# Whatch out Hong Kong! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 10, 2008, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatch-out-hong-kong/452395 "2008-06-10T01:54:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2008, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatch-out-hong-kong/452395/1 "2008-06-10T01:54:27Z")
This Friday I´m travelling to Macau and Hong Kong with my girlfriend, we´ll stay one day in Macau and two and half in Hong Kong. So, besides looking for a Jackie Chan autograph what is there to do in HK? The only thing I´ve planned is to go up the mountains to that humongous buddha statue overlooking the island. ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2008, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatch-out-hong-kong/452395/2 "2008-06-10T08:18:35Z")
The Buddha statue is on Lantau Island (the same island as the airport). You can take a ferry there from Kowloon or Hong Kong. I haven’t been there since October, but they were doing a lot of construction around the Star Ferry terminal on HK, so it might be better to see if you can get something from the pier in Kowloon. In HK the trip up Victoria Peak via the Peak Tram is nice on a clear day. When you arrive in HK, it is cheaper to buy a roundtrip ticket for the train to the city since you’ll be returning after only a few days. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2008, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatch-out-hong-kong/452395/3 "2008-06-10T08:27:27Z")
Ale, I will email you my “a few days in Hong Kong” travel guide! As for Macau, “Rolling Motion Square” is good, but the rest of the city is a bit grimy. Head south to Taipa village and Coloane, and make sure to eat the African chicken at Fernando’s restaurant on Hac Sa beach. It’s amazing. ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2008, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatch-out-hong-kong/452395/4 "2008-06-10T13:46:41Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] Ale, I will email you my “a few days in Hong Kong” travel guide! [/QUOTE] Excellent! _plays air guitar riff_ Thanks a lot **jimm** , I´ll try to follow some of the tips on that guide. Wish me luck because… let´s just say that my GF has a very troubled history when it comes to travel itineraries. [QUOTE=jjimm] As for Macau, “Rolling Motion Square” is good, but the rest of the city is a bit grimy. [/QUOTE] Excuse me sir, but you forget I live in Bangkok, grimy streets are second nature to me by now. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2008, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatch-out-hong-kong/452395/5 "2008-06-10T14:16:10Z")
[QUOTE=Ale] let´s just say that my GF has a very troubled history when it comes to travel itineraries. [/QUOTE] Well the cool thing about Hong Kong is that, except for a few trips to the new territories or Lantau or Lamma, the transport is so good, and the place is so compact, that you don’t really need to make plans. Nothing is time-dependent - except sunset at the Peak, which is a must. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2008, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatch-out-hong-kong/452395/6 "2008-06-11T09:12:55Z")
I have never been there, but my parents went there and loved it. That alone says nothing, but my parents lived in Illinois, hated Chicago, never once went to NYC (other than the airport), only went to LA for a funeral and pretty much disliked traveling to all large US cities. However, my father was in politics and they had to do quite a bit of international travel. They pretty much hit every major foreign city…and shortly before they died, I had asked them what city they liked best - both didn’t hesitate and said they would love to go back to Hong Kong. Sadly, that never happened, but I have always wanted to go, simply to see what impressed them so much. Please come back to this thread and let me know your impressions! ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2008, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatch-out-hong-kong/452395/7 "2008-06-11T11:57:30Z")
walking around HK neighborhoods is kinda cool. Like from Causeway Bay to Central. Also, taking the tram, any tram, is cool. ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2008, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatch-out-hong-kong/452395/8 "2008-06-11T13:32:06Z")
[QUOTE=DMark] Please come back to this thread and let me know your impressions! [/QUOTE] Sure I will, with pictures and everything. My GF wanted to go to Disneyland Hong Kong… luckly I talked her out of that idea. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2008, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatch-out-hong-kong/452395/9 "2008-06-11T21:39:06Z")
[QUOTE=China Guy] walking around HK neighborhoods is kinda cool. Like from Causeway Bay to Central. Also, taking the tram, any tram, is cool. [/QUOTE] The back streets of Wanchai, towards the mountains, are particularly charming. Colonial buildings, old markets, as well as the usual neon stuff. Me and a buddy once took a tram from the terminus at Kennedy Town all the way to Taikoo Shing, round the loop and back again (and filmed the whole journey from the top deck, then sped it up and dubbed The Orb over the top - wicked vid that I wish I hadn’t lost). Best 20c I ever spent! ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2008, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatch-out-hong-kong/452395/10 "2008-06-12T21:59:57Z")
