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Hong Kong Wants to Be Friends, and Not Just on Facebook

May 8, 2009 at 9:16 AM | 0 Comments

No man is an island, but Hong Kong sure is! Taking inspiration from similar campaigns in Chicago and New York, HK is recruiting friendly, multi-lingual residents for a "Meet the Locals" tourist service to begin in the fall.

When the "Hong Kong Pals" complete their training, or reprogramming to possibly take you to the best places to drop some Hong Kong dollars, you'll be able to walk up to one of the main Tourism Centers such as the office at the Star Ferry pier in Tsim Tsa Tsui and request a "Pal" based on your area of interest. Is your stomach hungry for unfamiliar food with no English translation? They'll have a Hong Kong cuisine expert. Have a thing for Cantonese Opera? Maybe you and your new "Pal" can take in a show together.

Again, this all goes back to what Hong Kong tourism is calling the "financial tsunami," or what we just plain call the economy. Hong Kong has decided to promote their living culture as their "principal 'soft' asset" now that all Asian cities are vying for tourist dollars. Let's just hope that things that don't take a turn for the worse and your Pal starts directing you to jewelry shops and expat bars; that's what we have cruise ships for.

Related Stories:
· Hong Kong Launches Meet the Locals Programme [AsiaTravelTips]
· HKTB Launches Meet-the-Locals Volunteer Programme [Press Release]
· Hong Kong Coverage [Jaunted]

'Push': Great Filming Locations, Not-So-Great Film

February 27, 2009 at 9:11 AM | 0 Comments

The general conscience about “Push” is that overall the movie sucked but its location was pretty cool. The film stars Dakota Fanning and Chris Evans as two young Americans with special abilities, searching for a girl that can help them defend themselves against a shady U.S. government agency called Division. Set and filmed entirely in Hong Kong, the gorilla-style film techniques used to capture the authenticity of the city totally pay off. If you find yourself wanting to catch the next flight to Hong Kong after watching "Push" (which you will) here’s what to do when you get there.

Where to Stay:
The Langham Hong Kong is the epitome of luxury. They recently renovated all 270 rooms to include amenities like 37-inch flat-screen TVs, silk drapes, burled timber and leather walls, large open bathrooms, even larger living rooms, DVD players and iHome audio docks. You can even make a reservation via Skype. The best part though, has to be their current prices. Right now, room rates start at $203 a night. It looks like the recession really is affecting everyone.

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Hong Kong, Pearl of the Orient and...Mall Rat Paradise?

February 6, 2009 at 3:16 PM | 0 Comments

Culture shock has never been a problem for us; we're cool with whatever is the norm in a new destination and most of the time join in with gusto. But this week in Hong Kong, we've faced a huge challenge in embracing something so dear to the locals: the ubiquity of shopping malls.

In the main districts, you have something like a 95% chance of having to at least stroll through a mall to get where you are going. If you aren't inside of a mall, then you are on top of one, next to one, underneath one, or even using one as a landmark for orienting yourself in the city.

We've unwittingly hit a higher number of malls than days we've been in Hong Kong, and it doesn't look like the barrage of consumerism will be letting up soon. Since we hail from a Midwestern city that of course loves their Auntie Anne's pretzels and Abercrombie, we were at first unfazed by the shopping glut in HK.

After our fifth megaplex in two days, however, our patience with escalators and perfume counters began to wear thin and we stepped back to observe the scene.

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Picturing the Port of Hong Kong

February 4, 2009 at 10:24 AM | 0 Comments

We may still be early into our trip to Hong Kong, but that doesn't mean we can't dive right in to dim sum. While cruising for dumplings in the largest mall in Hong Kong, Harbour City, we were surprised to find something else cruising right outside: a couple of cruise ships docking for the day. The closest to us, the 800-passenger Costa Allegra, plies these waters all the time and so conveniently has her name printed in Chinese characters on the bow.

Even though the weather in HK isn't too bad at 73-degrees and sunny, the Allegra is heading out tomorrow for the far more tropical climes of Da Nang and Halong Bay, Vietnam. To make it to their cruise, however, the ship's passengers must navigate the labyrinth of luxury stores inside of the Harbour City mall, and hope that they don't blow their vacation money before even stepping into the boat's duty-free deathtrap.

Want more real-time reports from Hong Kong? Follow Jaunted on Twitter!

