Hong Kong Recommendations?

Things to avoid: buying any electronics especially in the touristy areas. These days it's much cheaper in the US. Rent is astronomical here so retailers pass on the costs to customers.

Things to do or see: weather has been stunning, take the star ferry across the Harbour and enjoy the view. Take the peak tram up to the peak, but find out when the team opens and get there early as the line can be ridiculous (not always though). At the peak, take a walk around the walking trail, about 1.5 hours. Check out the occupy central protests and get a sense of the polarization of Hong Kong beneath the shiny skyscrapers. Go to the exotic and luxury used car lot in the basement of the parking garage next to the Grand Hyatt in wanchai, lots of eye candy. Go out to shek o (beach village about 40 minutes drive from central) around 730 am on Sunday, lots of cars come out for a drive. Afterwards, go for a hike on the dragons back trail - fantastic views.

 

^^^^^^ What he said... shopping really isn't much good here anymore, everything is main-stream brands pitched to the mainland market.
Aside from the Star ferry (which IS a must-do) you can take longer ferry trips to the outlying islands (Cheung Chau is small if you don't want to walk too much), for Lamma you can take a ferry to Sok Kwu Wan and walk over the island about 1.5hrs with great views to another village Yung Shue Wan and have a nice seafood lunch before catching the ferry from YSW back to HK. A nice day trip is take the subway (known here as MTR- buy an Octopus card when you arrive, not the tourist one - $100 credit will just about make a week's worth of trips) to the end of the line at Tung Chung (on Lantau Island), take the cable car to the top of the mountain and see the big Buddha, eat vegetarian lunch at the monastery and then take a bus down the other side of the island (great road and views) to Mui Wo where it's a ferry trip back to HK. All these ferries depart from near the HK side Star Ferry.
Have a drink at Aqua Luna (1 Canton Road TST) for fabulous view across the harbor towards the island or for the opposite view there's new pizza place at the Peak (not great food, but not expensive either). 1 floor own from Aqua Luna is Hutong - fabulous modern (actually ancient but done in a modern way) Chinese food but VERY expensive.

Enjoy - it's a great city!

 

I will tell you what not to do. Be careful going out to the redlight district in Wanchai. Many foreigners get drugs slipped into their drinks by unscrupulous workig girls and under the influence of serious chemicals, are forced to go to their ATMs and drain it of their daily limit. Some guys have died under the influence of these drugs. It's much safer to go out to Lan Kwai Fong next to Central and enjoy some rounds of drinks with professional locals and expats. Finally, most people in Hong Kong are really polite and non-confrontational but dont be a stupid bully and pick a fight with anyone. You never know who you could be messing with. A 90lb weakling can make a free phone call to a Triad gang. In 10 minutes you could be surrounded by 15 to 20 guys wielding meat cleavers. In 10 to 15 secs, you will be chopped to pieces and maimed for life. It is for this very reason why you rarely see people get into fights in Hong Kong. If you come here and behave as a gentleman, you will have nothing to fear so as long as you dont go to the wrong bars.

 

The Ferrari Club of Hong Kong is holding its annual charity ball this Saturday. Try to see if you can buy tickets to it. It's a black tie event and you'll meet a lot of fellow Ferrari lovers. It is open only to Ferrari Club members but maybe you have a friend who is a member? I'm already taking my wife so I please dont ask me.

 

I hope you have a great time here.

 

Are you sure of that ? I go to Wan Chai often for drinks after work or for a fun night out and I have absolutely never felt any sort of danger whatsoever.

 

I'll be in HK Jan 3 - 14, are there any good motorsport bookstores? Something like Libreria dell'Automobile, maybe?

Thanks!

 

An unusual suggestion:

Crown Wine Cellars
18 Deep Water Bay Drive
Shouson Hill
Tel: 2580 6287

Fabulous dinner in an old converted British war bunker.

You may need to be referred by a member, but it's wonderful.

Matt

 

Definitely nothing like the Libreria! I think you'll only find coffee-table type car books here...

 

PM me if you want to go, I'm a member and will make the intro. It's out of the way, but the menu's decent (Western cuisine) and you can buy wine at retail to less-than-retail cost.