On my way to the airport, weeeeee! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2008, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatch-out-hong-kong/452395/11 "2008-06-13T05:43:12Z")
Chiming in a little late if you’ve already left for the airport, but what has not been mentioned here yet is the southern side of HK Island. There’s an interesting Japanese-occupation-era cemetery. Repulse Bay is worth a look. What’s that area with all the sampans and floating restaurants, Aberdeen? I remember a good amusement park I believe is called Ocean World. I’ve not been to HK since before they opened the new Disneyland or whatever it’s called there, and I always thought Ocean World was just as good as the Disneyland I’ve visited in California and could not understand why Disney wanted to move in. ---
**Author:** ![tiltypig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dbc845/32.png) [@tiltypig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiltypig)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2008, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatch-out-hong-kong/452395/12 "2008-06-13T15:26:52Z")
Also chiming in a bit late, but the Bird Garden and flower market area are must-sees. Also, the night markets are a lot of fun. And the giant outdoors escalator up the mid-levels. I personally think the HK subway (with accompanying Octopus card) is one of the seven wonders of the modern world… so clean and well-designed. The outlying islands are really fun day trips… I’d love to go back and ride bikes around Lamma Island (no cars allowed on this island). ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2008, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatch-out-hong-kong/452395/13 "2008-06-14T00:10:15Z")
Riding up to Victoria Peak on the tram is a must, of course. But many people don’t realize it’s a pleasant hike down. The road that cars use zigzags down, but there are little footpaths for the descent that go in a more-or-less straight line and cross the roads. ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2008, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatch-out-hong-kong/452395/14 "2008-06-14T09:30:33Z")
In HK right now, boy, did I get lost on the subway… Change of plans cause GF didn’t like the hotel so we wandered around until we found a new one. I’ll see if I can catch the Star Ferry now and reach the Peak before sunset. By the way, the African Chicken was nice. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2008, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatch-out-hong-kong/452395/15 "2008-06-14T09:50:34Z")
Hmm… I thought the HK MTR was easy to navigate - Seoul on the other hand… ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2008, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatch-out-hong-kong/452395/16 "2008-06-14T10:22:51Z")
Christmas is a favorite time for me in Hong Kong. The skyline across the harbor from Kowloon is even prettier at night, from all the Christmas displays. BTW: At night, you’ll notice the top of [Central Plaza](http://leaguestanding.com/hongkong/hkcec.php#centralplaza) is a color-changing clock. Four neon bars change color every 15 minutes, with the patterns repeated only after six hours. If you know the code, which is laid out in the link, then you never need a watch there at night (as long as you’re within sight of the building, of course). ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2008, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatch-out-hong-kong/452395/17 "2008-06-16T20:02:36Z")
Oh crap, visa screwup; currently stranded at Suvarnabhumi airport waiting for a visa dash to Kuala Lumpur. Wish me luck, a series of unfortunate events in the last few days left me with enough money for the plane tickets and a couple hundred bucks worth of money left… :eek: ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2008, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatch-out-hong-kong/452395/18 "2008-06-16T20:06:52Z")
[QUOTE=Siam Sam] BTW: At night, you’ll notice the top of [Central Plaza](http://leaguestanding.com/hongkong/hkcec.php#centralplaza) is a color-changing clock. Four neon bars change color every 15 minutes, with the patterns repeated only after six hours. If you know the code, which is laid out in the link, then you never need a watch there at night (as long as you’re within sight of the building, of course). [/QUOTE] When I was at work in HK, even though I was in sight of Central Plaza, I wouldn’t have been able to tell the time without a watch. Any idea why? **Ale** , what went wrong?! ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2008, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatch-out-hong-kong/452395/19 "2008-06-17T03:26:19Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] When I was at work in HK, even though I was in sight of Central Plaza, I wouldn’t have been able to tell the time without a watch. Any idea why? **Ale** , what went wrong?! [/QUOTE] Er, daytime? **Ale** : Sorry about your problems. Did you fail to get a reentry permit? ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2008, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatch-out-hong-kong/452395/20 "2008-06-17T06:39:52Z")
[QUOTE=Siam Sam] Er, daytime? [/QUOTE] No, even when it was dark. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatch-out-hong-kong/452395.md?page=2)