The Night/Women’s Market
This is an outdoor market in Hong Kong north of Tsim Sha Tsui. Here you can find all sorts of souvenirs, knickknacks and etc. There is a section of the night market that sells vast quantities of women’s clothing and products as well, which is how it received its other name as the Women’s Market.
Be aware that prices are not set and you will need to try your hand at haggling. To be honest the quality of goods that you’ll find here are not going to be world class. I would make a wager that the majority of the products here are fake. So, don’t buy a brand name item expecting the same quality as you would get from a retail store. I would say that this is a place worth it to stroll around and view but not worth it to buy anything.
How to get there?
The Night Market is a bit far from Tsim Sha Tsui so taking a cab or the subway would be a good way to get there. The Night Market is too far away from Tsim Sha Tsui to walk (in a reasonable amount of time), so I recommend taking a cab. Even though it is a far walk, it would be a quick an inexpensive cab ride.
Activities to do in Hong Kong
Hiking Hong Kong
A little-known secret about Hong Kong is that is an ideal location to go hiking. Hong Kong is very densely populated in the city area but the majority of the land that makes up Hong Kong is in the uninhabited territories outside the city. Surrounding Hong Kong are a series of mountains. It is in this area where there are several ideal hiking trails. One of the trails that personally piqued my interest the most is the DRAGON’S BACK TRAIL. This trail goes atop the peaks of the mountains surrounding Hong Kong. This hike would be a great way to see a different side of Hong Kong.
There are also several other trails to hike on Hong Kong’s affiliated islands. If you would like to do some hiking while still experiencing the beach and ocean, this will better suit you. The hiking in Hong Kong is one of the little-known gems about this city. So, if planning a trip to Hong Kong consider bringing your hiking boots.
Ocean Park 香港海洋公园
Hong Kong also has a Seaworld-ish theme park called Ocean Park. This would be a great place to spend time with the family. At Ocean Park there is also a dolphin swimming experience. Ocean Park would be a great place to spend the day, however, there is nothing at Ocean Park that is specific to Hong Kong or Ocean Park. Said differently, everything that you can do there you can do at other theme parks or aquatic parks. So, head here if you’d like but it should not be on the must do list.
Dolphin Watch
On a similar note, if you like dolphins but would prefer to give yourself a bit of distance from them, you can always charter a boat and take part in dolphin watching. However, with any of these dolphin or whale watching experiences it is not guaranteed that you’ll any wildlife. It is very likely but no one can make any guarantees with the behavior of wild animals.
Parks, Zoos & Botanical Gardens
There is also a plethora of parks in Hong Kong, some of them containing animals (like monkeys and birds) as a part of an outdoor circus-like performance. Many of the parks are also free of charge. Hong Kong also has a zoo and a botanical garden that are both said to be well kept up and very nice. These are not must do places, just FYIs if you find yourself with an excess of time while in Hong Kong.
Escalator World
I don’t think that it is actually called Escalator World, to be honest. It is the worlds longest continuous outdoor escalator though. It takes you through a series of stores, restaurants and a mall or two. It isn’t a bad place to pass a couple hours if you’d just like to wander around and explore the city. Also, you can explore without getting tired from all the walking.
The Night Life
The night life in Hong Kong is comparable to anywhere else in the world. There are all kinds of clubs and bars both high-end and your basic run of the mill areas. While in Hong Kong you can use google, take advantage of that to search for places to go. I’m positive that you will find a large selection of places. I don’t have any places to recommend of the top of my head.
*** Helpful Tips For Traveling in Hong Kong
Something to consider would be buying a Hong Kong Sim Card for your phone. A Sim Card from China or the U.S. may not work or may charge you an arm and a leg. Navigating Hong Kong isn’t that hard to be honest but being able to use something like Google Maps would save you a lot of time and frustration. Especially, if you are looking for a relatively small place in particular (like a restaurant, bar or night club).
Another option instead of buying the Sim card would be to rent one of those portable WIFI devices from the airport upon arrival. It can be used for the time spent in Hong Kong and returned (at the airport) once the trip has ended.
The Buses in Hong Kong
Just a head’s up so that it doesn’t take you by surprise… The bus fares require exact change. If you go in there with a 100 HKD bill, then be aware that you will not get change. Also, don’t stand in the doorway of the bus stuck in indecision, that will delay the bus and everyone on it. You may not be the most popular person on the bus at that point.
The Subway in Hong Kong
The subways in Hong Kong are only second to the subways in Japan for most impressive. In the subway stations in Hong Kong there are multiple restaurants, shops and convenience stores. That being said do not think that it is ok to grab something to-go and eat it on the subway. That is a big cultural faux pau. Do not eat or speak on the phone while on the subway.
Also, it may be good to know that the subway connects Hong Kong and the adjacent city Shen Zhen. Shen Zhen is a part of China and not an autonomous region, so you will need to pass through customs if you make the trip from Hong Kong to Shen Zhen.
What to eat?
Hong Kong has a variety of delicious foods that you can try, however there is one that trumps them all without getting too “adventurous”… Dim Sum
Dim Sum
Take advantage of your time in Hong Kong by enjoying some of the world’s best Dim Sum. Dim Sum comes in all different shapes and sizes but try as many as you’d like, you won’t regret it. Dim Sum are often consumed for breakfast but these dishes are good anytime you’re hungry. My personal favorite is the Shrimp Dim Sim and the Pork Bao Buns. Be sure to have some Dim Sum while in Hong Kong. Restaurants serving Dim Sum won’t be difficult to find.
How long should you stay in Hong Kong?
This is a difficult question to answer. Hong Kong is one of those places that has a plethora of places to go and things to see and do. So, to travel in Hong Kong and due the city justice I would say to stay anywhere from 5-7 days. Even if you stay a week your schedule will be packed pretty tight.
International Kev 