More excuses to visit Hong Kong this Year of the Sheep

Most of you who follow my blog (cheryltiu.com), Twitter (@cheryltiu) or Instagram (@chertiu) know that I travel to Hong Kong quite a bit. In fact, quite more than a bit, as I am an official Frequent Visitor to the country. What that means is that upon arrival and departure at the Hong Kong International Airport, I am eligible for the e-channel lane. This means I am no longer required to fill out any forms or queue in line — just a quick scan of my passport and my fingerprint, and I’m in (and out) in 10 seconds! (See? Another incentive to visit this city more often!)

I was most recently there to celebrate Chinese New Year (CNY) — something I had not done before. I felt really happy and grateful to touch base with my Chinese roots and heritage by experiencing the city as locals do. (A lot of my friends had told me that Hong Kong was “dead” during this period. And while, yes, a lot of people did fly out for the holidays, they were kind of wrong as I have pictures to prove it!) 

Auspicious Flowers

We experienced the tradition of going to the flower market on CNY Eve along with what seemed like the entire population of Hong Kong. We went to the one at Victoria Park in Causeway Bay, and there was something really beautiful, magical and auspicious in choosing your perfect flower or plant to keep at home or in the office. I was told by our effervescent guide Michael Poon of Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) that the plum blossoms were some of the most popular plants, as they signify strength and endurance.

The poon choi is another tradition done on CNY Eve, which we had at Tsui Hang Village at Lee Theatre in Causeway Bay. Poon Choi, or “Big bowl feast,” is a large bowl layered with pork, beef, lamb, chicken, duck, shrimp, crab, oysters, mushrooms and vegetables that’s eaten together by a group — layer by layer. This “eating together” symbolizes sharing happiness, prosperity and abundance.

Wishing Upon An Orange Tree

Visiting the temples after the new year is another popular tradition. We went to Wong Tai Sin Temple, where after saying our prayers and wishes, we had our “chims” (Chinese fortune sticks) read afterwards. This should be taken with a grain of salt as most of the “fortune tellers” ask you for your animal birth sign and kind of just base your “future” on that — something you could find out yourself from reading the newspapers! What was beautiful though was wishing upon… an orange tree! At the Lam Tsuen Wishing Trees, I wrote my wishes on a piece of paper, attached it to an orange, and then threw the fruit up into a tree. They say that the higher the branch it lands upon, the more likely the wishes will come true.

Malls around the city like Harbour City in particular went all-out for the celebration. They had a beautiful Double Happiness installation where locals and tourists flocked to have their photos taken, embracing goodness, blessings, love and prosperity. Their rooftop is also the best location to watch the Chinese New Year’s fireworks, which shone like diamonds in sky against the Hong Kong skyline. A Chinese New Year parade was also organized by Cathay Pacific with dancers from around the world, including the Philippines.

The arrival of a new year always signifies rebirth — kind of like the first page of a new “book” waiting to be written. I was particularly fascinated on this trip because, with all the local traditions we observed, I felt I was truly embracing all the blessings of the coming year. If you’re looking to celebrate CNY next year, I recommend coming to Hong Kong.

But since that’s over 300 days from now, I’ve come up with some really good “excuses” for you to go and visit the city now — after all, it’s just a 90-minute plane ride away from Manila! Enjoy!

1) Urban Café Commune

For some of the most incredible, flaky croissants

They sold one million croissants less than a year upon opening in 2012 and today, they have branches all over the city. Their molten egg yolk custard croissant, as well as their crème brulee croissants, are to die for. The one in Mongkok, located in MOKO Mall, is their first full-service restaurant that often invites a queue for their British-inspired fare but it’s worth the wait, especially for their lobster risotto.

2) Jade Market

For beautiful souvenirs to take home or give away as presents

Here, where they sell beautiful jade, rose quartz and tourmaline bracelets, among many others, haggling is the name of the game. Just don’t look too over-eager at first sight. #PokerFace

3) Limewood

For some lime, wood, margaritas… and sand, sea and sun

Mott 32 and Stockton are two of Maximal Concepts’ properties that are quite popular with Pinoy foodie crowd. Limewood is one of their newest, situated at Repulse Bay. Some of their dishes are better than others like the jerked coconut corn, 24-hour charred beef ribs, Thai style snapper — and the best churros with salted caramel sauce and coconut ice cream. Despite just being a couple of months old, this place is packed one month in advance on weekends — although they do have space for walk-ins.

4) Trick Eye Museum

For really cool photos to post on social media or print for posterity

I’m not into museums but this was pretty cool because it’s interactive — in fact, you are the “stars” of the museum. Just opened last December 2014 at The Peak, backdrops of Alice and Wonderland and Vincent Van Gogh allow you to play around and leave with very cool photos. For lunch afterwards, grab some wonton noodles close by at Mak’s in The Peak Galleria.

5) Chi Lin Nunnery

For an oasis of calm in the bustling city center

I saw these on my friends’ social media posts and when I did some research, found out it was ranked No. 10 in TripAdvisor’s “Things to Do in the City”! Visiting the temple complex, which includes a nunnery, temple halls and Chinese gardens built in the 1930s and fashioned after the Tang Dynasty (it’s really not that far — just get off the Diamond Hill stop on the green line a little past Mongkok), you will find an oasis of calm. The vegetarian restaurant and teahouse there are popular as well.

6) Hong Kong Observatory

For the best view of Hong Kong

I’ll admit that I didn’t make it up 60 meters high as I’m afraid of Ferris wheels, but my friends who did showed me their fantastic photos of Hong Kong and Victoria Harbour, and that’s enough incentive for the inner photographer in each of us.

7) Lab Made Liquid Nitrogen Ice cream

For really creamy ice cream — with less cream, actually

This is “Asia’s first liquid nitrogen laboratory” with temperatures at a sub-freezing -196?. Because the ice cream is frozen per order, they use less cream than others. When we went they had some interesting Chinese New Year flavors like custard buns.

8) Carbone

For delicious New York-Italian cuisine in a “Grand Budapest Hotel”-like setting

This outpost from New York is one of the more popular restaurants in Hong Kong to date. From melt-in-your-mouth wagyu beef carpaccio (with black truffle and hazelnuts) to an indulgent spicy vodka rigatoni to the lemon cheesecake… everything was delicious, and definitely good for sharing. P.S.: The staff’s uniforms are designed by Zac Posen.

9) Ho Lee Fook

For great, modern Chinese cuisine in a cheekily named den (try to read it in English!)

This is also another of the most popular restaurants in Hong Kong at the moment (by the Black Sheep Group, the same folks behind Carbone), so trendy that I could only get a table at 11 p.m. — and by then, it was still packed. It features great modern Chinese dishes like cauliflower and Brussels sprouts with maple bacon chili jam, and wagyu beef ribs with jalapeno puree.

10) Varga Lounge

For absinthe cocktails in a boudoir-like environment

This isn’t new but my friend took me here for absinthe cocktails over the weekend. Located in Soho, it’s a quaint space with comfortable living room vibe — which apparently is a popular venue for bachelorette parties. It’s a great space for a nightcap without any of the nightlife chaos.

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For more information on Hong Kong or to plan your upcoming trips, visit DiscoverHongKong.com, phone +852 2807 6543, fax +852 2806 0303 or email info@hktb.com

You can reach me at inbetweendeadlines@gmail.com, on my blog www.cheryltiu.com, on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cheryltiu or on Instagram at www.instagram.com/chertiu