Visiting Hong Kong -- An Itinerary.

I am so excited that my family is coming to visit Hong Kong next week! I have been putting together an itinerary for them and even sent them a color-coded spreadsheet last week, which I think freaked them out a little because no one responded. So--what are some good things to do in Hong Kong?


Before I started work in Hong Kong I had a few months to explore the area and be a tourist. Much of this list began in my head back then


Clothing Tailor There are many tailors in Hong Kong. Finding the best one for you is the overwhelming part. Whether you want the most established tailor in Hong Kong or more of a value tailor, you can find great quality everywhere in between. Before your trip, begin brainstorming what you would like to have made. You may bring photos out of magazines/catalogues to have items copied. You may also bring them some of your favorite clothing items to be copied in a new fabric or pattern. 

Shoe Cobbler "LIII"-- start dreaming now. The shoes are expensive, but they are beautifully made of the finest quality and fit perfectly. They make any shoe you want. 

Dim Sum Hong Kong's famous "snack" dining. A bit like the Spanish Tapas style. here you order dumplings and small plates which you pick off of a fancy cart that the tea ladies steer around. Maxim's and Yung Kee are two old-guard spots to try.

Felix Bar at Peninsula for brilliant views of Hong Kong island and watching the waterfront light show, which occurs every night at  8 PM

Star Ferry the old fashioned way of crossing the harbor. Costs about 30 cents and takes 5 minutes. but it makes you feel straight out of a movie! Speaking of, do some homework and watch "The World Of Suzie Wong" to get in the mood before your trip.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Horse Races  run on Wednesdays each week starting in September. Bet on 1 dollar or 50, but go, order a beer and live it up--you're at the races!

A Chinese Massage or Reflexology. I'm not saying Chinese massage is the most relaxing massage ever, in fact I find pressure point massages almost painful. Whatever your preferred massage style may be, I'm sure you can find something suited to your tastes! Happy Foot comes highly recommended.

Victoria Peak you've probably seen pictures of this, whether it was in the latest Batman or elsewhere. I suggest you take the Old Peak Tram up to the top of hong kong island and walk around and check out the views. You can also do a quick hike around the Peak. Watch out for snakes, though, i almost stepped on a pretty green one once. (by pretty, i mean pretty ugly!)

Macau--"Where Asia Plays." You can see the historical sights and eat authentic Macanese food (which is a mix of Portuguese and Chinese) AND/OR cash it in at the Cassinos. If you do both, a whole day is probably needed. Macau is fascinating, and I definitely going to the historical side and visiting the fortress and museum. Eat a few Macanese egg tarts, and you may even feel like you're in Europe. Once on the Cassino side, check out the mainland Chinese gamblers arriving with suitcases of cash--and I'm not even kidding. Interesting fact about Macau's gaming industry: 3 billion people live within a 5 hour flight of Macau, whereas 400 million people live within a 5 hour flight of Las Vegas. 

Sai Kung for seafood. This is an authentic seafood town with fresh, cheap, amazing seafood. Fun for a day trip excursion. See my past blog posts--"Sai Kung" and "More Sai Kung" about this!

Spicy Crab a famous restaurant for Crab (enormous crab!) cooked in chilies and fried garlic. You can have your spiciness made to order, ranging from one to five with one being least spicy and five being very spicy. AMAZING. Unless you're from Texas or Sichuan Province, exercise your spice tolerance and consider keeping the heat below a three.

Stanley Markets--one of the many beach areas of hong kong. Famous for its markets selling linens, arts & crafts, clothing and souvenirs. You can also find some good, beach-side dining in Stanley.

Temple Street night market/ or Jade and Pearl Market --a grittier version of the above (see my blog post), with cool street food. Temple street has knick-knacks such as cheap electronics and knock off sunglasses. The Jade and Pearl markets sell jade and pearls.

Shanghai Tang Shopping This beautiful old Hong Kong store that sells lovely clothing and home accessories. The Pedder building space it occupies has recently been acquired by Abercrombie & Fitch. Try to sneak in and out before Eau de Abercrombie takes over the block.

Shenzhen-- You'll need a Chinese Visa for this hour-long MTR ride to mainland China, but here you will find any thing you ever wanted to buy....without having to write the check you thought you would. You can even have a custom made sofa made for pennies on the dollar. I am in love with Shenzhen.

Obviously, there are many other things to do in Hong Kong. These are just a few of my favorites. Hope you come and enjoy!