How to Eat Cheap and Good Food in Hong Kong

Many come to Hong Kong and eat. If that's you, then you need to find out what to eat and how to pay less while enjoy great food here. Eating in Hong Kong doesn't need to be expensive if you can master the time you go and eat. Also some restaurants offer discounts to holders of certain credit cards. In order not to limit your choice of food and at the same time paying less, be sure to ask the waiter when you are settling a bill.

In any case, I don't recommend to eat in 5-star hotels. They are expensive and they don't offer discount. Some 3-star or 4-star hotels do.

What to eat in Hong Kong?
Here are my list of recommendations:
* Live seafood
* Dim Sum
* Buffet
Click the links to view details from my food blog.

Dim Sum - Go for Early and Late Discount
If you are not bond to any schedule, simply avoid the peak hours (generally noon to 2pm, but it varies according to restaurants) and there are lots of advantages of doing so. Many dim sum restaurants offer great discounts beyond hours. Restaurants are less crowded and you will enjoy more intensive customer service. As for dinner, some restaurants offer late night discounts. If you arrive after 9pm (or may be 9.30pm), you will pay less.

Discounted Buffet
Buffet fans must be very happy with the wide range of foods available in Hong Kong. Indian buffet, Italian buffet, Japanese all-you-can eat, international buffet, weekend tea buffet, late night dessert buffet....etc. Again don't go to 5-star hotels. Some 3-4-star hotels are much cheaper and they offer discounts. Some offer early departure discount or one-day advance booking discount. Be sure to check when you make a booking. Generally discounts are applicable on weekdays and not weekends, holidays and festivals.



Note: 10% service charge for fine dining restaurants. No service fee for casual restaurants.

Hong Kong Travel Blog - Eating Tips

Hong Kong Botanical Garden

Just went to the Botanical Garden and took a few photos and videos. Weather was good. So it was rare chance to be able to take these photos. At the central fountain, all the most beautiful and famous Hong Kong commercial buildings are served as the backdrop. Enjoy.





I could rarely take such a good video - in terms of weather.
It's really a beautiful day.



I love these ring-tail monkies. The Park noticeboard said that there was a new born baby still under parental care. But I had no luck in seeing the baby.

1911 Revolution at HK Museum of History

Centenary China's 1911 Revolution
Hong Kong Museum of History
March 2 - May 16, 2011

Hey, if you are visiting Hong Kong these days, there is one exhibition I highly recommend. 2011 marks The Centenary China's 1911 Revolution, the epoch-making event that had far-reaching consequences for the fate of Chinese people.

As a matter of history, Hong Kong was under British control since 1842. Therefore it played an important role in the revolution and served as a safe backup place for the reformers. Revolution leader Dr Sun Yat Sin was educated here and established the first revolutionary alliance here.

Celebrating the centenary of the 1911 Revolution, this exhibition showcases 140 sets of exhibits from the Hubei Provincial Museum and other collections as well as historical images, videso and maps to chart this milestone in China's modern history and also highlight the immense contribution that Hong Kong made to the revolution.

Entry fee HK$10 (Free admission on Wednesday)

Hong Kong Museum of History 1911 Exhibition

Watch Soccer Games Online in Hong Kong

The most popular sports games in Hong Kong are horse racing and football. Unfortuantely betting of both are available and managed by the Jockey Club.

The other time when I wrote about horse racing, I offended some animal rights organisation, my apologies.

This time, I try not to offend any anti-gambling organisation. Let me talk about how to watch premier football online in Hong Kong.

At the bars around Lan Kwai Fong in Central, Lockhart Road in Wanchai and the tourist hot spots in Tsimshatsui, large screens presenting live sports games from all over the world are available. These places are usually crowded with sports fans and they all looked very enjoyed watching premier football together with glasses of drinks in hand.

People with a home theatre also do the same by inviting friends to watch soccer games online altogether. I was once invited to a friend's house and he had a 65" flat screen being hooked up to his computer.

I was amazed by the HD quality and the numerous sports channels available. More astonishing was that he didn't even need a satellite dish. He said he made a one-time payment of US$49.95 to download a software. Once he became a member, he received instructions of how to connect his computer directly to his TV set. Strange but true. Check out this website if you want to do the same: Satellite Direct.

Hong Kong Travel Blog - Watch Soccer Games Online in Hong Kong

Hong Kong Chinese New Year 2011

Hong Kong Chinese New Year holidays are just over. Most people go back to work today. Let me report on what's been going on here.

