Everything about HK

The best apps to use while traveling in Hong Kong

Do you remember those days when you traveled to a country for the first time and all you had was a map, a travel guidebook and your creative hand gestures used to communicate with locals? Yeah, me neither! Nowadays all you really need is a digital device and internet connection. Pretty much everything can be found on your smartphone, there’s an app for everything you need. And that’s why we always recommend to our visitors the best apps to use while traveling in Hong Kong. Continue reading to find out which apps we find super handy for the city!

Booking

It can be quite difficult to find a good stay in Hong Kong for an affordable price. I’m sure most of you already know Booking, but did you know that you can find the best deals there when you book last-minute? One of our visitors wanted to look for a new stay because the place he was staying at was a bit pricey for his budget. He decided to check out and look via Booking for a cheaper rate. Guess what? He found the same room, now offered for half the price! I can’t guarantee it will work as well for a bigger group, but it doesn’t hurt to check ;-).

Lookdiary

Before moving to Hong Kong I frequently traveled to the city and I’d always go for some beauty or spa treatment. Facials, massages or even a haircut. The prices here are much better than where I’m from and the quality is great. That is, if you know people who know the right places. Luckily we can now also go to Lookdiary to find whatever beauty services we need. Although they don’t have an app yet, the website is actually very mobile-friendly. Search, compare and when you found the right treatment you can immediately book it on the website. Can’t get easier than that!

Timable

To find out where the hottest events and happenings are, you can check out Timeable. Be it music, art, food, film, nightlife…literally anything you want to see or do in Hong Kong! There’s so much to do here so this app will definitely help you figure out which event is most worth going to.

OpenRice

Hong Kong is one of the greatest cities for food. It’s not that strange if you see how much Hongkongers love eating food! To find the best food hotspots wherever you are, you need to download the app OpenRice. This app will show you almost all food establishments of Hong Kong and when you turn on GPS it can actually show what’s near you. My tip is to check the photos before deciding where to go, because the reviews can be quite biased sometimes.

MTR/KMB & LW

The train system in Hong Kong is probably one of the best in the world. Their MTR Mobile app does not disappoint either. There’s no need to grab a map at the station anymore, because you can easily access it via your smartphone. The app can also tell you exactly which lines you need to take to get to your destination and at the same time calculate your train fare. A more recent update has made it possible to also see when your first or last train is going to come, so no need to worry about how to get back to your hotel after a long night out!

When the trains stop operating, there should still be a bus that can get you home. Download the KMB & LW app to find out how to get around by bus. Afraid of missing your stop while sitting in the bus? No worries, they actually have a reminder function on the app that will tell you when to get out. Ahh…the public transport is just amazing in Hong Kong~

Hong Kong Observatory

We might have a nice climate in Hong Kong, but the rain can get pretty crazy. Prepare to get soaked even while holding up an umbrella! And although it rarely gets too crazy when typhoons pass the city, the No. 8 typhoon signal is taken very seriously and you might end up being stuck outside for while. That’s why you should have the HK Observatory app on your phone to make sure you know exactly what’s up.

For other great tips about Hong Kong, you can of course follow our blog ;-). Did you know we have a wonderful handmade map where we have highlighted some cool places to check out? And if you haven’t joined our walk yet, sign up now! See you at the Clock Tower~

The romantic legend of Mid-Autumn Festival

Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival!
You see lanterns on the street, people lighting candles, everywhere is selling moon cake. But what’s it all about?
There are many stories about this full moon festival, and here is my favorite, the love story about Chang’e and HouYi.

The Mid-Autumn Festival Love Story of Chang’E and HouYi

Long, long ago, there were 10 suns in the sky. Now there is only one sun and you can feel how hot it is during the summer in HK. Can you imagine how hot it was when there were 10 suns! The suns burnt all the plants on Earth and people were dying. Hou Yi was an excellent archer, he used his bow and arrows to shoot down nine of them and saved the world!

To thank Hou Yi, the Queen Mother of the West gave Hou Yi a bottle of elixir that could make him immortal. But the elixir was only for one person. Although Hou Yi did want to become immortal, he wanted to stay with his beloved wife, Chang’e instead. He didn’t drink the elixir and asked Chang’e to keep it safe. How sweet he is!

One day when Hou Yi was not at home, Pang Meng, one of Hou Yi’s students who knows about the Elixir, tried to force Chang’e to give him the elixir. Chang’e knew she couldn’t defeat Pang Meng, so she drank the elixir!

