Hong Kong - the Fast and Furious Dragon city !

 Hong Kong - the Fast and Furious Dragon city !


The review of Hong Kong is my 22nd review, and if there is one place I would never want to visit again other than if its absolutely compelling then its Hong Kong SAR. But then, thats just my bias speaking, because fast and furious cities like HK aren’t my best bet for a holiday. The whole of Hong Kong is like Mumbai’s victoria terminus at 5 pm rush hour or Goa’s beaches on New Year eve. Teeming with people, chaos, and everyone’s in a rush to get to wherever they need. Given that space is limited on the island everything is going upward into the sky. Hence its not uncommon to have buildings with 50 floors and more which makes for the famed HK skyline. However, the city needs to be given its due that it supports a population of 7 million people in an area that's smaller than Bengaluru urban or the tiny state of Goa. Shops and apartments crammed into tiny spaces, 5 lifelines on public transport and an incredible network of roadways criss crossing both sides of the bay I.e. HK and Kowloon. Rush hour in Hong Kong is not for the faint hearted, it feels like a colony of ants on a rampage if their anthill gets destroyed. 
However , HK does have a very interesting albeit sad past with the British colonialization after China lost the opium war with Britian HK was gifted to the Queen. In turn the people of Hong Kong were enslaved by the British and primarily forced into hard labour working in the ports and shipping, the opium industry, tea, etc. Many were also working for a large number of British who came and settled in the area now known as Victoria Peak , a towering hill behing the city known today for its amazing top down views of the Skyline. Over time however, China reclaimed Hong Kong but HK always retained its own Government and law hence making it a one country two systems approach. The infrastructure today in HK is primarily built by China, with incredible roadways,  bridges, and transforming HK into a financial hub and the richest city per capita. But , alas like almost every other metropolis, there is a dark side with homeless people, poverty, crime, and illicit trade among others. 
As a tourist , HK has something to offer everyone. Famous for its theme parks like Disney Land , Ocean Park, Water World makes for a great day outing with kids and family. Central HK around De Vioux Road, Victoria Harbour, Kinds Road and North point are known for British time imperial buildings such as Government offices, administration buildings, the post office and even the central jails. Today these are accessible through a intricate system of mid level escalators that take people up and down various undulating levels of the city. The central part of the city also houses the Hong Kong eye , several taoist temples like the Man Mo temple, etc. Go over to the Kowloon side by ferry, to get incredible views of the city Skyline across the bay. 
The best way to discover Hong Kong like a local is to take one of the walking tours conducted by several tour operators. It actually makes a lot of sense to walk around if you can, as traffic can be crazy. These walking tours typically cover the central parts described above, plus a good tour guide can enlighten you with local folklore, and tales behind the names of various streets and the street art and graffiti you see around on walls. Through these tours you’d also experience the tram, a system of public transport thats unique to hong kong, from the british time and still alive and well today. Here are a few things to not miss when in Hong Kong

  • Take a tram up from admirality to the victoria peak and back. get amazing views of the city from atop the peak
  • Try Hong Kong famous roast chicken or duck with noodles or rice, a staple dish here. Cuisines from around the world are available although be aware that vegetarian and vegan options are very limited
  • Visit a wet market for the experience if your guts permit it . Street hawkners to pick up trinkets and souveniours. HK is known for bargain shoppers. 
  • Explore Central district thru the mid level escalators. Enjoy a egg tart and other bread based snacks in any of the many city’s bakeries. 
  • Take a ferry from Hong Kong to the Kowloon side to check out the Panorama hotel (the oldest hotel in HK from the British era) and get great views of the city from the bay
  • Visit a buddhist / Taoist temple or two to witness people going about their rituals and catching a moments peace to pray for their wishes , amidst all the chaos. 
  • If you are visiting with family, take a day to visit Disney Land, or if that’s tough Ocean park makes for a good second option. 

All in all, theres stuff to do for upto 2 or 3 days in Hong Kong as a tourist. Beyond that , for me was difficult to take in. When I thought of Hong Kong before ever visiting, i saw it through hollywood movies usually Jackie Chan movies, or bruce lee movies. The image of criminal gangs operating out of kowloon, fast paced red color taxis criss crossing, throngs of crowds in vegetable and meat markets…and that turned absolutely true ! 







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