Uncover Hong Kong - a first-hand account from 5 smitten Singaporeans

At Harbour City

Forget the usual sights. take it from us, the die-hard fans of Hongkong. we have been there umpteenth times but are still amazed by how Hongkong surprises us each time we visit. Here are the best! Print this out and enjoy!

SHOPPING - where do we even begin?!
I.T. - The equivalent of Club 21 on our shores, but with a MUCH better selection and more interesting international labels. Look for Helmut Lang, Hussein Chalayan, Gareth Pugh, Maison Martin Margiela, Junya Watanabe, BAPE. In-house labels offer great quality at non-bank breaking prices. Includes izzue, :chocoolate, b+ab. Store locations in Kowloon include Miramar Shopping Centre, Langham Place, Silvercord. Store locations in Hongkong island include Pacific Place and Kingston Place. For more store locations, head to www.ithk.com.
New! as of 26 Dec 2010. The Monocle Shop -Fine purveyor of all things designed. for those in the know. Open from 11am-7pm daily. Shop 1 U/G, Bo Fung Mansion, 1-4 St. Francis Yard, Wanchai, Hong Kong Island

Kowloon, Harbour City - A monster mall 5x larger than our favourite Takashimaya. Family friendly with 700 stores. enough said. Canton Road, Exit Tsim Sha Tsui MTR A1, L3 or C1. its THAT huge you cant avoid it.

Kowloon, DNA Galleria - much like an upmarket and better Bugis Village, packed to the gills with young upstarts testing the local market. Attracts 20-somethings and folks looking for unique accessories and gifts. Look out for Ti_a_mo, a cutting-edge and under-the-radar accessories stall, more at www.tiamo.com.hk. Open from 12pm - 11pm daily. 61-65 Chatham Road Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon.

Hongkong Island, ifc mall - for high-end shopping the likes of Isola, agnes b la loggia, Lane Crawford, Atsuro Tayama. 8 Finance Street, Central, Hongkong.

Hongkong Island, Pacific Place - Strictly for tai-tais. Stores include the usual culprits Piaget, Anteprima, Joyce, Lane Crawford, Chopard, Hermes, you get the drift. very bad news for the plastics. 88 Queensway (Exit Admiralty MTR Station, Exit F) good luck.

Hongkong Island, Island Beverly - Browse through closet-sized boutiques offering the best of hip local designers. 1 Great George Street, Causeway Bay.
Hongkong Island, Lee Gardens - another tai-tai place, this luxury mall is stuffed with high-end retailers such as Gucci, Hermes and Louis Vuitton. Hysan Avenue, Causeway Bay.
Hongkong Island, The Landmark - Houses the iconic Harvey Nichols. 12-16 Des Vouex Road, Central.
Hongkong Island - Ice House Street - Martin Margiela (its so secluded you got to buy something from this store if you ever find it) and Commes Des Garcons.
Citygate Outlets, Lantau Island - This is a MUST-GO, especially when discounts are at 60%-70% off regular prices for brand new stuff from Alfred Dunhill,Anteprima, Aquascutum, Armani Exchange, Bally, Brooks Brothers, Burberry, Calvin Klein, DKNY, Diane von Furstenburg, Esprit, Guess, I.T, Kookai, Mango, Max Mara, Max & Co., Polo Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Vivienne Tam, Coach, Evita Peroni, Kate Spade, Lancel, Rockport, Samsonite, Pedder, Adidas, Nike, K.Swiss, Timberland, Laura Ashley and The Body Shop. Humptydump bought a pair of not-for-sale-sample patent leather shoes from Kate Spade at HK$800 (SGD$140), bearing in mind that the usual prices for Kate Spade shoes in Singapore are from $500. Exit Tung Chung MTR Station.

For beautiful lamb skin bags, go to any Rabeanco and Chat Chat stores (find them next to each other at Langham Place Shopping Centre, Kowloon). Trust us, you will have problems deciding which bag to put down.
For breath-taking stylish leather shoes, head out to Le Saunda, a home-grown leather shoe specialist with 18 stores in Hong Kong island and Kowloon. Ground floor, 510, Lockhart Road, Causeway Bay; Ground floor, 64 Percival Street, Happy Mansion Causeway Bay; Ground Floor, Hai Phong Road, Tsim Sha Tsui; Shop G44 Parklane Shoppers' Boulevard, Tsim Sha Tsui; find more stores at www.lesaunda.com.hk. for more shoes, head to The Shoe Shop at Central, Hongkong Island, No 2, Stanley Street; 10 Pak Sha Road, Causeway Bay, Hongkong Island.

For unreasonably cheap cosmetics, head straight to Long Seng Pharmacy at Granville Road. It is always crowded but its great fun trying to find your favourite cosmetics labels at generous discounts. Else Bonjour (www.bonjourhk.com) is everywhere too.
Head to Granville Road, look out for a tiny lane near the 'UNDERWEAR' neon signboard. step in and get close to boutiques hawking local labels at great quality and prices. Look for 'ONCE', at Ground Floor, 54D Granville Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon. Tel: 2312 2203. 

Till H&M (Hennes&Mauritz) arrives in Singapore in October 2011, this is as close as we can get to laying our hands on an H&M + Lanvin jacket. Shop G38B, C&D Silvercord, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon.
Find local staple fashion at Maple, Ground floor, 504 Lockhart road, Causeway bay, Hongkong Island, More store locations at www.MapleFashion.com.hk 
Strictly for Sanrio fans. MK2. Ground Floor 80, Tung Choi Street, Mongkok, Kowloon. Open from 1230-2400 hours everyday. a word of warning: not easy to locate but is worth the search.

