GOING TO HONG KONG - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

euronatura · #1 03-02-2009, 11:05 AM

I am going to Hong Kong within the next few weeks. Anyone here have any experience in shopping there? Not that I need anything, but if there is a good deal to be taken, I might just take it.

Any suggestions?

R Leo · #2 03-02-2009, 11:55 AM

Take money. For true retail, it's like going to Manhattan but, there are the usual Asian markets with all kinds of cheap stuff that make you wonder why you bought it when you get home.

If it were me, I'd look into getting some shirts or a decent silk jacket tailor made. I did that in Beijing...had them make a nice, fully-lined silk sport jacket that can live in a suitcase for two days then spend 15 minutes in a steamy bathroom to drop the wrinkles out and it looks fantastic. IIRC, cost about $60 for the material and tailoring.

If I'd had the time in HKG I'd have had shirts made but was only there three days and didn't waste to waste it on hunting for a tailor.

gmercoleza · #3 03-02-2009, 12:35 PM

Stay out of Pacific Place (underground mall that rolls under the hotel district) - it's pricey and mostly high-end luxury goods. Don't think you'll get a deal - you'd be better off buying here in the States. As suggested, this is a good time to have custom suits and shirts made. Take a ferry to Tsim Sha Tsui on the Kowloon side, then make your way up towards Mong Kok and check out the cheap markets.

Local (non-chain) food is cheap, fortunately. Eat some dog from a street-side stall if you get a chance, just to say you did it. Tastes like chicken.

euronatura · #4 03-02-2009, 01:38 PM

Thanks for the tidbits!

Quote:

Eat some dog from a street-side stall if you get a chance, just to say you did it. Tastes like chicken.
Today 04:55 PM

Already have had dog way back when I went to the Phillipines in the late 80's.

Taco stand off the street. Did not know that it was dog until my GF at the time, who was phillipina, we were traveling all throughout the Phillipines, walked upto me when I was eating a taco of some sort. She came out of a store, walked upto me and........

She, "Where did you get that?
Me, "From that stand right there."
She, "Iggy, have you seen any stray dogs on the street since we have been here?" Already there like a week, was in Manila during this scene.
Me, "Why, now that you mention it, I have not seen any stray dogs, how strange."
She, "That is cause that is what you are eating!!!! A stray dog here in Manila hasa life expectency of minutes......"

Well, it was funny when it happened, still finished my taco though!!!!!

lutzTD · #5 03-02-2009, 03:18 PM

kowloon night market is always fun. I got some very nice Jade there and a few fake watches. Dont bother with electronics there though, I have bought a few cheapo things there and they were window dressed empty shells. I got a nice MP3 player that showed 2 Gbyte memory but failed, we opened it up and it had a 256K chip. I bought a couple long range remote video cameras and both worked about 10 minutes before self destructing. I like to buy hand made carvings and such rather than manufacture goods, anything with local material and a lot of hand work is usually a great deal.

unkl300d · #6 03-02-2009, 03:33 PM

can you drink the water???

maybe you ought to prep your gut with enzymes before the trip.

like any market, don't go for the first price bc around the corner it gets better but if you see something really interesting, don't bet you will find it on the come back... murphy's law...

euronatura · #7 03-02-2009, 04:16 PM

I was always told that clothing is a good deal there in HK. But since I work in that industry, I rarely purchase clothing. If not for my GF that buys me clothes from time to time, I would still be wearing the same hole-infested shorts that I use everyday!!!!

I may get a sport coat or something. All of my formal attire was eaten by months cause of lack of use!!!! I never wear suits or sport coats, only to funerals and those are extremely far between.

But hey, maybe I should pick up on that deal!!!

As for the water, I live in Guatemala and travel Central America frequently, always drink the water from the tab, no problems there. And if and when I do get sick to my stomach, it means that I ate something that is totally rotten!!!!

