don't forget to haggle.
- Visit Lantau Island to see the giant Buddha - the largest seated outdoor bronze Buddha in the world.
- Consider a daytrip to Macau, which is easily reached in about an hour by express ferry. The Portuguese influence is incredibly apparent in the old town, which is much more like Lisbon than China. Learn about the history and culture by exploring the fantastic Museu de Macau. And for a more modern view, check out the Vegas-style casinos.
- To see the quieter side of Hong Kong, hop a ferry to one of the small outlying islands. In December it's a bit cold for the beach, but the small fishing villages are quite a contrast to the bustling city downtown!
- Skip Hong Kong Disneyland, unless you're a die-hard Disney fan. The Disney-themed MTR trains on the extension line are unique, but aside from the snack food and one or two characters in Chinese dress, there's nothing to distinguish the small park from those in other parts of the world.
I highly recommend picking up a guidebook with a few walking tours. Or check out and print the ones at Frommers.com One of the best ways to experience Hong Kong is just to walk the streets.
The above post reminded me of a couple things about HK. It's a really loud city. I walked around with headphones not playing anything just to block the noise.
I skipped most of the markets (although I went to a few in Macau) since I was living in Korea which has a similar market culture. However, I loved wandering wing lok and ko shing streets, with the birds nests and herbal medicines. There's just a fascinating smell, one I've not experienced in my other Asian travels.
I'm not exactly sure why I decided to do this, but I walked halfway down victoria peak. You can pick up the tram at a mid stop. There must have been some hiking trail. More likely I didn't want to fight other tourists to get on the tram.
I think Boca Tapas was the place I went for spiced wine. I'm sure in the summer it will be sangria, though.
Lonely planet has walking tours. They might even have an audio guide you can download, but I can't honestly remember. I planned my trip with literally less than a week notice, so I wasn't the most prepared.