#sianstakesonHK :: hong kong!

#sianstakesonhk

FINALLY!

i've finally crossed one off my travel bucket list: "fragrant harbor"!

...or better known as hong kong!

carrying the reputable labels of "gourmet paradise" and "world's fair of food", hk has been on my wishlist as a foodie first, traveller second. i'm still craving for my tasting experience of a couple of hong kong's best offering captured in my five day food travelogue. #siansEATShongkong

plane tickets purchased in july, accommodation confirmed in august but the planning for my restaurant wishlist started since july to scrounge for not-to-be-missed places from too many websites to finally narrow down to more than twenty places on my very own personalized city guide for hong kong that also works as my travel memorabilia. that and of course, the things to do in hong kong. ...

very touristy, i know. 

while i skipped on michelin starred restaurants (wweeellll... except for one must-eat-no-matter-the-case) since my friend {mh} and i were on a semi shoestring budget, i piled on the char chaan teng's (tea houses), dai pai dongs (open air food stalls) and some street food to fulfil my mission to eat like the locals as much as i can. 

come mid-november where the weather was perfection in its high 70s (that's mid-20s in celcius) - not too cold, not too warm, just nice :) - i could finally find out if my planning came in handy.

[#protip] consider airbnb for reasonably priced accommodation options but take the time to read the reviews and double check with tripadvisor. 

budget on a shoestring sometimes meant skimping on the accommodation but that doesn't necessarily mean it can't be comfortable and clean in a strategic location. 

we managed to find a hostel-like room in mongkok, just right at the bustling street market of ladies street. it was really great for late nights without needing to travel far especially for two girls in a foreign land during late nights. 

however, there was one thing though, it may not be suitable for light sleepers are the vendors have to dismantle the shop at around midnight which may create a slight racket. but it didn't bother us since we were beat after a day of exploration, walking and eating so we ended up sleeping through the night without any issues.

located in the kowloon area, the room is within building that reminded me of the old apartments i've watched in hk tv series where even the lifts (yes, thank goodness for elevators instead of having to lug our huge luggages!) were slightly old school. the room may be really small but was sufficient for two petite girls. what's more important is that the beds were comfy for us to recharge for our daily adventures and the bathroom was clean. 

the best part of renting a room was that i was able to experience a snippet of hong kong living from the local perspective, even if it was just a small little bit.

this entry signifies the start of the series about my travelogues and food reviews in hong kong, which will cover my five day adventure that consisted a ton of walking, eating and sightseeing! hope you're excited to come with me on on journey of exploring the land with too many people! hehe! ;)

disclaimer this is written based on personal experience and opinion. experiences and taste buds may vary for others.