Hong Kong
is not exactly known for being cheap. The former British colony,
perched on the shore of the South China Sea, frequently graces ‘most
expensive cities in the world’ lists for its sky-high rents, acres of
posh shopping malls, and dazzling displays of wealth (think Rolex shops
on every other corner, women clutching Prada bags as they hail taxis,
lapdogs in bejewelled collars).But despite its glitz, the city still has plenty of bargains –
provided you know how to find them. In general, Hong Kong Island itself
is the most expensive part of town, while the Kowloon Peninsula across
the harbour and the adjoining New Territories are gentler on the wallet.
Budget eats and bargain booze
The home to dim sum, brisket noodles, huge fluffy pork buns and other
delights, Hong Kong abounds in budget eats. Wherever you go, the city
has hole-in-the-wall restaurants with lines snaking out the door.
If you see one of these lines, you know you’re in for a classic meal,
likely for under HK$100. For beef brisket noodles swimming in fragrant,
oil-slicked broth, we love Kau Kee (21 Gough Street, Sheung Wan). For
the city’s iconic dim sum, Tim Ho Wan (2-20 Kwong Wa Street, Mong Kok)
has earned fame as the ‘world’s cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant’.
Try the pork buns. Seriously. For egg tarts with buttery crusts and
yolk-yellow fillings, Tai Cheong Bakery (35 Lyndhurst Terrace) is justly
famous.
Unlike many Asian cities, Hong Kong does not have a huge street food
presence these days. But just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it’s
not there – former street vendors now hawk their bowls of noodles,
dumplings and braised chicken feet inside public ‘cooked food centres’.
The unadorned concrete-and-tile design of these buildings can look a
little forbidding, but they generally have produce, meat and fish
markets on their bottom floors, and cooked food on the top. The center
in Sheung Wan (at Queen’s Road and Bonham Strand) is a local favourite –
if you want to splash out a bit, try ABC Kitchen (Stall 7, 9278 8227,
reservations crucial), which serves impeccable Italian dishes in a
distinctly un-gorgeous environment (fluorescent lights, plastic checked
tablecloths) – all at half the price of the city’s other trattorias.
For drinks, a mix of expats, backpackers and well-heeled locals booze
it up in the bar districts of Lan Kwai Fong and SoHo on Hong Kong
Island. Here, happy hours running from mid-afternoon to early evening
are the norm. Check out the websites (www.ilovesoho.hk and www.lankwaifong.com) for deals, or just take a wander and read the chalkboards posted on the sidewalk. Luxe-Zen-themed Zinc (www.zinchk.com) boasts the longest happy hour in the district, from 5pm to 10pm.
Free Sights
When it comes to free things, you can’t beat nature. Those who
haven’t visited Hong Kong before are often shocked by how green the city
is. Sure, downtown and Kowloon are snarled masses of concrete and glass
high-rises. But some 60% of the city is preserved green space, and you
don’t have to go far to find it. The city is famed for its hiking, with
hundreds of kilometres of well-marked trails. The Dragon’s Back Trail,
one of Hong Kong’s most glorious hikes, traverses Hong Kong Island,
following the ridgeline south, offering panoramic sea views. It ends in
the village of Shek-O, where tired ramblers can chow down on cheap
noodles and watch the waves slap the rocks.
On Wednesdays, many of the city’s museums are free. The Hong Kong
Museum of Art is one of the best, with a comprehensive collection of
Chinese pottery, calligraphy scrolls and paintings. From the museum’s
Kowloon location, take advantage of another one of Hong Kong’s best
freebies – the ‘Avenue of the Stars’, a seaside promenade which offers
cheesy tributes to local film heroes, but whose real star quality is its
gleaming view of the Hong Kong Island skyline. Every night at 8pm,
crowds gather here for the (free) ‘Symphony of Lights’, a
music-and-light show illuminating the skyscrapers across the water. It’s
silly and slightly bizarre, but good fun.
Cheap Stays
Come bedtime, budget backpackers worth their salt should brave the
infamous Chungking Mansions. This 17-story behemoth on Kowloon
Peninsula’s teeming Tsim Sha Tsui district attracts people of such
varied ethnicities, languages and clothing styles it’s earned
comparisons to Star Wars’ riotous Mos Eisley cantina. On the ground
floor, African and South Asian vendors hawk samosas and grey-market cell
phones, while the higher floors are a concrete warren of restaurants,
apartments, beauty parlours and budget guesthouses. Chungking House (www.chungkinghouse.com) is a longstanding favourite, with double rooms going for about HK$275.
Reasonably-priced guesthouses abound in the Yau Ma Tei and Mong Kong districts of Kowloon. Try Booth Lodge (www.salvationarmy.org.hk) a simple-but-clean spot run by the Salvation Army. A double will run you HK$1200.
Souvenirs for a song
If you’re yearning for some souvenirs, Hong Kong’s kitschy-cool
street markets are chockablock with lucky cat statues, fake jade
jewelry, vintage reproduction cigarette ads, fake designer handbags and
more.
The Temple Street Night Market
and the Ladies Market in Kowloon are perennial favorites, as is Cat
Street on Hong Kong Island. Bargaining is both acceptable and expected.
If you’re not happy with the price, try saying this: tai gwai la (Cantonese for 'it’s too expensive!').
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