The name Sham Shui Po is actually derived from the Cantonese phrase which means “Deep Water Pier” as the water here is known to be deeper than the beaches around Cheng Sa Wan. Here is where you will be able to enjoy some of the spectacular shopping experiences in its city streets as well as the traditional villages around Tin Liu, Tong Mei and Un Chau. Previously a Japanese concentration camp, Sham Shui Po was clearly and articulately described by Victor Stanley Ebbage in his book ‘The Hard Way: Surviving Shamshuipo POW Camp 1941-45’ and it is one of the earliest places being developed in Hong Kong where it was formerly the main and major commercial hub here.

Today, it is mainly made up of residential areas while some of the industrial and transportation activities are still very much evident here.

One of the major attractions here is the street market which draws thousands of visitors and tourists each day where the Apliu Street Market is synonymous with all types of goods which include used and new ones. There are many things that you can buy here with the main focus on electrical goods and products. This is where you can find the likes of radios, communication devices, hi-fi amplifiers and even computers. Around Ki Lung Street, you can find fresh food and vegetation at its market while you can also find textile and fabric products along Nam Cheong and Ki Lung Streets respectively.

In Ping Chau, you will be able to visit Sha Tau which is the largest village here which is known for its peaceful and ‘ghost town’ persona. If you are looking for a homely type of travelling experience, Ping Chau would be an interesting place to visit because you will be able to enjoy the rich green and lush landscapes as well as the 2 large rocks here known as the Drum Rocks and the Watchman’s Tower Rocks.

The shape of the island is very much like a kidney bean where the name is believed to be derived from the Cantonese phrase ‘Flat Island’ which is what the island is naturally. As with most islands, Ping Chau is known for its pristine waters off its coast as well as the sandy beaches while you can also head out to the slopes around the northern areas. Apart from its natural attractions, Ping Chau is known for its rich historical events where it was once the smuggling point for guns and opium during the Cultural Revolution. There are not many people still living around Ping Chau so you will need to be a bit cautious when travelling here. There is a Tin Hau shrine here in Tam Kung Temple while there are also pre-war buildings here which is known to date back to some 300 years ago. To get here, you can take the ferry from the Ma Liu Shui ferry pier towards Tung Ping Chau Public Pier which will take around 1 and a half hours.

This is where you will be able to see life in the unusual way, totally different from everyone and only by the rich and famous. Hence, you can expect the fees to be a bit costly as compared to other tours. But then again, it is not often that one gets to live like a celebrity, what more in one of the major entertainment centres in the world today.

Pick up at the designated locations will be in the mornings where you will be going to the Aberdeen Fishing Village. The popular typhoon shelter here still keeps intact some of the traditional lifestyle of the locals in older years where you will arrive in a boat. From there, you will be ferried to a Jewellery factory located not far from here where you might be able to buy some gems. Take note though that items here could be somewhat more pricey than other places as they are known to welcome tourists.

After that, you will be served with a dim sum lunch at the widely popular Jumbo Kingdom restaurant. This is where you will be accorded by one of the major icons of Hong Kong which is made up of the Jumbo Floating Restaurant and the Tai Pak Floating Restaurant. Take a while to take in the best sceneries from the restaurants which is known to have welcomed more than 30 million visitors that include Queen Elizabeth II, Tom Cruise, most Hong Kong celebrities.
From there, it is on to the highlight of the day where you will be taking a helicopter ride across the skies of Hong Kong’s skyline. Spot locations which you know or just identify the major sites like the super amazingly beautiful Victoria Harbour and then it is on to the Wong Tai Sin Temple where you can have your fortune told.

It is one of the best places where you can get away and enjoy the countryside in the Tai O fishing village. Here, you will find the new development areas of Ngong Ping Vilalge as well as the modern Ngong Ping Cable Car. Also located here is the Po Lin Monastery where you will be able to witness the tallest outdoor bronze Buddha statue in the world.

You will depart early in the morning from Hong Kong Island and the whole tour will most likely take about 8 hours. Pick up will usually be arranged through the designated hotels and will take place around 8am where you will first visit the Avenue of Stars which is very much like the Star Walk of Fame that commemorates Hong Kong’s great movie stars. Here you will be able to see sculptures and statues of the stars while shop for movie memorabilia and souvenirs too.

