Subtitles section Play video
-
Today we’re taking you on a tour of one of Asia’s most dynamic cities: Hong Kong
-
(香港)!
-
Yes, this is a city of modern skyscrapers and futuristic architecture, but if you scratch
-
beneath the surface and spend a little time here, you’ll discover pockets of tranquility
-
in the form of incense-filled temples and bonsai gardens, a delicious foodie scene that
-
features budget friendly Michelin-stared restaurants, mountainous islands that are an easy day trip
-
away, antique markets full of treasure, and a dazzling skyline you won’t soon forget.
-
Without further ado, let us show you 25 things to do in Hong Kong:
-
Let’s kick things off at the Peak Tram, where the steep 7 minute ride to Victoria
-
Peak (山頂纜車) gives you some of the best views of the city.
-
So we just finished riding the tram to Victoria Peak (太平山 - 扯旗山) and now we're
-
enjoying the free views.
-
We could be paying more and going up to the sky terrace but we refused because the free
-
views are good enough.
-
Yeah, and if you're willing to walk out a little bit from the complex you'll find that
-
you know the crowds slowly dissipate.
-
And hey we're just by ourselves right now.
-
At 552 meters, the Peak (太平山 - 扯旗山) is the highest mountain on Hong Kong Island
-
(香港島) and its location offers vast views of towering skyscrapers, Victoria Harbour
-
and Kowloon (九龍) off in the distance.
-
For more postcard worthy views of Hong Kong (香港), we also visited Victoria Harbour
-
(維多利亞港) at sunset and then watched as the skies turned from amber to fiery orange.
-
Another event you should definitely make time for is the Symphony of Lights (幻彩詠香江),
-
which is a daily music and light show that encompasses both sides of the harbour.
-
Skyscrapers dazzle with blinking lights and lazer beams, while everyone oooh’s and aaah’s
-
from the waterfront.
-
You can watch the show from either Kowloon (九龍) or Hong Kong Island (香港島),
-
but I personally prefer being on Kowloon since Hong Kong island has the iconic skyline.
-
We are currently in the Nan Lian Garden (南蓮園池) which is right across from the Chi Lin Nunnery
-
(志蓮淨苑).
-
And again like most parks here in Hong Kong it is super peaceful.
-
They have soft music playing.
-
You can hear the birds chirping.
-
There is beautiful flowers.
-
There is like a little golden pagoda in the middle of a lake.
-
So we're going to show you all of that now.
-
After visiting the gardens, we crossed over to the Chi Lin Nunnery (志蓮淨苑), which
-
is a Buddhist temple complex that dates back to the 1930s.
-
What is perhaps most impressive is that the structures were built out of wood but without
-
the use of a single nail!
-
Alright guys we have three words for you!
-
Tim Ho Wan (添好運)!
-
Tell us all about it.
-
What is this place?
-
This is basically one of the best places to try dim sum in all of Hong Kong.
-
Yes.
-
It is a Michelin starred restaurant yet it is affordable.
-
So we're going to go in, we're going to order a lot of food and we're just going to scarf
-
down some dim sum (x點心 - 点心xx).
-
Okay.
-
Oh the joy.
-
Ready.
-
Yeah.
-
Alright guys so we just finished placing our order.
-
And this is what the menu looks like.
-
You basically grab a pencil and you tick off the different dishes you're interested in.
-
The first one has already arrived.
-
Oh wow.
-
So we got a little bit greedy because it is like three in the afternoon.
-
We haven't had lunch yet so we ordered seven different dishes and we're going to be showing
-
you those once they arrive.
-
First one is here and this one is the sticky rice wrapped in a lotus leaf.
-
This is one of our favorite ones.
-
I love this one.
-
So let's not waste any time.
-
Let's just start unfolding this masterpiece.
-
Wow.
-
Lots of steam rising.
-
Ooh!
-
Look at that.
-
It is a huge leaf.
