My husband and I are relatively well-traveled for Americans in their early 30's, so when I say Joe…read moreoffers a walking tour that is not to be missed, trust me. We did the Central/Western districts itinerary that was suggested in Ski's email and met Joe exactly on time at a spot easy to find. The tour flew by because we had such a fabulous time. We talked about topics of personal interest as well as interesting parts of Hong Kong culture we wouldn't know to ask about. I wish we could have adopted him for the rest of the week! You'll want to schedule this tour for early in your trip as you'll get lots of suggestions for things to do during the rest of your visit. I would list the highlights, but really it's the entire day. Come hungry as there are lots of opportunities to stop and grab a bite! Joe will draw out the route on your city map you can revisit some of the spots or and he'll mark other suggestions so you have an easy time finding them.

By far the Best tour I have ever done!!…read more We told Ski (our host) a few things we wanted to do - seeing a fortune teller and have traditional yum cha. We left the rest up to her. It was perfect. Loved every aspect of the tour. When we had the yum cha she happily ran after all the trolleys to ensure we got a wide variety. Her knowledge and passion of the city is inspiring. Do yourself and book this tour.

I recently experienced a fantastic food sampling experience with popular Hong Kong tour company…read more"Humid with a chance of fish balls". Among the places visited were a traditional dim-sum cafeteria, up-and-coming roast goose restaurant, noodle house and clay pot rice establishment. The personalized, private tour, led by company founder Virginia Chan, enabled me to obtain a unique and fun look into the culture and some authentic food selections of Hong Kong Island in the shortest period of time. Knowing where to go, how to order as a local and learning the history of each neighborhood are just some of the benefits of arranging a "Humid" food tour. I truly enjoyed the tour and highly recommend 'Humid with a Chance of Fish Balls". See you the next time I'm in Hong Kong!

Great tour aimed at tourists/English speakers. We went for the sampan dinner tour on a sampan in…read morethe Causeway Bay typhoon shelter. Virginia, the host, was chatty and entertaining. She was easy to communicate with and her website and booking system were clear and easy to navigate. Her knowledge of pretty well anything we asked her about was impressive! The tour itself was great fun. After visiting the old aunties who could arrange curses on those making our lives challenging, we took a tram to Tai Hang and then walked to the typhoon shelter. A short sampan ride and we were aboard our bobbing dining room lashed to other sampans full of locals. The food came quickly, each delivery making our dining 'room' wobble. Prawns were fat and tasty, noodles delicious especially when mixed with the crispy garlic from the crab dish. My only negative was that the crab was a big overcooked. Afterwards, our host walked us back to Causeway Bay and recommended some cool bars along the way. Overall a unique and personable experience.

Fantastic private tour guide Stephen is a passionate,…read moreinformative, communicative and kind guide. He definitely makes every effort to individualize your tour to your interests and his follow up with additonal information based on what he learns as he does the tour is fantastic. He is a great way to start your trip to Hong Kong as he will give you tips on how to navigate the city, to include assisting you in getting your Octopus cards (your pass onto metro, bus, ferries). We can't speak highly enough about his desire to accommodate your interests and provide history and background on a city he knows extraordinarily well. He is keenly astute to addressing topics of interest and sensitive to avoiding those that may be touchy if he senses that. Truly can't imagine any other guides surpassing him.

We spent six hours with Stephen this week and enjoyed every second. As others mentioned, he is…read moreintelligent and informative. But beyond this, he is extremely flexible and adapts the tour to your interests with his beginning questionnaire and as you go along. For instance, I had commented on an upset stomach and Chinese herbalists, so we tried medicinal tea. I enjoyed the temples so much that he added a third one near the end of the day. He pointed out many things that we had passed on our own and missed, or misunderstood. And he shared many of his experiences of family and growing up in Hong Kong. These gave us a much deeper view of Hong Kong culture. Somewhere in his advertising he states that he's a bit expensive, but I believe his tour is worth every penny. Just be sure to wear your walking shoes!

