Victoria Park

With the rain, heat and humidity, apparently this time of year is not the best time to visit. Its close enough to the factories of southern China that when the wind blows from the north, you won’t see a blue sky for days, which was the case for 4 out of 5 days we were there. We caught the high speed train to Shenzhen, where we crossed the border to Hong Kong.

Public transport is really easy to navigate and really affordable. We had absolutely no trouble figuring out the maps and working out how to get around and found it only cost a few dollars (AUS) to get around. No trip to Hong Kong is complete without a trip on the Star Ferry – Jump aboard the Star Ferry from Wan Chai to Tsim Sha Tsui. It’s super cheap and a convienient fast way to cross the Harbour, plus you get to see Hong Kong from the water! We did this quite a few times, as it was quick and easy from our shoebox hotel. I confess, it was also probably due to the fact that there was one of the best coffee stalls on the island there as well!

Food here is ridiculously priced – our first nights Mexican meal came to a grand total of $200 AUD, for burritos! This would be more like $60 at home.

Mong Kok – Hong Kong is a very modern city but it has its older areas that are definitely worth a visit. Mong Kok is an area of old and new, an area plastered with neon signs, just like the Hong Kong you see in 80’s movies.

Ladies Market is one of the most well-known markets in Hong Kong, with over 100 stalls. They sell knock-off handbags, sunglasses, clothes and plenty of stuff you didn’t know you needed. Be sure to bargain hard. Some people say it’s not all it’s hyped up to be, I have to agree. It is possibly one of the worst market we have been to in Asia, and definitely not the market I remember. Best advice is to go in with very low expectations.

Temple Street Markets is a better option, but still not a patch on other markets in SE Asia. It runs from 2pm to midnight and you can buy everything from gifts, clothes, art, handbags and luggage – we were hard pressed to find anything worthwhile though, particularly after areas of Northern China.Read more