-
It is a huge one.
-
And there you've got the sticky rice with chicken I believe and a nice mushroom.
-
So we're going to be sharing this.
-
Mmmm.
-
Wow.
-
So good.
-
Well what do you think?
-
I love it.
-
He loves it.
-
And there is more food.
-
Oh my gosh.
-
So I'm just going to use my hand because it is a little bit easier for me.
-
But man these are nice and plump.
-
Yeah.
-
Everything here is plump and stuffed.
-
They do not skimp out here.
-
Mmm.
-
Mmmm.
-
What do you think?
-
There you have it.
-
There is the barbecued bun.
-
This is so fluffy.
-
Oh my gosh.
-
I know.
-
It is a lot fluffier than I remember.
-
Wow.
-
What about the taste?
-
Do you like it?
-
Mmmm.
-
It is really nice because it is like savory inside but then really sweet on the exterior
-
so you get both flavors.
-
It is that contrast that makes it so good.
-
Mmmm.
-
So the next on the menu is one of our absolute favorites.
-
I believe it is called Har Gao and that is basically the almost like shrimp dumplings.
-
Yeah, they are.
-
Shrimp in a little wrapper and they are just so good.
-
Oh my gosh this is a slippery one.
-
Haha.
-
Don't burn yourself.
-
I have a feeling it is going to be really hot.
-
Those are like freshly steamed.
-
Oh man.
-
His eyes are bulging out.
-
That was a big bite.
-
Hahaha.
-
So yeah it is just filled with like so much shrimp and you just bite into it and it is
-
juicy and it is just so flavorful and tasty.
-
It is so plump.
-
It is.
-
Seriously.
-
That is the best way to describe them.
-
Just such plump pieces of shrimp.
-
I think it goes without saying that Tim Ho Wan (添好運) is one of our favourite places
-
for dim sum (點心 - 点心), and it’s worth seeking out if you’re ever in Hong
-
Kong (香港)!
-
So next up we're going to watch the Noon Day Gun (午炮).
-
And I have to admit the first time I heard about this attraction I had no idea what it
-
was.
-
Sam actually mentioned it to me last time we were in Hong Kong like three years ago.
-
And I just thought Noon Day Gun (午炮) was a name.
-
To me it sounded like Chinese.
-
But apparently it is a gun that they fire during the day at noon so we're just waiting
-
for that to happen right now.
-
Getting here is a little tricky.
-
I wish I could give you instructions.
-
Um, basically you can probably see the Excelsior Hotel behind me.
-
The Excelsior.
-
Um, you need to go down some tiny side alley and then cross through a tunnel.
-
Um but yeah it is a little bit tricky to find it.
-
We went into like three buildings before we found the right place so you may have to ask
-
around to find it.
-
Um but yeah we're here.
-
We're going to watch this gun be fired.
-
Woah!
-
Well Sam after all of these years you finally got to see the Noon Day Gun again.
-
How was it?
-
Yeah, it must have been like six or seven years ago that I got to experience this.
-
Well my biggest tip for this is when you come here make sure you plug your ears just before
-
the shot.
-
Yes!
-
It is some kind of loud.
-
And it almost makes you like shake.
-
That is how loud it is.
-
It is really powerful.
-
Yeah.
-
It is scary.
-
It is a powerful blast.
-
And it is a very short ceremony.
-
Like he just rings the bell, fires the gun and off he goes.
-
And then you can come in and check this place out.
-
For thirty minutes.
-
You can go and take some pictures of the gun and just walk around.
-
It is pretty cool.
-
Another fun thing to do in Hong Kong is to ride the double decker trams (香港電車).
-
This was one of the earliest forms of transportation in the city, and riding them through the modern
-
financial district feels a bit nostalgic.
-
If you’re really looking for something memorable, you can actually hire a party tramway and
-
celebrate with music, drink, and stellar views as you cruise through the city.
