We absolutely love Tai O! It had been so long that I couldn't even remember the last time I…read morevisited, so combining it with a morning trip to the Big Buddha was the perfect choice. We picked the absolute right day to go! To get there, we took Bus #21 from the terminal right outside Ngong Ping Village. After just missing the 12:20 p.m. bus, we decided to have lunch at Ngong Ping Village and caught the next one at 1:20 p.m. (Note: the bus only departs every 45 to 60 minutes on weekdays). The scenic ride down the mountain took only about 15 to 17 minutes to reach the Tai O coastal terminal. Be prepared for a temperature change! It was quite hot in Tai O compared to the Big Buddha, which was nice and cool in the morning. This is likely because the village sits at sea level where the heat gets trapped by the surrounding mountains. Once we arrived, we started with the Pink Dolphin watching boat tour to explore the village from the water, and then spent the rest of the afternoon walking around. Tai O is truly a paradise for street snacks and local seafood. We tried the delicious giant curry fish balls, fish siu mai, and mixed-flavor egg waffles. They are absolute must-tries! Highly recommend adding this to your Lantau Island itinerary.

A very special fishing village that you can't find anywhere else in Hong Kong. My friend lives…read moreclose by so she gave me a ride which was 30 minutes from the airport. Otherwise i think one can take the bus from On Ping Cable car or Tung Chung. It's not an easy ride though so maybe take a ferry ride from Central Ferry Pier instead if you get carsick easily. There are many very local and down to earth restaurants and small stores that sells some local favorites. Take your time to walk through all the narrow alleys and you will find lots of hidden gems! You can also take a boat ride to see the famous boat houses in Tai O. If you come during summer time I'd recommend bringing hats, adequate water or even umbrella because it can get really hot and sunny. We came yesterday and we almost got heatstroke. And come during weekdays to avoid the crowds! And a big plus is there are so many cats just casually resting in front of the stores for you to pat or take pictures of them!

We had lunch in Tsim Sha Tsui and then we drove all the way out to Sai Kung. It's an interesting…read moredrive away from downtown areas. There's a lot of vendors selling knick-knacks and stuff on the promenade. There's a pier. There's boating. It's nice to take a walk here. My mom said she went hiking around here a while ago. It does not feel like a resort, but it's nice to see the water and people around.

Worth it for the views alone. Walk along the public pier until you hit this promenade that ends…read morewhere the sailboats are. It's much less touristy and is nothing more than a few locals lounging about. This is pretty much the Almalfi Coast but Asian.

Taking the MTR from Wan Chai to Shau Kei Wan was a deeply emotional and special trip for my family…read more This is the neighborhood where I grew up, and though I have shown it to my husband on a previous visit, this was the very first time my daughters got to see it in person. After hearing me talk about my childhood memories and my old primary school for years, it felt so dreamlike that they were finally standing there seeing it all with their own eyes. It was incredibly special to actually walk over and visit my old elementary school together, bringing all those stories to life for them. Shau Kei Wan Main Street East has really earned its reputation as a "foodie street" because it is completely packed with incredible eateries and delicious local food. I was so excited to take everyone to my absolute favorite spot, On Lee Beef Brisket Noodle, but we were all still way too full from our huge dim sum lunch earlier in the day. We couldn't leave empty-handed though, so we picked up some Hokkaido cheesecakes in both the classic and matcha flavors, which turned out to be absolutely delicious. The weather that afternoon was a bit adventurous since Typhoon Signal No. 3 was up, but luckily the rain held off completely while we walked around. The neighborhood still has that wonderful, warm charm, and the people living and working there are just so friendly. Another major highlight of the walk was taking my family up to my old apartment building and showing my girls the exact elevator I got trapped in when I was a kid. It was an incredibly nostalgic moment that I will cherish forever. To wrap up a perfect afternoon of time travel, we walked over to the Shau Kei Wan Tram Terminus and caught a classic tram over to Quarry Bay. I will always love Main Street East, and sharing its history with my daughters was unforgettable.

I have relatives living in the area so usually when I visit HK, we're on the Shau Kei Wan Main…read moreStreet East quite often. There's so much food here, it's insane!!! You'll find the most delicious home-made- simple noodle dishes, the hands down BEST egg waffles, awesome dessert stops, some candy/snack shops, some pretty good seafood/sushi, etc. The list can go on. You can eat every night here on your trip and have something different. There's something for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I love the hustle and bustle of the street here. It's not so much working people as you'd see if you're over in Kowloon per se, but it's the busy street life. People on their days off, kids wandering around, seniors taking a stroll. And many people grew up in this neighboorhood together and raised their families here over the last few decades, so you see a lot of people who have known each other forever. It's so friendly of an environment. It's also a very very short walk over to the MTR and bus routes. Most of HK is fairly accessible.

