Staycation in
a Battle Zone
COLIN SIMPSON and SUE BRATTLE
IN NORMAL times, this post would be called something like “7 Places You Simply Must See in Hong Kong”. But things have not been normal in the city since April, when large-scale protests against an extradition bill began.
The bill, which would have allowed extraditions to mainland China, has since been dropped. But the protests have continued as those involved pursue other demands.
Escalating levels of violence and destruction of property have created a sombre backdrop to life in what used to be a fun, buzzy place to live.
Tourist arrivals plummeted as the world watched endless news reports showing burning barricades, shops and train stations. Figures released yesterday by the Hong Kong Tourism Board show that total visitor arrivals in September were down 34 percent compared with the same month last year. The number coming from mainland China fell 35 percent, and hotels report a 50 percent drop in revenues. Tourism is one of four “pillar industries” that have driven Hong Kong’s economic growth.
We decided to see how all this was playing out on the ground by visiting a selection of popular tourist sites across the territory and reporting what we saw. So we had a week-long staycation – spending each night at our apartment and going out every day to be tourists.
The months of upheaval on the streets have affected many people’s mood – in the words of one expat we spoke to, Hong Kong has become “a sad city”. We also wanted to see if it was possible to get away from the protests and relax while remaining in Hong Kong.
Sustainable tourism has become a hot topic, and of course flight-free staycations are about as green as you can get. We travelled only by bus, ferry and – in one case – funicular railway during our week as tourists in our adopted home city.
Violence reached a new level this weekend as demonstrators clashed with police across Hong Kong for 12 hours.
We won’t be commenting on the issues that triggered the protests or the response of the authorities – this is a travel, not a politics, platform. We simply want to gauge the impact of these events on a cross-section of attractions on a city that is highly dependent on tourism.
1) Sunday Afternoon on the Peak
EVERY first-time tourist in Hong Kong makes a beeline for the Peak, the lofty viewpoint that offers spectacular views over Hong Kong Island and across Victoria Harbour to Kowloon. Since 1888, the best way to get there has been the Peak Tram, a funicular railway that speeds up the slope, through leafy forests, in seven minutes and offers tantalising glimpses of the city along the way.
Now the tram has become a striking example of how tourism has been hit by the protests. The service recently reopened after a major refurbishment, but before the closure – and the protests – two-hour queues to get on board in Central were standard. When we turned up on a Sunday in October, we walked straight on to the platform and waited just a couple of minutes to take our seats and start the ride.
Last month, protestors held a peaceful demonstration at the Peak, but when we arrived there was no sign of them. Nor was there any damage to buildings or graffiti, which you encounter in many parts of Hong Kong. We were not surprised to find that there weren’t many tourists, and the restaurants in the Peak’s two malls had loads of empty tables. (It’s Hong Kong, so there have to be malls – them’s the rules.)
Read More
2) A Day Out in the Country
I LIKE everything about Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden, from its sense of tranquillity, the friendly staff, its ethics, the views… and it’s a really cheap day out.
It’s free if you’re under five or over 60, and HK$5 (64 US cents) for the 1.5 hour shuttle bus service that takes you all over the site and drops you off for short walks at points of interest. The highest-priced adult ticket is HK$30 (US$3.8), and once you’re in, you can stay all day to walk, gaze, or daydream.
Oh, there is one downside – it’s at Tai Po in the New Territories and for many it’s a trek to get there. For us it was three bus rides each way. However, the reward is that you’re really out in the countryside and have left urban Hong Kong well behind. Because the farm and garden are on a hill, once you’re at the top you can see clearly for miles around.
About the hill; that does mean, of course, that for a lot of the day you’re walking uphill, and it’s steep. With tourism down, there were only four people on our shuttle bus (there are four buses each day) but I imagine the bus struggles up the slopes when it is full. When you get off the bus, there are still usually steep paths or flights of steps to get anywhere, so be warned.
Read More
3) A Night at Happy Valley Races
THE phrase “it’s an institution” is pretty overused by travel writers. Often it’s trotted out when the author is too lazy to think of something else. A bar that’s been open a few years, for example, is described as “a Dubai (or wherever) institution”.
When it comes to horse racing in Hong Kong, though, now that really IS an institution. The first race meeting in Hong Kong took place at Happy Valley in 1846 – just four years after the territory was ceded to Britain by China. The Hong Kong Jockey Club, which today runs the sport as a monopoly, was formed in 1884.
