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".

I am not Catholic, but when we walked by the very popular St. John's Episcopalian church down the…read morehill from the Peak Tram, we asked where there might be a Catholic Church. My friend who was visiting from the US is Catholic and likes to visit a church or two in the different cities of the world she travels to. The lady in the gift shop at St. Joseph's said that the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception was one of the most beautiful churches in all of Hong Kong. Although tucked behind other buildings and some construction, so not visable from street level of Caine Street itself at all, when we found the walk way to the church, simply magnificent! Being a secular humanist at best, I cannot speak to any custom, traditions or history of this space or the Catholic church, but it really is a lovely church. Based on what I read, it is about 120 years old. It is really large. We also discovered that they do not have gift shop on sight and when we inquired, they referred us to the Grand Building, 3/F on Connaught Road for the gift shop (we did not go there, but in their limited English, this is what the nice staff wrote down and told us).

One of the most beautiful catholic cathedral I have visited. It is a bit difficult to find and…read moregoogle maps will take you to the other hidden side. This church is locates next to hongkong free zoo. And it is on the hill. English mass is at 9 am Sunday.

I love the ancient temples, it speaks with volumn without saying anything since it's right there in…read morethe walls, the structures, the gates, the set up, the statues, the burning incense, the folks that comes over the years, decades...it's such a peaceful, tranquility and calmest being there.

A must visit treasure in HK. Pretty easy to get to if you take the MTR. Walk from Sheung Wan stop…read morefor about 15 minutes. Lots of local markets to visit. Plenty of coffee shops around.

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.

Tai Kwun is a well renovated prison yard (Victoria Prison), the Central Police Station, and…read moreMagistracy that it once was, transformed into a large cultural hub with rotating exhibitions. They also have some shops, restaurants, and even guided heritage tours for ad additional cost. Otherwise, the place can be explored for free. It is accessible right off the Mid-Levels escalator and timing of the escalator's direction is crucial so that you don't wear yourself out before the exploration itself. The area is not extremely handicap friendly, so knowing that may help your travels. Tai Kwun is on top of the hill so it is steep as you walk down back to Central MTR Station. I got to visit all of the buildings on a self-guided tour and discovered that one of the prison cells housed Vietnamese revolutionary Ho Chi Minh amongst other historical inmates. Whether you're a history buff or just a curious explorer, Tai Kwun is a unique place to visit.

Magistracy Dining Room is a British restaurant located in an over 100-year-old historical monument…read morein Tai Kwun, Hong Kong. Once a judicial house, this majestic space was transformed into a fine dining room. The red leather dining booths and candlelit settings made it a perfect spot for date night or anniversary celebration. Starters: ＊Gillardeau Spéciale No.3 ＊Steak Tartare** ＊Scottish Razor Clams ＊Heritage Tomato Tart*** Out of all the starters we got, I enjoyed the steak tartare and tomato tart the most. The steak tartare was made table side in front of us. The tomato tart was a sleeper hit. Topped with fresh tomato, the flower-shaped shell was filled with crème fraiche that tasted like a fresh and light dessert. Mains: ＊Grilled Boston Lobster ＊Slow-Steamed Atlantic Cod ＊Roasted Ora King Salmon Sides: ＊Japanese Hen-Of-The-Wood Roasted Mushrooms ＊Creamed Spinach Every course was exquisitely crafted with the finest and the most luxurious ingredients. I picked the lobster and it was delectable. I preferred lobster bisque more as I found the lobster soaked in brown butter hollandaise too heavy for my liking. Dessert: ***Baked Alaska*** The highlight of the night was absolutely the Baked Alaska. The tableside flambé left us in awe, and it was fun to see the server put off the fire with chinese folding fan. The pistachio ice cream and cherry sorbet gave the dish a refreshing touch to balance out the heaviness. Be mindful that the portion is HUGE and it is impossible to takeaway, so I highly suggest sharing it with at least 3-4 people.