Amazing views from a perspective few tourists would realise exists in HK. If you have more than a…read morefew days in HK, make the effort to hit the hills! Around 80% of Hong Kong is country park. The parks are accessible and developed with well marked trails and good cellular coverage. There are multiple online resources describing the trails and how to get to them using public transport. We followed the Old Village Path from behind our village (Mui Wo) towards Nam Shan campsite, then up the mountain to Sunset Peak. There was clear signage along the way, detailed topographic maps at rest stations and of course - stunning views. This is not a walk to be tackled in summer heat. There are small streams enroute, but otherwise there are no water sources along the way. The hike took 2 hours and covered 8km (5 miles). Total ascent was 770m (2500'). Worth the effort if you like a hike, and have a few hours to spare.

Sunset Peak is the third highest peak in Hong Kong (after Lantau Peak/Tai Mo San)…read more It's a great hike (lots of uphill as you can imagine), which I recommend hiking during the non-summer months! We started from Pak Kung Au, and headed to Mui Wo. I also recommend hiking the trail during daytime, unless you have experience in night hikes. The last thing you want to do is get trapped there at night with no food! Also, during our hike, we came across 3 people who got lost during their hike, who seemed really tired/dirty/water deprived. Apparently they got lost - so make sure you stick to the path! Pro tip: Bring sunscreen (you will be directly under the sun), mosquito repellent, lots of water & snacks!

Large park close to business district in Hong Kong. Depending on the time of the year, they have…read moredifferent exhibitions and shows going on in the park. It's a very open space with a gorgeous view of the surrounding buildings and Victoria Harbour.

I had been looking around for a place to do sprints for a few weeks and wasn't happy with the…read moreoptions around my place: Victoria Park was too crowded and there wasn't any straight trail where I could run without bumping into people; Wan Chai Park...too hilly; Hong Kong Park, again crowded and uneven. I had resorted to the treadmill (and risked my life with it!) until a friend told me about Tamar Park. Yeah, I didn't know about it until recently, sorry! To get to Tamar Park from Admiralty, you need to get to Admiralty Center and cross the bridge until you get to the Government Offices. It's a huge, beautiful park overlooking Victoria Harbour. From the entrance of the park you can see a green large carpet. The design of the park is simple and elegant. The first time I went there was on a sunny Sunday and was delighted to have found such a place, a little away from mayhem in Central and exceptionally quiet (on a Sunday, yes!). There were groups of people here and there but I could easily find a free spot under a tree and enjoy my book. It is also a great place for those who work around Admiralty, like me. The downside is that there isn't much shelter and you may want to avoid it during the hot stuffy months. I came back at night a few weeks ago and the view is astonishing, much better than at daylight. It's probably one of my favorite spots to contemplate Hong Kong from. It's just a perfect mix of romanticism and peace. Now, the reason I wanted to check it out was to go sprinting, and you can definitely do that, both in the park, in the early morning when it is empty, or you can go down to the Central Promenade. You will find people jogging along quite often but I expected it to be more crowded. If you carry on this trail, you can reach Central Piers and Star Ferry. Whether you are runner or jogger or you simply haven't found you 'green piece' in the city, I would very much recommend you visit Tamar Park. Or take your other half there at night, he/she will fall in love with you if that hasn't happened yet!

This was my first visit to HK, and it was amazing! It was very surprising that the scenery…read moredrastically changes from city to mountainous terrain in just a few miles, and this hiking trail was no exception. This hike is NOT for the weak, as you start off at the bottom and you climb up at an angle for at least 45-mins on a brisk pace. I was dying! But, like all things, the work put in is exponentially translated to the reward you get. As you travel higher and higher into the hike, you are blessed with incredible views of the city and the water. As you clear further into the hike, you are directed to this secluded quarry which seems like Hong Kong's best and worst kept secret. It is truly amazing and truly breathtaking. I was literally speechless. I took so many photos and filled my Instagram with all the gorgeous views. Thank God for my iPhone X whose camera technology was able to capture what it was like being there. In certain areas of the quarry, you get to see crystal clear water filled with schools of colorful fish. It instantly became one of my favorite places. I can't wait to return! Be prepared to sweat! Bring the appropriate shoes! And be prepared to be amazed!