Racing has become phenomenally popular and generates huge amounts of money, with the club giving large sums to charitable causes – HK$4.3 billion (US$545 million) in 2018-19.
The Wednesday night meetings at Happy Valley Racecourse on Hong Kong Island are a magnet for locals, expats and tourists. Companies with offices in the city regularly welcome colleagues from branches across Asia and beyond who look forward to a night at the races.
4) A Walk Along Nathan Road
WE TOOK this two-mile stroll on Thursday, October 17. The date is important because three days later violence broke out here during a Sunday protest, with pepper spray, petrol bombs, water cannon firing blue dye, shops, banks and restaurants trashed and multiple arrests.
It’s a good example of what Colin and I wanted to do with our Staycation series. In times of unrest, things turn on a sixpence, but although the events of Sunday saddened both of us, our brief here is: Is it possible to have a holiday in Hong Kong despite the protests?
And on that Thursday we had a civilised walk in Kowloon from the wonderful Star Ferry pier to the markets in Mong Kok up to Prince Edward, the northern end of Nathan Road. In one walk you can see much of what makes Hong Kong so vibrant. Starting with posh shops (which I find bland and boring) you quickly reach delights such as Kowloon Mosque, St Andrew’s Church, and Kowloon Park.
5) A Trip to Tai O
UNTIL a little while ago, if you said “Hong Kong” to someone then it’s likely the first image that would spring into their mind would be the iconic cityscape. That’s what defined the city – gleaming towers soaring skywards on both sides of Victoria Harbour.
Now, six months after the start of the anti-government protests, they would be more likely to think of burning metro stations, billowing teargas and violent clashes.
That old image of Hong Kong was misleading, though – there was always a lot more to it than skyscrapers.
Much of the territory is made up of country parks, and there are plenty of fine beaches. Then there are traditional fishing villages such as Tai O on the western edge of Lantau Island. All of these were good options when you needed a break from the frantic pace of city life.
This is more important than ever in the current difficult times. We wanted to get away from the constant reminders of the showdowns between protesters and police – the graffiti in normally pristine Central, the endless news coverage. So we decided to head off to Tai O.
6) A Junk Ride to Stanley
ONE of the easiest touristy things to do in Hong Kong is to take the junk ride from Central around to the pretty seaside town of Stanley. The voyage lasts 1.5 hours, and there’s nothing to do on board except sip a cool beer or soft drink while you watch the coastline bob up and down.
In happy times, the junk does the trip four times a week, but during our staycation with the protests still going on and the tourist numbers plummeting, there were only two sailings, on Saturday and Sunday.
We booked ahead, but there was no need on the Saturday we went. There were 13 of us on the top deck, which holds 50 people on its enormous daybed-type loungers. A few more sat on the lower deck, and a handful boarded in Tsim Sha Tsui, but that was it.
That suited me fine, and added to the soothing atmosphere, helped also by beautiful Chinese music being played softly throughout. The staff are friendly and helpful, and with a blue sky and blue sea, Hong Kong’s many islands drifted by.
7) A Saturday in Central
THIS was the simplest of our staycation days, and will be familiar to many who live in Hong Kong. An afternoon at the cinema, then supper and home. We chose a Saturday because these days most protest activity takes place at the weekends, and a lot of it has been in Central. In fact, last night (Nov. 2) was a gamechanger, with upwards of 12 hours of violence and mayhem across Hong Kong, both sides of the harbour. Multiple arrests, tear gas, Molotov cocktails, two incendiary devices disabled, almost 20 injured – Central, the Western district, Nathan Road, Mong Kok, Prince Edward, Causeway Bay and Wan Chai were all affected, and all places where tourists would be on a Saturday night out.
Consequently, I am rewriting this because the original version, which emphasised how peaceful our day in Central was, would be misleading in the changed circumstances. However, back to our walk two Saturdays ago.
We live in the outlying islands, and our ferry brings us to Central Piers, so we walked along the harbour front and through Tamar Park, past the Legislative Council building, or LegCo, Hong Kong’s government complex. This had been trashed a few weeks earlier but had just been repaired, and was surrounded by barricades. There were still protest signs painted onto the walkways, but graffiti had been hastily removed, leaving splodges of grey everywhere, and posters torn down. This usually pristine complex looked tatty but not damaged.
