Pottinger Street / Central (Hong Kong) -- Even though this wasn't my first trip to Hong Kong, I…read moremust've conveniently forgotten how steep the hills can get to elevation-challenged tourists like myself, especially the steep inclines to be found in the Central district on Hong Kong Island. That's why there are helpful automatic walkways and escalators under long canopies over certain roadways. That was definitely a smart urban renewal move built back in the '90's, but Pottinger Street has been left intact. This atmospheric walkway consists of a series of steps and inclines on terra firma and retains its vintage Hong Kong charm with seemingly random stone slabs that connect Connaught Road Central up to Hollywood Road. Souvenir kiosks line the street on both sides, and they apparently change depending on the holiday season. Jamie W and I were here too early to see Christmas trinkets and decorations, but we saw stall after stall of local tchotchkes and T-shirts. It's worth the stroll in either direction. RELATED - Exploring Hong Kong? Here's my collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/3AGgadg

A touristy three or four block sloping street made up of granite slabs that aren't quite stairs…read more Its official name is Pottinger Street, named in 1858 after Henry Pottinger, the first Governor of Hong Kong, serving from 1843 to 1844. Fun fact was that in the early days in HK, Chinese and European residents used to live separately in different neighborhoods. Pottinger street once acts as a rough boundary between the two groups. The Chinese used to mainly live west of the street and westerners to the east. Today there are various vendors selling trinkets and services such as caricature painting on the street. Many blockbuster HK movies have had iconic scenes filmed here including "Lust Caution", "October Besieged City", "Infernal Affairs III", and "Dragon and Phoenix Fight".

Aberdeen Floating Village is a must see when in Hong Kong. The boats are perfectly still in the…read morebeautiful waters of Hong Kong. The air is fresh, water is clean, and the boats are a delight to see.

Quick 10-15 min sampan boat ride to outer habror marina area where the small community of fishing…read morehouseboats are tethered together...still clinging to the old way of life (which is quickly dwindling as the newer generations as opting for gettig educations and higher paying jobs and leaving the old way of life behind). This was a quaint view to the past when life was simple & of the land & sea.

While wandering around Wan Chai, I came across the Blue House and the Hong Kong House of Stories…read more The Hong Kong House of Stories (香港故事館) is a tiny museum that is packed with nostalgic old items from Hong Kong's past, giving you a quick glimpse into the city's history and how much it has changed over the years. The space is small, so it doesn't take long to explore, but it was fun to poke around the exhibits and appreciate the effort that went into curating them. I also liked that there were some handmade souvenirs that I could pick up! It was a charming and worthwhile stop, especially if you're in the area already.

This is an old restored building with a little shop in the bottom floor. The shop keeper tells the…read morestory of the history of the building, which was cool to hear, as well as sells different handmade items from the shop (technically they are for donation). The shop also has other strange and curious things to browse through.

This is an interactive floating museum of olden day Chinese fishing culture. Buy ticket at the…read morestore in front of Pier 1 at Sok Kwo Wan. They will radio a shuttle boat to transport guests to the floating Village. Allow 2 hours to freely roam around, play interactive games, and a guided tour. We saw Dragon Boats and Sampans up close. Got to fish with hookless bait tied to bamboo poles, it was fun to wrestle against great strengths of big fishes. Visited an authentic Junk boat and saw their living styles. Our tour guide was Ming, a former fisherman, he showed and educated us on various sea creatures like the cuttlefish who change colors when they eat. I love interactive exhibits where we can get up close and personal with the subjects. Everyone had a good time.

The Peak (aka Victoria Peak) is a popular tourist attraction and one of the best way to see the…read morestunning Hong Kong skyline. There are several ways to get there. If you like outdoors and able to tolerate the humidity, I suggest walking up (takes about an hour) and take the tram down. Taxi/car is another option. If you're lazy like me, we took the tram up and down. We also didn't buy tickets in advance or Edge Observation Deck since my schedule was ever changing. It does get crowded on the weekend and during sunset hours. The tram ride is about 10 minute or so. It was quick. There are a bunch of shops, and restaurants. We were happy to see another Bakehouse up there and grab some pastries. We walked around, took lots of pictures and spent about 30-60 min here. Highly recommended.

Only had 3 full days in HK and this was one of the items on my to do list. A wee bit confusing…read moregetting from my accommodations to the Peak Tram but eventually made it. Definitely a great way to get to The Peak. Lucked out with the weather and it only started to rain after I had descended. Great views from the Lions pavilion. Walked a bit around Lugard road then started the walk down. There are very steep sections on the Old Peak Road and was probably not the best idea to do this descent in sandals...but I made it. It was a very positive experience.

Central Market in Hong Kong was the first wet market in the city. Now it is a fresh food market…read morethat also has dry goods and restaurants. It is a fun food market to explore. Central Market is one of two existing Bauhaus market buildings in Hong Kong. Beside the market was the first public female restroom in Hong Kong. At one point, Central Market was the largest meat market in Asia. The building was renovated and most recently reopened in 2021. So nice to explore the stalls and sweet treats that are available to buy. Make sure to have yen as not all of the vendors accept credit cards. Love the anime characters. Try the roasted goose. (Thanks to our Houston CM Jandito, for that recommendation.)

Lots of cool vendors, snack spots, sit down restaurants, etc. has a bit of everything. Located in a…read morenice area with tons of different entry points. Very clean as well. Not as busy on weeknights, super busy on the weekends closer to lunchtime and after.