This was my second tour with Hong Kong Getaway!…read more This is by far the best tour of Hong Kong (shoot, maybe of any place). First, Mandy customizes the tour to your interests. She is uncanny in her ability, in a few questions, to know exactly what to recommend. And she's quick to pick up on when it's time to change the agenda. Second, her knowledge of Hong Kong, both history, culture, and layout, are extensive. But don't expect a history lecture. She'll tell you what you want to know, in a way that enhances the visit. Want detailed historical info? She can do it! Want a 2-minute overview encapsulating the background? Done, with all the important info included. Third, Mandy makes each tour like a visit with a good friend. Her warm, friendly personality is absolutely the best! For this tour, Mandy knew I like seeing and doing things locals do. She arranged a visit to the New Territories, a boat ride and visit to a fishing village, and many more stops. Chatting with her made the time fly! I recommend this tour!

I almost never book tour guides when I travel, but I was looking for things to do while in Hong…read moreKong and stumbled across Mandy and Apple in Trip Advisor and every client raved about them. I met Mandy just outside of the station on Nathan Road. Immediately I felt very comfortable with her as if I were meeting an old friend. She is extremely personable, friendly and genuine. She has an enthusiasm about Hong Kong that I hadn't gotten from others and was eager to take me to some of the places that other tourists don't see. I won't go into detail about all the places we visited or food we ate, but let me give you a few good tips. You'll want to try an egg tart at Tai Cheong Bakery. Also try the Dim Sum at Chung's Cuisine. She will help you order some really tasty treats. The best thing about Hong Kong Getaway with Mandy and Apple is that they will create a custom tour for you based on what you prefer such as a food tour, a cultural tour or even if you just want to see the main sites, they will know the best times to avoid the crowds as well as the best way to get around. Even after my day with Mandy, she knew I was going to be in Hong Kong for a few more days so she kept emailing me other ideas on where to go and what to check out. If you are visiting Hong Kong, I highly recommend you use Hong Kong Getaway as your personal tour guide.

I'm a local that is pretending to be a tourist this time, with my tourist hubby…read more This tour is really interesting because it takes you to a very local area, where there are usually few westerners and food shops might not even have an English menu. While the tour's focus is on food, the tour guide Carrie spaced it out with walks around the wet market, the electronics market and excursions into a few local stores that sells very interesting items. The food that I sampled are truly the gems of the local food culture. The pineapple buns and soft tofu dessert were amongst the best I've had, and despite having grown up near this area, I found some new favourite places that I will be bringing my family to! Another great thing is you could take a peek into the tiny back kitchens of these establishments - all of which make their food on site which is getting rarer and rarer. It's amazing how much people can do in a cramped space in this expensive city. Of course, Carrie did a great job explaining the economic situation of Hong Kong to our group of tourists, since most weren't aware how the city has the largest wealth gap in the world. Overall, the tour was delicious, interesting, socially conscious and wonderfully guided. If you are in tow, adventurous and willing to try some stuff that is hard to get elsewhere in the world, I would highly recommend this tour!

Yammy was amazing! We spent 5 days in Hong Kong and this tour was definitely a highlight! Each of…read morethe stops were interesting and delicious. The walking was enjoyable and I would recommend this tour highly!

First off, free is a treat. Just 100-200 hkd as a tip for the guide taking us around the city is a…read moregreat deal. The tour guide covered the concept of Feng Shui and how it applies to the architecture in Hong Kong, the growth of Hong Kong, the differences between Mainland China and Hong Kong, religion, nearby sights, British conflict, and local cuisine (though I got better food recommendations from locals I met). I can say I learned a few new things and feel a little more of an expert on concepts and facts I was only vaguely familiar with. After the tour, the guide was available to answer questions.

I'm pretty sure I've had others in this tour, but Summer rocked !! She was very organized and…read moreextremely articulate on mt Dark Side of Kowloon tour. While I was not able to comprehend everything, I had enormous respect to the people of Hong Kong.