Five Things We Learned From Our Staycation
One thing became clear – everywhere we went, there were very few tourists. We have to admit this made our visits to popular attractions more pleasant than usual, though obviously we regret the circumstances. The Hong Kong Tourism Board last week published total visitor arrivals figures for September, which showed a 34 percent drop compared with the same month last year. From what we saw on the ground, we suspect the impact of the protests on the leisure tourism sector, as opposed to business travel and visits for family reasons, is greater than these numbers suggest.- Hong Kong can be a surprisingly cheap place for sightseeing. Travelling on the extensive public transport networks is inexpensive, while admission fees are generally very low, and often free for young children and the over-60s. However, the protests have repeatedly caused extensive disruption, particularly to the MTR metro system.
- Our staycation reminded us how many great places and things to see there are in Hong Kong, and how diverse they are. Going forward, we’ll be having more days out.
- Some expats have been criticised for living in a so-called “bubble” – carrying on as before, oblivious to the protests. We did see some instances of this, mostly because our staycation clashed with the Rugby World Cup. One evening we were at a bar showing a match on some screens and live coverage of the violence happening just a few streets away on others. No one was watching the protests.
- We’ve long felt that Hong Kong is complacent when it comes to tourism, one of its four so-called “pillar” industries. There are only six tourist information offices in total, all but two at points of entry. How come there is no office to help tourists wandering around Central? Notable attractions are not promoted effectively – do many visitors know, for example, that Hong Kong has the world’s highest bar, Ozone at the Ritz-Carlton in Kowloon? Likewise, are they told about costly new cultural facilities such as the Xiqu Centre and Tai Kwun? The tourist board concentrates on pushing brand Hong Kong with slogans such as “Best of All It’s in Hong Kong”, which looks more ill-advised by the day. Perhaps now conditions are so much tougher there’ll be a much-needed rethink.
Updated January 2020
RELATED
PINK DOLPHIN WATCHING: Another once-popular tourist attraction in Hong Kong that has been badly hit by the protests as the number of people taking part has plummeted. READ MORE
XIQU CENTRE: Futuristic Home for an Ancient Artform. Everything you need to know about this exciting new opera house, including details of performances where tea and dim sum is served. READ MORE
EXTENSIVE LOCAL COVERAGE of the protests is available online from the South China Morning Post and the Hong Kong Free Press.
RECOMMENDED
WELCOME TO OUR WORLD! Afaranwide’s home page – this is where you can find out about our latest posts and other highlights. READ MORE
TOP 10 ATTRACTIONS: Many of the world’s most popular tourists sites are closed because of the coronavirus crisis, but you can still visit them virtually while you’re self-isolating. READ MORE
SHIMLA, QUEEN OF THE HILLS: Government officials once retreated to Shimla in the foothills of the Himalayas to escape India’s blazing hot summers. Now tourists make the same journey. READ MORE
TEN THINGS WE LEARNED: Our up-to-the-minute guide to creating a website, one step at a time. The costs, the mistakes – it’s what we wish we’d known when we started blogging. READ MORE
TROUBLED TIMES FOR EXPATS: Moving abroad can seem an idyllic prospect, but what happens when sudden upheavals or the inescapable realities of life intrude? READ MORE
LET'S STAY IN TOUCH
Staycation in
a Battle Zone
COLIN SIMPSON and SUE BRATTLE
IN NORMAL times, this post would be called something like “7 Places You Simply Must See in Hong Kong”. But things have not been normal in the city since April, when large-scale protests against an extradition bill began.
The bill, which would have allowed extraditions to mainland China, has since been dropped. But the protests have continued as those involved pursue other demands.
Escalating levels of violence and destruction of property have created a sombre backdrop to life in what used to be a fun, buzzy place to live.
Tourist arrivals plummeted as the world watched endless news reports showing burning barricades, shops and train stations. Figures released yesterday by the Hong Kong Tourism Board show that total visitor arrivals in September were down 34 percent compared with the same month last year. The number coming from mainland China fell 35 percent, and hotels report a 50 percent drop in revenues. Tourism is one of four “pillar industries” that have driven Hong Kong’s economic growth.