-
We are currently making our way down Upper Lascar Row and this is the place to buy souvenirs.
-
There is also some construction happening so it is bit loud.
-
But basically the street is lined with shops that sell really high end antiques and then
-
on the street you have like these little tables where you have old trinkets and just things
-
that would make really cool souvenirs but also have a history behind them.
-
So it is worth checking out for sure.
-
I haven't picked up anything but I do see things that interest me.
-
It is just I don't have a home and I don't have room in my suitcase.
-
If antiques aren’t really your thing and you’re looking for something a bit more
-
modern, Causeway Bay (銅鑼灣) is full of malls, department stores, and fashion boutiques.
-
So today we are going in search of free views of Hong Kong . Always like free stuff.
-
So we're here at Central Plaza (中環廣場) and apparently on the forty sixth floor there
-
is a skydeck.
-
So we're going to be checking this out for the first time.
-
We've never done this in Hong Kong before.
-
Let's do it.
-
So look at this.
-
We get three hundred and sixty degree views of Hong Kong from this building and no one
-
is here.
-
And it is free.
-
More people should know about this place.
-
Seriously guys.
-
Free views of Hong Kong all to yourself.
-
So this is a bit of a quirky attraction to be listing, but not every city offers the
-
opportunity to ride a series of escalators instead of walking up hills.
-
The Central–Mid-Levels escalator (中環至半山自動扶梯) is the longest covered escalator system in
-
the world, so it’s worth experiencing at least once.
-
Just know that there is no escalator going down, so you’ll have to take the stairs.
-
Man Mo Temple (文武廟) dates back to 1847 and it is dedicated to the God of Literature
-
and the God of War.
-
For a little trivia, this temple was once popular with students looking to succeed in
-
the civil examinations of Imperial China.
-
We are currently inside the Man Mo Temple (文武廟) and it is thick with incense in
-
the air.
-
I don't know if you can actually see it.
-
But is almost burns your eyes a little bit yet it looks magical at the same time.
-
So it is a weekend in Hong Kong.
-
Tell us what are we up to?
-
Yeah, it is time for some nightlife in Hong Kong.
-
We're at Lan Kwai Fong and this is probably the most popular nightlife area in the city.
-
We're not exactly going to paint the town red but I think we'll get a beer or maybe
-
a glass of wine.
-
So I'm the kind of person who would rather be at home in bed reading a book on a Sunday
-
night but apparently that is considered lame.
-
So somebody insisted we check out the nightlife.
-
That is all kinds of nerdy.
-
All kinds of nerdy.
-
So here we are.
-
The funny thing is it is like seven thirty PM right now and we're super early.
-
Yeah.
-
It is going to get hopping around nine or ten.
-
By which time we'll be back.
-
We'll be sleeping by then.
-
Back in the hotel.
-
But anyways cheers.
-
What did you get?
-
Ah, I got red wine.
-
And I got gin and tonic.
-
Salut.
-
If you’re looking to get out of the city and a little closer to nature, you can ride
-
the aerial tramway (昂坪360) to Lantau Island.
-
Once you’re there you can visit the Po Lin Monastery (寶蓮禪寺), and also visit the
-
Tian Tan Buddha (天壇大佛), better known as the Big Buddha.
-
So one thing to keep in mind is that if you visit the Buddha in the morning it is backlit.
-
So if you're a photographer and you want to be able to take some good shots from the front
-
you may have better luck in the afternoon.
-
Otherwise this is what you'll get.
-
Time for a little update.
-
Yeah, so we've had a busy day exploring Hong Kong.
-
Now it is time to go back to our apartment and this is our favorite way of getting around
-
the city.
-
Is taking the Star Ferry (天星小輪).
-
Star Ferry (天星小輪).
-
In my opinion it is like iconic transportation in Hong Kong.
-
You've got to do it.
-
It is cheap it is fun.
-
You can cross Kowloon to Hong Kong Island or vice versa.
-
And