I've been coming to Hong Kong for OVER 23 years. Both Hong Kong side and Kowloon side are a couple…read moreof my favourite places on earth. Knutsford Terrace is atypical of Kowloon. Tons of unsavoury types from around the world hang out here, the sidewalks are filthy, littered with smelly garbage bins and you are badgered as you walk the "gauntlet" past restaurants by their staff outside badgering you for your patronage. Why this rates as highly as it does is a mystery to me. We take a short cut through here en route to our hotel. Although this is a row of several restaurant/bars, I have never seen anyone eating at any of these establishments. Grotty dive bars in Toronto are classy compared.

It is rather hard to believe that Hong Kong as such a tiny city, has so many big party districts…read more On the Hong Kong Island you may go to Wan Chai or Lan Kwai Fong; on the New Territories side you may go to Fo Tan; on the Kowloon side, it has got Knutsford Terrace. Thanks to the Miramar Shopping Centre, there is another way to go to Knutsford Terrace without hitting those horrendous stairs. While you may find seventy percent of people in LKF or Wan Chai are tourists or expats, here in Tsim Sha Tsui definitely has more locals hanging out here. On the entire street, if I remember correctly, there is only one bar that has a dance floor inside; as for the rest, they are mainly bars and strictly for people chilling and chatting. If you are not a fan of drinks, there are still quite a number of nice restaurants that offer great variety of cuisine including Spanish, Turkish, Indian and even Russian. Yet, the only thing I do not like about Knutsford Terrace is the transportation accessibility after mid night. Since it is located on Kowloon side instead of the Hong Kong side, people definitely have lesser options to go back to the same side (or that would take forever). Most people end up spending few hundreds on taxis in the end. Therefore, for me, I always try to leave before twelve, or else it might take me more than two hours to get back home.

Outdoor, public park, free of charge, open spaced, not cramped by Hong Kong highrises, along the…read morewater. Relaxing, cycling, picnicing, busking, dog walking...just being! Absolutely pay the West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade and really the West Kowloon Cultural District Park that is emerging in this area a visit. We had cause to be in this area to attend one of the "Freespace Happenings" that takes place the second and fourth Sunday of each month from September to March in the Nursery Park portion of this emerging cultural district. What a great outdoor, open space for all of Hong Kong to enjoy. This was then how we discovered the walking promenade. Not super easy to get to, we took the MTR from Hong Kong on the orange line to Kowloon Station and kind of followed the signs to the West Kowloon Cultural District, that will also get you to the West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade. It is maybe a 10-15 minute walk, because you have to take the foot bridge up and over the busy tunnel road. Along the promenade itself, it is lovely. Seemed pretty clean and it was a great view of Hong Kong and the harbour. We kind of meandered around and just enjoyed the outdoor space. There were thousands of people out and about enjoying the day. Wedding photos were being taken, graduation commencement gatherings were around, picnics of friends, people signing as buskers to the public. There are some public toilets up near the nursery portion of the park as well. The West Kowloon Cultural District (as this whole area is formerly called) is in the middle of a huge expansion and build out of M+ Pavillion (run-up facility to opening of art museum itself), M+ Building (the actual modern art museum), Xiqu Centre (for traditional xiqu performaces and cantonese opera), Lyric Theatre Complex (dance & theatre) and Freespace (for concerts and events). So although the promenade is a great outdoor space, just wait. It appears it is literally just the start of some cultural greatness for Hong Kong to come in 2017-2020. So why not stroll over there and check it out now.

Lapping waves, an awesome view across to HK Island, and a cool mixed-use space await you here. I've…read morebeen twice - for HK's Freespace Fest and for a random wandering on my own. Once was during the daytime, and once at night. Both were enjoyable times! You could bring snacks and eat outdoors, or use your selfie-stick for some kick-ass photos. There are also bikes to rent, and relatively clean public toilet facilities. The place doesn't earn more stars, for me, for several reasons. One - because it's quite a walk to get there from the nearest bus stop (there's a large depot underneath Elements) or MTR station. Two - because it has so much unmet potential. There are major plans in the works for this area, and with its prime waterfront location and stunning views, it could be so much more, so I await the upcoming arts and culture complex with bated breath. Three - because the way to get to the actual promenade is, quite frankly, pretty ugly and run-down. Again, there is so much potential! But who wants to walk for 7 minutes past barbed-wire fences and multi-lane highways full of exhaust to get to a pleasant picnic spot? I'll be keeping my eye on the Promenade and hopefully it will transform into something amazing, earning many 5-star reviews :)