We decided to see how all this was playing out on the ground by visiting a selection of popular tourist sites across the territory and reporting what we saw. So we had a week-long staycation – spending each night at our apartment and going out every day to be tourists.
The months of upheaval on the streets have affected many people’s mood – in the words of one expat we spoke to, Hong Kong has become “a sad city”. We also wanted to see if it was possible to get away from the protests and relax while remaining in Hong Kong.
Sustainable tourism has become a hot topic, and of course flight-free staycations are about as green as you can get. We travelled only by bus, ferry and – in one case – funicular railway during our week as tourists in our adopted home city.
Violence reached a new level this weekend as demonstrators clashed with police across Hong Kong for 12 hours.
We won’t be commenting on the issues that triggered the protests or the response of the authorities – this is a travel, not a politics, platform. We simply want to gauge the impact of these events on a cross-section of attractions on a city that is highly dependent on tourism.
1) Sunday Afternoon on the Peak
EVERY first-time tourist in Hong Kong makes a beeline for the Peak, the lofty viewpoint that offers spectacular views over Hong Kong Island and across Victoria Harbour to Kowloon. Since 1888, the best way to get there has been the Peak Tram, a funicular railway that speeds up the slope, through leafy forests, in seven minutes and offers tantalising glimpses of the city along the way.
Now the tram has become a striking example of how tourism has been hit by the protests. The service recently reopened after a major refurbishment, but before the closure – and the protests – two-hour queues to get on board in Central were standard. When we turned up on a Sunday in October, we walked straight on to the platform and waited just a couple of minutes to take our seats and start the ride.
Last month, protestors held a peaceful demonstration at the Peak, but when we arrived there was no sign of them. Nor was there any damage to buildings or graffiti, which you encounter in many parts of Hong Kong. We were not surprised to find that there weren’t many tourists, and the restaurants in the Peak’s two malls had loads of empty tables. (It’s Hong Kong, so there have to be malls – them’s the rules.)
Read More
2) A Day Out in the Country
I LIKE everything about Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden, from its sense of tranquillity, the friendly staff, its ethics, the views… and it’s a really cheap day out.
It’s free if you’re under five or over 60, and HK$5 (64 US cents) for the 1.5 hour shuttle bus service that takes you all over the site and drops you off for short walks at points of interest. The highest-priced adult ticket is HK$30 (US$3.8), and once you’re in, you can stay all day to walk, gaze, or daydream.
Oh, there is one downside – it’s at Tai Po in the New Territories and for many it’s a trek to get there. For us it was three bus rides each way. However, the reward is that you’re really out in the countryside and have left urban Hong Kong well behind. Because the farm and garden are on a hill, once you’re at the top you can see clearly for miles around.
About the hill; that does mean, of course, that for a lot of the day you’re walking uphill, and it’s steep. With tourism down, there were only four people on our shuttle bus (there are four buses each day) but I imagine the bus struggles up the slopes when it is full. When you get off the bus, there are still usually steep paths or flights of steps to get anywhere, so be warned.
Read More
3) A Night at Happy Valley Races
THE phrase “it’s an institution” is pretty overused by travel writers. Often it’s trotted out when the author is too lazy to think of something else. A bar that’s been open a few years, for example, is described as “a Dubai (or wherever) institution”.
When it comes to horse racing in Hong Kong, though, now that really IS an institution. The first race meeting in Hong Kong took place at Happy Valley in 1846 – just four years after the territory was ceded to Britain by China. The Hong Kong Jockey Club, which today runs the sport as a monopoly, was formed in 1884.
Racing has become phenomenally popular and generates huge amounts of money, with the club giving large sums to charitable causes – HK$4.3 billion (US$545 million) in 2018-19.
The Wednesday night meetings at Happy Valley Racecourse on Hong Kong Island are a magnet for locals, expats and tourists. Companies with offices in the city regularly welcome colleagues from branches across Asia and beyond who look forward to a night at the races.
4) A Walk Along Nathan Road
WE TOOK this two-mile stroll on Thursday, October 17. The date is important because three days later violence broke out here during a Sunday protest, with pepper spray, petrol bombs, water cannon firing blue dye, shops, banks and restaurants trashed and multiple arrests.
It’s a good example of what Colin and I wanted to do with our Staycation series. In times of unrest, things turn on a sixpence, but although the events of Sunday saddened both of us, our brief here is: Is it possible to have a holiday in Hong Kong despite the protests?