Times Square happens to be a luxury brand mall in HKG, not an iconic spot like NUC. The mall is…read morehuge, over 8 floors of luxury and high end brands, electronic store, food court and few other variety of stores. The inside of the mall looks absolutely stunning, all slick and clean, modern design integrated across all the floors. We explored the mall over half an hour, floor by floor. Since we were not looking to purchase anything expensive, we were just enjoying the walk and view of the mall. Few stores we went in, staff were very friendly and willing to assist with any question.

It was our young daughters' first international trip and I had to solo parent for two days. For one…read moreof those days, I brought the girls to this mall because they have Blooms Coffee, Lego Store, and City Super. With jet lag and solo parenting, caffeine is undeniably a top priority and I had the pleasure of trying the tiramisu latte from Blooms Coffee. It definitely gave me a strong kickstart and without too much sugar. And then we took off to exploring the different floors - being amazed with the Zootopia 2 decorations and display, visiting the Lego Store, finding souvenirs to buy at City Super, and making a Christmas wish list at the Lane Crawford store. We easily spent three hours in this mall. It's spacious and clean. The staff were helpful and friendly. I would definitely revisit the next time we are in town!

This place is basically like a giant Etsy shop/Instagram photo opp…read more Came to take selfies in front of the koi staircase. Left with nearly a dozen pairs of cute and unique earrings crafted by HK-based jewelry maker @ashayatheone, for $8 to $15 (USD) a pair. Though I definitely spent more than I would have for souvenirs at the Ladies Market, it was worth it not to feel stressed out having to haggle on the streets of Mong Kok. Plus, I walked out with better quality stuff, supported a local business, and got to check out the current art exhibit ("LONG TIME NO SEE": a set of hand-drawn murals paying homage to the history of the PMQ building).

I'm glad that I decided to come on the recommendation from my friend. I wasn't sure what to expect…read morebut I enjoyed going through the different levels to browse the shops and exhibits from local artists and entrepreneurs. This is definitely not your average mall where it's the same brands and shops like at every other mall. It's too bad that the rooftop garden was under renovation when I went. It would've been nice to sit outside. I liked the exhibit that showed an example of what a home of a police family would've looked like. The video playing in the unit depicted happy tenants that loved living there and got on well with their neighbours. There was also a mahjong exhibit that was quite enjoyable and informative. I wasn't able to see the underground interpretation area, that'll have to wait for next time.

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.

Enjoyed the outside courtyard at night. The holiday Christmas tree with its LED light show was…read moreamazing. Enjoyed the vegetarian snacks with the refreshing iced tea & cold brew tea

A repurposed historical compound that has turned into a place where locals and tourists enjoys…read moretheir afternoon or a night at. This compound consists of the old Central police station, the barrack block, the central magistracy and the Victoria jail. There are about 10 blocks of building that forms the whole compound of the Victoria jail. Upon arrival, my friend had pre-booked a guided tour for us at 2 pm. There are 2 tours available daily at 11:15 and 2 pm. And an extra tour at 4 pm on Saturday and Sunday. Reservations are available online. The tour runs about 45 min to an hour and they are wheelchairs accessoble . About our tour, our tour guide took us around to show the three groups of building and how streamline it is from being arrested, to brought up to the court and finally being jailed, all in the same compound. There are also stories about the mango trees at the main court, histories of the life of policemen and the cases of prisoners trying to escape. I let give basic idea of where things are, so that you can go back to tour in details. As you walk arpund the compound, you will started to see tea house for dim sum, bars that used to be prisoner's cells, called being bars ( I thought it was a very clever name and literal), and quaint little areas where it seems to have live music at night when the bars are open. I am not sure about what the bars served as they seem to be fairly new and not sure if they are open for business, but the tea house by the court was a nice stop to rest . Dim sum that we're served are all vegetarian style, a bit pricey but a nice resting place with good tea. The most interesting part of this compound is probably going to be the jail. Especially when you look up and see the tree story tall jail from inside, it felt like being in a movie. I really enjoyed touring around this place, not only because it has all these new repurposed restaurants, but also a nostalgic place for me. I remember how I used to get off from school and walked along the high prisons wall and wonder what's it is like inside, and after 20+ years passed and I finally get to see the inside of it.