Do as the locals do in Hong Kong

Ben Kwok May 10, 2023 09:55

Why isn't there a McDonald’s outlet on Macdonnell Road?

The post went viral at Little Red Book, or Xiaohongshu, over the golden weekend when young mainland visitors were eager to share their unique travel experience.

They went the extra mile to buy a McDonald set before they hit the luxurious road that has the same pronunciation in Chinese as the world’s largest fast-food chain.

By the same token, one can find a lot of fun with the unique street names in the former British colony such as bringing a bottle of Hennessy’s Very Superior Old Pale (VSOP) at the Hennessy Road in Wan Chai to make a point.

As with eating, it is always camera first for youngsters who like to show off their daily encounters on social media such as Instagram or Tik Tok. Sorry, Facebook is probably for the middle-aged group.

Forget Disneyland and Ocean Park, they are still popular with tourists but perhaps not so popular among millennials. For a unique experience – and one that will be wowed by friends, the young generation often relies on travel tips provided by key opinion leaders to create their own itinerary.

Think Palace Museum at the West Kowloon Cultural District is a must-see destination? Think again.

Among the top of the wish list, the young chaps would visit Yau Ma Tei Police Station, the famous Grade II historic building, the Tai Nam Street, the old fabric-turned-hip coffee get-together place, and Ap Liu Street, a famous second-hand antique venue in Shum Shui Po.

Interestingly, youngsters now have turned to the traditional film camera for the experience that we used to have despite most people could take pictures with their mobile phones.

While some tourists are interested to know more about how the super-rich lives in Hong Kong, others are more into the lives of the ordinary by visiting the photogenic and nostalgic architecture such as the “Rainbow” Choi Hung Estate and the Nan Shan Estate.

In this light, perhaps “This This Rice”, a popular two-dishes known for its affordability and efficiency during the pandemic, should be added to the classic list of Hong Kong delicacies such as fish ball, egg waffle, pineapple bun and wonton noodle.

All these remind us of the travel axiom of doing as the locals do because this is the whole point of travel – finding good cheap food and discovering the place where the locals like to hang out for a real cultural experience.

That says a lot about why Hong Kong is a place to be missed.

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Ben Kwok

EJ Insight writer