And on that Thursday we had a civilised walk in Kowloon from the wonderful Star Ferry pier to the markets in Mong Kok up to Prince Edward, the northern end of Nathan Road. In one walk you can see much of what makes Hong Kong so vibrant. Starting with posh shops (which I find bland and boring) you quickly reach delights such as Kowloon Mosque, St Andrew’s Church, and Kowloon Park.
5) A Trip to Tai O
UNTIL a little while ago, if you said “Hong Kong” to someone then it’s likely the first image that would spring into their mind would be the iconic cityscape. That’s what defined the city – gleaming towers soaring skywards on both sides of Victoria Harbour.
Now, six months after the start of the anti-government protests, they would be more likely to think of burning metro stations, billowing teargas and violent clashes.
That old image of Hong Kong was misleading, though – there was always a lot more to it than skyscrapers.
Much of the territory is made up of country parks, and there are plenty of fine beaches. Then there are traditional fishing villages such as Tai O on the western edge of Lantau Island. All of these were good options when you needed a break from the frantic pace of city life.
This is more important than ever in the current difficult times. We wanted to get away from the constant reminders of the showdowns between protesters and police – the graffiti in normally pristine Central, the endless news coverage. So we decided to head off to Tai O.
6) A Junk Ride to Stanley
ONE of the easiest touristy things to do in Hong Kong is to take the junk ride from Central around to the pretty seaside town of Stanley. The voyage lasts 1.5 hours, and there’s nothing to do on board except sip a cool beer or soft drink while you watch the coastline bob up and down.
In happy times, the junk does the trip four times a week, but during our staycation with the protests still going on and the tourist numbers plummeting, there were only two sailings, on Saturday and Sunday.
We booked ahead, but there was no need on the Saturday we went. There were 13 of us on the top deck, which holds 50 people on its enormous daybed-type loungers. A few more sat on the lower deck, and a handful boarded in Tsim Sha Tsui, but that was it.
That suited me fine, and added to the soothing atmosphere, helped also by beautiful Chinese music being played softly throughout. The staff are friendly and helpful, and with a blue sky and blue sea, Hong Kong’s many islands drifted by.
7) A Saturday in Central
THIS was the simplest of our staycation days, and will be familiar to many who live in Hong Kong. An afternoon at the cinema, then supper and home. We chose a Saturday because these days most protest activity takes place at the weekends, and a lot of it has been in Central. In fact, last night (Nov. 2) was a gamechanger, with upwards of 12 hours of violence and mayhem across Hong Kong, both sides of the harbour. Multiple arrests, tear gas, Molotov cocktails, two incendiary devices disabled, almost 20 injured – Central, the Western district, Nathan Road, Mong Kok, Prince Edward, Causeway Bay and Wan Chai were all affected, and all places where tourists would be on a Saturday night out.
Consequently, I am rewriting this because the original version, which emphasised how peaceful our day in Central was, would be misleading in the changed circumstances. However, back to our walk two Saturdays ago.
We live in the outlying islands, and our ferry brings us to Central Piers, so we walked along the harbour front and through Tamar Park, past the Legislative Council building, or LegCo, Hong Kong’s government complex. This had been trashed a few weeks earlier but had just been repaired, and was surrounded by barricades. There were still protest signs painted onto the walkways, but graffiti had been hastily removed, leaving splodges of grey everywhere, and posters torn down. This usually pristine complex looked tatty but not damaged.
Five Things We Learned From Our Staycation
- One thing became clear – everywhere we went, there were very few tourists. We have to admit this made our visits to popular attractions more pleasant than usual, though obviously we regret the circumstances. The Hong Kong Tourism Board last week published total visitor arrivals figures for September, which showed a 34 percent drop compared with the same month last year. From what we saw on the ground, we suspect the impact of the protests on the leisure tourism sector, as opposed to business travel and visits for family reasons, is greater than these numbers suggest.
- Hong Kong can be a surprisingly cheap place for sightseeing. Travelling on the extensive public transport networks is inexpensive, while admission fees are generally very low, and often free for young children and the over-60s. However, the protests have repeatedly caused extensive disruption, particularly to the MTR metro system.
