Just came back from Hong Kong not long ago!
Finally compiled my post about my short trip there. :)
It was a short yet good trip, might be uploading a vlog post soon, stay tuned!~
Getting SIM Card and Octopus Card
Shopping!
Food!
Tim Ho Wan
Street Food!!!
Jenny Bakery
Desserts
Style nanda, 3 Concept eyes cosmetic
The Peak and Peak Tram
Ding Ding Bus
Mid-Level Escalator
Getting your SIM card and Octopus Card
First thing first, once you landed, get your SIM Card and Octopus Card. These are basically your 2 essential cards during your time there.
SIM card could be purchase at the 7-eleven store and although online I saw some SIM card for tourists 5 and 8 days ones, but the one that the staff gave me was this "top-upable" SIM card.
Next I walked to the Airport Express Train Counter and bought my
Octopus Card.
This is a MUST buy in Hong Kong unless you don't use public transport O.O It cost you only $150 HKD for it and there's $50 refundable deposit (you can get back your deposit when you return your Octopus card at the MTR station when you're leaving Hong Kong)
This is the ultimate card for almost
everything, you can use it for the MTR (train), buses, food, starbucks, Hui Lau Shan, shopping, etc.
Seriously when I ran out of cash I just used my Octopus card to pay for my food (but obviously you can't use it in like less-modernised areas like older shopping malls etc). It's like Singapore's Ez-link card just BETTER. I know Singapore tried to make it more useable around the island but it kind of fail, I don't understand why.
SHOPPING
TSIM SHA TSUI
Biggest shopping mall in the whole of Hong Kong, how can you give it a miss?
I found many brands that I didn't see in Singapore and best of all, there isn't any tax in Hong Kong, so things are seemingly cheaper.
You can find many American big brands there such as Zara so on and so forth.
One of my Hong Kong trip highlight was to go to the "STYLENANDA" flagship store in Silvercord Shopping mall. I literally went crazy over at their cosmetic line 3CE there and spent a bomb. But my money didn't went to waste, I really love their cosmetic line. ^^ Maybe shall post a make-up review! It's located on the second floor of Silvercord mall btw!



MONG KOK
This is a must go place if you are looking for cheaper loots. Prices can be as low as S$10+ and it's somewhat like Bugis Street to me in a mall setting
This the ultimate mall for the usual big brands you'll get in Orchard road shopping mall. Just at the main entrance, there is a H&M outlet located there which is enticing enough for you to walk through..
There was a whole level for cosmetic brands like Laneign, Khiel's etc..
KWAI FONG
Last but not least, this is an ultimate shopping place if you're looking for cheaper alternatives, even cheaper than Arygle Centre is no other than the Kwai fong plaza. It's a rather old building but inside it's somewhat like a mix between Bugis Street (the air conditioned area) & Far East Plaza.
It's relatively easy to get there, it's situated on the Red line and just a stone throw away from Kwai Fong MTR station.
And FYI, this place was recommended by the locals, my Hong Kong friends.
Jenny Bakery
First tried these cookies at work when someone bought it from Hong Kong. Me and my colleague just knew that we had to get it in Hong Kong!!! But most unfortunately, since their cookies were so heavenly nice, the queue is extremely long, EVERY DAY.. But managed to get this at the Tsim Sha Tsui outlet nevertheless thanks to some of my Hong Kong friends :') a BIG thank you..
Their packaging is rather cute, it comes in circular tin cans and changes accordingly to the seasonal festivals such as Christmas, New Year, for me I bought the New Year one.
They have several outlets but we went to the TST one and yes there was already a Q. But it's one of the treats from Hong Kong that we shouldn't miss! And take note that there's a cap to the number of tins you can buy. Seems like each person is being capped to 5 tins now and you are able to choose between small (roughly S$10) or big (S$20).
FOOD
1. Modern 茶餐厅
These are somewhat like the "Xin Wang Cafes" we see in Singapore but selling at prices from $4-5 SGD??? So cheap!!! Definitely must go there and eat if don't know what to have when you're there. One particular one I liked was "
Cafe De Coral" and it can be found everywhere.. There are several similar cha can ting around actually but Cafe de coral can be easily found.

Some of the food we had at the various
Cha Can Ding.
2. Wan Ton Noodles
In Hong Kong, a must try delicacy is their Wanton Noodles! I think in Hong Kong, the soup Wanton noodles beat Sg's a thousand times over. (I'm serious) perhaps our dry Wanton noodles is nicer? :P but the Wanton I had, had fresh big shrimps in them. Yummy!!

3. Tim Ho Wan
YES. It is the legendary 1 Michelin Tim Ho Wan which took it's craze in Singapore.
And the price of the dim sum is sooooooooo cheap compared to Sg.
And another thing I realised is that, Hong Kong people like to eat Dim Sum with Veggies. Yes plain simple looking vegetables which any Singaporean would never order at a Dim Sum Store when you know all you want to consume is dim sum. But no, haha, asked my Hong Kong friends and they were explaining that because Dim Sum are full of meat, so they would normally order a vegetable dish to complement the meaty dishes. Learnt something new.



