Starting in mid-May we embarked on an epic 12 day trip to three East Asian cities - Hong Kong, Taipei, and Tokyo. Our first stop was Hong Kong and although we only had 1.5 days actually in the city, we made the most of it with some delicious food and unbelievable views!
Hong Kong
So, this entire trip might seem epic to some. And it is. But we found a flight deal through YYZdeals.com which was too good to refuse. Asia wasn't on our radar for travel in the near future but when Toronto-Hong Kong-Taipei-Tokyo-Toronto flights landed on our doorstep for just over $1,000 CAD/person (total!) we couldn't - and didn't want to - say no. So we stretched our vacation time as far as we could, booked our tickets that same day, and here we are!
We left Toronto at 10 am on Thursday morning and after a 15 hour plane journey, we arrived in Hong Kong around 1 pm on Friday. We squeezed in a couple hours of sleep on the flight but it was mostly movie-watching, knitting (for Elizabeth), and reading our Hong Kong guidebook to get some ideas for things to do and see during our visit.
After taking the Airport Express to the Central Station, we dragged our suitcases up a long and winding road to Mini Hotel Central. And boy, was it mini! At under 100 sq ft total, it was pretty tight for two people who are 5'11" and 6'2" but it was in a perfect location so it was well worth the sacrifice for 2 nights.
We left Toronto at 10 am on Thursday morning and after a 15 hour plane journey, we arrived in Hong Kong around 1 pm on Friday. We squeezed in a couple hours of sleep on the flight but it was mostly movie-watching, knitting (for Elizabeth), and reading our Hong Kong guidebook to get some ideas for things to do and see during our visit.
After taking the Airport Express to the Central Station, we dragged our suitcases up a long and winding road to Mini Hotel Central. And boy, was it mini! At under 100 sq ft total, it was pretty tight for two people who are 5'11" and 6'2" but it was in a perfect location so it was well worth the sacrifice for 2 nights.
Our tiny hotel room
The jet lag got the best of us for a couple of hours but then we were fresh and ready to take the Star Ferry over to Kowloon for some picturesque views of the Hong Kong Skyline. We timed our ferry ride so that we would be on the Kowloon side for the nightly light show of the buildings in Hong Kong. The light show wasn't overly impressive, but we might have just been expecting more. Either way, it was a good excuse to admire the epic skyline at night.
After the light show ended, our tummies were grumbling so we walked up Nathan Rd to Temple St Market; it was our first, but not last, market of the trip. We weaved our way through stalls of cat bobbleheads, purses, and characters we couldn't understand. We eventually stopped at a restaurant with outdoor seating and dined on noodles and fried rice. Great start to the trip.
After the light show ended, our tummies were grumbling so we walked up Nathan Rd to Temple St Market; it was our first, but not last, market of the trip. We weaved our way through stalls of cat bobbleheads, purses, and characters we couldn't understand. We eventually stopped at a restaurant with outdoor seating and dined on noodles and fried rice. Great start to the trip.
Entering Temple St Night Market
The next morning (Saturday), our alarm was set for the wrong time so we had a bit of a late start. Our first stop was Tim Ho Wan's, a budget-friendly dim sum restaurant with a Michelin star which is located in the IFC Mall... or is it? We wandered around the area for over half an hour, wracking our brains trying to find this place. In the end, it turns out that it's not technically in that building, but it basically is, which is why it doesn't show up on any maps of the mall. Once we finally found it, we discovered that it was closed.
So we ate at the Taiwanese restaurant next door which was an interesting experience. Beef soup that gives your lips a tingly feeling that just won't quit? Check. "Winter Melon Tea" that is actually a cold barley drink? Check. And oolong tea that tastes like BBQ sauce? Absolutely. We honestly think the mix ups were our fault, but we'll never know for sure.
Somewhat sated, we made our way to the Peak Tram and waited in line with the masses. Over an hour later, we were in the tram/funicular on our way up to Victoria Peak admiring the stunning views. Definitely worth the wait. At the top, we meandered through the tourist traps, picked up some iced tangerine tea, and set off on the Peak Circle trail. We went around the peak counter clockwise which was a great way to do it as we saved the best views for the end of the hike.
So we ate at the Taiwanese restaurant next door which was an interesting experience. Beef soup that gives your lips a tingly feeling that just won't quit? Check. "Winter Melon Tea" that is actually a cold barley drink? Check. And oolong tea that tastes like BBQ sauce? Absolutely. We honestly think the mix ups were our fault, but we'll never know for sure.
Somewhat sated, we made our way to the Peak Tram and waited in line with the masses. Over an hour later, we were in the tram/funicular on our way up to Victoria Peak admiring the stunning views. Definitely worth the wait. At the top, we meandered through the tourist traps, picked up some iced tangerine tea, and set off on the Peak Circle trail. We went around the peak counter clockwise which was a great way to do it as we saved the best views for the end of the hike.
View from the Peak Circle trail
After the hike, we decided to get a few more steps in and walked back down to the city via the mid levels, ending up at the Botanical Gardens. Lucky for us, these were not only botanical, they were also zoological! Monkeys, lemurs, raccoons, and orangutans provided entertainment for quite a while before we moved on to the public fountain area.
Our last main stop of the day was the Taoist Man Mo temple, which celebrates the gods of Literature and War, respectively. The temple may be located in the centre of Hong Kong, but upon entering, we were completely immersed in what feels like another world. The temple was built in 1847 but it is in use today so we had the chance to stand back and watch some people complete prayer rituals in the temple.
Our last main stop of the day was the Taoist Man Mo temple, which celebrates the gods of Literature and War, respectively. The temple may be located in the centre of Hong Kong, but upon entering, we were completely immersed in what feels like another world. The temple was built in 1847 but it is in use today so we had the chance to stand back and watch some people complete prayer rituals in the temple.
Man Mo Temple
In the evening, we set off to wander around Lan Kwai Fong (LKF) and Soho. We settled on dinner at Yung Kee and opted for some delicious roast goose and BBQ pork. We enjoyed LKF but decided not to go for the $8 small ice cream and instead stopped by 7-11 to purchase our own, albeit less artisanal, beers and ice cream.
Unfortunately on Sunday at lunchtime, we had to say farewell to Hong Kong. We enjoyed our time in Asia's World City, but Luke had already been twice before so we wanted to spend more time at our second destination - Taipei!
Unfortunately on Sunday at lunchtime, we had to say farewell to Hong Kong. We enjoyed our time in Asia's World City, but Luke had already been twice before so we wanted to spend more time at our second destination - Taipei!
You can also check out the blog posts from the rest of our trip, as we headed on from Hong Kong to visit Taipei and then Tokyo.
And check out the travel video we made of our trip! All previous travel videos can be found in the Travel section of our website.