- Our staycation reminded us how many great places and things to see there are in Hong Kong, and how diverse they are. Going forward, we’ll be having more days out.
- Some expats have been criticised for living in a so-called “bubble” – carrying on as before, oblivious to the protests. We did see some instances of this, mostly because our staycation clashed with the Rugby World Cup. One evening we were at a bar showing a match on some screens and live coverage of the violence happening just a few streets away on others. No one was watching the protests.
- We’ve long felt that Hong Kong is complacent when it comes to tourism, one of its four so-called “pillar” industries. There are only six tourist information offices in total, all but two at points of entry. How come there is no office to help tourists wandering around Central? Notable attractions are not promoted effectively – do many visitors know, for example, that Hong Kong has the world’s highest bar, Ozone at the Ritz-Carlton in Kowloon? Likewise, are they told about costly new cultural facilities such as the Xiqu Centre and Tai Kwun? The tourist board concentrates on pushing brand Hong Kong with slogans such as “Best of All It’s in Hong Kong”, which looks more ill-advised by the day. Perhaps now conditions are so much tougher there’ll be a much-needed rethink.
Updated January 2020
RELATED
PINK DOLPHIN WATCHING: Another once-popular tourist attraction in Hong Kong that has been badly hit by the protests as the number of people taking part has plummeted. READ MORE
XIQU CENTRE: Futuristic Home for an Ancient Artform. Everything you need to know about this exciting new opera house, including details of performances where tea and dim sum is served. READ MORE
EXTENSIVE LOCAL COVERAGE of the protests is available online from the South China Morning Post and the Hong Kong Free Press.
RECOMMENDED
WELCOME TO OUR WORLD! Afaranwide’s home page – this is where you can find out about our latest posts and other highlights. READ MORE
TOP 10 ATTRACTIONS: Many of the world’s most popular tourists sites are closed because of the coronavirus crisis, but you can still visit them virtually while you’re self-isolating. READ MORE
SHIMLA, QUEEN OF THE HILLS: Government officials once retreated to Shimla in the foothills of the Himalayas to escape India’s blazing hot summers. Now tourists make the same journey. READ MORE
TEN THINGS WE LEARNED: Our up-to-the-minute guide to creating a website, one step at a time. The costs, the mistakes – it’s what we wish we’d known when we started blogging. READ MORE
TROUBLED TIMES FOR EXPATS: Moving abroad can seem an idyllic prospect, but what happens when sudden upheavals or the inescapable realities of life intrude? READ MORE
LET'S STAY IN TOUCH
HONG KONG PROTESTS
Staycation in
a Battle Zone
COLIN SIMPSON and SUE BRATTLE
IN NORMAL times, this post would be called something like “7 Places You Simply Must See in Hong Kong”. But things have not been normal in the city since April, when large-scale protests against an extradition bill began.
The bill, which would have allowed extraditions to mainland China, has since been dropped. But the protests have continued as those involved pursue other demands.
Escalating levels of violence and destruction of property have created a sombre backdrop to life in what used to be a fun, buzzy place to live.
Tourist arrivals plummeted as the world watched endless news reports showing burning barricades, shops and train stations. Figures released yesterday by the Hong Kong Tourism Board show that total visitor arrivals in September were down 34 percent compared with the same month last year. The number coming from mainland China fell 35 percent, and hotels report a 50 percent drop in revenues.
Tourism is one of four “pillar industries” that have driven Hong Kong’s economic growth.
We decided to see how all this was playing out on the ground by visiting a selection of popular tourist sites across the territory and reporting what we saw. So we had a week-long staycation – spending each night at our apartment and going out every day to be tourists.
The months of upheaval on the streets have affected many people’s mood – in the words of one expat we spoke to, Hong Kong has become “a sad city”. We also wanted to see if it was possible to get away from the protests and relax while remaining in Hong Kong.
Sustainable tourism has become a hot topic, and of course flight-free staycations are about as green as you can get. We travelled only by bus, ferry and – in one case – funicular railway during our week as tourists in our adopted home city.
Violence reached a new level this weekend as demonstrators clashed with police across Hong Kong for 12 hours.
We won’t be commenting on the issues that triggered the protests or the response of the authorities – this is a travel, not a politics, platform. We simply want to gauge the impact of these events on a cross-section of attractions on a city that is highly dependent on tourism.
