[moniquew]

Hi there, my husband, two kids age 5 and 6 and I are moving to HK soon and need some advice on a good area to live. We have had a few areas recommended, Discovery Bay, Repuls Bay and Clearwater. We are australian and my husband will be travelling a lot.

Any thoughts would be great:

[ontheroad]

Are your children going to go to the Australian school in Kowloon? If so, I would recommend CWB, as it is the closest, commute-wise.

[moniquew]

Thanks for replying so quickly. We haven't chosen a school yet. We thought we'd choose a great area to live then find a suitable school. We have 5 schools lined up to see next week when we visit, Canadian International, HKIS, Discovery International, Chinese International and Renaissance. Unfortunately the Australian School is closed when we visit.

[hello_there]

All three areas you mentioned are nice, good for kids and have their perks. There are some differences in pricing between the three though. You will definitely get more for your money in Disco Bay or Clearwater Bay than Repulse Bay. If your children can get a spot at HKIS then Repulse Bay would be very convenient. If you're in Clearwater Bay a car would almost be a necessity. A car would not be allowed in Disco Bay, and the Repulse area has pretty decent transport options, but you could have a car if you want one. All three areas have good grocery stores and other basic amenities, but things are more spread out in the Clearwater Bay area. Oh, and transport to the airport from Disco Bay is quick and easy.

[sydneysiders]

Hi there, we too are aussies looking at exactly the same areas as you... although we have 3 children. we have just been viewing schools and accomodation and the biggest problem with us at the moment is the schools (or the fact they have such LONG waiting lists). Let me know how you go...

[3js]

Hi,
We are moving from the US to Hong Kong over the summer. We are looking at areas now with a realtor. We have two kids (ages almost 7 and almost 10) and one on the way on August 1st. I'm looking for anything anyone can tell me about what areas are best for my family. Both kids have always been very active in organized sports (basketball, soccer, baseball, softball) and we're looking for an area where they will easily be able to meet friends and continue to play organized sports. Everything that I have heard about Discovery Bay makes it sound like the best area for my family. The only thing that makes me feel nervous is the availability of schools. Does anyone have any feedback that would make me feel better about the school situation or any other areas that are very good for families such as mine?

[shafinbutt]

DB got every thing. and most people living there are foreigners. your children can adjust easily.

Also you need to find out where will be your working place, if central then DB is the best.

if you wanna live in the town then i suggest you Kowloon tung. in Kowloon Tung there are many international schools. you will like it there too. Jacky Chan is also in Kowloon tung. lol.

[hello_there]

Originally Posted by 3js

Hi,
We are moving from the US to Hong Kong over the summer. We are looking at areas now with a realtor. We have two kids (ages almost 7 and almost 10) and one on the way on August 1st. I'm looking for anything anyone can tell me about what areas are best for my family. Both kids have always been very active in organized sports (basketball, soccer, baseball, softball) and we're looking for an area where they will easily be able to meet friends and continue to play organized sports. Everything that I have heard about Discovery Bay makes it sound like the best area for my family. The only thing that makes me feel nervous is the availability of schools. Does anyone have any feedback that would make me feel better about the school situation or any other areas that are very good for families such as mine?

Where to live in HK really depends on your budget and where you are going to place your kids in school. DB can be much less expensive than places on HK island, the housing is quite nice and there are a lot of expats with kids there, but not sure about the school situation, especially for higher grades. If your children will be going to one of the international schools on HK island, DB may not be the right place to live because of the commute. A lot of Americans who have kids at HK International School live on the south side of HK island (Repulse Bay, Stanley, Tai Tam) close to the school. There are a lot of organized sports activities, etc. in those areas.

[carang]

almost ALL of the international schools have buses that meet the ferry in Central. there are, literally, thousands of school-age kids that go to school on HK island without any difficulty. they usually look forward to the ferry/bus ride to catch up with their friends.

there are even mothers that share the ferry duty so that you don't need to accompany them on every trip. by age 10, many of the kids go unaccompanied.

DB is great because you won't need to be taking the kids to all of their extr-curricular activities yourself. it is easy and safe for them to get around db on their own (at least your 10 year old!)

[Skyhook]

Shek O, off Big Wave Bay is a very affordable HK island location, ideal for families with kids having a beach within 5 minutes walk.

We have always had a bit of an ambition to live in Shek O, but the commute to the airport is a bit of a stretch, but if we were working in central, we'd be there in a heart beat. We love the community there, the narrow lanes, and the fact only village houses exist, making it very low density. Kids will absolutely love the beach there in summer, giving them easy access to explore outside.

A car will be a must though, if you plan to enjoy the south side social activities ie grocery shopping and weekend brunch with mates etc.

Clearwater Bay will also require a car if you plan to have any active social life, if you have 2 children, it works out about the same as using public transport, just a lot more enjoyable during the stinking hot and humid months, having your own air conditioned mpv.

If you do decide to buy a car, Subaru Forester, Toyota Picnic and Toyota Previa are very popular choices among expat families, awesome aircon, great to carry shopping without having to wait for deliveries, and all cheap to maintain/register/insure/fuel..

Carangs advice about Discovery bay ( cars are restricted there ) is spot on, and will eliminate the need for a car, especially if you work in Central, and your children are schooled on the Island.