Don't just visit Hong Kong. Live like a local for a day, or two!…read more So lucky that we booked private tours with This is Asia Tours for two amazing days in Hong Kong and Lantau Island. Our first tour was going so well that we booked a second one for two days later midway through our first day. Guided by Jacky and Liz, our group really experienced the best the city had to offer alongside a local guide. So much fun "Hong Kong hopping" as we explored so many different neighborhoods, markets, historic sites and local hangouts. Loved seeing the real Hong Kong off the typical tourist path. Definitely two of the best tours that we have ever booked. After being picked up at the cruise terminal, our history and culture lesson started as we headed up to Victoria Peak. Along the way we learned about how and why the British came in 1842 and started to understand the complexities of the housing issues in Hong Kong. Visited St. John's Cathedral which is the only freehold land in Hong Kong and the oldest Anglican Church in the Far East. Then it was off to the bank. The story of HSBC really explains the story of Hong Kong. From simple beginnings to World Wars through turmoil and progress, it was so interesting to see and hear the history that Jacky shared. Really fascinating. Man Mo Temple. Nan Lian Garden. Chi Lin Nunnery. So many beautiful temples and gardens in Hong Kong. How do you choose? Loved being able to really enjoy the peace and tranquility of these sacred spaces against the frenetic hustle and bustle of the city. The gardens were so perfectly manicured. The temple and nunnery fed your soul. So many markets. Sneaker Street. Ladies Street. Goldfish. Bird. Flower. Wan Chai. Temple Street. Aberdeen fishing village. Each so different and unique. Fresh fish at the Wan Chai wet market. Loved the hawker stalls and fresh fruits along Fa Yuen Street. So many orchids and bonsai at the Flower Market. The puppies, bunnies and colorful fish were so cute at the Goldfish Market. Hungry? Loved the introduction to Hong Kong bakeries, steamed buns, roasted goose and dumplings by Jacky from This Is Asia tours. We had the most delicious treats (including Michelin) along the way. Loved trying mochi, vegetarian dumplings, banana cake, pineapple buns with and without cold butter, hot and cold Hong Kong Milk tea, French toast filled with peanut butter, egg tarts, turtle bread, rice and chicken, chicken tarts and much more in Kowloon and the Wan Chai District. Pineapple Buns. Egg Tarts. Cocktail Buns. Pineapple buns have no pineapple. Instead, these pillowy soft buns are topped with a beautifully cracked crust that resembles a pineapple. Eat them on their own or stuffed with a slab of cold butter. In the late 1940s, Hong Kong-style cafés called cha chaan tengs were both popular and competitive for customers. A baker was inspired to turn a savory dough into a sweet treat. He mixed flour, sugar, and ammonia to form a dough and baked it on top of bread. The resulting product, the pineapple bun, was born. This fragrant, crunchy and sweet treat is a Hong Kong staple to this day. The Cantonese cousin of English custard tarts, egg tarts come in many delicious variations. These yellow gems originated in Guangzhou in the early 20th century, when Chinese interaction with Britain grew. Egg tarts are a combination of steamed egg pudding and puff pastry. They graced Hong Kong in the 1940s, but initially were only served at high-end restaurants. Their popularity spread and egg tarts are now part of Hong Kong's intangible cultural heritage. Love the Hong Kong cocktail buns. These soft, buttery brioches are stuffed with a sweet coconut filling and sprinkled with sesame seeds. It's suggested that the sweet filling was inspired by leftovers. In the 1950s, a cha chaan teng owner didn't want to waste food so he crushed up some leftover bread together with sugar to make a filling. Since the mixture consisted of many different types of bread, it reminded people of a "cocktail." Today, the filling includes shredded coconut and butter, definitely a Hong Kong favorite. So delicious. Try them all. A sweet taste of Hong Kong's history. On the way to the airport two days later, our group met Liz for a tour of Lantua Island. What a treasure! Loved exploring the Tai O Fishing Village. Stilt houses. Bridges. Kwan Tai Temple. Snow White and the seven dwarfs. Pomelos for a Happy New Year. A boat ride to see the pink dolphins unique to Hong Kong. Liz said that we were so lucky to see so many on our boat tour. Since This Is Asia Tours have permits to drive on Lantau Island, we saved so much time. Nice to be able to drive directly to the gates leading to the Big Buddha and the Po Lin Monastery. Climbed up and down 280 steps to get to the Buddha. So beautiful and the views are stunning. Took the Ngong Ping 360 Crystal Cable Car back down the mountain and then had a 15-minute drive to the airport. Two amazing five-star days with Jacky and Liz.