Related Stories:
· Five Reasons We Might Actually Take a Cruise in 2009 [Jaunted]
· Cruises coverage [Jaunted]

Another Asian Destination Convincing Us It's Christmassy

December 10, 2008 at 9:35 AM | 0 Comments

And next on our list of unlikely places to spend Christmas … after you've soaked up the Christmas soul of Seoul you can move on to Hong Kong. They're putting on their annual Winterfest that's meant to encourage us all to spend the Christmas season spending Hong Kong dollars in all their great shopping malls.

Well, that's not exactly what they're saying. The Hong Kong Tourism Board wants us to see their ten-story high Christmas tree and perhaps best of all, get into the Christmas carol singing. Spread across various parts of Hong Kong, it sounds like you won't be able to turn around without tripping over a carol singer and they'll also be on open-air buses, trams and trucks.

Do you ever get the feeling these tourist boards might just be conning us by hyping the Christmas spirit of their city? Whatever. We're suckers for a good bit of Christmas spirit so we'll sing along if a Hong Kong caroler comes close.

Related Stories:
· Hong Kong Winterfest [Official Site]
· Seoul Says Celebrate Here [Jaunted]
· Hong Kong Travel Guide [Jaunted]

[Photo: Gerald Garcia]

Disneyland Travel: Hong Kong Gets Aggressive

September 12, 2008 at 9:00 AM | 3 Comments

Pretty much every time we mention the Hong Kong edition of Disneyland we're telling you about its miserable visitor numbers and general failure to excite the people of the region. Today Hong Kong Disneyland turns three and we're here to tell you: It's still got miserable visitor numbers.

To be perfectly honest, we're not sure if the numbers are that bad--but the fact that they're now keeping them secret isn't a good sign. However, Hong Kong Disneyland now has a new managing director and a new strategy: Aggressively attacking the Chinese market.

New MD Andrew Kam has spent years selling Coca-Cola to the Chinese so convincing them that Disneyland is for them sounds right down his alley. It's probably a good thing he's focusing on that market, because as for us, we're not the slightest bit interested in checking out the Hong Kong version of Mickey. Even if it is his birthday.

Related Stories:
· New HK Disneyland Director Sees Aggressive Growth [IHT]
· Unhappy Birthday to Hong Kong Disneyland [Jaunted]
· Mickey and Hong Kong Don't Mix [Jaunted]

[Photo: coconut wireless]

Luxury Overdose: Even More Golden Toilets in Hong Kong

August 15, 2008 at 11:30 AM | 0 Comments

Swisshorn Watches thought it would be a good idea to do some sort of over the top public relations stunt to help introduce their brand into the Asian market. So with the help of the Hang Fang Gold Technology Group, they built a massive palace entirely out of gold.

The Swisshorn Gold Palace in Hong Kong is 650 square meters of the stuff. Everything, including the desk, the bed, the couch, the carpet and, yes, even the toilet is gold. The project took five years to complete at the cost of $50 million. Other features include an entrance lobby, dining room, living space, bedroom and a bathroom.

The space is inspired by the legend of Emperor Han Wu, who promised his wife Ah-Jiao a palace of gold. That being said, for some reason it was designed with a "European architectural feel."

The palace is open daily, and admission is a mere $3. With about 2,500 visitors expected every day, they should recoup their costs in no time.

Related Stories:
· Swisshorn Gold Palace [Official Site]
· A Legend of Gold [DeZona]
· A Golden Throne in Hong Kong [Jaunted]
· Hong Kong Travel coverage [Jaunted]

Craving Spain? Try Hong Kong

July 3, 2008 at 9:30 AM | 0 Comments

Hong Kong might not mix that so perfectly with American culture, if the problems at the local Disneyland are anything to go by. But apparently the people of Hong Kong are more excited about all things Spanish.

Places like the Ole Restaurant doing big business these days. One of the reasons is that Spanish wine is relatively cheap in Hong Kong, but we're sure there's a bit more to it than that.

Flamenco dancing is also a hit, with lots of color and energy. We figure just put Mickey into a flamenco costume and Hong Kong Disneyland could find its way back into the public's good books.

Related Stories:
· Ole! Hong Kong Embraces Spanish Culture [Reuters]
· Unhappy Birthday to Hong Kong Disneyland [Jaunted]
· Hong Kong Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Adam Blicharski]

It's a Small World: Now in Cantonese

May 9, 2008 at 9:30 AM | 0 Comments

In the eternal struggle to make Hong Kong's Disneyland pay its way, the park has just opened the Hong Kong version of the classic It's A Small World ride.

