Five Must-Sees of Hong Kong (Part I)
Amidst the current coronavirus crisis, nations worldwide are taking preventive measures to help minimize the scale of the pandemic’s growth. We are encouraged to work from home; if we had made plans to travel, we need to cancel them; whenever we come home, we wash our hands thoroughly.
Below are five must-sees in Hong Kong. Hang in there! Hong Kong is waiting for you (after the coronavirus outbreak ends).
Lan Kwai Fong/ SoHo
If you are a young adult who likes to grab a drink and to party with music, Lan Kwai Fong, as well as the nearby SoHo are to not be missed! Lan Kwai Fong is pretty small and made up of a few streets that form a “q” shape. After a drink in Lan Kwai Fong, you can walk to SoHo for an after-party drink. If you are in Hong Kong for Halloween, you can stroll around town in your vampire costume to enjoy the goodies and crowds there.
Dim Sum (Chinese Speciality)
Hong Kong is so international that you will find food from all over the world, notably Thai, Vietnamese, and French cuisine, but even Egyptian, Arabic and Indonesian ones. However, a local specialty that you must try is Dim Sum – a Chinese term which means ‘small bites”. Dim Sum is available at almost all Chinese restaurants from 6 am until 4 pm, and it is served as a main course or as a dessert.
Stanley
The Stanley district is a favourite spot in Hong Kong for many expatriates. They like it because it makes them feel as though they were back home, with their familiar bars and seaside restaurants with outdoor seats; that is to say, a Westernised environment. From Chinese restaurants to Western burger restaurants, as well as from a Park’nShop supermarket to a public library, Stanley has everything you need for a one-day tour. If you are into shopping, you will have a lot of fun strolling around the market, where you can get cheap deals such as good T-shirts at only HK$39 each!
The Big Buddha
On Lantau Island (close to Chek Lap Kok Airport), is a huge Buddha statue that attracts innumerable tourists from all over the world yearly. Close to the Big Buddha are vegetarian restaurants, where you can enjoy snacks and a nice lunch. Lantau Island is somewhat away from the city’s center, but it is nevertheless accessible by public transport, namely the Mass Transit Railway (MTR), which is similar to Montreal’s metro.
Disneyland & Ocean Park
Ocean Park has a longer history than Hong Kong Disneyland, but they are both worth visiting, especially if you have children. At Disneyland, there are firework shows in the evening, which makes it stand out from Ocean Park. For Halloween, Ocean Park changes its theme and becomes a “ghost town” – some “ghosts” (who are, of course, staff members in costume) come out of nowhere to scare you!
By Yvonne Y. F. Kelle