The last one was so nice, it has pigeon eggs on top! Yummy~

Interior of the shop.
We went to the Olympian Outlet. Getting there is quite easy, closest MTR would be Olympic Station, go to Olympian City Tower 2, passing by Macdonalds at Level 1 when coming out from the door and turn right. Walk straight and you will be able to see it distinctively.
The Olympian outlet on a week day evening and we didn't had to Queue AT ALL! Wow. Actually shopping at
Olympian City (Another HUGE Shopping Mall) was pleasantly relaxing because there wasn't a crowd and yet there were almost every brand you want in a mall: H&M, Uniquo, Mango, New Balance, Pull and Bear etc. It's walkable from Mong Kok MTR Station so probably drop by if you prefer to be away from the busier, populated shopping malls in the City.
STREET FOOD
1. 豐記雞蛋仔

鸡蛋仔 Egglet Waffles!!
My Hong Kong friends, Venus and Barley took me to this store which they say is famous.
Barley recommended me the Sesame Chocolate one which I tried and it was really nice :) Hopefully the store that sells Ji Dan Zai in Singapore has it as well.
There was also a store next to it which sells fishballs and whatsoever and I tried their curry fishballs which I really liked :)
2. Tai Cheong Bakery
Famous for their egg tarts! Make sure to get the one in the cripsy flaky one!
They have several stores located around Hong Kong so there isn't a need to specially go to the main outlet.
Attractions
1. The Peak & Peak Tram
The Peak Tram was built in 1888 to facilitate better transport for the residents living on Victoria Peak to the main land. Imo, the peak is definitely a must go attraction. The view is specular and it is just thrilling to feel the G force when the tram moves up the steep hill. Try to avoid the weekends as it can get really crowded. I went there on a weekday so we could get on the tram relatively fast. Do check out my vlog for footages on it! :)
You can use your Octopus card which I did so didn't had to queue up for a ticket. once at the top, there is a shopping mall there with restuarants and all even a Starbucks. I even spotted the famous Mak noodles and Tai Cheong Bakery there.

The wind actually really colddddddddddd.
2. Ding Ding Bus
This is unique to Hong Kong and is the World's only tram with double deckers and was in operation since 1904! I had to take it. So on my alone day, I tried taking this from Causeway Bay area to Central MTR Stop. The tram ride was really interesting, I was lucky to be in a tram that was rather empty and I sat on the upper deck, enjoying the breezy view and watching the pedestrians walking on the pavements. It was a pleasant experience ;)
The 6 routes are as follows:
Kennedy Town – Western Market (23 mins)
Kennedy Town – Happy Valley (60 mins)
Causeway Bay - Shek Tong Tsui (Whitty Street Depot) (45 mins)
Western Market – Shau Kei Wan (58 mins)
Shek Kong Tsui (Whitty Street Depot) – North Point (56 mins)
Happy Valley – Shau Kei Wan (42 mins)
Shau Kei Wan - Kennedy Town (85 minutes)
3. Mid-Level Escalator
Claimed to be the World's longest Escalator, I just had to try this one.
Many shows have featured this escalator before such Running Man and some movies (i heard).
And boy, it sure was loooooooooonnggggg.
It took me approximately 20 + to 30 mins all the way up. And the unfortunate thing was that after taking the escalator up all the way, we had to walk down all the way too. But I found a bus stop half-way and cruised my way down to Central MTR effortlessly.
Getting there was relatively easy, at Central MTR, come out of Exit D1 and once you're out just follow the signboards which can lead you to the escalator easily.
Watch more about it from my upcoming Vlog!
Desserts
1. HeSheEat
Shop 4, G/F, Ngai Hing Mansion, 22 Pak Po Street Mong Kok
Located in Mongkok it's currently one of the highly raved restuarant in hongkong right now. (Credits to Openrice.com) The cafe has a rather nice setting to it and they serve really decent desserts, mostly western styled though.
2. Honeymoon Desserts
Ahh.. yummy Hong Kong styled desserts. Although it has branches in Singapore, isn't it interesting to try it at Hong Kong itself? Their durian pancake is really nice, will eat it back in Sg. :P
3. Hui Lau Shan
Hui Lau Shan can be practically found everywhere across Hong Kong (especially Mong Kok and Tsim Sha Tsui) so just try their most popular Mango Jelly Drink if you bump into one of their outlet.
Cosmetics
If you're a cosmetic lover like me, Hong Kong is the best place to purchase all your skin care products, cosmetics etc. I even bought the Laneign sleeping mask at SGD $31 when in SG it sells at S$50++?? There's tons of cosmetic shops around Hong Kong, but my favourite has to be "Bonjour 卓悦“
I can plainly say that I didn't travel much during this trip. I barely shopped besides my 3CE loots. *Guilty*
It was my first time traveling alone, and honestly without the help of the Hong Kong sisters, I couldn't have had been to so many places on my own.
Maybe I do admit that this trip was out of impulse, but I just felt like I had to go to Hong Kong.
Maybe because I'm turning 21 this year and it's that rare moment of courage that pushed me to act upon it :P
No matter what it is, it was a pleasant way to start the new year.
Pray for the rest of the year to go smoothly!