Though Malta and Hong Kong may be seventh and fourth respectively when it comes to worldwide population density, the difference is staggering. Seven million people crammed into a space three times the size of our island means the only way in Hong Kong is up.
Keep an eye out for the shops selling carved mammoth tusks for hundreds of thousands of American dollars- Thomas Camilleri
Walking out of Central underground station on Hong Kong Island that is exactly where your eyes go. The colossal height of every building quickly becomes ordinary when you walk around the more upmarket districts and especially when you look across the deep natural harbour to posh Kowloon and spot the International Commerce Centre, the fourth tallest building in the world.
Hong Kong is in a constant tug-of-war between its Western habits, adopted during British colonial rule, and its Eastern culture which has been renewed by Chinese sovereignty. We were lucky enough to be there for a family wedding; literally a marriage between East and West.
Most of the young local friends of the couple were also a mish-mash of cultures; brought up Chinese but familiar with British culture, having spent time in the UK furthering their studies. In this I felt a very personal connection as their sense of being torn between home comforts and different opportunities elsewhere is something many young Maltese feel, myself included.
Flying there is easy, with Hong Kong airport a major stepping stone to most of Asia. You can either fly via Dubai or London and we found very well-priced (€750+) return tickets via London with Cathay Pacific. A cheaper option would be to fly via Moscow with Aeroflot (€575+) from London.
Hong Kong’s public transport system is a gem, and percentage-wise it is the most widely used in the world. Buy an Octopus card to take advantage of the most reasonable rates – you can buy one which includes a return airport trip plus three days unlimited travel on the underground network for HK$300 (€26).
Taxis are notoriously cheap, and unlike many other Asian cities, the drivers won’t hide the meter and try to rip you off the second they see you’re a foreigner. The double-decker trams on the island are also a treat.
We tried www.airbnb.com for accommodation; a ridiculously easy to use website that allows locals to rent out their apartments.
It’s also very secure because the rent is paid beforehand and kept by the company until the end of your stay, in case the accommodation turns out to not be what was promised.
We stayed in a poky (although huge by HK standards) two-double bedroom apartment with fresh towels delivered daily for €17 a night – an absolute bargain.
The apartment was in Sheung Wan, an older part of the city. Walking around the streets was fascinating, with most of them occupied by local food shops... dim sum everywhere! We loved the fact that there seemed to be very few other tourists around, although we didn’t feel conspicuous as most of the islanders carried on with their daily lives and paid us no attention.
The most attention we received was from young locals asking us whether we were lost when we were all huddled around my Lonely Planet guidebook trying to figure out our location. We were initially taken aback, thinking that they’d ask us for a tip, but no, they were just super friendly.
We found out later that the older locals seem indifferent because they won’t communicate much with foreigners unless they have a decent command of English, so no harm there either.
Hop on a glass-floored cable car which whisks you across lush green hills until you can see the giant Buddha statue in the distance- Thomas Camilleri
If you really must eat Western food there’s plenty across the harbour in Kowloon at eye-watering prices but I’m guessing that if you’re going to leave Malta 10,000 miles behind, you’re at least going to try some of the local fare.
There are small eateries everywhere and our favourite was Yoshinoya, which we later found out is a Japanese gyudon chain with great sides like spicy snail salad. As you have probably heard, actual Chinese food is nothing like Chinese food we get in Europe. You’ll usually find chicken and tofu broths served with noodles or rice and lots of fresh juices.
One of the oddest drinks I had was also one of my favourites: chilled milky coffee with pearl tapioca. It’s very sweet and comes with a large straw to suck up the tapioca, and it tastes fantastic.
On our last night we were trudging around Kowloon, heavily fatigued and starving, when our local friend took us into this tiny cafe serving noodles late into the night. Soon, we were all supping on chicken and pork dumplings in soup with pak choi and iced lemon tea. I’ve found that in every place I’ve visited, the grottier an eatery looks, the more likely it is to sell genuine, tasty local food – this definitely held true in Hong Kong.
Nobody does karaoke quite like the Chinese. They have it down to a fine art: giant complexes containing a myriad of smaller karaoke rooms with en-suite bathrooms and waiter service so wannabe pop stars never need to leave.
The tipple of choice for the locals is a curious mix of Scotch and iced green tea which is quite an acquired taste. There are also platters of fresh fruit delivered with the drinks. Head to CEO in Causeway Bay for a proper karaoke night out.
When in Sheung Wan, a visit to Hollywood Road is essential. The street is lined with antique shops and galleries suited to all budgets.
I found this tiny shop selling the most hilarious porcelain communist statues with reclining Chairman Maos and labourers riding rockets into space; kitsch, certainly, but also a reminder of the liberalness of Hong Kong compared to the rest of China.
Keep an eye out for the shops selling carved mammoth tusks for hundreds of thousands of American dollars (there would be too many zeros for me to mention in HK$). Chinese ivory carvers solved the problem of the ban in ivory trading by turning to buried Siberian mammoth tusks and the results are spectacular.
Viewing is by appointment only so you’ll have to be content with gaping through the windows alongside the rest of the plebs.
HK must be seen from above. The hill on the island known as The Peak affords views of the entire harbour, and the colours at sunset are definitely worth the trek. Trekking up the hill is possible but the most popular option is the tram. A funicular (closest station Admiralty) takes you all the way to the summit, where you can pay to go to the top of the Peak Tower.
A short walk around the top of the hill (Lugard Road) gave us the best views as we could see all the way to the open sea and watch the sunset. The queues for the trams are longest in late afternoon so we ended up catching a taxi up and another down, which we later discovered was far cheaper than taking the tram.
Head to Central Station at night and catch a ferry to Kowloon to look at the world famous skyline. There’s a light show at 8 p.m. each evening which is best viewed from the Tsim Sha Tsui promenade, where the ferry docks. It’s a bit cheesy but worth waiting for.
If you make it to this side of HK, keep heading up towards the Prince Edward stop for the flower and bird markets. They’re clearly marked on maps and the flowers for sale are incredible. Be wary if buying any plants or seeds to take home though as they’re usually not allowed into Europe from Asia. The bird market is also quite an experience, featuring countless expertly-built cages for sale and even more varieties of birds on display.
We caught the underground to Tung Chung on our last day to visit the largest seated Buddha in the world on Lantau Island, close to the airport. From there you can hop on a glass-floored cable car which whisks you across lush green hills until you can see the giant statue in the distance.
Once on the solid ground, the path is very tourist-oriented and devoid of much character but the Buddha statue itself is worth the climb, as are the views. Once down, head to the Buddhist temple for a more authentic experience of local religion.
If you’re travelling with little ‘uns there’s a Disneyland resort a few stops from Central Station, but don’t travel to HK purely for the park as it’s small and you’d be better off heading to Paris instead.
HK is definitely worth visiting but I think you’d be bored if you stayed longer than a week. You can see most of the sights in three or four days and if you stay longer I suggest trips further out from the centre.