Off to New Zealand soon with a couple of days in Hong Kong, never been before so after some recommendations for places to go, drink and eat.

If you are there on a Sunday go fo r a Sunday Brunch.

Check on the best brunches there. I think it is the marriot but there are others that are booked up quickly. Amazing experience of gorging on food and booze.

The ferry is cheap, worth a ride. Hihg tea at the ritz was a good laugh on kowloon and had a great view.

Dinsey was ok, the other park would have been excellent if I enjoyed rides.

Walking around CBD nice, I found HK island easy to navigate, and a pleasant place to be.

Market are so so, if you have been to an Asian market before you will be underwhelmed, if you have never been to one you will love it.

Botanical gardens were decent, never got on the vernicular railway,, but everybody said it was good.

It is spendy though, with the the three of us staying there inc our flights for 4 nights 5 days, on a cheap flight from Mongolia, our daily cost was about 600 per day. We could have eaten cheaper, but we chose to enjoy ourselves, considering we were heading back to the cold and pollution.

Visit flying bull bike shop it’s amazing from retro to modern and some exotic cnc bling from all over the world

http://theculturetrip.com/asia/hong-kong/articles/hong-kong-s-10-best-brunches-sunday-morning-in-the-city-that-never-sleeps/

http://www.lifestyleasia.com/hk/en/dining/eat/feature/5-best-champagne-brunches-in-hong-kong/

Mmmmmmmmmm

Sky 100 just before the sunset 😉

Ride the tram on the main island and the long escalator that takes you up the mountain

If you have kids, ocean park

Have spent a lot of time in HK over the years, so a few from me;

Eat
Village curry on Peel St
Bistro Manchu on Elgin. Have the roast lamb.

Drink
Amazonia. Assuming you like really cold beer and great rock music. The house band, Icebox, are brilliant.
The bar on the roof of the big shopping mall in Central is great at night.
There’s another excellent rooftop bar, above LKF. Will try to remember the name!
Take the ferry to Kowloon side, really cheap way to see the harbour.

If only for a couple of days do the usual:
Ferry across Victoria Harbour (TST-Central)
Get up to the Peak for taking the classic shot of HK
Visit the Ngong Ping Buddha via the cable car (its near the airport so you can do it on the way out)
The usual markets, Stanley, the Womens and the Temple Street night markets
Amazonia has been mentioned, the house bands lead singer is a big MTBer as well!

Regarding food, you will be spoil t depending where you are based, feel free to PM me on my profile email if you want to try some real local plastic chair type places that serve the best food?

Thanks everybody, plenty to look into

The Red bus tour was very good, It also lets you use the vehicular railway to the mountain top.

Amazonia has been mentioned, the house bands lead singer is a big MTBer as well!

That I didn’t know! Will have to ask about that next time I’m there! Always go to Amazonia every time I’m in HK!

The bar I mentioned earlier at the mall is atop the IFC. Called Red, or something, IIRC.

Head up to Shatin and go to the temple of the 10,000 Buddahs 🙂

Sky100 for sunset then down to the harbour for the light show, then take the ferry across to Hong Kong Island and drinks around SoHo and the mid levels – ride the escalators

MongKok and Ladies markets

Wander round Wanchai ‘window shopping’ – I mean in the old toy shops full of 80’s/90’s toys not the other windows 😉

Go up Victoria Peak

The big Buddha (but if you only have a couple of days it’s probably not worth it, I found it a bit tacky and touristy, previous mentioned temple is better, the walk up is hilariously bad with all the really poor quality Buddha statues but the temple at the top is peaceful and completely different)

Flying Ball bike shop

..Or hire a bike and guide and have a day mountain biking in Tai Lam, there is an English bloke called Steve will take you out, top bloke I have his details somewhere. You need a permit though so best to sort in advance and he will apply and collect it for you
The biking was really good, I was very suprised how technical it was in places

If its Spike and his guys your referring to CFH then yes (don’t know his band but he always plays at Amazonia), also some of the Brown Sugar guys who play at Sticky Fingers.
Don’t spend much time in Wan Chai myself, only when friends are over for the 7’s, its not really my scene there but each to their own!

You don’t need a permit

Sticky Fingers is no more… 🙁

Not surprised sticky fingers has gone, Wan Chai always seems dead now. Will be back in Dusk till Dawn in a few weeks, though I’m always amazed its still there given there’s never anyone in there… Big contrast to my first trip 10 years ago when I spent the first night in there drinking with the air crew who’d just flown me!

if you do star ferry do it in the evening and catch the 8pm light show from Kowloon side. Do an evening in Lan Kwai Fong. As said Amazonia is always decent if in wan chai, if you like live music go stick your head in the door of the Wanch round the corner but take earplugs, every amp is permanently set to 11… Canny Man under the Wharney hotel can be good fun. Post beer kebab at Ebineezers will be the best post beer kebab you’ve ever had – it’s good grub even without the beer!

You could check out the fleet of green rollers at the peninsula hotel. You could take the famous afternoon tea here if you’re feeling flush! Get a few shirts made on Nathan road.

I’ve never done the peak or Buddha despite going a few times every year might try and give them a go this time. You want to do the peak on a day with clear weather.

Keep an eye on your wallet if you end up in the girly bars on a busy night..

Theres also a Sticky Fingers in East TST, or there used to be?

Tend to stick with drinking in LKF/Soho usually but rule of thumb in Wan Chai, if you go to a down stairs bar or any on Lockhart Road really do keep an eye on your wallet 🙂

For Dim Sum, there a cheap place (Maxims, theres a chain of them) in City Hall, Central that serves tables via trolleys that I would highly recommend.
Simply look at whats passing and point to what you want, its the easiest method to eat good dim sum without having to learn Cantonese.

If you fancy a little trip up into Kowloon then I cant recommend this restaurant enough:
http://www.openrice.com/en/hongkong/restaurant/sham-shui-po-%E8%90%AC%E7%99%BC%E6%B5%B7%E9%AE%AE%E9%A3%AF%E5%BA%97/16528?tc=sr1
Its in a part of town not visited by tourists and its a local plastic chair place but its very good and have beer girls to boot.
I always bring visitors here and have yet to get any negative feedback, they have one or two English menus tucked away.

Yes, Spike and Willy and co! Band are called Icebox and are brilliant. A pub band playing note perfect Rush covers is pretty impressive, I’d say.

On the cheap eating, plastic chair thing, there’s so many great places, it’s hard to recommend one in particular. Best thing is to try and ask someone local for a pointer, and don’t be afraid of the fact that nothing will be written in English!

Lok Cha Tea Shop in Hong Kong Gardens is absolutely superb for a tea and snack of dim sum.
http://www.lockcha.com/teahouse/?lang=eng

(It’s all vegan dim sum, but don’t let that put you off!)

Did the tourist things during the day and then I just wandered around the streets of Mong Kok until about 2:00am taking photos!
[url=https://flic.kr/p/4bnDz3]Two Umbrellas[/url] by tryingtimes, on Flickr

Used to work over there, Oil Industry, great place better than Singapore, always ended up in Mad Dogs & Englishmen bar in Kowloon side & pop over on the ferry to the one in Wanchia or Ned kellys, happy days enjoy it.