Just a stone's throw from some of the most prestigious commercial and residential sky scrapers in…read moreHong Kong, there is a two-storey red brick building, that juxtaposes these Wan Chai high rises, and the hustle and bustle of the area's notorious bar scene. This building is officially known as Nam Koo Terrace, but less officially known as "The Wan Chai Haunted House". From WW2, when it was used as a military brothel by the Japanese, it is alleged that local Chinese women were being kidnapped and killed by the soldiers, before being dumped back on the streets of Hong Kong, through to it's current day reputation as a suicide house, where as many as 30 people have ended their lives there, Nam Koo has a pretty scary history. The most popular story is of a group of curious students who tried to stay the night there and play on a ouija board. They failed, and their attempt ended up with the police being called to rescue them, and some of them being hospitalised for mental breakdowns. All pretty gruesome stuff. Nam Koo is closed off now, but you can go and have a look at it from the outside. It is actually a very beautiful building, and if there wasn't such a horrific reputation, it would make an outstanding home. If you want to get more information on the house, there are a number of tour companies that include it on ghost tours or local history walks, as well as a plethora of information on-line. Personally, I pass by occasionally to just have a look from the outside, and during the day! The prospect of seeing headless women, or the alleged shadowy figures in the windows, is enough to make me stay out on the road side of this infamous building!

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.

If you have a pet in Hong Kong then chances are you have been here…read more Victory Avenue is a street that stretches from Argyle Street to Waterloo Road; in this short street there are upwards of 10 different pet stores and shops selling pet accessories. Other than that there are a number of vets on this street which gives it a very unique feel in the middle of town. This is a dog lover's heaven as you will find that most of the shops are selling dogs (note: I'm very much against buying breeder dogs) and some sell cats too. On my visit I was actually looking for a new leash for my mongrel at home and to be honest when I had that little teacup toy poodle in my hand I was tempted to bring it home too. Nope, I told myself I must stick to my principles and left that poor thing back in the shop. I sort of felt like I let him down by not taking him away... There are a number of eateries along the street- a dim sum place, a place that does really good Hainan chicken and a number of cha charn tengs that would be good for an afternoon tea set. Would I recommend any tourists coming here just for a look-see? No, there's nothing special about it in all honesty. Would I recommend parents with kids to come here to have a look? Yes, the kids will love it but just make sure you don't go home with a dog/ cat. Go adopt.

Wandered around Wan Chai and noticed the 2F and 3F anime characters outside. Take the elevator up…read moreto the 4th floor and work your way down! Awesome little art galleries and looks pretty new.

When talking about the manga/anime culture, what is the first thing that comes into your mind?…read moreProbably Japanese manga (actually the word Man Nga is derived from the Kanji, that has the same pronunciation and meaning. Kanji are words that entered the Japanese language from ancient China, similar to how certain French had entered the English language system), cosplay (costume play) and the annual Anime-Manga Fair at Exhibition Centre. In fact, comics and animation has been active in many other countries too, for example the American comics of hero stories, the Hollywood/Disney production of (nowadays) computerized animations, the European comics often with political/fine arts themes, the Chinese comics of Sanmao, Chinese animation of folklore stories in Chinese water and ink style(such as Journey to the West, Nezha). Hong Kong , as such a small city in the world also have our own unique comics culture that is simultaneously influenced but different from those in China, Japan or the Western worlds, with a key focus on action, kung-fu, and triads stories, mirroring the success of Hong Kong movie industry. It is quite a refreshing turn of event that the government finally recognizes the importance of popular culture, and the choice of venue for commemorating the development of comics/animation culture in Hong Kong is equally amazing. The 10 no.s of pre-war tenement houses at Mallory Street, affectionately named the green houses after a casual repaint by the government after acquiring them in the 60s, and subsequently categorized as Grade 2 historic building, was chosen for rejuvenation for such purpose. The architectural team chose to gut out the narrow, dark and much deteriorated interiors of typical tenement houses and created a central courtyard area, as public space for the community, as if a secret garden hidden behind the facades of buildings. The usable space as on one side facing this central courtyard, with 2 bridges linking at third and fourth floor to the façades kept in place on the opposite side. The top two floors are exhibition and event space for rental purpose, whilst shops and restaurants occupies the first 2 floors. The most special use here is the Anime/Manga Salon. It is like a reference library, where important pieces of comic works are available for enjoyment within the salon. A good archive and relaxing space. On a side note, the project won the Medal of the Year 2013 and Special Architectural Award 2013 in the community building category, issued by the Hong Kong Institute of Architects.