The elixir made her fly higher and higher. In the end, she stopped on the moon and became immortal.

When Hou Yi was back home and and found out what was going on, he was so sad, he moved a table under the moon, preparing some food on it. He hoped Chang’e could come back to stay with him.

Since then, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, people have offered lots of food to worship the moon.

So during the Mid-Autumn Festival, have a picnic at night in the park, try to look at the full moon, maybe you will find the beautiful Chang’e there!

Want more stories? Join us the HK Free Walk. The stories teller will tell you more interesting stories about the mid-Autumn festival!

Why you should Pokemon Go in Hong Kong

With Pokemon Go, the general rule is: the more cellular activity there is, the more Pokemons will spawn. So honestly, we don’t need to explain why Pokemon Go works so well in Hong Kong. It is after all one of the most vibrant and densely populated places. And since the game doesn’t really suck up a lot of data, playing it once in a while during your visit won’t hurt at all! If you’re not convinced yet, here are reasons why you should Pokemon Go in Hong Kong.

Catch Pokemon while checking out beautiful scenery

pokemon-go-hk-free-walk-2
Whether you’re at the finance center, in a park or on a mountain – your view will definitely not disappoint in Hong Kong. Except now, you can also catch a wide variety of Pokemons while you’re there anyways.

Too hot to be outside?

pokemon-go-hk-free-walk-5
Easy: just go to a shopping mall! Plenty of malls here that are filled with Pokestops and Pokemons, so you don’t have to suffer in the heat and humidity.

And what if it’s raining?

pokemon-go-hk-free-walk-8
When it’s raining in Hong Kong, it usually really is pouring like crazy. Good thing there are footbridges everywhere!

It’s a Pokestop heaven!

Ever heard of Hong Kong being a shopping paradise? Well forget about that now, it’s more like a Pokestop heaven! And this is pretty much anywhere you go in Hong Kong, so you’ll probably never run low on Pokeballs.

Here’s a little “hack” for hatching eggs…

pokemon-go-hk-free-walk-4
When you join our walk, we’ll tell you exactly why the Star Ferry is so amazing. But guess what: playing Pokemon Go on the Star Ferry makes things even better. Magikarps will just jump on deck, eager for you to catch them! The ferry trip is also great for hatching eggs as the game actually believe you can walk on water (now let’s hope Niantic won’t “fix” this little hack…).

pokemon-go-hk-free-walk-7

HK Free Walk is a true Pokemon Go adventure

Ok…here’s a little confession. I have my Pokemon Go on a lot when I’m guiding the free walk. It only makes sense since there’s so much walking right? Hatching eggs has never been so effortless. And I usually low-key grab as many Pokestops as possible to save up some Pokeballs again. Sometimes I even see new Pokemons on the map while walking. Of course I’m very tempted to catch them, but I promise my duties as an Ambassador always comes first!

But hey, that doesn’t mean you can’t! Join our HK Free Walk and have an amazing Pokemon Go adventure while learning all about Hong Kong! Click here to find out more.

Top 5 great tips for short stays in Hong Kong: maximise your time in Hong Kong!

Hong Kong is always the best place to stopover during your long trip as there are so many interesting things to do quickly. These top 5 great tips for short stays in Hong Kong will help you chill out in Hong Kong in 2-6 hours!

1. Airport Heart of the City in 30 minutes

Hailed as the best airport in the world for 11 years, the transportation is of course brilliant. After you landed, get on the airport express immediately and you will find yourself in the city in 24-30minutes! Amazing huh? Our smart tip: Don’t queue up at the airport to get the airport express ticket, buy the ticket when you are at the actual stations to the city (i.e. Kowloon, HK Station). Don’t forget to get a round trip ticket which is HKD20 cheaper!
http://www.mtr.com.hk/en/customer/tickets/tf_index.html

At Kowloon station, you can take the FREE shuttle bus to go to Tsim Sha Tsui, Mong Kok etc.

At Hong Kong station, you are ALREADY at Central, the heart of Hong Kong where you can find the famous Lan Kwai Fong, the all-night-long bar and restaurant area. Or just chill out at the bars at 4/F platform of IFC to enjoy a marvelous skyline of Hong Kong. Smart tip: there are some public tables and seats, just get something from City Super at the mall and ‘picnic’ there can save your money.

