Hong Kong may be known for its skyline, bankers and knock-off watches, but Ian Shine saw a different side to it on a Hong Kong Tourism Board and Qatar Airways fam trip
I went to Hong Kong with “fake expectations”. I was ready for fake watches, fake designer bags, man-made landscapes and expat communities – and while I did get offered plenty of pretty convincing fake Rolexes, I also found a lot more than just a counterfeit culture.
The undeveloped rural fishing village of Tai O on Lantau Island was the last thing I had anticipated, while the hustle and bustle of Kowloon’s markets showed up a raw side of Hong Kong – literally raw in the case of the wet markets – that is far from prominent in many guide books.
Hong Kong is essentially made up of three parts – Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and Lantau Island. Our three-night trip began on Kowloon, and on our first night we dragged our jet-lagged bodies to Victoria Harbour to see the Symphony of Lights.
Recognised by Guinness World Records as the world’s largest permanent light and sound show, it involves lights and lasers being splashed over 40 buildings on the Kowloon and Hong Kong Island sides of the harbour, but did little to impress us.
The sight of Hong Kong’s skyline is stunning enough on its own – when you’re confronted by a jaw-dropping tableau of super-structures piercing the night sky with their height and white office lights, it seems somewhat unnecessary to daub crude reds, blues, yellows and greens all over it.
Off the beaten track
The next morning we went on a “behind the scenes” tour of Kowloon, getting off the tourist trail and into the markets. But Hong Kong’s size means nothing is far from anything, and Kowloon’s main street, Nathan Road, is only a few minutes’ walk away.
We hit the more sedate Jade Market and the wet markets, where locals manhandle still-living fish before selecting that night’s dinner and having it killed before their eyes. It doesn’t stink of fish though, and the pavements are continually doused in water to keep them clean.
Round the wet markets you can also find colour-coordinated displays of fruit and vegetables. Dragon fruit was a personal favourite – spiky on the outside, spongy on the inside, it has a pleasant neutral taste and is common at Hong Kong hotel breakfasts.
That evening we got our haggling hats on for the Ladies’ Market on Tung Choi Street in the Mong Kok area of Kowloon – the most crowded place in the world with 130,000 people living in every square kilometre.
It is just as crowded with counterfeit, or as the stallholders call them “copy”, watches and bags. There’s a tangible buzz about the place as 10.30pm closes in – prices fall as sellers try to shift everything – and I see tourists haggling prices on copy Jimmy Choo bags down from £40 to £10. It would take a skilled eye to tell they are fake though.
Island mentality
The next day was Lantau Island day, where we saw the fishing village of Tai O. The fishermen and their families live in wooden stilt houses that are anything but 21st century.
It is hard to believe it is just a 30-minute drive from built-up Kowloon. Andy Hancock, Wendy Wu’s head of product and operations, described the experience as “like seeing two different worlds in one”.
The markets are decked out with strings of fish bladders and jars of shark fins – both eaten for their youth-preserving collagen.
“It’s so different to the images you see of Hong Kong,” said Justine Hubbard, Infinity Holidays’ Australasia sales manager. “You don’t realise Lantau is out there and is so easy to get to.”
After seeing the Tian Tan Buddha – the largest outdoor Buddha statue in the world – and marvelling at the vistas from the 25-minute cable car ride on the Ngong Ping Skyrail, we headed to Hong Kong island and the nightlife of its Lan Kwai Fong area – where the expats go out after a day at work.
It is packed with bars and the partying goes on well into the early hours. We got round three bars, including one with a DJ who is unable to leave any record on for longer than 45 seconds, and left at 5am – an early night by Hong Kong standards.
Selling Hong Kong
Hong Kong mainly attracts the 50-plus market for two or three-night stopovers, but there is so much here for a younger market – and that could easily fill four or five days.
“Hong Kong’s selling point is its diversity,” said Sandra Kwan, the Hong Kong Tourism Board’s travel trade marketing manager. “Hong Kong island is new, young, modern and trendy; Kowloon is more cultural and traditional, while Lantau is a lot greener.”
What makes this diversity extra special is its accessibility. Hong Kong is small and easy to get around; taxis are cheap, the metro is slick and our hotels ran regular shuttle buses.
From rural Tai O to the buzzing markets of Kowloon and nightlife of Lan Kwai Fong, Hong Kong has it all, and it feels very real.
Flying to Hong Kong
We flew via Doha with Qatar Airways, sampling business class on the newer Boeing 777 (above) and the older Airbus A330-200. The mounds of space, especially on the 777, combined with the restaurant-worthy food and drinks, plus an entertainment system with more than 200 films, makes the trip feel anything but long. The disadvantage of flying Qatar is that you have to change in Doha, although this could be used as an opportunity for a 24-hour stopover.
Flights from Heathrow to Doha take about six hours, and from Doha to Hong Kong about eight hours. Return flights take another hour due to headwinds. The 777 only flies the Heathrow leg, while the Airbus A330-200 with its slightly smaller business class – still roomy but without the fully flat beds of the 777 – flies the Doha to Hong Kong leg. Heathrow-Hong Kong flights start from £547 in economy and £1,892 business class.
Hong Kong’s Airport Express makes getting away easy, allowing you to check-in bags at the central Kowloon or Hong Kong stations at no extra cost. They are then taken to the airport for you. It runs every 12 minutes from 05.50 to 01.15 every day. A single ticket costs £8, a return £14.
Where to stay
On Kowloon we stayed in the quirky Harbour Plaza 8 Degrees hotel – so-named because the walls and ceiling in its lobby lean at eight degrees. The rooms are generously-sized by Hong Kong standards, and two rooms can be linked for families. It is about a 10-minute drive from central Kowloon, and a free shuttle bus runs every 40 minutes. City Superior rooms are priced from £61 per night. City Deluxe rooms (above) start from £82 per night. Book through Hotels.com
On Hong Kong Island we stayed in the ultra modern L’Hotel Island South. Just six months old, it has free Wi-Fi, iPod docks in every room and the kind of pristine design that would appeal to 20-somethings. The main drawback is its location on the south of the island, where the metro does not yet reach. The plus side of being a bit further out is that prices are low considering the quality. A free shuttle bus runs every 90 minutes to Hong Kong station and takes about 30 minutes. City View rooms start at £53 per night. Book through Hotels.com
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