My Perfect Day in Hong Kong

Imagine you only had 24 hours to live ... in Hong Kong! What delights would make your bucket list, and how would you spend this precious time in our fabulous city? Sam the Local's Maggie Lau certainly has it all planned out and is ready to share her perfect day in Hong Kong with us.My perfect day would involve as much food as my stomach could house. And in order for me to maximise the short 24 hours in a day, I would have to start by going on an early morning hike with the end goal of dim sum.Starting in Tsuen Wan, there is a relatively easy, one-hour hike to Chuen Lung Village. The village is known for old style tea houses, of which the best known is Choi Lung (2 Chuen Lung Estate, Route Twisk, Tsuen Wan). Opened by the Tsang Chui-Leung, this tea house has been operating for 47 years and is now run by his son, Tsang Hin-Lun.These tea houses are the self-service type, where you grab your own tea and dim sum. Don’t expect any fancy fusion or innovative kinds of dim sum here. We’re talking just the classics, like in the picture above.Before the crowds start to come, you’ll encounter a lot of older men who are hanging out and catching up with each other. You’ll also get to meet their birds! They bring their birds out to get fresh air, as if to walk them.[caption id="attachment_990" align="aligncenter" width="750"]

Birds been proudly displayed in their cages.[/caption]After a relaxing morning filled with delicious dim sum, what better way to continue the relaxing day than to head to the beach? Although not known for beaches, Hong Kong does have a fair amount of them since it is surrounded by water. From Tsuen Wan, I would head to Yuen Long to hit Cafeteria New Beach.Even though the neighboring Golden Beach is more popular, I find that Cafeteria New Beach is more secluded so the chance of you finding a spot to lay out your towel is a lot higher. The unique thing about this beach is that it features a volleyball court, which is sometimes used for practice by the Hong Kong Volleyball team![caption id="attachment_989" align="aligncenter" width="750"]

The beautiful view at Cafeteria New Beach.[/caption]This is a great way to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and play sports! If you didn’t bring a soccer, volleyball, football or frisbee, don’t worry because there are plenty of stores that sell them there. Don’t forget the snacks such as seaweed flavored Calbee chips and curry fishballs.While you’re at the beach, it’s the perfect opportunity to BBQ for lunch! In this area, there are BBQ places that provide everything you need – the pit, charcoal, cooking utensils, and of course the food. The all-you-can-eat places usually range from $100-$200. Even though it takes a long time to cook the food, I love this activity because it’s a good way to socialise and catch up with people. It’s a leisurely way of enjoying food.[caption id="attachment_987" align="aligncenter" width="750"]

Working for my food.[/caption]Afterwards, I would head back to city centre for dinner with two pit stops: Kam Wah (G/F, 47 Bute Street, Prince Edward) for a pineapple bun and milk tea, and Sun Keung Kee (G/F, 113 Shanghai Street, Jordan) for some juicy and tender BBQ pork.[caption id="attachment_335" align="aligncenter" width="750"]

Look at that perfectly crispy topping to this pineapple bun.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_988" align="aligncenter" width="750"]

Just the right balance of savory and sweet.[/caption]By the time you get to the Tsim Sha Tsui area, it should be just about time for sunset and you’ll be treated to this spectacular view.[caption id="attachment_994" align="aligncenter" width="750"]

Gorgeous right?[/caption]Off to dinner. A perfect day of mine could not go by without hotpot! One of my favorite hotpot places in Hong Kong is at Budaoweng in iSquare (23/F, iSquare, 63 Nathon Road, Tsim Sha Tsui). The quality of their food is second to none, just like their view of Victoria Harbor.[caption id="attachment_992" align="aligncenter" width="750"]

I’m drooling just looking at this.[/caption]After enjoying this tasty meal, I would head over to the Avenue of the Stars to catch the Symphony of Lights that happens every night at 8pm. It’s a very touristy thing to do, but it still takes my breath away every time I see the skyline.[caption id="attachment_993" align="aligncenter" width="750"]

This view never gets old.[/caption]Next, I would take the Star Ferry over to Wan Chai and head to Causeway Bay for dessert at Via Tokyo (Shop nos. 1A-1B, G/F., Leishun Court, 106-126 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay). Their soft serve is the best I’ve had in Hong Kong with an incredibly smooth texture and enviable flavor.[caption id="attachment_995" align="aligncenter" width="750"]

Matcha green tea soft serve and the Royal Milk Tea Parfait.[/caption]What better way to work off all of this food than to go to Lan Kwai Fong and dance the night away? I’d take the tram to the area and start with a couple of beers from 7-Eleven before heading to off to Insomnia for live music, and Rula Bula for big open windows to watch all of the shenanigans that happen in LKF.Although tiring, this would be my perfect day ... now how will you spend yours?

Need some inspiration on how to fill your day? Why not check out our Top 10 Things To Do in Hong Kong, and if Cafeteria New Beach doesn't take your fancy, why not hit one of our Top 5 Hong Kong Beaches You Can't Miss? Have a nice day!

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