There
are endless of possibilities on what to do at Hong Kong during the night. Sidewalk scenes are even more lively and
vibrant when night time comes. We do
have varied preferences which makes plotting of itinerary different from one
person to another. But there are
constants. Constants that may make up a
bucket list or the usual list of what
to do in Hongkong.
And
here is my version.
1. SIGHT-SEEING AT THE VICTORIA HARBOR
If there is one iconic
landmark known in Hong Kong, it is no less than the Victoria Harbor and the
promenades that surround. The skyline of
Hong Kong Island is definitely a great subject of photography and in this
natural landform harbor situated between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, a great
vantage point is provided.
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| THE VICTORIA HARBOR |
There are several ways on
how to view the skyline but of course we opted for that which is free. For those who wants to experience it
differently but necessarily comes with a cost, one may avail of the Star Ferry
Harbor cruise or go to the Peak Tower atop Victoria Peak.
To further enhance the
experience, every night at 8, the government has produced a daily light and
sound show dubbed as the Symphony of Lights.
The show is an orchestration of music, decoration lights, laser light
displays and pyrotechnic fireworks. It
runs for only 15 minutes.
With the strategic location
of the Victoria Harbor, it has become a world-famous venue for a New Year’s countdown
as well, which I highly recommend for families.
2. A DRINKING SPREE AT THE LAN KWAI FONG AND WAN CHAI
What
is a vibrant city without the night shindigs?
I have repetitively been informing my friends that drinking in Hong Kong
proves to be costly and unreasonable.
But, when you have another set of friends who are persistent in finding
out the cheapest way to drink, it saves a lot of money not to mention
discoveries are widened.
The
truth is, anywhere in Hong Kong, you can actually drink. The secret is to buy cans of beers at nearby
convenience stores and position yourselves on corners and alleys which you feel
comfortable. Is it legal to drink
anywhere? I actually have no idea but I think it is.
At
the Central District of Hong Kong, there is Lan Kwai Fong. The diverse options (food and drinks) of how
to spend the nightlife is a significant part of the drill when at the said
area. It is popular for tourists,
businessmen and expatriates with the common goal of rest and relaxation after a
long day of work. The area is home to a
variety of bars and restaurants ranging from the wine pairings to raucous jelly
shots.
We
did our share of the Lan Kwai Fong experience as we were in time for the
festival with a Korean theme. For relative convenience, we had San Miguel Pale Pilsen consumed on one
of the benches strategically located in the middle of the area, a perfect spot
to people watch and simply loiter.
Another
popular spot for night entertainment and drinking sprees is the Wan Chai
area. The red-light district of Wan Chai
area is quite popular for tourists, specifically featuring bars and strip
joints. While I was able to try once
when I had drinks with my brother and father at one of the sports bar, prices
are quite expensive especially if you know you can get one bucket of beer for a
price of only one bottle at the said area.
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| WAN CHAI AREA |
3. SHOPPING AT THE LADIES MARKET OF MONGKOK AND AROUND CAUSEWAY BAY
There
is no denying that when one speaks of Hong Kong, it has always been associated
with shopping for bargain finds. And
there are two (that I know) which stands out.
The Ladies Market of Mongkok and the Causeway Bay.
Overwhelming
is an understatement when at the two areas.
The offerings range from shoes to electronics, computers, skin care,
home accessories, branded clothes and apparel and a lot more. Causeway Bay may be more of luxury goods and
fashion boutiques, but there are nearby bargain finds at the Jardine’s Crescent
Street Market.
The
Ladies Market is actually not for ladies only.
It is a street name at the Mongkok District popular for both locals and
tourists as stalls aligned offer a variety of merchandise. The stalls are open until 10PM or 11PM. If you arrive late, they say it is advisable
to go to the Temple Street Night Market which starts and closes late and is a
30-minute walk south or a 5-minute taxi ride from the Ladies Market.
But
not only is the area known for shopping, as there are cafes and small
restaurants that operate ranging from Korean, Japanese, Indian and almost all
types of cuisine one could imagine.
4. THE TRAM RIDE
The
rackety double-decker trams have been traversing the Hong Kong Island for
centuries which makes the ride educational more than a convenient means of
transportation. It may actually be
slow-moving contrary to the fast paced life of Hong Kong, but you get to obtain
a unique glimpse of the everyday Hong Kong street life.
Though
it is good to experience the morning ride as well, the night exploration
through the tram can be quite comforting and relaxing. If you have no planned itineraries like ours,
it is best to just sit down and go wherever the tram will lead you and be
dropped off at any interesting district you would like to discover.
The
Hongkong Trams traverse the northern part of the Hongkong Island on a West-East
direction at only 2.30HKD (approximately 0.30USD) regardless of where your
destination is. We rode the tram at
Sheung Wan where the Western Market (a mall) is situated.
5. FOOD TRIP OF LOCAL FAVORITES AT CHEAP FINDS
Food
choices in Hong Kong is endless.
Michelin-star restaurants is a top choice. But more than the fine dining and expensive
treats, there are stalls and eateries that equally provides a gastronomic
treat.
We
tried the street foods at Hunghom and the noodles of different types at Mongkok
and Wanchai. Though the aim is to look
for authentic Hong Kong cuisine served at alleys, there are times that we have
to give up for language barriers.
But
for the endless walking even at midnight, we are fortunate to have found eateries
serving authentic Hong Kong food, with owners and servers of near nil English
communication skills and vocabulary. But we were able to manage and the rest is
history.
On
my recent visit, the game plan was not to dine on restaurants or food chains of
Western and American brands and it was achieved, but with the exception of
McDonalds at Tsim Sha Tsui, where we dined before we depart for Manila.
6. STROLL AT TSIM SHA TSUI
A
walk at the streets of Tsim Sha Tsui is quite interesting. Famous landmarks include the Hong Kong Space
Museum, Hong Kong Cultural Center, The Avenue of Stars (now closed) and the
Former Kowloon-Canton Railway Clock Tower.
The
towering skyscrapers and unique architectural façade of hotels can be a good
backdrop for a literal walk in the park.
Tsim Sha Tsui, being a main tourist hub in Metropolitan Hong Kong, there
are a number of luxury shops and restaurants as well.
The
Chungking Mansions has a market of its own.
It is positioned at the Nathan Road of Tsim Sha Tsui and surrounded by
bargain finds of whatever sort housed in stalls and small shops. The building is well-known for lovers of Wong
Kar Wai films (that includes myself).
Though the illegalities and underground stories have been featured for
the Chungking Mansions as depicted on films (whether fictional or not), the
building has an elusive charm. It
features guesthouses, curry restaurants, African bistros, clothing shops,
stores and foreign exchange offices. To
some, it is where the ethnic minorities of Hong Kong converge particularly
Indians, Nepalese, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Sri Lankans, Middle Eastern,
Nigerians, Europeans and Americans, making the building unique and relatively
interesting.
7. Ride or Have a Glimpse of the Hong Kong Observation Wheel
The newest addition to the
world-class Hong Kong Harbor skyline is the observation wheel. It provides an unobstructed 360 degree view
of the panoramic harbor and lasts for twenty minutes. The wheel’s 42 air-conditioned gondolas is
for sitting passengers only and can hold between 8 to 10 passengers.
The
best time to catch a ride is during sunset or at night when the row of
skyscrapers are lit. But for the acrophobic
such as myself, who has intense fear of heights, I am contented with the
experience of a close view of the observation wheel.
The
Hong Kong Observation wheel is easy to reach.
The MTR Central Station or the Star Ferry Terminal serves as the
landmark.
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Do
you have other things in mind on what to do at night while in Hong Kong?
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