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I have been considering a Hong Kong Holiday for a long time now, but as with a lot of things it has been pushed back and put off. In the video below I talk through the story of how Hong Kong made it to my holiday hit-list and what the deciding factors were before making any bookings.
A Hong Kong Holiday
I received a call from my friend Bob the other day, he reminded me how we planned to go to Hong Kong in 2009/2010. It’s been repeatedly put off from one year to the next. I originally wanted to go when I was in my teens because I was learning Kung Fu and watching way too many Kung Fu movies. I then started learning Cantonese for a while from a “Teach yourself Cantonese” book with two cassettes – very old skool.
It was the final straw when I finished university and was toying with the idea of teaching English in China for a year. I didn’t go in the end because I had no money or the guts to travel by myself. I don’t think I had been on a plane before either, which added to my list of excuses.
Needless to say, Bob gave me an ultimatum on the Hong Kong vacation – “its either now or never” he said. I have recently had my first child, he is currently 6 months old. The concept of any travel this year is illogical in my head. But as the call with Bob ended and the Hong Kong vibes started in my head, I found myself online researching feasibility.
Hong Kong prices
Hong Kong is meant to be an expensive city, it was rated as second most expensive city in the world by the Independent in June, 2017 – second only to Luanda in Angola of all places. Dig a little deeper though and its not necessarily so expensive as a tourist. Yes the house prices are high and general living costs can be high, but unless you are planning to move there, that doesn’t affect a tourist at all.
Transport in Hong Kong is very affordable as they encourage forms of public transport to reduce pollution. This is really good not only from a green perspective, but because transport is usually one of the most costly aspects of a holiday.
Its good to know that food and drink can also be relatively affordable as well. The only condition is that you avoid most western foods or restaurants. If you go to a steakhouse and order loads of beers with your meat be prepared to be ripped off.
Hong Kong holiday prices
There are hundreds of hotels in Hong Kong, lots of cheap hotels available also. If you do go for a cheap holiday package don’t expect ultimate luxury, most places have tiny sized rooms. As long as you can live with small space for a few days, you need not pay a fortune.
Best time to visit Hong Kong is either November or February. This is where the weather is a comfortable 19-21 degrees celcius and perfect for walking around. Like many other parts of China, Hong Kong can suffer from severe humidity. Traffic pollution makes matters worse which can make other times of the year unbearable. I ended up going in November and can confirm this was a very comfortable temperature.
There are lots of flights to Hong Kong, with direct flights available from UK and many other places. I didn’t use British Airways this time, however, mainly due to other airlines providing return flights for as little as £500 when flying from the United Kingdom. Other places will vary in price but this is generally really good for going somewhere so far away.
What you need to know
As my Hong Kong trip is due in a few months time, I’m not going to list off information like I’ve lived there for 3 years. Instead please find below a list of resources that I have found helpful in planning my trip. I will add more as I find them.
- Hong Kong Budget Travel Guide
- Things to do in Hong Kong on a budget – this website has tons of great information on there, this page is just the beginning
- Where to buy in Hong Kong – Advice on various purchases and where to get the best deal
- Hong Kong State of Mind – 37 views of a city that doesn’t blink – this is less tourism and more to get a vibe of the people who live there.
- World’s Busiest Cities – BBC documentary
After my holiday is complete, I hope to share with you some cool information about the city. I will also be able to advise further on the best places to go and what to avoid. It’s going to be such a cool place to go, I really can’t wait.
Have you been yet?
Have you been to Hong Kong recently? How did you find it? Do you have any recommendations?
Please use the comments below to get in touch and share your experiences. This will definitely help me and hopefully many others.
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