CNY Foods
Here's what we eat. Every family assembles a platter of assorted candies to welcome their visiting friends and relatives. Roasted mellon seeds are among the musts.

CNY Candies Platter 全盒

There are many types of roasted mellon seeds - black, red, white - of various sizes and flavour. 瓜子

Even when we eat dim sum, the names all carry good meanings. This dish is called "Great Profits with Surplus" and it contains - pig's tongue (profit), fish balls (surplus), hairy vegetable (lucky money), osyter (good business).

發財好市大利

Home-made Turnip Pudding (growth)
View my food blog to see

how I make turnip pudding at home.
蘿蔔糕

CNY Activities

Here's what we do.

Preparing for a lion dance. This is one of the most traditional Chinese festival celebrations.

Floral decorations everywhere - home, offices, public areas...

Tao Hua is the most popular


Visit the year-end flower market.
Buy souveniors...

Buy Chinese handicrafts...

And of course buy flowers....

Tangerine is also very popular in Chinese New Year.

Hong Kong Chinese New Year 2011

Kung Hei Fat Choi !

Hong Kong is going to celebrate Chinese New Year this week - February 3, 2011. It's year of the Rabbit. If you happen to be here during the CNY week, please make sure to learn to speak this simple Cantonese phrase:

Kung Hei Fat Choi

恭喜發財

You're going to hear everybody greeting each other with this simple phrase. In short, it means "wish you luck". But a direct translation would be "wish you making lots of lucky money". Interesting - Cantonese treat "money" and "wealth" the most important in the new year. Anyway, you'll hear this a lot. To share the fun, it's better to learn to say this as well.

Apart from Kung Hei Fat Choi, you'll see a lot of CNY decorations everywhere.

Tao Hua is the most popular seasonal flower for the Chinese New Year. Shopping arcades usually decorate their lobbies with it.

Lions are also another happy symtom in Chinese culture. So you'll see it quite a lot during the CNY season in Hong Kong.

In my next posts, I'll talk more about new year flowers and new year food. Be sure to come back to my blog.

Happy New Year

Kung Hei Fat Choi !

Hong Kong Travel Blog - Chinese New Year

Kayaking in Hong Kong

Kayaking in Hong Kong? Right. Kayaking here in Hong Kong. You might have planned to come to Hong Kong to do shopping, sightseeing or even a day trip to Macau and win (or lost) some money at the casinos. In terms of water sports, you may think of swimming at the pool of your 5-star hotel. What above kayaking or snorkelling? Perhaps you never consider Hong Kong as a place for this kind of outdoor activities. Fact is, you are wrong.

In Hong Kong, cruising is very popular, but never kayaking. As a local Hong Konger, I had never dreamt of kayaking here. Not until a colleague of mine told me. This colleague came from Australia, no wonder she loves water sports. She had to spend a month or so in Hong Kong for a special project and so she had to look for activities to spend her weekends.

When she told me that she went on a kayaking tour in Sai Kung, I was a bit surprised and started to check out the details with her.

It was a mini tour of less than 10 pax from 9am to 4pm. What was included in the fee was power boat transfer to the kayak base, kayaking, short hike and snorkelling. I forgot to check the price. So you’ll have to make an enquiry from this website: http://www.kayak-and-hike.com/adventure-escape-explore/Home.html

Here are some highlights of the tour:
You don’t need kayaking experience, but have to be able to swim.

· View the unique and stunning volcanic coastline, sea caves and arches and many other geological wonders at Sai Kung.

· Look out for HK’s rare White Bellied Sea Eagle.

· Safety equipment and double kayaks provided, tuition given before the trip.

· Snorkel and short walk to the ridge of Bluff Island to get an arial view.

· Get a real feel of ocean kayaking, if conditions are favourable, paddle into caves and sea arches.

· NO LUNCH or F&B will be provided. But you can have seafood lunch at the nearby fishing village which is quite an experience in Hong Kong; or bring your own packed lunch.

Last but not the least, you only need to find your way to Sai Kung. The easiest is to take MTR to Diamond Hill Station, change to bus 96 or taxi. If you don’t mind spending a little more, simply take a taxi from wherever you are, but the money will depend on the distance and is likely to be over HK$100.

So, next time when you are in Hong Kong, consider an eco tour to Sai Kung.

Hong Kong Travel Blog - Kayaking in Sai Kung