A FRIEND once recommended that for my first trip outside the country, Hong Kong would be an ideal start to a series of adventures for many reasons: the food, the culture and most of all, the weather, which during non-summer months, is completely different from our own. One gets all this in a neat little package, for just a short plane ride away.
Coincidentally, it did happen to be my first trip for work reasons. Together with strangers-turned-friends from different media companies, our three-day excursion at Hong Kong comprised of hitting up attractions both time-honored and new ones to watch for both locals and tourists.
My initial introduction to the city was a visit to beloved Ocean Park Hong Kong located at Wong Chuk Hang Road in Aberdeen. Pretty much an institution since it was built in the 70s—you can’t go to Hong Kong without including this in the plan. Made for kids and kids-at-heart, the place is packed with thrill-seeking rides, theme park landscapes, souvenir shops and animals from China to Southern Australia. Visitors get an educational experience too, as programs orient families on how to interact with the animals and take care of them. First up, we met giant pandas and red pandas, and got to learn about their habits and conservation followed by a close and cute encounter with dolphins. The visit ended with a retro spin as we stumbled upon Old Hong Kong, a street corner that re-imagined the 50s to 70s era of the city.
By the second day we found ourselves at Tsuen Wan to visit The Mills, a landmark revitalization program that was completed in 2018 by the Nan Fung Group. What was once a place utilized for manufacturing back in the 60s is now the point where culture, tradition and innovation blend well against old Hong Kong. Bits and pieces that serve as reminders of the past are still present, from chipped walls painted in green, a red bucket once used to put out fires, old window frames, to the NF5 metal gate---the entry point for factory workers that stood facing Castle Peak Road for nearly four decades. It houses experiential retail, restaurants and cultural establishments, one of which is Cha Duk Chang Children’s Cantonese Opera Association Ltd (CDC), the only Children’s Cantonese Opera Company in Hong Kong that aims to highlight children’s Cantonese opera both on stage and in the classroom, while at the same time teaching Chinese culture through vivid participation. It serves food on the side from desserts, light meals to Hong Kong-style meatballs.
Just a few steps away was D•Park, a mall spruced up especially for children as it comes with elements like an in-mall parade, whale play for kids and approximately 140 shops and flagship stores. We then made our way to its latest retail concept, the Donut Village. This 20,000-square feet mall-in-mall has three themed zones made for parents and kids where they can shop, eat and play. With over 30 specialty stores, its Donut Café and Donut Kitchen are where parents and kids can learn to make recipes together as well as play with interactive games, from helping put out fires to learning how to treat a patient at Donut Adventure.
Seeing stars
At the Waterfront Podium Garden at Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon, we not only enjoyed the view of Victoria Harbour and the Hong Kong Skyline, but also saw more than a hundred handprints of Hong Kong’s celebrities that helped make the city into the “Hollywood of the East” at the Avenue of Stars. Re-opened this year, it was designed by notable landscape artist James Corner along with other local and international designers. It was a pleasant sight to see some of the actors whose films I’ve watched including Jackie Chan, Michelle Yeoh, Gong Li and the legend Bruce Lee. To get a better view (or rather bird’s eye view) of the city, we transferred to Man Kwong Street in Central, on the other side of town, to hop on one of the gondolas of the Hong Kong Observation Wheel for unobstructed views of the city, reaching up to 60-meters at the highest point. By night, we waited until 8 p.m. to witness “A Symphony of Lights”, a much-awaited attraction where iconic buildings on both sides of the harbor give a nightly multimedia show. With lights dancing in the night sky as music plays in the background, it was a treat, standing where we were, taking in an almost panoramic view of the audiovisual feast.
By our last day, we checked out CGA eSports Stadium at Mong Kok, known to be Asia’s largest integrated eSports hall that comes with the latest games and top-of-the-line equipment. The place is divided into different sections: The VR (Virtual Reality) Zone is where you get to play VR games; the CGA store is where you can satisfy your gadget needs; the E-Cafe is where you can hang out and eat or play video games; The Stage is where eSports tournaments and other events take place; VIP rooms and live rooms can accommodate one person or a group; while the eSports Array is an 80-person fighting square. What’s quickly eye catching is the women’s area, all decked in pink tones and embellished in Swarovski crystals with cat-like headphones.
Capping off the trip was the tour to Noah’s Ark at Ma Wan. This is the world’s first full-size replica of Noah’s Ark and has activities and exhibits families can participate in. There’s the Ark Garden featuring sculptures of 67 pairs of animals emerging from the Ark; the Ark Expo containing Ark model collections as well as a preview of the story of Noah’s Ark and the Treasure House to name a few. There are 15 galleries focusing on different topics like science, history, culture, among others.
In a nutshell, there’s something for everyone whether you’re travelling solo, with a bunch of friends or the whole family, even more so if you’re curious by nature full of childlike enthusiasm. Our itinerary proved just that—and I think I left a part of me there that’s calling me back.