2. UA IMAX Theatre and the Aviation Discovery Centre

Sounds not very excited to ‘just’ watch a movie and you probably watched a movie on the plane. However, this UA IMAX Theatre possess the largest IMAX Giant Screen in Hong Kong. Enjoying an Imax 3D movie is very different from the little screen on plane! And it is just right inside Terminal 2 at 6/F!

Want to know more about Hong Kong but you don’t have enough time to visit museums? Why not visiting the Aviation Discovery Centre at the airport that won 11 years the best airport in the world? Don’t forget to try out the Cockpit Simulator and the SkyDeck before your next flight!
Again, it’s right inside Terminal 2, at 6/F, right next to the IMAX theatre!

3. Big Buddha

If you are lucky enough to have more than 5 hours in Hong Kong, visit this biggest Bronze Statue of Buddha in Hong Kong which is also the highest outdoor Bronze Buddha in the world!
Take a bus/taxi to Tung Chung and then the Ngong Ping 360 cable car. Oh yes! Need some exercise after the long flight, 268 steps to hike all the way up!

4. Visit the Victoria Peak and enjoy local food

Every year more than 7 millions tourists visit the Victoria Peak, the best place to look at this Pearl of the Orient. But it is painstaking to queue up for the cable car (~HKD80/round trip). Some smart tips for an easier visit: 1. go to at Hong Kong station and take a taxi (~HKD90/single trip) or take bus no. 1 (~HKD10) If you have enough time, enjoy a local meal at the Peak Plaza. There are some very nice restaurants not very expensive franchised by the famous local restaurants!

5. Join HK Free Walk

Follow us! Join our 2-3 hours HK Free Walk! You will see the Real Hong Kong! We love stories! You will meet up local ambassadors who are passionate to share the stories of our beloved home! And the best thing: It is very flexible! We will be at the Clock Tower at Tsim Sha Tsui (see tip 1 for how to get to Kowloon where you can take a shuttle bus/taxi – or go to Hong Kong Station then take the Star Ferry) every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday 11am and 2pm. Reservation is better but we do accept walk-in! Find out more here!

Useful Cantonese when traveling in Hong Kong

For many travelers, one of the most amazing things to travel in a foreign country must be the freshness of surrounded by a totally different language. Even though Hong Kong is an international city that you can absolutely survive with English, Cantonese is still the essence of local culture and locals are always happy to hear a foreigner speaking in Cantonese. Ready to take the challenge and surprise the local? Be careful! It can be hilarious when you don’t pronounce words accurately (Yes with 9 different tones, Cantonese must be one of the most difficult languages for foreigners to learn)

Beginner

A bit boring to introduce these, but still:
Hello – Nei Ho
Yes – hai (Try to pronounce it in a very low tone, otherwise it sounds like a dirty word)
No – ng hai
Thank you – dor jie (when you receive something) Ng goi (When someone served you)
Bye Bye – Bye bye (It’s not a typo, we really have the same way to say goodbye)

Intermediate

These I call the ‘Survival Kit’…
Handsome boy/ Pretty Girl – Leng Jai/ Lui (Yes it counts as it’s useful when you want to get a good price in street markets)
How much – Gei Chin?
Cheaper please! – Peng D ar!
Check the bill – Maai Dan
Quick quick quick – Fai D La

Advanced

The below might not be used very frequently as a traveler, but the local will absolutely be very happy to hear.
No Problem – Mo Men Taai!
It’s all good / done – Gao Dim Saai!
Are you kidding? – Yau Mo Gao Cho?
What a deep shxt – Daai Ling Lok (literally means Big Coca Cola with Lemon, but the pronunciation is very closed to a slang to describe deep shxt)
So what to do now? – Gum dim sin? (maybe useful when you are not very happy for the service, and not satisfied with the solution)
Whatever is fine – Si Dan La
Last but not the least, feel free to scream ‘Ho Chung Yi Hong Kong Arrrrrrrrrr!’ at the harbour waterfront, it means ‘I like Hong Kong very much :)’, it must be the favourite thing we want to hear!

Not so sure if you are pronouncing correctly and want a local’s help? Or are you looking for more advanced useful Cantonese? Join our walks to know more! Reservation is available and we also accept walk-in!

Top Free things to do in Hong Kong

Looking for free things to do in Hong Kong? Then you’re at the right place! This list is made for you low budget travelers or for adventurers who just like all good things free. We tried covering all kinds of different free things that you can do in Hong Kong, so hopefully there’s something interesting for everyone. Let us know if you actually done something on this list or if you got any other great tips for your fellow travelers!