1) Sunday Afternoon on the Peak
EVERY first-time tourist in Hong Kong makes a beeline for the Peak, the lofty viewpoint that offers spectacular views over Hong Kong Island and across Victoria Harbour to Kowloon.
Since 1888, the best way to get there has been the Peak Tram, a funicular railway that speeds up the slope, through leafy forests, in seven minutes and offers tantalising glimpses of the city along the way.
Now the tram has become a striking example of how tourism has been hit by the protests. The service recently reopened after a major refurbishment, but before the closure – and the protests – two-hour queues to get on board in Central were standard.
When we turned up on a Sunday in October, we walked straight on to the platform and waited just a couple of minutes to take our seats and start the ride.
Last month, protestors held a peaceful demonstration at the Peak, but when we arrived there was no sign of them. Nor was there any damage to buildings or graffiti, which you encounter in many parts of Hong Kong.
We were not surprised to find that there weren’t many tourists, and the restaurants in the Peak’s two malls had loads of empty tables. (It’s Hong Kong, so there have to be malls – them’s the rules.)
Read More2) A Day Out in the Country
I LIKE everything about Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden, from its sense of tranquillity, the friendly staff, its ethics, the views… and it’s a really cheap day out.
It’s free if you’re under five or over 60, and HK$5 (64 US cents) for the 1.5 hour shuttle bus service that takes you all over the site and drops you off for short walks at points of interest. The highest-priced adult ticket is HK$30 (US$3.8), and once you’re in, you can stay all day to walk, gaze, or daydream.
Oh, there is one downside – it’s at Tai Po in the New Territories and for many it’s a trek to get there. For us it was three bus rides each way. However, the reward is that you’re really out in the countryside and have left urban Hong Kong well behind. Because the farm and garden are on a hill, once you’re at the top you can see clearly for miles around.
About the hill; that does mean, of course, that for a lot of the day you’re walking uphill, and it’s steep. With tourism down, there were only four people on our shuttle bus (there are four buses each day) but I imagine the bus struggles up the slopes when it is full. When you get off the bus, there are still usually steep paths or flights of steps to get anywhere, so be warned.
Read More3) A Night at Happy Valley
THE phrase “it’s an institution” is pretty overused by travel writers. Often it’s trotted out when the author is too lazy to think of something else. A bar that’s been open a few years, for example, is described as “a Dubai (or wherever) institution”.
When it comes to horse racing in Hong Kong, though, now that really IS an institution. The first race meeting in Hong Kong took place at Happy Valley in 1846 – just four years after the territory was ceded to Britain by China. The Hong Kong Jockey Club, which today runs the sport as a monopoly, was formed in 1884.
Racing has become phenomenally popular and generates huge amounts of money, with the club giving large sums to charitable causes – HK$4.3 billion (US$545 million) in 2018-19.
The Wednesday night meetings at Happy Valley Racecourse on Hong Kong Island are a magnet for locals, expats and tourists. Companies with offices in the city regularly welcome colleagues from branches across Asia and beyond who look forward to a night at the races.
4) A Walk Along Nathan Road
WE TOOK this two-mile stroll on Thursday, October 17. The date is important because three days later violence broke out here during a Sunday protest, with pepper spray, petrol bombs, water cannon firing blue dye, shops, banks and restaurants trashed and multiple arrests.
It’s a good example of what Colin and I wanted to do with our Staycation series. In times of unrest, things turn on a sixpence, but although the events of Sunday saddened both of us, our brief here is: Is it possible to have a holiday in Hong Kong despite the protests?
And on that Thursday we had a civilised walk in Kowloon from the wonderful Star Ferry pier to the markets in Mong Kok up to Prince Edward, the northern end of Nathan Road. In one walk you can see much of what makes Hong Kong so vibrant. Starting with posh shops (which I find bland and boring) you quickly reach delights such as Kowloon Mosque, St Andrew’s Church, and Kowloon Park.
5) A Trip to Tai O
UNTIL a little while ago, if you said “Hong Kong” to someone then it’s likely the first image that would spring into their mind would be the iconic cityscape. That’s what defined the city – gleaming towers soaring skywards on both sides of Victoria Harbour.
Now, six months after the start of the anti-government protests, they would be more likely to think of burning metro stations, billowing teargas and violent clashes.
