I have a few weeks off before I start the new job so we decided to take advantage of the time and sneak in a week to Hong Kong. The Mr could work from his office there and it left me, my mama and the little lady to enjoy the city.
I lived in HK for two years between 2008-2010 and definitely have a love affair with the city. I have been back and forth for work since then but this was the first time in a long time that I have spent some 'off' time there. It was so different seeing it and experiencing it with a kid in tow and I didn't get to do a lot of what we used to do. But we did have a great week (despite the toddler sleep regression which is still ongoing..sigh) revisiting our old haunts, catch ups and playdates with friends and discovering some cool new places.
Here are a few of my tips from our week:
- The Peak - We were spoiled with beautiful, clear (but hot!) summery weather all week so we took advantage and went for an outing up to the Peak. The little lady loved the Peak Tram and there are some great walks and playgrounds up there for the little ones.
- The Star Ferry - I always love taking the star ferry when I am in HK - it's such a great little escape from the hustle and bustle of the city.
- The Markets - The Ladies Market, Wet Markets and various shopping streets dotted around town are always worth a visit.
- The Woods - new bar on Hollywood Road focusing on creating cocktails with seasonal ingredients
- Fish and Meat - farm to table simple dining. Great atmosphere.
- Nantei - an old favourite and you can't go wrong with yakitori. Their chicken wings are amazing.
- Gough Street - this was one of my favourite streets when I lived there. It has gone through a bit of a makeover and gentrification in the last few years so very different to how I remember it. Now filled with cool homewares stores, boutiques and an Agnes b cafe. I was pleased to see that the best beef brisket noodles restaurant (just look for the queue on the corner) is still surviving.
- PMQ - urban renewal at its finest - the redevelopment of the old police married quarters is now a hub for design, fashion and food. A great way to spend a couple of hours browsing and then have some food and a drink at Aberdeen Street Social.
- Yum cha - you can't leave Hong Kong without having lots of Yum Cha / Dim Sum. For a traditional experience, try Luk Yu Tea house (don't let them shuffle you upstairs and make them seat you downstairs). There is also the michelin starred Tim Ho Wan (a big call but I think their outlet in Singapore is way yummier!) and of course Maxim's at City Hall where they still wheel around all the goodies on trolleys. There are loads of other places I didn't get to, so seek them out.
- Vickie Shoes - no HK trip for me is complete without a visit here. I was also pleased to see that all the same staff are still there!
- Accommodation: we booked a fabulous 2 bed apartment from airbnb in mid-levels which was fantastic and a fraction of the cost of a hotel. The fact that it was above an awesome bakery was also a plus! I definitely recommend using airbnb if you can over hotels (it's great especially with little ones as you can get a place with more space and other useful facilities eg kitchen, washing machine etc).
There are so many other cool places I have read about but didn't get to... until next time HK....
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