R Leo · #8 03-02-2009, 04:33 PM

Do the Ngong Ping 360 tram while you're there. The tram is the only thing worth doing, the views are fantastic...you overlook Chek Lap Kok and can watch aircraft land from above.

Otherwise, it's highly commercialized (Starbucks, etc) at the top.

gmercoleza · #9 03-03-2009, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by R Leo

Do the Ngong Ping 360 tram while you're there. The tram is the only thing worth doing, the views are fantastic...you overlook Chek Lap Kok and can watch aircraft land from above.

Otherwise, it's highly commercialized (Starbucks, etc) at the top.

You talking about the funicular up to Victoria Peak? Yes, that is a breathtaking view from up there. Make sure to get there just before sundown, and watch the city light up before you...

R Leo · #10 03-03-2009, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmercoleza

You talking about the funicular up to Victoria Peak? Yes, that is a breathtaking view from up there. Make sure to get there just before sundown, and watch the city light up before you...

Nope, Victoria Peak is different...and definitely worth doing at sunset.

What I'm speaking of is the Ngong Ping 360 which at 5.7km, is supposedly the longest aerial tram in the world. You can subway from Kowloon or HKG out to Tung Chung where the tramway terminal is located. IMHO, the tram ride is the only thing worth doing as the area at the Lantau terminus of the NP360 is HEAVILY commercialized.

Ngong Ping 360

diametricalbenz · #11 03-03-2009, 11:33 AM

I would reccomend the Peak Lookout at Victoria Peak. It's not cheap but not much in HK is.

If you're looking for MB stuff there isn't much unless you want newer model items, I looked everywhere.

If you want gift stuff take the MTR up to Shenzhen you can bargain and deal all you want there.

Gurkha · #12 03-03-2009, 10:32 PM

Ming Sing restaurant on Sha Tin

If you like your food with ambience, this is the place, generally food is excellent all over HK, street food is just too good and very reasonably priced.

lutzTD · #13 03-04-2009, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gurkha

Ming Sing restaurant on Sha Tin

If you like your food with ambience, this is the place, generally food is excellent all over HK, street food is just too good and very reasonably priced.

the street food there was SCARY, I hope you were joking. If you cant stand the suspense and want to try it, take a local with you to determine if it is safe, even then its a crapshoot. You couldnt smell the food over the sewers when I was in Kowloon a few years ago. I dont drink water or take ice anywhere in Asia except Japan and Singapore to be honest. I had a very bad experience in HK even though it is probably the cleanest besides Japan and Singapore

Gurkha · #14 03-04-2009, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lutzTD

the street food there was SCARY, I hope you were joking. If you cant stand the suspense and want to try it, take a local with you to determine if it is safe, even then its a crapshoot. You couldnt smell the food over the sewers when I was in Kowloon a few years ago. I dont drink water or take ice anywhere in Asia except Japan and Singapore to be honest. I had a very bad experience in HK even though it is probably the cleanest besides Japan and Singapore

If you are a meat and potatoes man, HK or rest of SE Asia is not for you, the entire region gives variety of flavor like no other place on earth. As for cleaniless, I have worked at burger joints, diners and Taco Bell in US paying through my college and if I were to tell you the filthy practices at these so called joints, you would stop eating take out forever. Water is quite safe in HK, Singapore, in fact Singapore is amont the cleanest place around on earth.

lutzTD · #15 03-04-2009, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gurkha

If you are a meat and potatoes man, HK or rest of SE Asia is not for you, the entire region gives variety of flavor like no other place on earth. As for cleaniless, I have worked at burger joints, diners and Taco Bell in US paying through my college and if I were to tell you the filthy practices at these so called joints, you would stop eating take out forever. Water is quite safe in HK, Singapore, in fact Singapore is amont the cleanest place around on earth.

agreed, but to the casual traveller (me

) there is a risk and a rewards ratio that is not so attractive.

Singapore is indeed very clean, but I still choose bottled water and no ice. Simply because it is clean does not mean it is not full of things foreign to my system, locals would notice nothing, but my stomach would.......