After that you will take the Ngong Ping Cable Car which will bring you from Tung Chung to Ngong Ping. You will get a 360 degrees panoramic view of the South China Sea and the surrounding regions through the 5.7 km ride. Look out and you will see the Giant Buddha statue as well as the North Country Park and the modern Hong Kong International Park.

From there you will head off to Tai O Fishing Village which is known as the Venice of the East where you will visit the village on stilt houses and the country’s traditional past. After that, it is to the Po Lin Monastery where you will be visiting the most popular temple here that houses the Sakyamuni Buddha statue as mentioned earlier. After that, you will be served with a vegetarian lunch at the dining hall here. After that, it isoff to the Ngong Ping Tea House for a Tea Show before visiting the Ngong Ping Village.

If you are a tourist here in Hong Kong and is looking for a place to unwind, then you should take note of certain places here. We have listed out the top 3 bars for tourists to look out for when visiting Lan Kwai Fong so if you are around the area, the Dublin Jacks is one cool place to go where you will be able to enjoy the friendly environment. As you walk into the bar, you can almost feel the family-like atmosphere where the people are friendly and approachable. This bar comes with a nice view through ‘The Deck’.

At the Bulldogs Bar and Grill, it is famed for being the longest bar in town. It measures at 38 feet long and is traditionally a British cum Australian style pub. Offering beer that comes in the buckets, here is the best place to binge where it offers a wide selection of choices when it comes to beer that come from the likes of Australia and Europe. Occasionally it also shows live sporting events, particularly those from Australia as well as from other countries.

For those of you who enjoy beer, then the Hong Kong Brewhouse is the ideal place to patronise. This pub is designed specifically for the beer lover and the experienced one because they boast to offer the ‘best beer in town’. Continental dishes are provided while one can indulge in their full choices of beer available. The setting here is relaxing and comfortable where one can have a good time among friends and strangers and party the night away.

Look out for a policeman with a RED shoulder badge if you need to get assistance using English.

A majority of locals here are employed in the service sector which means that you will come across the locals in almost every aspect of your travel that include food, transport, accommodation and such.

Be aware of pickpockets. A lot of places around the city center are full of people. Even crossing the roads can be quite a daunting task at times as there seemed to be hundreds of people crossing at any one time. So you must be careful with your personal belongings when doing so. Some of the culprits here are known to be one of the fastest around and a minor bump will cause you to lose your wallet or mobile phone. Be extra cautious when you are bringing your passport around.

If you are planning to try out the local eateries here like the Chinese restaurant that serves dim sum and morning tea for breakfast, be ready to be greeted with a ‘rude’ attitude. Bear in mind that the people here are very ‘fast moving’ meaning that they are very quick in offering their service so for those who are not used to people practically ‘throwing’ plates and spoons on the table before you, then it might be quite an experience.

Bargaining when buying items are almost a de facto standard here, particularly if you are buying at night markets and stalls. Most of the sellers will try to sell you an item for way more than it is worth, so practice bargaining, then look for what you want. More so if you are a foreigner, they will push the price high up before slowly moving their way down.

The terrace is a typically a row of bars and eateries which is unique as it offers a mix of locals and expats while tourists too are known to come here for their daily dose of beer and alcohol. So if you are visiting Hong Kong and is looking for a good time after a long day at the historical attractions and such, then Knutsford Terrace would be an ideal place to go.

As compared to Lan Kwai Fong, the party here starts slightly earlier which means that it also ends slightly earlier too. Most of the shops here offer al fresco dining which is great considering the cool weather of the island especially during the evenings. The Bahama Mamas is the most popular hangout here which is set along a beach theme. Happy hours here start from 5pm to 9pm where drinks are cheaper than that afterwards. For those who like a good view of the area, the Aqua Spirit is a great place to go.

Generally, the outlets here offer a place for one to drink while it also offers food. So if you are craving for something western or seafood, there are quite some variety here including the Island Seafood and Oyster Bar, Munch and many others. The Black Stump offers Australian grill menu while Heaven on Earth serves local cuisine. The Merhaba meanwhile offers Turkish cuisine which is ideal for those who wants a bit of Middle Eastern cuisine. Ultimately, drinking is the order of the day and one can just sit around the sidewalks, enjoy a beer and watch the crowd go by.

