Hong Kong

Hong Kong has it all. Come to experience the flavor of Hong Kong with MLMT.

Meat sizzles and chars and the sound can be heard over the millions of people walking past each other in the markets. The lanterns stand against all the darkness. Vendors scream over each other. Any problem in the world can be solved by a steaming pot of noodle soup or sweet, fresh prawns. It is spice, it is a character. Hong Kong is a way of life.

Take the tram across the lush landscapes. The greenery spreads itself as far as you can see. The temples with a complete contrast pull you closer to enlightenment. The culture here just gets deeper the longer you stay. Chinese culture thrives on the love it gets here. Hong Kong is the shopper’s paradise. Things you get nowhere are hidden below piles in markets here. From knives to gadget bazaars. They have it all.

Hong Kong has it all. Come to experience the flavor of Hong Kong with MLMT.

 

When to visit?

Due to its subtropical nature, Hong Kong is accepting visitors all around the year. The summers, however, tend to be hot and humid and the winters cold and dry. The spring and autumn months will have you shudder with delight. The best times to visit this place is from March to April and from October to November. May to September welcomes typhoons and hence not tourists. December to February is too cold and try to experience Hong Kong at its absolute best.

 

Average cost per person

The prices of a Hong Kong trip aren’t too exuberant, but they can be higher than a lot of other cities. It will take you about 20-25,000 rupees for the return ticket flight. If booked earlier they can be lesser. Hotel costs do not go past 4,500 rupees. If you want to cut costs down, even more, trying looking into hostels. Food is cheap, and the quality of the cuisine is excellent at meager prices. It will not go beyond 4,000 rupees. Don’t miss out on Disneyland even if it is a little expensive. An experience like that does not come back again.

 

Visa Requirements

The process of Visa to get into Hong Kong for Indian citizens is a relatively free process. You can enter the for 14 days without an actual Visa. There is just an online process called the pre-arrival registration. This will be valid till 6 months from issue. If this process does not work out for someone, they have to apply to get a Visa directly. There are some cases in which you can enter without filling in this form. That is if you hold a travel pass or are frequent travelers.

 

Where to stay?

Central:

 

This is the place of the financial buzz here in Hong Kong. It is rightly the center of everything. In this area are some of the most visited spots like Victoria’s peak and Lan Kwai Fong. You should also try out the Man Mo temple. This is the spot that fills up with people running around like a swarm of bees. It is the one meeting point.

The nightlife culminates here. All of Hong Kong gathers here to visit the high-end bars and nightclubs and go to the boutiques. This holds a lot of the savory delight.

Best Places to stay in Central

• Rainbow Lodge HK
• YHA Mei Ho House
• Ovolo Central
• Bishop Lei International House
• Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong

 

Admiralty and Wan Chai:

These two can be confused with each other in the minds of visitors. They both lie close to Central but differ in their own ways. Wan Chai is the principal commercial area of Hong Kong. It has a lot more of a spacious feel about it. The Hong Kong Exhibition center and Convention center lie here. Admiralty is a more upmarket that Wan Chai.

Admiralty is home to the Bauhinia Square. This is where people come to watch the sunsets with gaping mouths.

Best Places to stay in Admiralty and Wan Chai

• Mingle by the Park
• Traveller’s Pack
• Empire Hotel Wan Chai
• Kew Green Hotel
• Conrad Hong Kong

 

Causeway Bay:

 

Chaotic, loud, vibrant. Always in action. Causeway Bay sees people loitering around throughout the day and well into the night. This is the beating heart of Hong Kong. This place can get a little overwhelming for people visiting the first time. The area is always up with some new fashion trend or gadget.

Every corner here is overrun by hundreds of dining options and bars and cafes and more. Causeway Bay is up till everyone else has slept.

Best Places to stay in Causeway Bay

• YesInn
• Comfort Hostel
• Lanson Place Hotel
• Regal Hong Kong Hotel
• Hotel Pennington by Rhombus

 

Tsim Sha Tsui:

TST is the most famous tourist spot in all of Hong Kong. It is blessed with the best of the skylines. When coupled with the lush greens and the parks this area becomes the top priority. This area is for everyone from backpackers to luxury travelers.

The area is filled with top-notch restaurants and a vibrant, fun, busy nightlife. There is also a place called the Avenue of Stars. This is the Hong Kong version of the Walk of Fame. This is the place to be.

Best Places to stay in Tsim Sha Tsui

• Ashoka Hostel
• The Perkin Hotel
• The Luxe Manor
• The Peninsula Hong Kong
• InterContinental Hong Kong

 

 

Yau Ma Tei and Mong Kok:

This place is a lot more subdued than the flashy TST. It is a very underrated and fascinating area. It is often said to be stuck in time. It will remind you of times long, long, ago. That is where the charm of the place lies. It is full of some markets that sell traditional and antique places selling the most interesting of things.

This place full of quirks and art will always be swarming with photographers and artists mulling around trying to take in the ethereal beauty.

Best Places to stay in Yau Ma Tei and Mong Kok

• Wing Wah Hostel
• Le Prabelle Hotel
• Holiday Inn Express
• Hotel Madera
• Dragon Hostel

 

 

Top Experiences

 

Temple Street Markets

Everything here will look like it originates back in the century. It will seem old and dingy. Perfect as it is. There are shops selling anything you want to take back home. There is the allure of fortune tellers and tarot cards. There is an abundance of sex toys that can be bought here. The karaoke parlors and hot street food.

Weird Food

If you go to Hong Kong, you have to learn to deal with your issues with food. You will have to step out of your comfort zone and eat whatever is available. You will be running into just about anything in the markets from chicken feet dims sums to phoenix talons. If you leave this fear aside, you are bound to taste some of the most delicious food ever.

Floating Restaurant

This place known as Shun Kee is made of floating wooden boats in Causeway Bay. This is located in the protective area for these boats in the typhoons. Thousands of boat dwellers used to run this place once upon a time. But these restaurants were shut down due to hygiene problems. This is the only place that came back. The wok here is one of the best you will have.

Bets

The Happy Valley horse races are the most nerve-racking of spots in Hong Kong. The races take place from September to June in the evenings from 7-11. There is a big crowd of gamblers that come here very often. Even a newer younger crowd is in this. There is a beer garden here that people come for too.

Pork

Pork is a very integral part of life here in Hong Kong. This city on its own consumes about 10,000 pigs in a day. The best-barbequed pork called char siu is this tender, slow-cooked dish with a honey red glaze. Joy Hing is the best place for this dish. Layers and layers of briny roast pork are here to save your life. This is the best thing you will ever eat.

 

 

Travel Smart:

• Language

Anyone from an Asian place gets very impressed and is open to warmer conversations if you know as few phrases in their words. If you see anyone does greet them with “Jon sun” to begin with. You can also say “Nei hou ma? Sek jor faan mei?” which says how are you? Have you eaten rice yet?

• Layers

Hong Kong never shuts off its air conditioning. It is literally always on. So, you will find yourself sweating like the infamous pig one minute and then shivering the next. Be sure to have your layers on or around you at a moment’s notice.

• Tea Etiquette

Tea is a big deal here. So, if you are refilling glasses, remember to fill them from the eldest to the youngest. They take this very seriously. Also, tap your pointer and middle finger as a thank you on the table. This is useful when your mouth is full, and you don’t want to interrupt.

• Good transport

This place has some of the best public transportation in all over the world. It is incredibly cheap to get around. There are so many options to get to, and they will get you around quick and efficiently. The subway system (MTR) is excellent.

 

Cities that can be clubbed together

Bali

Phuket

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