Hong Kong is a very bustling and busy city. The majority of the city’s population is squeezed together in a small area, which gives Hong Kong the feeling similar to that of one of the more populated cities. Hong Kong can be likened to the Manhattan of the East. There is a lot to see and do in Hong Kong. Even if someone were to stay for a week in Hong Kong, they would still not be able to see and do all that Hong Kong has to offer.
Hong Kong can also be thought of as the city of two faces. On the one hand Hong Kong is one of the most innovative, developed and richest cities in the world. On the other hand, in some areas there is a great deal of poverty and people pretty much packed into apartment complexes like sardines. Hong Kong can be thought of accurately in very different ways depending on the areas visited.
Hong Kong does not just consist of the city area with all of the large skyscrapers. The majority of land that makes up Hong Kong is from the mountain range that borders the area and the affiliated islands of Hong Kong. The amusement parks are also in no short supply in Hong Kong.
The currency in Hong Kong is Hong Kong Dollars, not RMB. The value of each currency is more or less the same but they will not accept RMB in Hong Kong. In Hong Kong things are a lot more expensive than in China. So, be prepared to pay about 5 times more money for just about everything. Hong Kong is the city with two faces. One is the face of wealth and prosperity, the other is the slums of Hong Kong. There is a very stark poverty line between the two. There is no progression from the upscale area to a middle class area to an impoverished area. Nope! From the most expensive stores and hotels straight to the areas you would be afraid to go at night.
Chungking Mansions
I personally feel overall that Hong Kong is a very safe place to be (if there are no riots occurring). I felt that way in just about every part of Hong Kong, except Chungking Mansions. This is probably the sketchiest place in all of Hong Kong. The allure that many travelers have to Chungking Mansion is the price of lodging in this complex. While it is cheap to stay a few nights in a room in Chungking Mansions, you get what you pay for.
The first floor of Chungking Mansions is like a bazaar. You can walk around there and find just about anything. Don’t spend too much money while there and expect everything to be fake, as it most likely is. There are beggars around there, pick-pocketers, swindlers and the like around Chungking Mansions. It is a very sketchy place to be especially at night.
It is also extremely easy to get lost in Chungking Mansions. The building is set up like a few separate buildings were built next to each other originally and then just got fused together over time. At any rate, if you are in the wrong block of Chungking Mansions you won’t be able to get to your destination without first leaving the building and re-entering the correct block. It is also a maze if you enter the same block but on the wrong side.
The Rooms in Chungking Mansions
The rooms are some of the smallest, least kept up rooms I have ever stayed in. When I say small, I mean SMALL. In the room I stayed in it was said to be for 3 people. There were only two beds the “big bed” was just slightly bigger than a twin bed (not quite the size of a full), the small bed looked like a twin bed if it had been cut in half. Then, between the beds there was about 12 inches of space to walk by, only one person can walk in that space at a time.
The bathrooms there were laughably small. It was the equivalent of if a small closet was converted into a bathroom with a shower, toilet and sink. Beware of your head. If you are need to sit on or get up from the toilet you very well may hit your head a few times on the wall that is about 6 inches in front of the toilet.
Not to mention the roaches. Yes, there are plenty of bugs in Chungking Mansions, so be prepared for that. Then, there is the view… which is little to none. Many rooms don’t have windows, others have windows facing a wall and leaking pipes.
There is one benefit to staying in a room in Chungking Mansions though… that is that you will be so ready and willing to leave the room and spend a little time as possible in it that you may very much end up seeing more of Hong Kong than you expected.
The Location
Honestly, the location of Chungking Mansions is pretty good. It is only about a 10-minute walk to Tsim Sha Tsui. This is definitely a benefit of Chungking Mansions. On the other hand, Chungking Mansions is probably the sketchiest part of all of Hong Kong. Even though, it is close walking distance from a nice part of the city that does not mean that it is a safe area in Chungking Mansions.