Such is the trademark of this dish that you can pretty much smell the stench from blocks away and this has become quite synonymous with the hawker scene around Hong Kong. The intriguing thing about this is that it seemed to be quite a popular favourite among the locals here. It is like bungee jumping, if you dare take the plunge, then you will thoroughly enjoy it.

It is one smell which takes a while to get accustomed to which can sometimes be seriously annoying and somehow intruding. It has been associated with old stinking sock as well as rotten garbage but it has the sumptuous delicious taste to it if you dare put it into your mouth.
So what exactly is Stinky Tofu? This cuisine which have taken the country by storm through the ages is one of the favourite snacks not only in Hong Kong but has since ‘migrated’ to other countries like Taiwan, China and Malaysia.

Basically, it is tofu which is a mix of fermented milk and vegetable and then soaked in a brine. Stinky tofu is made where it is deep fried in oil and then taken with many types of sauces. It is said that the best places to eat Stinky Tofu is on the streets along the sidewalks where the hawkers sell their trade. They are served in small cubes and are placed on a plate and all you need to do is to take up the courage and dip the cubes onto the sauce. There are some myths going around that the smellier the stench is, the better it tastes. But that is not entirely true.
The trick is to put it into your mouth and the minute your taste buds come in contact with the cubes, the smelliness is gone. It’s a dip and eat dish, so once the first obstacle (the stench) is overcome, everything will be fine.

Jade accessories are made into earrings, pendants, bracelets and even onto clothing and hence these makes ideal souvenirs to bring home as they are unique, rare and valuable. If you are looking for a typical Chinese accessory, then jades make the best choices because they are synonymous with the culture.

First things first, if you are merely looking for a representation of the culture than any jade would do but you must be careful not to be ‘cheated’ as there are genuine and fake jades around. So unless you know how to identify the real ones from the fake, you might be cheated to pay more than the value of the jade is.

Hong Kong is one of the places where you can easily get jade apart from Taiwan, China and Malaysia. Buying genuine jade requires a bit of research so you must know your stuff so as not to buy any imitation stones. Be aware that jade need not be green in colour as they come in varying green colours and this include opaque and yellow.

Don’t be fooled to believe that the greener the stone is, the more genuine it is. That is a myth.
Shopping in Hong Kong always require a lot of bargaining and hence if one is selling you a ‘real jade’ at a cheap price, then you should start do doubt. Then chances are the jade is imitation.
The rule of thumb about jade is that they are somewhat scratchproof. Use your fingernails to scratch the surface and if you can see marks, then chances are it is not real.

Real jades are quite heavy and it should feel smooth. When you hold the stone, it would be cool as it is known to be.

It can be said that food in Hong Kong Island are costlier while in Kowloon, one can find cheaper dishes, which is true while Lantau Island perhaps would be a great place for vegetarian food.

Lan Kwai Fong, the name synonymous with food all over the world is one of the best entertainment location in around Hong Kong. Here is where the upmarket of yuppies and working professionals both locals and expatriates congregate after working hours. Most pubs and restaurants here are bustling with people and activities until wee horus of the morning.

Soho offers a different range of food. From Australian to Dutch to Spanish to Nepalese, one will be able to find a wide range of international restaurants here to savour every craving.

At Tsim Sha Tsui Kowloon, there are a lot of shops that offer all types of food. Here is where one can find the typical Tea Shops (Char Chan Teng) and enjoy the local traditions of food consumption. The local street hawker dining are also widespread around here. Temple street and Ladies Street which are all around the corner provides one with various alternatives to choose from.
As stated earlier, the Seafood Street is located at the district of Sai Kung, New Territories. The Tea Cafes are one of the most common places for food and snacks.
There are various famous food outlets available all around the country. Some has made their name here and has since ‘exported’ to other parts of the region like Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia.
Ned Kelly’s Last Stand is located at Ashley Road where one can savor great finger food or a whole meal accompanied by an Australian centric jazz music. For some live band music, Sticky Fingers is a local favourite. Joe Bananas are often filled with people located around Lockhart Road. In around Avenue of the Stars, one should visit Blues by the Bay, an ideal location to enjoy drinks while watching the Symphonie of Lights.