Small World's been having a tricky year, with alterations planned for the original in California, possibly to accommodate fatter passengers. In Hong Kong, they're hoping that the world-peace style message of the ride will bring in a few more customers.

The Hong Kong version has a couple of unique features--those new Disney dolls are there--but the most significant is that four new languages have been added to that never-ending, high-pitched singing. Now you get Cantonese, Putonghua, Tagalog and Korean versions as well. We'll see if that brings the crowds in.

Related Stories:
· Hong Kong Disneyland Launches Classic Attraction [The Star]
· Disneyland's Small World Ride to Get Some Changes [Jaunted]
· Year of Mickey Mouse in a Mao Suit [Jaunted]

[Photo: jimmiehomeschoolmom]

A Golden Throne in Hong Kong

March 18, 2008 at 9:30 AM | 0 Comments

Hong Kong jewelry company Hang Fung's golden toilet is certainly not the first toilet to become a tourist attraction: New Zealanders even make a contest out of interesting public bathrooms. And we've examined a few of the most beautiful around the world. But Hang Fung's golden toilet is certainly the most valuable toilet you'll ever come across, as it's made out of solid 24-carat gold.

Tourists--especially those visiting from gold-loving mainland China--adore the shiny loo, which is part of Hang Fung's Hall of Gold exhibit featuring a total of six tons of gold artifacts. But with the price of gold creeping ever upwards, Hang Fung is considering melting part of the toilet down if gold prices reach $1,000 per ounce. That'd give them a whole stack of cash they want to use to expand their stores in China.

So it's another "here today, might be gone tomorrow" attraction. Drop by as soon as you can for a gawk at the Hang Fung golden toilet. But remember, like the sign in the photo says, no photos. Yeah, right.

Related Stories:
· Golden Toilet Leaves Hong Kong Jeweler Flush With Cash [Yahoo]
· When You Need To Go in New Zealand [Jaunted]
· The World's Most Beautiful Toilets [Jaunted]

[Photo: AFP]

Year of Mickey Mouse in a Mao Suit

January 28, 2008 at 9:00 AM | 0 Comments

When Chinese New Year hits on February 7, 2008, we'll officially be in the Year of the Rat. Since some people don't like rats that much, it's also getting promoted as the Year of the Mouse, and Disneyland is happy to jump on that bandwagon, since it's not known for a cute rat character.

Of course, it's Hong Kong Disneyland where you'll get the most authentic flavor of Chinese New Year, and Mickey and Minnie Mouse have just had their special outfits unveiled. We can't quite believe it, but Mickey's going to be wearing a bright red Chairman Mao suit, while Minnie will walk beside him in an equally bright red dress.

The best day to be in Hong Kong Disneyland will be February 7 for the big dragon procession, but Mickey will be wearing his Mao suit until February 24. While you're there, keep an eye out for the special guests wandering around to greet you: the Gods of Happiness, Longevity and Prosperity. Given Hong Kong Disney's recent problems with low visitor numbers, park operators will no doubt be hoping for some blessings of their own.

Related Stories:
· Mickey & Minnie Set for Chinese New Year [AHN]
· Unhappy Birthday to Hong Kong Disneyland [Jaunted]
· Disneyland Not Always Good Clean Fun [Jaunted]

[Photo: cicerone]

Take a Risk on New Year's Eve in Hong Kong

December 26, 2007 at 9:35 AM | 0 Comments

New Year's Eve in Hong Kong is not as big a celebration as the Chinese New Year which follows a little later, but there are plenty of ways to ring in 2008 if you're in HK.

For one, you might remember about six months back we talked about the new Ngong Ping 360 cable car that was closed after a gondola crashed to the ground during a test. Since then, they've sacked a few workers and done extensive testing--and the cable car up to the Tian Tan Buddha is going to reopen on New Year's Eve. You can't be the first to ride it--a brave local politician has taken that honor--but you could still celebrate the coming of '08 with a ride.

Elsewhere in Hong Kong, you might want to catch the fireworks over the harbor, and the best positions will be anywhere along the waterfront in Wanchai or Tsim Sha Tsui, although everywhere will be pretty crowded. For serious eating, drinking and partying, try the Lan Kwai Fong district, renowned for having excellent entertainment all year. If you're shaky after a risky ride on the Ngong Ping 360, it's the place for a drink to calm those nerves.

Related Stories:
· Hong Kong Cable Car to Reopen on December 31 [AP, via Google]
· Hong Kong Cable Car Needs Rebirth [Jaunted]
· Hong Kong Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: hochit]