Top free things to do in Hong Kong

Museums and exhibitions
In Hong Kong there are many great museums that you can visit for just a low entrance fee. What’s even greater is that on Wednesdays, seven museums are free to visit! Find out more about Hong Kong at the Museum of History, Heritage Museum, Science Museum, Museum of Coastal Defence, Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Musuem, Museum of Art and Space Museum (although the last two are unfortunately closed for renovations. For any other day, you might want to visit the Flagstaff Museum of Tea Ware, Hong Kong Railway Museum, Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb Museum and some folk museums (like the Law Uk Folk Museum) that are free everyday.

For exhibitions that are free for everyone, go to the Hong Kong Film Archive, Hong Kong Arts Centre and the Asia Society Hong Kong Centre. If that isn’t enough art and culture for you yet, try checking out the Spring Workshop, Cattle Depot Artist Village, Oil Street Art Space and the Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre. And lastly, walk around at the PMQ creative hub in Sheung Wan to not only see some temporary exhibitions but also some great work from local artists. Since you’ll be saving loads of money with these activities on the list, it won’t hurt to splurge a little bit at the PMQ right?

Street music
Curious how the music scene is like in Hong Kong? Get a glimpse of it by checking out Street Music performances that are co-presented by the Hong Kong Arts Centre and the Kung Music Workshop. Concerts are held often where all kinds of genres are covered. It’s a great experience for music enthusiasts!

Beaches and nature
If you’re into hiking then Hong Kong is definitely a city for you to be. Your daily walking in Hong Kong can already be considered as a light hiking trip, but there’s also some beautiful nature to explore if you want to do some serious leg work. Set foot at the MacLehose Trail for one of the best hikes in the world (as claimed by the National Geographic), but really you can have a good hike at so many areas in Hong Kong.

Explore an island like the Lamma Island or Cheung Chau Island that are actually also great just for the scenery and food. Not to mention that you’ll be able to see a whole new part of Hong Kong (it’s not just skyscrapers in this city!). At Cheung Chau you can also have some fun at the beach. Or if you want to go for a good swim in the sea, there are some amazing beaches in Hong Kong with very clean water (check this list to find out).

At many public parks and gardens in Hong Kong you can find so many different animal and plant species. The Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Garden is one of the oldest of the world and so you can expect to enjoy some great nature there. Even better: every Sunday until 26 June 2016, there will be free guided visits available! Click here to see how you can participate in one of them.

Tai Chi and Kung Fu
When you’re talking about parks and nature in Hong Kong, of course you can’t not mention Tai Chi. Early in the morning you’ll be able to see many people working their Tai Chi moves at any park in the city. To just name a few, find them at the Kowloon Park, Hong Kong Park or the Zoological and Botanical Garden every morning.

Want to learn a bit of Tai Chi yourself? The Hong Kong Tourism Board offers free Tai Chi classes four times a week! The information found online vary per website, so the best way is to just contact the Hong Kong Tourism Board for the current data.

Another cool thing that you might want to go to is the Kung Fu Corner at Kowloon Park on every Sunday from 2:30 to 4:30 PM. Performers from all ages will demonstrate different forms and there’s usually also some dragon dancing. Don’t expect kung fu masters performing, but it will be pretty impressive to see either way!

Temples
Interested to find out more about the spiritual side of Hong Kong? There are some amazing temples to visit in the city that are all for different religions and beliefs. Some temples that might be worth seeing are Wong Tai Sin Temple, Man Mo Temple, Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery, Tin Hau Temple and Po Lin Temple.

Mid-Levels escalator
Escalators aren’t exactly something you’d think as exciting, but the world’s largest outdoor escalator might make you think otherwise. When you’re trying to explore the Central area (or the area between Sai Ying Pun to Wan Chai) you might notice that you end up walking upwards pretty much most of the time. That’s because you’re literally walking up a mountain! The Mid-Levels is one of the most expensive residential areas that is located halfway on a mountain (hence the name). So yes, it might be a bit tiring to walk all the way up. And that’s when the Mid-Levels escalator comes to rescue. This 800 meters long escalator is an impressive trip itself if you’re not really planning on going somewhere. Just keep in mind that the escalator changes directions during the day: it runs downhill from 6 to 10 AM and uphill from 10:30 to midnight everday.

HK Free Walk

Liking our free things do in Hong Kong tips here? We’ll tell you some more if you join our HK Free Walk! Find out more about Hong Kong’s culture, while meeting other travelers and locals at the same time. Check out here to know more!