[jr_citizen]

I've been offered a position in HK by my company, so I'm heading over to HK for 10 days in late May both to work in the office for a week and to get a feel for Hong Kong.

I'll have five days to explore HK, and four/five days of working by day, but will have a couple free nights. I want to use my free time there to get a feel for Hong Kong not as a tourist, but as someone who would be living there. This is where I need some help

I don't want to focus on doing tourist things on this trip (I've never been to HK before, but have travelled around Asia previously). I really want to try to explore and do things more as a local would do. If you had five days to get a feel of Hong Kong, what would you do? What are "must do/see" things to get a sense of what its like to live in HK?

PS - Apologies if this belongs in the Travel forum, I thought this was a better choice between the two

[HKChigger]

There are many types of locals here, some like to stay at home 24 hours a day, some like to go shopping daily, some just like to hang around mong kok and some are sporty.

I think your best bet is just to get used to the streets nearby work and where you stay. Look around at the shops/markets and take it all in. See how shopping/markets work. Also spend some time in some flats of co-workers or friends to get used to the local home feeling as they are smaller than western countries.

BTW You working in Hong Kong without a visa will be completely illegal. Make sure not to let Immigration know you are not working if they ask. Technically if you are still being paid overseas and aren't working, rather attending meetings or training that is ok as a tourist. So if asked you may want to say you are attending training classes or in meetings. Just a heads up.

[Alby]

Hong Kong SAR is a great place as it offers variety which makes it such a 'melting pot' of Asia.

The last time I checked: The mainstream population is of course the obvious - Chinese, however Filipinos make-up the second largest population with South Asians making up the third largest population.

I suggest that you get on one one the various modes of public transportation to explore some neighborhoods to see what you like and don't like and find out what you expect from your living environment and space.

Possibly try:
* eatting at a local neighborhood resturant
* going to see what is in the grocery store
* visiting the local wet market
* visit a property agent show you some flats (as
property agents will give tons of info about a place
even if you have no idea or interest in a flat)

Some suggested neigborhoods to look at are on:

Kowloon-side:
- Tsuen Wan (take MTR)
- Wong Tai Sin (take MTR)
- Jordan (take MTR) [check out the neighborhood that is
between Austin Rd and Jordan Rd]
- Tsim Sha Tsui (take MTR) [check out the
neighborhood around Austin Ave, Hillwood Rd, Cox Rd,
Tai Shing Rd]

Hong Kong-side:
- Happy Valley (take tram on Hong Kong Island)
- Tin Hau (take MTR)
- North Point (take MTR)

New Territories:
- Tuen Mun (take bus) [many prefer the small villages
around the Gold Coast]
- Ma On Shan (take KCRC)
- Shatin (take KCRC)
- Sai Kung (take bus)
- Tsing Yi (take MTR)

Outter Islands:
- Lamma Island (take ferry)
- Cheng Chau (take ferry)
- Lantau Island (take ferry)

Check out these links for public transportation routes:

www.mtr.com.hk [underground/metro/subway]
www.kcrc.com.hk [train]
www.kmb.com [double-decker bus]
www.citybus.com [double-decker bus]
www.nwfb.com.hk [double-decker bus]
www.hktramways.com [tram]

There are also minibuses however these routes take awhile to become familar with as I have never been able to find website providing routes. Once you become localized using a minibus offers convenience and speed - although on some routes the drivers tend to drive too fast.

Lastly, I suggest you invest in an Octopus card to learn more check out: http://www.hong-kong-travel.org/Octopus.asp

[jr_citizen]

Thanks both for your replies - very helpful!

HKChigger - I should have been more clear; I'm not going to work there as an employee of the HK office, I'm attending meetings in our office there but under my current role. This is what I do now the world over in my current role, so this is just one week of meetings. I should have been more clear

Great points about seeing the markets and looking at flats; Alby your list is extensive and very helpful!

For places to live and neighborhoods to checkout, I'm thinking Happy Valley or Mid-levels. I'm a single guy in my early thirties - I still like going out, being in the thick of city/nightlife, although I don't spend every night out like I did in my earlier days. I've found a few threads about these two areas; I'd like to live on the island itself although I'll explore the Kowloon side a bit as well. Any other observations I should keep in mind about these or other areas?

I'll be staying in Causeway Bay; are there many supermarkets around there?