What's up: Hiking in Hong Kong! I had to get at least one hike in and during my research, I read…read morethat this was a great place to see the views. Transit: Depending on where you want to start on your hike, there are several bus stops to choose from. We took the 14M Minibus and got dropped off on Boyce Rd. We went up the stairs and took Mount Butler Rd to take the Sir Cecil's Ride trail. For our return trip into the city, we took the 25A bus, but there are plenty of options to choose from. Environment: From where we got off the bus, we climbed stairs that led us to a paved road. We travelled on it for a while before finally hitting the dirt trail. Along the way, there are some portions that are paved but majority of it was dirt. To get to the view point, there was a slight incline and you'll have to climb up in between boulders (not too strenuous). But once you get to the top, you'll have a great view. Yay/Nay/Meh: Yay. Overall, it was an easy hike. Most of the trail is not covered so it might be difficult if it was a hot and sunny day.

I've visited this exhibit twice in my life now (more than a decade apart) and would go back with…read moreothers who want to learn more about Dr. Sun Yat Sen. The location is sort of difficult to reach as it is high up the hill especially if you have mobility issues or other restrictions that prevent walking easily. There is basically no other way to get here but by foot (of course after being either dropped off by taxi nearby or from the MTR Station at Central). The location used to be a mansion owned by a dear friend of Dr. Sun Yat Sen but had been bought and renovated to be a place of history dedicated to and in the memory of the father of China. The exhibit is staffed well by very knowledgeable personnel who are able to answer any questions you may have during your self-guided tour. The building spans a few floors and there is an elevator inside as well as the stairs so you can explore at your own pace. It is well air-conditioned and there is so much to learn about Dr. Sun Yat Sen's life from his very beginning as a child to how he became a doctor and a political leader, and to his death. If you're a history buff, I think it is a well-rounded and enjoyable experience. There is a video room that takes roughly 20 minutes to watch and has a handful of seats which is great to take a rest at before heading back on the streets. There are also well-maintained restrooms on the ground floor. Best of all, this remains free to the public. No photo or video is allowed inside the property.

The museum in my opinion was "so-so" as it pertains to the historical information and installation…read moreregarding Dr. Sun Yat-Sen. Mostly photographs and informational displays with stories and words (probably not as good as other museum installations I have seen on Dr. Sun Yat-Sen in Taiwan or elsewhere), plus a few items of clothing, a short video and such. The Dr. Sun Yat-Sen installation is on the top floor. The restored building dating back to 1914 that houses the museum was really quite special. I am glad when I see Hong Kong or private entity saves historic buildings like this. It is a former residence that is a blend of Chinese and Western architectural styles. They show a 10 minute video on the restoration that was involved. It really is a beautiful building and for $10HKD, worth a pop into see.

The Murray House may look a bit odd in Stanley- a classical building jutting out to the sea like a…read moresore thumb- that's because the building wasn't here in the first place. The building was used as HQ for the joint forces back in the colonial days and it used to sit at where the Bank of China building in Admiralty is now. Thank god they had the good sense back then but they made the effort to dismantle the building brick by brick and it was put back to together here. When you go in now you can still imagine what it must have been like walking through the corridors back in the day- the guys must have done a bloody good job when taking it apart because I can't see major flaws with it now. It is now a 3 level building of wine and dine as well as a museum down on ground floor. The Museum is a maritime museum of Hong Kong though I haven't gone in there myself to know how good is/isn't. Upstairs though is where most people go. There are a number of restaurants, King Ludwig, Wildfire have been here as soon as it opened and they continue to be extremely busy today. You will find that it will take a lot of patience to get a table here but it is certainly worth the wait. You will see a lot of couples taking their wedding photos here; that's because there aren't a lot of classical buildings left in HK and this is a reminder to tell us how important preservation is.

Statue Square is Christmas magic overload! Hong Kong…read moreWinterFest turned it into an epic Christmas Town with a huge 20-meter tree, fun toy props (spaceships, trains, mini train ride), Santa meet-and-greets, carolers, workshops, and a cute market with food and gifts. The nightly 3D light show on the skyscrapers (HSBC, Prince's Building) is absolutely stunning with total photo heaven! Runs Nov 14, 2025 - Jan 4, 2026. Easy access: MTR Central Station, Exit K. Must-visit for holiday vibes in HK--already wanna go back!

There's a reason that Hong Kong is the financial capital of Asia, and the buildings that surround…read morestatue square really showcase the influence of money in HK. If you come here at night, the buildings come to life, lighting up the sky around you. You wouldn't imagine that a bank could be a tourist attraction, but something about all these buildings together really creates such an amazing atmosphere. (I think I spent 5 minutes just watching the HSBC building change colors.) Since it's Christmas time, the square itself has a bunch of decorations and a huge Christmas tree made of ornaments. After spending some time looking at the buildings, there is also alot of great shopping and food around central/admiralty to enjoy.