Have fun scouring street markets hidden along back lanes everywhere:

Kowloon, Fa Yuen Street - Local pasar malam, away from the over-hyped Ladies' Market - Exit Prince Edward MTR B2

Kowloon, Flower Market - Take out your cameras. Stunning array of blooms and potted plants in a wholesale environment. Exit Prince Edward Road West and Flower Market Road. 

Hongkong Island - Li Yuen Street East and West for clothes. Exit Central MTR Station Exit C, turn left and walk along Des Voeux Road Central for 2 minutes

Hongkong Island - Jardine's Crescent Street Market - Clothes, bewildering array of accessories. MTR Causeway Bay Station Exit F

Kowloon, GoldFish Market  - overdose of fish, reptiles, creepy crawlies for sale at this local street, supposedly 3500 types of fishes. Exit Prince Edward MTR Station, B2
Hongkong Island, Tai Yuen Street - wholesale toys market, hunt down your favourite bearbricks at discounted prices. MTR Wan Chai Station, Exit A3. Open from 7am - 7pm

EAT! - from po-lo baos to crispy and juicy goose (which will NEVER be found on our island)

Hongkong Island,Yung Kee Restaurant (for goose and local cuisine); Award winning restaurant founded in 1942. most famous for its roasted goose and was selected by Fortune Magazine as one of the top 15 restaurants in the world in 1968. Exit at Central MTR Exit D2

32-40 Wellington Street
Wai Kee - cooks its own curry and roast duck. Stand No. 5, 1st floor, cooked food centre, Bowrington road market, 21 bowrington road, causeway bay, hongkong island.
Tsui Wah Restaurant - Hongkong-style cafe chain. Ground floor, 2 Carnarvon road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon. MTR Exit Tsim Sha Tsui Station, Exit D2
Ho Hung Kee Noodles and Congee Specialist - Awarded Bib Gourmand in the Michelin guide. Ground Floor, Sharp Street, Causeway Bay, Hongkong Island.
Mak An Kee (Chung Kee) Noodle - for their signature wonton noodles. Ground Floor, 37 Wing Kut Road, Central, Hongkong Island. 
Chan Yee Jai - for traditional snacks - birds' nest cakes, blind man cakes, almond cakes. Ground floor, 176D, Queen's Road, Central, Hongkong Island.

Hongkong Island and Kowloon, Qi Wah Bakery - for divine almond biscuits. outlets at ifc mall

Chi Kei for goose and more goose! 84 Percival St, Causeway Bay, Hongkong Island; 4th Floor, Langham Place, Mongkok, Kowloon; Ground Floor, Lock Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

Heavenly melt-in-your-mouth chocolates from agnes b delices

ifc mall - Shop 3089-3097 - Central, Hong Kong Island;

Kingston Street - Shop 1 & 2A, Kingston Street, Fashion Walk, Causeway Bay, Hongkong Island;

Times Square - Kiosk G, 3rd floor, Times Square, Causeway Bay, Hongkong Island

Teng Hao Restaurant - Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon

The most succulent har-gao (shrimp dumplings), siew mai (streamed pork dumplings) and dim sum. go at 1130am. by then, the entire dim-sum repertoire is available. be warned: resistance is futile.

Yee Shun Milk Company - Anything to do with steamed milk. yummy! wondered what steamed milk in two films meant though. Ground Floor, 63, Pilem Street, Kowloon; Ground Floor, 513 Nathan Road, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon; Ground Floor, 85 Percival Street, Causeway Bay, Hongkong Island (Exit Causeway Bay MTR Station Exit A); Ground Floor, 506 Lockhart Road, Causeway Bay, Hongkong Island.

Mido Cafe - A landmark on Temple Street, Kowloon, Mido Cafe is a rare find in Hongkong. It exudes an ambience reminiscent of cafes in the last century. Stepping inside is akin to entering a time tunnel. 63 Temple Street, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon. Opening Hours: 830am-930pm; Exit Yau Ma Tei MTR Station, Exit B2.

Maxim's Palace City Hall - Overlooking Victoria Harbour, this appeared in 3 guidebooks/magazines on Hong Kong. The dim sum at this place is much sought-after. 2nd floor, City Hall, 5-7 Edinburgh Place, Central, Hongkong Island.
Dine aboard the kitschy Jumbo Floating Restaurant. Shum Wan Pier Drive, Wong Chuk Hang, Aberdeen.
Eat the most authentic local fare at 'Relax for a while' restaurant. Ground Floor, Cheung Lee Commercial Building, 25 Kimberly Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon.

SIGHTS

Chi Lin Nunnery and Nan Lian Gardens (Exit at Diamond Hill MTR; look out for red directional signs; it is a 8-minute walk but trust us, you would never know that such a tranquil place exists in bustling Hongkong). Its also the world's largest building to be constructed without nails. Be awed.

Charlie Brown Cafe (when we didnt have our own at 313 Somerset)

Ground Floor to 1st Floor, Kok Pah Mansion, 58-60 Cameron Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon

more at www.charliebrowncafe.com

See the whole range of lomographic cameras at the Lomography Gallery Store - Ground Floor, No. 2, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong Island or at Granville Road, Kowloon

Count the Ten Thousand Buddhas at this peaceful hilltop monastry near Sha Tin MTR Station.

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