Want to see Hong Kong like a local?? Then book a private tour with Jacky or Liz from This Is Asia…read moreTours. Our party of five was treated to two incredible days. We visited local markets,temples, and even a bank in Hong Kong. The view from Victoria Peak was gorgeous as were the gardens at Nan Lian. Sampled so many tasty treats. Both Jacky and Liz followed the dietary restrictions for two members as we ate so many sweet and savory delicious bites. The stop at the Hong Lin Restaurant was a great place for hot Hong Kong milk tea, French toast and pineapple buns with butter. Tai O Fishing Village with Liz was an unexpected pleasant surprise in Lantau Island. Even saw dolphins. Visiting the Big Buddha, Po Lin Monastery, and cable car was a highlight of our tour that day. Book a tour with This Is Asia Tours with Jacky or Liz for the best day in Hong Kong.

Walk In Hong Kong is a tour company that specialises in guided walks around Hong Kong. They have a…read morenumber tours, which tend to be either based on a particular location, or based on a theme, like urban myths, festivals, or even the cemeteries. The tours are usually about 3-5 hours, and take place day and night, depending on the theme. They are conducted by a English speaking local, which is great as they understand the history, language and culture, and impart this to their guests, but can be sometimes a bit bothersome, as their English isn't 100% fluent, and you have to get over that odd meter of Asian speech. The guides are very friendly and knowledgable though, so you should have a good, informative time. On these tours, they provide radio headsets, which is a really innovative touch, as you can spread out a bit as a group and enjoy the scenery, yet still hear the stories and lectures. Group sizes are moderate at about 20 people, of course depending on the popularity of the tour. As well as the sights and sounds of modern HK, the guides also bring some props, historical photos (via iPad), and other items to enrich the tour experience. The prices for tours are around HKD250, which isn't cheap, but for an occasional "different" activity (we can't always eat out and go to the pub!), I think it is well worth it. When considering tours, you may prefer to go on one of the more established routes, whether it be location or theme based. I went on a recent Ghost Festival tour, and whilst it was fun and engaging, I didn't feel it was very well structured. It felt like it was a first draft speech, and this was probably due to this tour only running twice a year.

When I think of Hong Kong, I see a junk boat with red sails and the city buildings in the…read morebackground. I'd argue that it's one of the most iconic pictures of Hong Kong and I was excited to see Aqua Luna offering various types of cruises in the junk boat. We originally bought our tickets online but because of a typhoon, all cruises were cancelled. Luckily, we had the option for a refund or reschedule and we chose refund for flexibility...just in case we couldn't make the reschedule. We managed to find time later but I wasn't able to finalize the purchase before sales closed on the website. I was able to call them and they told me to just show up at the pick-up location and pay in person. Credit card accepted! Every night at 8PM, the city puts up a light show with music. You can watch that on either side of the harbor but being in the waters sounded like a unique viewpoint and you can switch sides whenever you want. The Symphony of Lights cruise has two pickup spots, one at Tsim Sha Tsui Pier 1 (7:30PM) and the other at Central Pier 9 (7:45PM). If you want the best seats, go to the Tsim Sha Tsui Pier 1 pickup and head upstairs. You'll want the seats on the right side of the boat. The cruise itself was pretty fantastic. The city lights reflect on the water and it makes for a great picture. It was a August summer night, right after a typhoon, and the weather/temperature was way more manageable. However, the light show was really anti-climatic. The picture on Aqua Luna's website makes it look so grand but what we saw was just some flashing lights, some sparse lasers. It's like they spread out the special effects across the buildings too much. But that's not Aqua Luna's problem, they're just providing a means and they did a great job at that! Each ticket also gets you a drink!

What an incredible experience! We did the dim sum cruise on this ship and it was one of our…read morehighlights of our Hong Kong trip. The boat was very new and clean. It wasn't too full so every group pretty much had their own section in the boat and it was very comfortable. The staff was so attentive and I felt so special being waited on so frequently. The Dim sum was to perfectly arranged in a huge decorative boat. The Dim Sum quality was also incredible with such an amazing variety. I was initially worried that it wouldn't be enough for two people but we were actually stuffed afterwards. The boat ride was about 90 mins total. The only criticism that I had was they served the dim sum right away when we were going upstream against the wind so it was mega mega windy. I wish they sailed slower or went super fast to the end then sailed back with the wind where they can then serve the dim sum without any wind. I can see that being a problem though if people don't have enough time to eat or if the dim sum gets cold waiting too long. Either way the boat was amazing, the cruise and location was great, dim sum quality was 10/10 and service was great. Highly recommend the Dim Sum Cruise.