Hong Kong

Alright guys! Life is crazy and amazing and everything all at the same time. Two months ago I had never been to Asia and didn't really know if/when I would ever be able to go and in the past month I have been to 3 different Asian countries... Woah! I am so thankful to have had these experiences. The trips were for work but it was still awesome to be able to travel and get to experience new cultures.

Our trip to Hong Kong was pretty short, only 4 days. I knew from doing some research that Hong Kong was very busy and there was tons to see and do (which was totally accurate). We only had a day and a half to go explore so we had to be selective about what we wanted to do. We were staying on Hong Kong Island which was really nice! We were next to financial buildings and other hotels so it was a good area to be in as a tourist. The scenic views from the hotel were breath-taking and overlooked lush green mountains that were so unique to Hong Kong. Right across the road from our hotel was Hong Kong Park. I loved that there is nature right in the middle of the city!

The first day we walked down to the IFC Mall which was less than a mile from our hotel. Along the walk there were tons of designer stores so we did our fair share of window shopping- my version of torture because I want everything! From there, we were able to walk down to the piers at Victoria Harbour and watch the Ferris Wheel as well as sightseeing boats. It was a great view of the Hong Kong skyline and lights at night.

Victoria Harbour

The next day, we got up and took a taxi to Lantau Island to see the Tian Tan Buddha. I had heard of this before I went to Hong Kong and knew that it was definitely something we had to go see. If you have no clue what I'm talking about, Tian Tan Buddha also known as "Big Buddha" is a bronze statue that is 34 meters high and faces north to look over the Chinese people. Because the Buddha is in such a remote area filled with mountains and beautiful landscape, it is not the easiest to get to. We were able to take the cable cars which was such an unbelievable experience. It was a 30 minute right and looks scary at first but it is so worth it! The views were absolutely incredible! We enjoyed the ride to the top as much as seeing the Buddha! I wouldn't recommend going in the middle of the day because the cars aren't air conditioned and you don't want to be in the cable car during extreme heat.

We have a friend that lives in Hong Kong so she really helped us navigate the food and nightlife there. She took us to some great places and we were able to experience some awesome nightlife in Hong Kong. One of the best places we went was called Iron Fairies which was a bar near the central business district. It was busy because we went on a friday night but definitely a cool experience. As soon as you walk in you notice the butterflies hanging from the ceiling, cauldrons of fairies and candles. They had a band that was playing covers of classic songs and made it a really fun atmosphere. If you want a unique experience I would go check out the Central-Mid-Levels-Escalator! Its an 800-meter long chain of moving stairways and it is surrounded by unique restaurants and bars. Plenty of options to check out if you are not sure where you want to go.

I was amazed by the beauty of Hong Kong! It is definitely urban but with a peaceful feel because of the surrounding mountains. Just a tip if you are planning to go- make sure you get cash. Most places and ALL taxis are cash only so make sure you are prepared! Im so glad I had the opportunity to go and look forward to going back someday.