Are there any particular days I should block out to do certain things -- for example, certain markets that only run on certain days, certain days that estate agents are not open/do not show properties, different shop hours on certain days, etc?

[Alby]

Cool, Causeway Bay is BUSY and a good place to be as many things are in walking distance.

Hong Kong is a basically a 24-hour city however,

- property agents normally shut their doors between 8pm and 9pm unless you have an appointment (never tell an agent your budget as there is normally an average bargaining space between HKD1000 upto HKD3500 on monthly rentals) tell them your decision is based on quality of the bathroom [SERIOUSLY] - you want to see places with good clean bathroom(s) - not necessarily new but good quality;

- most wet markets are open till about 8pm. If you are going to be in Causeway Bay check out the Wan Chai Market behind Times Square or Take MTR to Wanchai MTR station and then take exit A3, and head south towards Wanchai road;

- Single and in early thirties try Soho, Sheung Wan, Wan Chai and Tin Hau for housing options on Hong Kong-island;

- Supermarkets in Causeway Bay - there is the 24hr Wellcome (sic.), SOGO has a supermarket in the basement, and City Super is in the basement of Times Square - all three carry a very good selection of western food unlike some other neighborhood supermarkets;

- Most shops stay open till 10pm or 11pm some even later.

[siumai]

Hey, here's a couple of suggestions how to play local:

1) go hiking: http://ec.hku.hk/hiking/ - careful, it's hot so take an easy route and read all the warnings

2) have a trial lesson of Cantonese, try e.g.

http://www.hkllc.com or http://www.pacificlanguage.com

3) rent a car and try driving here

Also, as suggested above, going around some potential places to live with an agent is a good idea.

[muse07]

Alby and Suimai: Thanks for the links and tips - very helpful. I'm not exactly brand new to HK (I've been here for just over 2 months) but I'm yet to explore a lot of Hong Kong. In fact, I'm ashamed to say it, but I've barely stepped foot in Kowloon. I live in Midlevels and work in Central and sadly, these are the places I've spent most of my time so far (I have, however, ventured on a day trip to Shenzhen and sampled a lot of local fare. Have yet to work out the bus system though).

Jr_citizen: Hope you enjoy your scoping/work visit. In terms of areas, I checked out apartments in Happy Valley as well but am really glad I chose Midlevels. It seems to me that there are a lot more restaurants and bars in a concentrated area and there is a younger population - also it's a lot easier to get to work if you work in central, but I could be wrong about a few things, not actually having lived in Happy Valley.

[Expatriate]

Well, end of May is raining season. Very nice time to get local.

Go eating with your local co-workers - at their places which are much different to Chinese Restaurants catering to tourists and visiting Managers.

Take all kinds of local transport - double-decker bus, mini bus, taxi, tram, ferry to outlying islands, starferry, MTR, KCR. Get a feeling for the local areas - North of Mong Kok, East of Tin Hau.

Go to your workplace at rush hour, go home at rush hour, go for lunch between 12pm and 2pm.

If it is raining while you are here, get to your workplace. Find out how fast you get how wet. Then you see whether the location of your proposed home is convenient enough.

Don't forget to go out Friday Night at Lan Kwai Fong and Wanchai. Friday Night starts here at 6pm. People go from office to bar to Restaurant to bar and then maybe home or for breakfast.

[Expatriate]

Originally Posted by siumai

Hey, here's a couple of suggestions how to play local:

1) go hiking: http://ec.hku.hk/hiking/ - careful, it's hot so take an easy route and read all the warnings

Hiking is not recommended at that time. Saturday Hikers for example stopped their activities until October (too wet or too hot).

Hiking alone not recommended at all. We have wild boars, pythons, cobras. Every year even experienced hikers disappear never to be found again.


Well, another way to play "local" is to swim alone in Sai Kung at dawn. We have also sharks from time to time and so far they eat only locals who swim or dive alone at dawn.

[siumai]

I went first time hiking on one of the hottest days of summer in Sai Kung with a group of experienced hikers - while it was tough it was lots of fun as well and taught me big time to tolerate the hot & humid weather.

Wild boars? Pythons & cobras? Hmmm. Not that many. Maybe less on HK Island side where I mostly roam. But be careful and watch as you go, don't go alone, and try and follow instructions.