That old image of Hong Kong was misleading, though – there was always a lot more to it than skyscrapers.
Much of the territory is made up of country parks, and there are plenty of fine beaches. Then there are traditional fishing villages such as Tai O on the western edge of Lantau Island. All of these were good options when you needed a break from the frantic pace of city life.
This is more important than ever in the current difficult times. We wanted to get away from the constant reminders of the showdowns between protesters and police – the graffiti in normally pristine Central, the endless news coverage. So we decided to head off to Tai O.
6) A Junk Ride to Stanley
ONE of the easiest touristy things to do in Hong Kong is to take the junk ride from Central around to the pretty seaside town of Stanley. The voyage lasts 1.5 hours, and there’s nothing to do on board except sip a cool beer or soft drink while you watch the coastline bob up and down.
In happy times, the junk does the trip four times a week, but during our staycation with the protests still going on and the tourist numbers plummeting, there were only two sailings, on Saturday and Sunday.
We booked ahead, but there was no need on the Saturday we went. There were 13 of us on the top deck, which holds 50 people on its enormous daybed-type loungers. A few more sat on the lower deck, and a handful boarded in Tsim Sha Tsui, but that was it.
7) A Saturday in Central
THIS was the simplest of our staycation days, and will be familiar to many who live in Hong Kong. An afternoon at the cinema, then supper and home. We chose a Saturday because these days most protest activity takes place at the weekends, and a lot of it has been in Central.
In fact, last night (Nov. 2) was a gamechanger, with upwards of 12 hours of violence and mayhem across Hong Kong, both sides of the harbour. Multiple arrests, tear gas, Molotov cocktails, two incendiary devices disabled, almost 20 injured – Central, the Western district, Nathan Road, Mong Kok, Prince Edward, Causeway Bay and Wan Chai were all affected, and all places where tourists would be on a Saturday night out.
Consequently, I am rewriting this because the original version, which emphasised how peaceful our day in Central was, would be misleading in the changed circumstances. However, back to our walk two Saturdays ago.
We live in the outlying islands, and our ferry brings us to Central Piers, so we walked along the harbour front and through Tamar Park, past the Legislative Council building, or LegCo, Hong Kong’s government complex.
This had been trashed a few weeks earlier but had just been repaired, and was surrounded by barricades. There were still protest signs painted onto the walkways, but graffiti had been hastily removed, leaving splodges of grey everywhere, and posters torn down. This usually pristine complex looked tatty but not damaged.
Read MoreFive Things We Learned From Our Staycation
- One thing became clear – everywhere we went, there were very few tourists. We have to admit this made our visits to popular attractions more pleasant than usual, though obviously we regret the circumstances. The Hong Kong Tourism Board last week published total visitor arrivals figures for September, which showed a 34 percent drop compared with the same month last year. From what we saw on the ground, we suspect the impact of the protests on the leisure tourism sector, as opposed to business travel and visits for family reasons, is greater than these numbers suggest.
- Hong Kong can be a surprisingly cheap place for sightseeing. Travelling on the extensive public transport networks is inexpensive, while admission fees are generally very low, and often free for young children and the over-60s. However, the protests have repeatedly caused extensive disruption, particularly to the MTR metro system.
- Our staycation reminded us how many great places and things to see there are in Hong Kong, and how diverse they are. Going forward, we’ll be having more days out.
- Some expats have been criticised for living in a so-called “bubble” – carrying on as before, oblivious to the protests. We did see some instances of this, mostly because our staycation clashed with the Rugby World Cup. One evening we were at a bar showing a match on some screens and live coverage of the violence happening just a few streets away on others. No one was watching the protests.
- We’ve long felt that Hong Kong is complacent when it comes to tourism, one of its four so-called “pillar” industries. There are only six tourist information offices in total, all but two at points of entry. How come there is no office to help tourists wandering around Central? Notable attractions are not promoted effectively – do many visitors know, for example, that Hong Kong has the world’s highest bar, Ozone at the Ritz-Carlton in Kowloon? Likewise, are they told about costly new cultural facilities such as the Xiqu Centre and Tai Kwun? The tourist board concentrates on pushing brand Hong Kong with slogans such as “Best of All It’s in Hong Kong”, which looks more ill-advised by the day. Perhaps now conditions are so much tougher there’ll be a much-needed rethink.
Updated January 2020
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