Hong Kongers
So, there is a stigma to Hong Kongers. Most people from China and view Hong Kongers as a bit rude, pushy and stuck up. This is very similar to the way most Americans view New Yorkers. In my own personal experience, I have found that stigma to be 100%… accurate. Hong Kongers do like to distinguish themselves from mainland Chinese people and have an air of superiority about them. Hong Kongers are pushy and impatient with travelers and really don’t seem to care. Of all the places that I have went I feel that Hong Kongers are without a doubt the rudest. From the hostel owners, to the bus/cab drivers, to the people on the street, they all seem very rude and not-welcoming. Who knows… maybe they just don’t like travelers?
The Language
Hong Kong is one of the few places that speaks Cantonese, so not often will there be travelers that go there that can speak. Hong Kong does have the same system of writing as Mandarin kind of. They both use characters but Cantonese uses traditional characters instead of simplified characters, which is used in Mandarin. There is a big difference between simplified and traditional characters. Also, if you speak Mandarin and attempt to communicate using that language, they will not even make an effort to understand what you said and honestly might get offended. When people from mainland China go to Hong Kong, they will use English to communicate.
Another thing that should be noted is that due to the complexity and difference in the sounds with Cantonese and English, it makes it difficult for some Hong Kongers to speak English. Their accent can be very thick and it can be very difficult to understand them. However, they couldn’t be any less sympathetic about this language barrier. They will just continue on talking and get visually frustrated if you ask them to repeat something. On the other hand there are a large amount of Hong Kongers that speak perfect English because English is so prevalent in Hong Kong. So, there are the two extremes either people speaking English fluently with zero mistakes or people who can barely string together a couple of incoherent sentences.
Where to stay while in Hong Kong?
When looking for a place to stay in Hong Kong (as with anywhere else), there are three main factors that you will need to consider…
- The location
- The price
- The quality
The Location
In Hong Kong the location paramount to the trip. If you’re in a remote location although it may be cheaper, you’ll make up for the price in transportation and time spent in transit. If you book your lodging on the wrong side of town you very well may need an hour to reach any of the popular destinations.
The Price
Traveling in Hong Kong will be expensive, there are no two ways about it. Once you’ve accepted the reality of the situation it will make for a better trip. Don’t try to save money by reserving the cheapest hostel you can. In Hong Kong you get what you pay for. You may need to spend a little more to be in a central area with nice accommodations.
The Quality
The accommodations for hostels and hotels in Hong Kong vary widely. Be sure to check each place before you book to check the accommodations and ensure that they have everything that you would want. Don’t assume anything and always read the reviews.
In Hong Kong it is very important and highly recommended that before booking anything in Hong Kong that you check the reviews. That will tell you quite a bit about the place you are planning to stay.
Peak Tram & Sky Terrace
This is one of the places that travelers must go to while in Hong Kong. It will give you some of the best views that there are of Hong Kong. If, you go at night or around dusk it will give you one of the best angles to see the skyline of Hong Kong (be sure to check when it closes). the place with the best views in the area will definitely be the Sky Terrace.
However, be aware the lines for the Peak Tram and Sky Terrace are second only to Disney in regards to wait time and amount of people. This is one of those attractions that you’ll have to go to with a lot of other people. There are no two ways around it, from the time the Peak Tram opens to closing time there will be a line of people. Be sure to allot a bit more time to spend at the Peak Tram and Sky Terrace to account for the lines.
The Star Ferry 天星小轮
The ferry that goes from Tsim Sha Tsui to Hong Kong Island is something that is worth doing but it is not really an activity or a site to see, it is more of a mode of transportation from mainland Hong Kong to the island of Hong Kong. Travelers will inevitably take the ferry if they plan on going to the islands of Hong Kong.
The price of a ticket on the ferry is just about the only thing that is cheap in Hong Kong. I think it is something like 2-3 Hong Kong Dollars, which is like 30 cents USD.
Also, at night this might be one of the best places to take a photo of the Hong Kong skyline.
International Kev 