During my recent visit to Hong Kong, I started comparing the larger Asian cities I’ve been to. Hong Kong stood out for many reasons. While there are certain obvious things I expected to find in Asia’s most-visited city, a few things surprised me.
1. How easy it is to enter the country
…as in literally walk into the country. I don’t even think my customs officer spoke to me after taking my passport. It was hands down the easiest immigration process I’ve ever experienced. That being said, I have an American passport which allows entrance into the country without a visa. I can’t speak for other passport holders.
2. How fast the escalators move
The escalators in Hong Kong are no joke. I almost fell multiple times as I stepped foot on one. I’m not sure how the elderly folks in the country manage with the speed of the escalators, but clearly it’s not an issue. Problems aside, once you board them, the efficiency of travel via escalators is fantastic.
3. The significant differences between Kowloon and Hong Kong Island
Imagine Hong Kong Island as the Manhattan on Hong Kong, while Kowloon is, well… authentic Hong Kong. The differences between the two areas of the city are so distinct, it’s shocking. Personally, I preferred the old town feel of Kowloon. This part of the city provided more culture, life, and originality than Hong Kong Island. That being said, the island has some of the best views, nightlife, restaurants, and a huge expat community.
4. The easiest underground MTR system in Asia
For being such a large metropolitan city in Asia, the underground system was one of the easiest to navigate. Unlike Japan, with multiple companies running separate rail lines, Hong Kong only has a few lines that connect the entire city. It’s easy to order an octopus at the MTR stations, and from there you can reload money depending on where you want to go in the city. Your octopus card will also work on the buses, plus you can get a refund of everything on your card when you leave .
5. It’s resemblance to Hawaii
When we started driving around Hong Kong, the first place that came to mind was Hawaii. I’m not sure whether this is a popular opinion, or an absolutely far-fetched one, but it’s how I felt. Being next to the water, the warm, humid air, the cool breeze, the tropical vegetation, and the overall vibe of the city reminded me so much of Honolulu, Hawaii. Please tell me someone else feels the same?
6. How apparent the British influence still is
It’s no secret that Hong Kong was under British rule between 1841 – 1997, but it still surprised me to see the influence Brits left on the city. Double-Decker buses, roundabouts, the style of police cars, architecture, driving on the left, street names. The list goes on. Which lends itself to the next point…
7. The large amount of foreigners/expats
I don’t think I’ve seen a city in Asia, other than maybe Singapore, with as many expats as Hong Kong. WHITE PEOPLE WERE EVERYWHERE. Which obviously came as quite a surprise to me, coming from Korea. I have three friends, originally from New Zealand, that currently live in Hong Kong. What are the odds of that in any other Asian city?
8. Sunday rituals for domestic helpers
Each Sunday, all of the domestic helpers in Hong Kong households congregate on Hong Kong Island. Technically, these helpers are required to have a day off {Sunday} every week. That being said, many of them actually live in the households they work in. Therefore, they have no where to go for the day. These {mostly} women, join together with their friends and other domestic helpers, to enjoy each others company. Picnics are packed, music and dancing is present, and there is a whole lot of napping taking place. I was surprised to see so many women on the streets of Hong Kong, just hanging out.
9. Cash is king
In this day and age, I found it surprising to carry cash around with me in such a modern city as Hong Kong. But alas, after later visiting India, Nepal, and Taiwan, I realized it was more common that I initially thought. That being said, cash is kind in Hong Kong so make sure you always have it handy.
10. Taxi service
When I went out on Hong Kong Island, our group wanted to return to our friends apartment only a short distance away on the island. There were only certain taxis we were limited to though. Some were only traveling within Hong Kong Island, and the others {without a huge queue} were only traveling to Kowloon.
Certain colored taxis are only allowed to travel within certain areas of the city. That being said, even those within the same territory will refuse to take you to certain areas of the city. That means, many taxis will refuse to take you across the harbor, and others will say no when you ask to travel a short distance. It was all very confusing to me, but luckily I was with a friend that had lived in the city for a couple years.
Those are 10 things that surprised me about Hong Kong when I recently visited. Is there anything you could add to the list?
