[SBryan]

Hello!

Looking for non-touristy stuff to do while in Hong Kong with my husband in April. I am interested in beautiful views. Restaurants rather than bars or pubs.

Does anyone have advice on the following questions:

1. Best non-touristy dim sum place?
2. How much is it approx. to rent a boat (dshunk?) for a day?
3. Best -empty- beach?
4. Best part of the city to live in hotel/flat (max. 1000 Euros for 2 weeks)?
5. Any other advice on best non-touristy spots in HK?

Thank you so much!
SBryan

[shri]

>> 1. Best non-touristy dim sum place?

Seriously, its not local, but worth a try -- Dragon-I in the Centrium. It is one of the posh pretty people places at night, and a regular upscale dim sum place -- $99 for all you can eat. City Hall Chinese Restaurant is also a good place.

If you're in town for a couple of weeks, try one of the serviced apartments

http://www.geoexpat.com/resources/ho...ed-apartments/

Not too sure where they end up in the 2 week range.

[nick]

Non-touristy beach - most of the beaches will be quite empty as it is really cold here at the moment and no one is swimming. Big Wave Bay is a nice quite beach... can access by bus as taxi would be quite expensive. Shek O is a nearby and a little bigger and with lots of restaurants - perhaps do both in the one day. Big Wave bay is lovely on a weekday when you can float in the water and look back at the hills surrounding the beach. Very quiet as it is a small walk down a little path to the actual beach.

[DocBird]

Tai Long Wan in eastern Sai Kung Peninsula is surely best beach in HK; can be empty on weekdays (well, a few cows may be hanging around), but a hike to get to. Currents can be dangerous (a few people have died; there are no guards); so maybe better for stroll, views, paddle.
Or, Cheung Sha (western end), southern Lantau - just off a bus, but wonderful; better for strolling than swimming?
I second suggestions re Shek O, and nearby Big Wave Bay (which is also Tai Long Wan in Chinese I believe).

some suggestions for visitors - trying not to emphasise regular touristy stuff (some of which over-rated anyway) at:
suggestions for visitors
a few other articles here on GeoExpat may also be of interest, esp:
The Wonderful World of Wanchai
Apliu Street

I have a couple of friends w fine fast boats, Sai Kung area, around HK$3000 for day if I recall (burn thro some fuel); one has focus on kayaking, other more on snorkelling/diving
Some idea that a junk may be similar price - but big, for group of people really (and slow). Not sure re others.

some info on wilder side of hk, inc places w scenery, on HK Outdoors (confession time: my site)

[SBryan]

Thank you shri, nick and DocBird

[DocBird]

Hi SBryan:

hope the ideas help you have a good time here

Remembered since my post: Luk Yu Teahouse on Stanley St, Central, rated as one of top dim sum places. Includes tourists - my only visit was when guiding some tourists, who wanted to go - but I believe locals are main clientele. Expensive for dim sum; didn't really impress me that once (given price), but maybe worth a look - may have to queue at lunchtime, especially.
For more classic HK dim sum, there are many more noisy (conversations) places, where maybe get ladies pushing trolleys about, with dishes piled on them - you point to the ones you want; can have several plates n dishes and pay little. Might manage article on such places before you arrive.

[KnowItAll]

Don't you find the old lady with a trolley thing over rated? You have to wait too long for some stuff ....

[kombuchakid]

the trick to these joints is to arrive just as the crowds are leaving - on a weekday this can be as early as 1345 ; this way you will have the trolley dolly's undivided attention and a unhurried and pleasant meal. One of my favourites is just up the escalator at Hopewell Centre, and then of course there is this great veggie place on Hennessy Rd, but both names esape me just now. More anon.

[jayinhongkong]

For a great hong kong experience, get some siu mai and beef n fish balls from a street vendor unbelievably cheap and really tasty. i've never gotten sick from eating from street vendors, either. got a lot of interest from the locals out in yau ma tei the other night, me and my buddy were guzzling beers and i had a whole bunch of fish balls...lol...they love hearing me using my limited cantonese, too.

big wave bay is great, i used to bodyboard there eight years ago...wouldnt mind going back out there for that, it was fun

chung king n mirador have some pretty clean guesthouses, actually. i saw em for the first time the other day and i was pretty surprised. they're cheap, too, which means more money to spend on other things...and best of all, you're slap bang in the middle of nathan road with a ton of stuff to see and do around you...and merely a stone's throw from your doorstep.

[jayinhongkong]

oh yeah...if ur planning romance on the beach....you're gonna have to risk getting caught :x some of the smaller outlying islands have beaches, and are pretty remote...very monte cristo