Travel Diaries: HONG KONG

Welcome to my brand new series 'The Travel Diaries!'. I'll be sharing my adventures whilst abroad and give you my best tips for each country.

A little about Hong Kong:

Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China, which means it has a separate legal, economical, and legal system from mainland China. This was established after the handover from British to Chinese rule in 1997.

Located on the southern coast of China, Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated places in the world, home to over 7.9 million people. It is famous for its iconic skyline, deep harbor, and blend of mountains and vibrant urban life.

Day 1: Arriving in Hong Kong

I arrived in Hong Kong at about 4 pm and went straight to the hotel. After a quick shower and unpack, I set for the Temple Street Night Market.

Temple Street Market

This is a long, lively road filled with stalls selling everything from clothes to street food. Above hangs yellow, purple, and blue lanterns, lighting the way down the street. At the front of the market were the food stalls with a variety of different options including: samosas, dim sum, fish balls, and more. There was also a tempting range of desserts such as waffles and tanghulu. A traditional Chinese treat of fruit coated in glossy sugar syrup on a skewer.

I decided to have dinner at one of the restaurant lining the outside of the market. I ordered vegetable spring rolls and fried noodles. Afterwards I couldn't resist going back to try some of the tanghulu. It was everything you would expect - sweet, crunchy, and deliciously messy.

Tanghulu

Once I had finished exploring, I stopped by a 7/11 to grab a couple of drinks and snacks for the room (in case of late-night emergencies) and headed back to the hotel after a busy first evening.

Day 2, Part 1: The journey to the Tian Tian Buddah.

Jet lag hit me hard - I woke up at 3 am and struggled to go back to sleep, so I called my family for a quick catch-up before finally dozing back off until 11. After a late breakfast, I made my way towards the train station.

On the way, I grabbed a bottle of water and some pineapple for the journey. Once at the station, I bought an octopus card from Circle K for about £6, which included enough credit for the train fare. Once I reached the platform, I realised you can't eat or drink on the train. I quickly ate the pineapple before getting on board.

The trains were clean, comfortable, and efficient with great views of the city. I never felt uncomfortable or unsafe, which was a huge relief, especially when travelling solo.

After arriving at Tung Chung station, I walked over to the Ngong Ping 360 cable car terminal. I bought a return ticket - one way in a crystal cabin (with a glass floor) and the return in a standard cabin - for roughly £25. The crystal cabin offers amazing views beneath your feet as you travel over the mountains.

The ride takes around 20 to 30 minutes to reach the top, where the Tian Tian Buddah is. This is a huge bronze statue that sits high up in the mountains on Lantau Island.

Day 2, Part 2: The Tian Tian Buddah

When I stepped out of the cable car, I found myself in Ngong Pong village, a lively area filled with restaurants, shops, and lots of photo opportunities. They have even embraced the latest Labubu trend, with statues dotted around for people to take pictures with.

First I headed to one of the restaurants for lunch and decided on a chicken penne pasta with an apple juice. I strategically sat right under the air conditioning, because it was a scorching 30 degrees outside.

After lunch, I wandered through the shops and found a beautiful music box decorated with cultural symbols of Hong Kong - a perfect little keepsake. As I continued through the village, I caught sight of the steps leading up to the Tian Tian Buddah. I'll admit, they were a lot steeper than they looked!

Reaching the top of the buddah, I took in the view and explored the surrounding area, which had small shops and information boards about the history of the site. After about half an hour, I began my decent (which was much easier than the way up).

Then, in a moment of questionable judgement, I decided not to take the cable cart back down but to hike through the mountains instead. I know, crazy, right? It was a 2 and a half hour trek that was quite emotional at times, mainly because I had no experience in this level of hiking and was wearing the completely wrong shoes. However, the trail provided breathtaking views across the mountains, which definitely made in worthwhile.

A Hot Walk Back

Once I made it back to the station, I headed to the hotel for a quick refresh before going out in search of dinner. I wasn't sure of what I wanted, so wandered through the nearby streets. I picked up some souvenirs along the way and noticed some good spots for haircut or a back massage. Eventually, I found a place selling pork bao buns. They were delicious!

Full and content, I headed home for a glorious nights sleep after a long but unforgettable day.

Day 3: Home time

Sadly, my third evening was my last on this jam packed trip before I headed home. I went out for a short stroll and then had some rest before the very long flight home.

It was a day of celebration in Hong Kong, marking the 76th anniversary of the founding of the people's republic of China. A giant fireworks display was held across the Victoria Harbor. I joined the crowds to watch the magnificent display before making my way to the airport for the flight home.

A perfect end to a perfect trip.

Celebratory Firework Show